We're Being Ignored by The Corporate Media.

If you want to know who controls the corporate media, just pay close attention to the issues that they refuse to talk about. A new study by Media Matters shows that over the last six months, there has been almost no coverage of the Trans Pacific Partnership on the major networks. Last week, hundreds of organizations – which represent tens of millions of members - signed a letter to Congress calling on them to stop the TPP. Yet, that letter was ignored by the corporate news media.

Before that, at least 50 groups took part in a massive campaign called StopFastTrack.com, but we didn't hear a word about it on the major networks. The same goes for the fight to restore Net Neutrality, and nation-wide vigils against the Keystone XL pipeline. Millions of people are already involved in these growing campaigns, but the so-called mainstream media continues to ignore any movement that could stand in the way of corporate profits. These networks aren't mainstream, they blatantly refuse to talk about the issues that millions of Americans want covered.

Just like we saw with anti-Iraq War protests... this is what happens when the companies that own our news media also profit off of building bombs. They have a personal interest in downplaying the size of the opposition. We can't depend on corporations that want to profit off a pay-for-play internet to provide honest coverage about Net Neutrality. And, we won't hear about the TPP on networks owned by mufti-national corporations. Millions of people are getting involved and getting active about these issues, and they're going to keep fighting, even if they're ignored by the corporate media.

Comments

Gavriel's picture
Gavriel 9 years 7 weeks ago
#1

I heard you say that you are in favor of a constitutional convention. But you followed back your belief that there is not enough support. I am very glad to correct you on this, in fact the 99%, anonymous,the tea party, the majority of world bank whistle blowers including Karen Hudes(hint; great person to have on as a guest). So please join us, if you want source information please ask and I will send. Freedom 2014

;contact me at gavrielinmotion@hotmail.com

if you want more information or would like to get involved.

a very interesting interview and a wink and a nod at inviting Karen on your show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWBogcrFGx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS4sBZyjTEE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZJ0w8FRAF0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joDR2If5I8o

ckrob's picture
ckrob 9 years 7 weeks ago
#2

Let's throw in the public's inability to read critically generally. We don't distinguish reportage of fact and opinion. We don't have a basic understanding of propaganda techniques. The average reader wouldn't recognize an ad hominem attack if it spit on them. The Texas Republican Party platform recently contained a plank that would have prohibited the teaching of critical thinking skills in Texas public schools. Curricula would teach job skills rather than what it takes to be a functioning Citizen. Don't ask questions, just do as you are told because there are plenty of unemployed who will!

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#3

sandlewould ~ Well, it looks like if Thom didn't read your letter yesterday, he sure was on the same beam of influence.

The Main Stream media is a joke that is not funny. I've given up on 99% of it about 6 years ago or so. (I turn on the news for 10 min. in the morning to hear the weather and traffic. That's about it.) I believe the only recourse we have in this matter is to boycott the major networks. That's no problemo for your's truly. Consider it done! It's about time the rest of the country jumps on the bandwagon. "0" profits will get their attention. Meanwhile, lets use the "free market" to move all those profits to better desired media sources like RT and Free Speech TV. After all, Corporations may have control now; but, in the end, we own them.

mathboy's picture
mathboy 9 years 7 weeks ago
#4

"Economic condom". That's hilarious. I want to hear that in a State of the Union Address.

sandlewould's picture
sandlewould 9 years 7 weeks ago
#5

DAnne,

I must say it is gratifying to hear (see) Thom’s rant on the subject. (Thanks, Thom!) I am, obviously, obsessed with what to me is the FACT that there will be no way to wake up the country at large or organize constructively enough to force the hands of our legislators/leaders unless we gain control of the general dialogue. 30 years of ubiquitous propaganda and lies have thrown so many wrenches in the works of critical thought that perfectly bright people have been turned into blithering idiots who believe the complete opposite of what is true...and there’s no reasoning with them. After all, they heard it on the News! I am trying to figure out how to organize a movement of protestors that show up at the FCC’s monthly meetings demanding a return to the fairness doctrine and monopoly restrictions at the very least, if not the declaration of all media as public utilities that can only be run publicly and not-for-profit (in my dreams). As far as electing legislators who big $$$ can’t buy...I defer to a recent interview I heard on ‘Breaking the Set’.

In the words of Kshama Sawant;

“...If you are serving in the Democratic Party, you are serving the interests of big business. That is not a channel for social change. The sooner we wake up to this fact, the sooner we can implement change”.

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#6

sandlewould ~ It sure is a big problem. I've learned that the best way to deal with a big problem is to start chipping away at the root. In this case we aren't going to get anywhere until Citizen's United is overturned. A grassroots effort in this task--Move to Amend--has already been started and simply needs our support.

The next course would be Campaign Finance Reform. After we get big money out of the political process then we can seriously start dealing with these media issues.

As far as those "Blithering Idiots" you've spoke of are concerned, they have to be addressed on a one on one basis with patients. I've learned that such media victims tend to come around by themselves in time. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time. The best we can do is to watch for their natural awakening and step in at the right time and encourage the process. Trying to force it never works; and, can actually push them further down the Rabbit hole.

Keep up the good work!

karenjj2's picture
karenjj2 9 years 7 weeks ago
#7

I've expressed my thoughts on the "Shafta" (thanks, Thom) over at firedoglake:

http://my.firedoglake.com/karenjj2/2014/02/05/the-tpp-contract-for-a-cor...

I thoroughly enjoy the Thom Hartmann show especially hearing from sane and rational folks across the country.

sandlewould's picture
sandlewould 9 years 7 weeks ago
#8

P.S. Danne...

I have been on a local 'starve the ratings' campaign. But sadly, according to a lecture I heard Norman Goldman give recently on the radio business because of something called "aggragated" ratings, apparently, what we know as ratings don't really matter anymore...it was confusing...but as it was told, the corps are not going to stop pooring $$$ into propaganda because they want to keep us deaf, dumb and blind. Keep on fightin'

I am behind movetoamend.org 100% but...Perhaps this is pessimistic, but as I understand it, once a Constitutional amendment is ratified by 2/3 of the states, it goes to the desk of the federal registrar who then amends the Constitution. The way I see it, with today's media, it would be ignored and very few people would even ever find out that the amendment was ratified..Congress would ignor it and it would get "lost" on the Registrar's desk. Even if we do amend the Constitution, if they 'uphold' that amendment as well as they are currently 'upholding' the 4th, 1st and 14th...they will pass laws in contradiction to the new amendment instead of in reponse to it. Most, if not all of the political elites of both parties do not shill for $$. The richest donars and lobbyists bang down doors to get to the legislators with the most influence. These political elites have more invitations to fancy Dos than they know how to handle. They just sit back and let the $$$ roll in, and what's even more corrupting than $$$ in elections is the revololving door that guarantees them cushy jobs after doing the corporate bidding. With the media educating the people, we might have a chance to force their hands...otherwise, ?.

chuckle8's picture
chuckle8 9 years 7 weeks ago
#9

I thought up another plan of attack that I have not seen mentioned here. Every day at the opening of the Senate and the House, Berne Sanders and some progressive from the house should read Article III, Section 2 of the constitution. The should especially read the part that says " ... the supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Ecsceptions, and under such Regulations as te Congress shall make." If they read it enough times, maybe the Congress will like the power the constitution has given them and act on it. For example, they would tell SCOTUS where to stick that decision they made about the McCain - Feingold Law.

dr818dr's picture
dr818dr 9 years 7 weeks ago
#10

Yes, the corporate media does ignore all of those issues. But the corporate media and the liberal media (and I am a liberal) also ignore or mis-report on immigration reform as well. If you are against the TPP which we all should be you cannot be for immigration reform. If you are for a $15 minimum wage you can't be for immigration reform. If you are against outsourcing you can't be for immigration reform. If you believe that the inequity in wages must be reduced you can't be for immigration reform. if you think unemployment is too high you can't be for immigration reform. If you think the safety net is unfairly being shredded you can't be for immigration reform. If all you care about are votes or cheap labor and wage depression than you should be for immigration reform.

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#11

sandlewould ~ I never said it would work, I said it is the most logical course of action to take. The way I look at it a fight ain't over till it's over. You don't stop swinging until you hit the ground and the lights go off. Glad to hear you're behind movetoamend.org 100%. Be as pessimistic as you want, but don't give up on that fight. Right now, that is the arrow head of our offensive.

chuckle8 ~ I'm not sure if I understand your reasoning. Can you possibly stretch that Constitutional clause to blow away Citizens United?

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#12

dr818dr ~ Well said! I agree 100%. In fact, I would also go so far as to say that the "liberal media" misleads people also with the notion of gun control. The real cause of mass shootings was Reagans defunding of mental institutions. With one swipe of the pen the man plunged this country into a state of extensive homelessness, untreated mental illness, and the obvious violence that we see escalating today. The "liberal media" would have us all believe that this is because of unregulated gun sales. We have always had unregulated gun sales without mass shootings. There used to be a time when the mentally ill weren't allowed to play with matches. I say that if you are for ending mass shootings and gun violence you cannot be for gun control. You must be for refunding mental institutions. So far, not one of the gun related mass shootings was perpetrated by a sane gunman.

On a side note, even John Hinckley, who shot Ronald Reagan, was treated for schizophrenia. The man--Ronald Reagan--never understood mental illness; and, therefore, was in no position to make that stunningly irresponsible decision in the first place. The fact that overturning the decision seems to be beyond the scope of either party today clearly indicates a complicity and conspiracy to overturn the second amendment instead. Would you agree with that dr818dr?

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#13

As far as Keystone goes and believe me I personally have a lot at stake with it. Please, please, please just make a &$%#ing decession. Yes / No whatever. How arrogant do you have to be to hold up a massive decession that holds up a whole nations major industry for 5 1/2 years. Five and a half years and five studies all that passed with flying colors. All the states involved OK'd it. if the truth be told Keystone isn't in the best interest of the Canadian oilfield industry. We would be much better off to go with option two where we refine and export our own oil. Other countries would pay much More. But a good neighbour would reach out and offer to help a struggling freind. A good neighbour would offer to supply a freind with safe, clean, environmentally friendly low priced energy. But I understand. If you believe it isn't the right thing for you no problem. we will move on and sell it to China or India who are starving for clean energy. So please please just for your old buddy kend call who ever you can and get a secession made for me. No, yes what ever just get it over with so we can move on.

michaelmoore052's picture
michaelmoore052 9 years 7 weeks ago
#14

Nationalist Belief now trumps and incorporates Religious Belief, putting pride-of-nation to the forefront of belief systems and is quite blinding, figuratively speaking. Use of horrendous weapons and creating death and mayhem in "remote" parts of the world is overlooked as a necessary and acceptable evil. Meanwhile news is now entertainment.

http://www.google.com/m?q=cbs+%22news+as+entertainment%22

In fact, God loves all mankind and all living things, so any horrendous event created by individuals should be viewed as against God.

Oh well. Let's go to the mall.

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#15

sandlewould ~ Yesterday you mentioned that the media programmed dupes were "Blithering Idiots." I was just curious what does a regular idiot need to do to become a "Blithering Idiot?" I mean, do they need to sign up for a special course and pass a special test? Inquiring minds want to know.

Oh, wait! I think I'm asking the wrong person. Sorry sandlewould!

Kend ~ You should be able to answer this question. What do you say?

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#16

Well DAnne. Apparently to be a "blithering idiot" you just have to be elected to the highest office in the USA.

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#17

Kend ~ Thanks! I was sure you could shed light on that question.

As far as Keystone is concerned I can't answer for the majority of Americans; but, if my intuition is correct, the answer is a not no, but fuck no0! If that helps.

2950-10K's picture
2950-10K 9 years 7 weeks ago
#18

Lord knows I've beat the corpse media thing to death on this blog, and elsewhere, and for good reason. As Thom points out, the corporate media is controlled by big money special interest...not a surprise to most of us, but the cause of self injurious voting for millions.

One progressive billionaire could change the course of history overnight if he or she were to buy up a good chunk of media and put the wood to Murdoch with exposure of the issues that truly matter to all of us. But that ain't gonna happen.

I do remain optimistic though. I have many young friends and virtually all of them rely on their smart phones for progressive info and communication....no TV..... not even laptops. Murdoch, his FOX crap, and his 800 plus companies are going out like the horse and buggy. Not only did Anonymous stop Rove and his media lies from stealing the 2012 election, it was a smart device that caught the voting fraud in Perry County Pennsylvania. A voter filmed his attempt to vote for Obama as it registered Romney each time. This image quickly went viral. So yes, I believe there is hope, we the people, do in fact have smart weapons to fight back against Corpse Media propaganda / misinformation.

On the subject of the Koch's XL Pipeline...If the Canadian citizens don't want to refine or transport their god damn tar sands on their own freaking land, and they're getting their way on this, why in hell should we allow the United States to become Canada's third world toxic waste depository? We shouldn't allow rail or barge transport either. This is a Koch/Canadian issue. The State Dept. needs to send their report to the Canadian citizens.....not to us. Move the Koch refineries to Canada. See how that works out!!!!! If we the people owned the energy sector like we should...the transition to green would have already happened. All the argument about how we still need oil should be reframed to.... how quickly can we switch to GREEN?

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#19

10k and DAnne. sincerely why do you think this decision has taken so long? Just say NO then. Why drag it on and on and on. Most Canadians could care less either way. Because of the delay there is three more pipelines being proposed here in Canada two to the west coast and one to the east coast to refine and replace middle east oil. We are going to sell it. That is a fact. I sincerely respect Americans opposition to it and I and all Canadians would respect any decession. But just make it. Why the delay? Is it because America is going to regret the chance they had to get oil from a clean reputable source. If we start shipping over seas the price of energy in the US will go up. Is that what scares them to say no. Honestly here we don't understand. If it isn't for America then JUST SAY NO

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#20

2950-10K ~ Well said! i fully agree.

Kend ~ The answer is NO! Deal with it!

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#21

DAnne have you not read a thing I said. There is no answer. please mr president say no then. deal with what. I would love for Obama to say no. Then it would be over.

sandlewould's picture
sandlewould 9 years 7 weeks ago
#22

Kend...

1st up, my principal belief is thet...dispite our venting on each other we should focus on what we agree on... that said...my curiosity peeks...why are you so ‘Gung-ho!; w/ regard to the TxL? ...makes me wonder...but w/ that...Can’t we all just...”get along?” Pretty much seems like, not only homo-sapiens...but mother Earth depend on it...

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#23

Bill Maher is starting to sound like a right wing democrat. On tonight's show he seemed to be ragging on old people who get social security and medicare. He effectively said that old people (referring of course to those of us who don't have millions like he does) are way too expensive but get away with it "because they vote". That, and his tending to side with invading Iraq years ago, makes me think that he is part of what's wrong with America....people who pretend to be liberal but who are largely right wing. I usually agree with most of what he says but once in a while he'll shoot way off and disgrace himself. I'm expecting him to, one day, joke about turning old people into Soylent Green...and get the strong feeling that he isn't joking! Sure, he donated $1million to Obama's second campaign but these wealthy people tend to hang together anyway.

bobbler's picture
bobbler 9 years 7 weeks ago
#24

One of the gretest weakness of the left, is not sticking together. I've never heard maher do this, and I watch him on real time.. Well, aybe once he came close.. And another time I observed him move on to something else (It looked to me because he was deciding the comedy value if moving on, versus bitch slapping the conservative). Seriously, I've heard him support liberals (not democrats) so much, I could certainly tolerate him not being 100-percent liberal. Example, im hardefton every issue, except:

-1- death penalty; in against it because the court system is not Competent enough to decide life and death (it seems too many liberals focus on revenge; and for cold blooded murder, I could give a rats as).

-2- guns, need regulation, but in still in favor per the reasons in the constitution. Next time, perhaps occupy will bring guns, and it will play out differently when the formerly peaceful protestors fight back. We only need look at nazi germany to see how far fascism can go, before enough of the people wake up to make a difference. My guess, a shoot out with the cops over disparity, will be more difficult to keep out of the news.

michaelmoore052's picture
michaelmoore052 9 years 7 weeks ago
#25

The 2nd amendment was put into place to assure the Southern States that they could keep "well regulated militias" as a means of controlling slave communities and prevent slave rebellion. It was for the continuance of Slave Patrols, to hunt down runaways and keep weapons out of the hands of slaves, the African Americans. It was a big fear back then.

And when we enter into a universal slavery scenario, after the collapse of the U.S. dollar, slave patrols could return all across the nation. Only this time color won't be the issue. Your RFID chip will be an issue.

I hope not. But where is all this gun talk really leading.

SHFabian's picture
SHFabian 9 years 7 weeks ago
#26

Of course corporate news media represents only the corporate spin. This has served to determine our politics and policies since the major changes in corporate-owned news media were implemented back in the 1980s. Nearly all news media today comes from a single soyurce, and presenting both sides of the issue are no longer required. I think one of the most powerful examples of this can be found in our socio-economic discussions (which determine the quality of life in the US). We know, for example, that not everyone can work, due to health or circumstances, and that there are currently only 7 jobs available for every 10 people in desperate need one. Yet even those who oddly call themselves "progressives" maintain that only those who are employed should have the fundamental human rights (per the UDHR) of food and shelter. This idea is actually hard-core capitalist, anti-progressive, but we've been so trained in this corporate ideology that the general public doesn't think beyond the training, asking, "What should we do about all those who are left behind?"

SHFabian's picture
SHFabian 9 years 7 weeks ago
#27

I don't believe the changes you imply will ever result in this scenario. No "slave patrols," etc. People anticipate a sudden and dramatic change when, in fact, the changes we fear have been gradually taking place, incrementally, since the 1980s. The success of these changes has been contingent on retraining the public to accept that a distinct section of the population is something less than the rest of us. We can use this group as cheap labor (often sub-min. wages), requiring them to work at jobs chosen for them. They have no choices, and no workers' rights or protections. Such a scenario would have been unimaginable before Reagan. Today, even those who consider themselves "progressive" don't even question this agenda. We call it "workfare labor." Of course, this isn't the only segment of the population that can be effectively stripped of choices and paid less than free Americans, but it's the biggest segment, and the point is that "progressive" media itself doesn't consider this worth questioning. Think about this: The US shipped out a massive chunk of its working class jobs since the 1980s, and then even liberals agreed that those who were left behind are no longer entitled to the most basic human rights of food and shelter. That's a stunning change in public thinking, and what it comes down to is the fact that we have accepted (without question) the start of a slave class, stripped of basic rights, where only those who are of service to employers (the corporate state) deserve to live. Success of the "slavery agenda" relies on public acceptance of it, and this generation is the first in modern history that has been willing to embrace it.

SHFabian's picture
SHFabian 9 years 7 weeks ago
#28

bobbler: Actually, Mahar played an important role in dividing us, during the Clinton admin., by implicitely confirming the (imagined) difference between poor people and "regular" people, ridiculing the poor (esp., women and children). To understand why this is a critical issue, you need to look at history. This isn't the first time that the richest few gained a dangerous degree of power over our government, to the great harm of the country. Each time in the past, the poor and middle class, workers and the jobless, ultimately united to push back, to everyone's benefit. In the 1980s, the rich/corporate state began regaining power over govt. This time, an agenda was implemented to deeply divide the poor and middle, pitting them against each other, to ensure that there would be no push-back. It was very successful. The reason it is so successful is that the leading media marketed to liberals didn't question the surge of anti-poor propaganda that began in the 1980s. The leading lib media, including Mahar, jumped on the bandwagon. The overall message in lib media today agrees with the right-wing ideology that only those who are of current use to employers/the corporate state (in a country that shipped out a massive chunk of our working class jobs) are real people and deserve to survive.

SHFabian's picture
SHFabian 9 years 7 weeks ago
#29

sandlewood: No, we can't all just get along. This would require everyone thinking the same. When the stakes are high, it's a battle between those who would personally gain and those who would personally lose -- on any issue. Idealism is nice, but we've very much reverted to being a primitive, "might-makes-right," society/culture. That's just the way things are.

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#30

Kend ~ I'm sure the President would love to say yes... It would make his financial backers very happy. It is pressure from We the People who the President is listening too. Very wise of him! It is We the People who are slamming the coffin lid on this proposed disaster. If you had an ounce of sense you would listen to We the People as well. Business owners shoot themselves in the foot every time they proceed against the will of their customers. I've seen it before, and I'm seeing it again. That's called the "free market" baby!

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#31

Kend ~ PS You might want to note that since the Fukushima disaster, and the ever increasing levels of radiation all over the country, the growing trend is going to be far more increasing opposition to any proposals that can harm the environment. In the future, if I were you, I would invest accordingly.

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#32

DAnne. First of all you have to beleive that global warming is caused by fossil fuels. I know, 95 % bla bla bla. but I read more and more research that is doubting the cause. for example what caused the heat and dry conditions in the 30's. Why have we spent trillions on this and CO 2 levels are not dropping. I just saw on the news the other day how they are holding back wind turbine permits because they are wiping out bird populations. the fact is although we will convert to wind and solar someday it is a long way away. Wind and solar can not make plastics and we wouldn't last a minute with out them. because cars get three to four times the gas mileage and your President is making that law to get it even better I am not sure we are going that way anytime in the near future. But thanks for the tip I will keep it in mind. I personally buy real estate. It has worked well for me.

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#33

Yes, there have always been cycles in the weather with flooding and droughts, high temperatures and low temperatures. But you need to look at the data collected over time and the evidence collected in sample cores of the ice fields in the Arctic or Antarctic that tells a story of the very long term history. Global warming is a fact and it is a fact that man has been responsible for the dramatic increase in global warming due to fossil fuels.

You can say you have read reports from studies that indicate otherwise but you are most likely reading studies that are being payed for, and influenced by, the fossil fuel industry.

I'd highly recommend that you watch a documentary that has been playing on either FSTV or Link TV called White Water Black Gold. It sure doesn't make Alberta Canada look very clean and pristine with all the tar-sands leaks they've had that have poisoned their water.

Quote science.howstuffworks:The seeds of the Dust Bowl may have been sowed during the early 1920s. A post-World War I recession led farmers to try new mechanized farming techniques as a way to increase profits. Many bought plows and other farming equipment, and between 1925 and 1930 more than 5 million acres of previously unfarmed land was plowed [source: CSA]. With the help of mechanized farming, farmers produced record crops during the 1931 season. However, overproduction of wheat coupled with the Great Depression led to severely reduce­d market prices.

But plow-based farming in this re­gion cultivated an unexpected yield: the loss of fertile topsoil that literally blew away in the winds, leaving the land vulnerable to drought and inhospitable for growing crops. In a brutal twist of fate, the rains stopped. By 1932, 14 dust storms, known as black blizzards were reported, and in just one year, the number increased to nearly 40.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/dust-bowl-c...

Our government, back in the 30s, were unmoved by the plight of the central states when the dust storms kicked up. But one day...even Washington, DC finally suffered the wrath of their stubbornness when a big dust storm blew into DC. It was only then when they realized that they needed to do something.

sandlewould's picture
sandlewould 9 years 7 weeks ago
#34

SHFabian... I realize how simplistic that sounded...that being said, I get along quite well with many who think VERY differently than me...chiefly because I was tought to respect others, regardless of our differences. I choose to believe that this is possible. Of course understanding, that disagreements and even arguments will arise, but hoping that in the world of the future, mutual respect and diplomacy will win out...that is, if any of us survive what appears to be the next mass extinction...

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#35
Quote Kend: but I read more and more research that is doubting the cause. for example what caused the heat and dry conditions in the 30's.

Kend ~ I suppose you are referring to the great Dust Bowl disaster? I suppose you are implying that it was a natural disaster? No, it wasn't; at least, not entirely. It was mostly a man made disaster coupled with nature--much like climate change is. Don't take my word for it, read for yourself:

http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-dust-bowl

Quote The History Channel:2. The Dust Bowl was both a manmade and natural disaster.

Beginning with World War I, American wheat harvests flowed like gold as demand boomed. Lured by record wheat prices and promises by land developers that “rain follows the plow,” farmers powered by new gasoline tractors over-plowed and over-grazed the southern Plains. When the drought and Great Depression hit in the early 1930s, the wheat market collapsed. Once the oceans of wheat, which replaced the sea of prairie grass that anchored the topsoil into place, dried up, the land was defenseless against the winds that buffeted the Plains.

It's not unusual that we have to learn everything the hard way. When the almighty dollar beckons, even the best of us become really stupid. The first thing we do is to ignore the advice of scientists and experts who know what they are talking about. Behold, as history repeats itself.

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#36

Palindromedary ~ Once again you've beaten me to the punch. Bravo!

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#37

Kend: It's so nice that you are so concerned about wind turbines killing birds but what about all those poor migrating birds that land in those tar-sands toxic waste ponds in Alberta? They are just great big death traps for those, and other, wildlife. Watch the documentary White Water Black Gold.

And when they start pumping all that toxic sludge through the XL pipeline, through the middle of the US, starts to leak big time as it has in Canada it will poison our major underground aquifers. There goes the bread basket... there goes the cattle raising industry. Talk about wasteland... and dust bowls... just wait till this happens... and there will be no way to clean it up. They still haven't been able to clean up the other oil spills sufficiently to keep from killing off wildlife. the Gulf spill was "cleaned up" by spraying toxic chemicals that are now not only killing off the marine life in the gulf but are mutating them. And all that toxic sludge settles to the bottom where shellfish and other lifeforms live.

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#38

Thank you, DAnneMarc! It's insensitive rich people that have made a pact with the dark forces, based on greed, that will destroy the earth.

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#39

DAnneMarc: Oh, I see, yes I just read your post #36...well said! And let's not forget how since fossil fuels have been used big time during the industrial age..how polluting they were. Tractors and factories belching out thick plumes of smoke into our atmosphere. Many people suffered big time from respiratory diseases who lived in such areas.

It has only been the reigns put on industry to find ways to minimize pollution that has helped save many millions of people from a horrible lung disease.

Of course cigarettes helped fill the graves since. "Four out of five doctors recommend Camels cigarettes!" Yeah, right!

And it's funny because I just saw the new movie "The Monuments Men" and it had a short scene of a man being examined with a stethoscope for a breathing problem by a doctor and they were both smoking cigarettes at the time. Funny! But really, not so funny. It's a shame, really.

But that's what marketing and capitalist greed can do to us. The psychological manipulation to spend your money on things that will kill you.

It was a pretty good movie, though. But, if you compare this movie they made on recovering Nazi stolen loot (gold, jewels, art) to the Japanese Golden Lily operation of stolen loot (gold, jewels, art)...they try to stay away from even mentioning the latter. All that loot, some of which is still buried in the Philippines, has never been returned to the victims of South East Asia...the Chinese, largely.

After all, while the movie depicted a handful of brave old men whose task it was to recover the Nazi loot to "return to their rightful owners" (largely wealthy Jews)...they would never show a movie of the US keeping all the Japanese loot they found buried in the Philippines. Some of it the US even returned to the villains who stole it in the first place...to the Japanese (Nixon's deal for support for being reelected).

The US kept all that loot to fund the cold war. Marcos and Imelda got a lot of it too.

Aliceinwonderland's picture
Aliceinwonderland 9 years 7 weeks ago
#40

Wow! I used to think Bill Mahr (?) was pretty decent for a rich celeb. Oh well… the moral of the story? Never trust a rich celeb! - AIW

Aliceinwonderland's picture
Aliceinwonderland 9 years 7 weeks ago
#41

"Why drag it on and on?" he pleads. "Please Mr. President say no then… then it would be over…" Kend, Kend, Kend… I'm hearing violins. And what I read between the lines goes something like "Ohhh pleeeez you're tearin' me apart, stop torturing me! Go ahead, reject our pipeline an' break m'heart… I'm a big boy I can take it…" Wah. Boo-hoo-hoo.

Kend- "Research doubting the cause" of global warming? Don't make me laugh. You company shills never quit. Don't you guys ever sleep?

Sorry pal, you're not getting away with that here. Keep it up on this forum and you'll just get scoffed at. Nobody will take you seriously, except maybe the occasional yahoo rightie from Fauxland. Far as your precious Keystone is concerned, you kah-nooks have one hell of a nerve thinking you're gonna ram this thing through our country, defiling our forests, imposing eminent domain on American citizens while you use this land as your toxic dump. Think we're stupid? If you're the ones so hell-bent on that pipeline, and you're the ones who stand to profit from it, then you can stick that piece of crap on your own goddam turf! Because what we have to gain from it is minus zero. What we'll get is an intrusion, an eyesore, a safety hazard, health risks, environmental damage... need I go on? As for this "news" you heard the other day, I'd bet my house and piano the source of that news was your standard corporate drivel, with all its self-serving little lies, half-truths, omissions ad nauseam! Is there anything else about "NO" you don't understand? I thought Canadians spoke English. In case the above leaves any doubt, I repeat: WE DON'T WANT YOUR PHUCKIN' PIPELINE! GOT IT? - Aliceinwonderland

DAnneMarc's picture
DAnneMarc 9 years 7 weeks ago
#42
Quote Palindromedary:The US kept all that loot to fund the cold war. Marcos and Imelda got a lot of it too.

Palindromedary ~ Still hung up on Golden Lily; or, Yamashita's Gold? I'm much more concerned with The Arc of the Covenant. They say it's here in the US you know. Personally, I think it has to be right here in the Bay Area. After all, the Bay Area is the coolest part of the country. The smartest people live here; and, the most profitable business is conducted here. I can feel it's energy permeating the atmosphere while writing this. Forget Roxas's discovery. That's just loose change compared to the real treasure...

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#43

Palin yes a few birds died in the tar ponds. approx. 1200. There was a unusual amount of snow one year and they didn't get the noise makers out quick enough. But hundreds of thousands of birds die yearly to wind turbines and to replace fossil fuel energy with wind turbines you would need millions of them. Who needs birds I guess.

I guess you don't understand anything about keystone. If built it would replace 900,000 barrels of oil a day that is brought by tanker through the gulf from Venusula. We all know what can happen there. A pipeline on the other hand has valves all along it that can be shut down in seconds if there is a leak. I guess you didn't know that Canada ships 2.2 million barrels a day already of our toxic waste to the US via pipeline already. Where is the protests to stop them from getting into your aquifers.

I think I did see White water black gold it has so many false truths in it I don't know where yo start but I will confirm we are talking about the same ting. . like Gasland. Give me a break. there is almost no truth in that movie.

Aliceinwonderland's picture
Aliceinwonderland 9 years 7 weeks ago
#44

If there's one thing you righties have going for you, Kend, it's perseverance! But please spare us your sob story about the birds. I'm sure that problem with the turbines and birds can be easily fixed. Compared to all the carnage from oil spills we've endured through the years, not to mention that BP disaster on the Gulf Coast, I'm certain the number of birds pulverized by wind turbines is miniscule by comparison.

So what's the next of these compelling arguments you've got up your sleeve? Fire away! Tsk. - AIW

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#45

Kend: I'd rather have fewer birds than fewer people needlessly dying as the result of massive chemical pollutants in our air and water... and that's just what is likely to happen if our aquifers are poisoned by the fossil fuel industry... whether it is fracking or the XL pipeline leaking. I wonder how many birds are killed each year by jet liners? So, it looks like no matter what we do, we will most likely kill some birds. But, at least it would be limited to birds...other animals would die at those huge toxic sludge ponds...but not so from windmills. And I don't know of any animals or birds that would be hurt by solar cell arrays...or geothermal generators. We've got to move away from fossil fuel and into alternative forms of energy before it is too late. Other countries are doing it and the US is tailing far behind other countries in that regard. But too many rich and powerful people are too willing to sell out their children's, or grand children's, future for a quick profit now.

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#46

DAnneMarc: That Arc of the Covenant might even be buried under a track/football field somewhere. Hot foot! ;-} But, it looks like you know a lot about the Golden Lily treasure. Yeah, Roxas got the shaft from Marcos. But I believe he actually won a big court case in Hawaii against the Marcos'. Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to collect.

I have been watching some videos of interviews of a woman who worked as a lawyer for the World Bank who turned whistle blower on massive corruption of that organization and the bankers that run it. It turns out that she found some crooked dealings between the President of the Philippines and the major bank in the Philippines. She also claims that that was just the tip of the iceberg. Here is a Breaking the Set interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7E9SUwlooE

In other interviews, by other interviewers, she says some pretty freaky things...like at the end of this interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgT8EJp0SYU
She says some things about the Obamas when asked if someone had something on them.

I don't know if we can really believe some of what she says...like, for instance, in the beginning of another interview she looks from side to side and then makes the statement that the reason she is looking side to side is because she lives there (2mins35secs into the 1st vid). I don't quite understand that unless she was trying to say that she was looking at others like her kids or husband. Anyway, the setting looked like she was in a very spacious high rise overlooking other high rises...skyscrapers..very modern steel and glass. But when I looked at her address on a pdf document of a law suit she had against here "illegal" termination from the World Bank...Google Earth showed a simple two story house in residential Bethesda, Md. I suppose she could own both properties or may have moved since Bethesda to the swankier place but I wonder. Street View shows that it could not be the place shown in the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2zXdRt86LY

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 9 years 7 weeks ago
#47

DAnneMarc: My bad! At 21minutes and 50 seconds into that last video...the backdrop fell down displaying a bare wall. There was no high rise overlooking tall buildings...so it could very well have been at the Bethesda address after all. She may have been trying to disguise her whereabouts... especially after some blogger and his young son died about that time from gunshot wounds and burned up in the house fire..very suspicious! Authorities called it a murder/suicide. But was it really. The guy was very active in blogging about what Karen Hudes has been saying.

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#48

Alice the Turbines can't be fixed easily or they would have done it already.

The keystone pipeline would stop 900,000 barrels of oil a day from going through the gulf a maybe stop a further disaster from Happening.

Kend's picture
Kend 9 years 7 weeks ago
#49

Palin, fracking does not cause earthquakes or poison your water please do what you ask me to do and look at the science not some phoney movie.

solar panels are made from rare earth metals. Because of the solar boom they are being mined in third world countries with no environmental rules at all. Mainly China. That is the real toxic waste poisioning water systems. But I guess it doesn't matter as long as isn't in your back yard.

We can kill the Poor Chinese people and millions of birds but at least we didn't buy ethical oil from Canada.

Mark Saulys's picture
Mark Saulys 9 years 7 weeks ago
#50

In recent decades, free, broadcast, mass media that can reach and did reach everybody - and is therefore very useful to (and was very essential to) movement building - has been replaced by subscriber only cable and internet based media that reaches only isolated individuals.

As a result we aren't ever watching the same events unfold but we are each watching a different spin of them tailored to our supposed individual preferences. Any collectivity in the perception of what's taking place in the society and the world is due to the happenstance of there being others who just happen to share our individual preferences. Thus conservatives are only watching the conservative spin and lefties the lefty spin.

As a result shit doesn't hit the fan like it used to. An explosive fact unearthed by journalists that is helpful to one side of a controversy is only heard about by those whose preferences are for that side and any "scandal" is only a scandal for those of that side. Those of the other side are not even hearing about the supposed scandal or are getting a completely different set of "facts" surrounding it tailored to their "preferences" or their prefered world view.

Thus you couldn't have Watergate today like you did then because only a small fragment of society is even aware of what's going on and what it all means and when the truth comes out about something, like it always eventually does and like it inevitably will on matters like TPP, we as a a society and as a community will not hear about it. Only individual, isolated aggregates will.

Thom's Blog Is On the Move

Hello All

Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.

Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.

From Cracking the Code:
"Thom Hartmann ought to be bronzed. His new book sets off from the same high plane as the last and offers explicit tools and how-to advice that will allow you to see, hear, and feel propaganda when it's directed at you and use the same techniques to refute it. His book would make a deaf-mute a better communicator. I want him on my reading table every day, and if you try one of his books, so will you."
Peter Coyote, actor and author of Sleeping Where I Fall
From Screwed:
"The powers that be are running roughshod over the powers that OUGHT to be. Hartmann tells us what went wrong — and what you and I can do to help set American right again."
Jim Hightower, National Radio Commentator, Writer, Public Speaker, and author of the bestselling Thieves in High Places
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Through compelling personal stories, Hartmann presents a dramatic and deeply disturbing picture of humans as a profoundly troubled species. Hope lies in his inspiring vision of our enormous unrealized potential and his description of the path to its realization."
David Korten, author of Agenda for a New Economy, The Great Turning, and When Corporations Rule the World