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Fox (FAUX News) is absolutely disgusting. Also, want to state I was thrilled to see Thom on MSNBC, would love to see him on more frequently - everyone needs to be inspired by his extensive knowledge of the truth in news.
Fox so-called news is not news at all. The whole entire Fox "news" network is opinion and thus should be labeled, promoted and advertised as such and be treated as pure commentary.
But I'm afraid that Fox is not the only biased news network, it just so happens that Fox is the worst culprit and is blatantly obviously a mouthpiece of the GOP and always tows the big business corporate party line. How is it when a "news" network such as Fox only covers issues from one side, it can be called fair and balanced? It can't and therefore should not be called a news network.
MEDIA CRITIC: Since the mid-70's I have been closely following current events (via, for example, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, C-SPAN, ABC-TV, CBS, NBC, CNN, PBS, FOX, Time magazine, Businessweek, Forbes, Scientific American, Nat'l Geographic, Rolling Stone...and now also Bloomberg, MSNBC, The Drudge Report, Thom Hartmann, Current TV, etc.) And yes, to me the Fox News right-wing commentary programs are mostly bombastic garbage.
However, their weekday evening 'Special Report...' is more informative than the other three major networks [NBC/ABC/CBS] combined. And yes (sometimes to my amazement) it comes close to balance (giving both sides) because, I assume, they want to maintain access-to-power and/or want to be regarded as reputable news organization? Whatever the reason, again, I usually gain a more thorough understanding of what is going on (from their perspective there in Washington, D.C.) than from the other major broadcast news outlets. However, The PBS News Hour and NPR's All Things Considered (+ Morning Edition) also come close to producing comprehensive coverage (albeit, when slanted, it's seems to consistantly be towards the political-left).
Granted, the last 20 minutes of 'Special Report' always features at least one right-wing( commentator on their discussion panels. But also they regularily bring in reporters from The Washington Post and/or Mara Liason (PBS), A.B. Stoddard (The HIll), etc. So, again, in my opinion, it's good stuff. But yeah, for now, you guys there; The Thom Hartmann Show and The Rachael Maddow Show are telling some of the the most powerful truths about what's going on and why.
And let's be fair; MSNBC-TV features their own line-up of unabashed left-leaning advocates (i.e., Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Alex Wagner, Mika Brzezensky, Rev. Sharpton, Martin Bashir, Dylan Ratigan).
If capitalism truly works, then if there was more consumer activism people would see an opportunity to create jobs at home first
thereby raising people up out of poverty.
In the UK an independent review found child poverty levels would go back to at least those of 20yrs ago as austerity plans kick in.
The thought of any child going to bed hungry ANYWHERE is abhorrent never mind 2 of the richest nations on earth.
Politicians of all partys hang your heads in shame!!
One thing I guarantee it won't be their kids going without!!!!
Absolutely! Fun to see you on Ed Schultz tonight, BTW, Thom!
How can America let this happen? Let's ask the economic sodomites like Romney!...... " I'm not concerned about the very poor,"..... That was his biblical answer to the question!
America has completely embraced a "survival of the fittest" agenda that much of the world rejects. We are brutal to those who fall behind, to a degree that the more modern nations find morally repulsive. America is deeply divided by class, and we've nurtured a culture that encourages contempt for anyone who isn't the same as us. Meanwhile, the US has, indeed, chosen to terrorize a range of foreign nations over the past century on the pretext of bringing peace and democracy. We send our young to war, and if they come back damaged, we throw them away. In our land of opportunity, modern policies have brought class movility almost to a standstill. Our land of freedom imprisons a greater percentage of its population than any other country. In our land of democracy, we have seen a steady campaign to limit the right to vote to "the right people." When it comes to international relations, the US is consistently belligerent and arrogant. Wonder why other countries don't love us?
Thank you, Sauron, for your post--I was unclear what PNAC meant, too. The FOG--forces of greed, which Krystol and his fellow neo-cons champion--would rather bomb children than feed them. The civil mask of the Evil Empire is slipping. We now see our sociopathic masters at their most heartless. Hungry children? Low on their priorities. They don't give a damn about their own children or they would acknowledge climate change and start doing something about it. When does the revolution begin? I'm in!
Just how America could do this isn't hard to understand. Bill "Kill the New Deal" Clinton tore out the entitlement to poverty relief and used the poor to create an involuntary, super-cheap workforce (a.k.a., indentured servitude). This has proved to be a powerful tool to block unionizing efforts and suppress wages. We no longer talk about US poverty. The issue was removed from the public discussion. We have watched a steady stream of jobs flow out of this country, and our sole response to poverty is, "Get a job or die." This generation of "progressives" -- at least, many in the media -- continue to praise Clinton. Today, the discussion is restricted to the concerns of middle class workers alone. We've utterly dehumanized anyone who gets pushed out of the middle class. I believe Mr. "New Democrat" Clinton could explain this. Historically, each time the richest few gained too much power, the poor and middle classes united to successfully push back, to the benefit of both. What happened to the poor is now happening to the middle class. Neither the poor nor middle class alone has the power to fight back. "Divide and conquer" has always been a powerful political strategy.
"Our aim is to remind Americans of these lessons and to draw their consequences for today." --yup, that's PNAC for you..and they reminded us in their special way on 911.
And we need to remind Americans of the lessons we've learned over and over again....wars are a waste of lives and money...and the war mongers benefit monetarily by sacrificing, largely, non-rich people's children when they are sent off to war. Our children are turned into murderers and, if they survive, they often are physically or mentally incapacitated...usually for life.
It can hardly be in "our" benefit to bully the rest of the world by murdering their children. It only serves to create the hatreds that will foster future "terrorists" against us.
The reptilian brained criminals who create the "false flag" lies that get us into wars seldom suffer the consequences.
Just like Kony is being hunted down as a war criminal...we need to hold our leaders, and their puppet-masters responsible for their war crimes as well. So now we are left with the choice between our present day war criminal, who continued the same war criminal deeds done by his predecessor..Bush, and a whacko job killer who would likely be 10 times worse than Obama.
But I believe that Obama, or whoever else is in the White House, really has no other choice but to be the useful idiot for the rich. The people we really need to go after are the ones compelling these political puppets to act the way they have been mandated by their puppet-masters, the rich, to do. We already know what befalls a President who tries to buck the corrupt power elite...they assassinated JFK. Those who win the Presidency...and those in Congress know full well how precarious their positions are when up against the power elite who are ruthless enough to express their powers in dastardly ways.
"And unfortunately Democrats are letting them get away with it."
Is it because the Democrats are "powerless" to do anything about it or are they (the Democrats) part of the charade of the ruling elite to keep us ever futilely hopeful that one day change may shift to our favor so that we don't all get more physical against them?
It's the game they (the rich) are playing against the rest of us so that we don't resort to violence en masse. In other words...elections are nothing but a rigged game against the dupes who believe it matters.
I watch Fox, Rt, and BBC. Then try to make sense of the diverse info. I wind up with about 4% truth. The other 96% of flotsam is????
Well I have a nice green lawn.
Muldoonicus~~ I had not the slightest inkling what PNAC stood for when I read your one word answer. So I looked it up. If there is anyone else out there that doesn't know, I suggest you look it up.
Here is a choice excerpt from the Statement Of Principles of PNAC~~~ June 3, 1997
The United States must be prudent in how it exercises its power. But we cannot safely avoid the responsibilities of a global leadership or the costs that are associated with its exercise. America has a vital role in maintaining peace and security in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. If we shirk our responsibilities, we invite challenges to our fundamental interests. The history of the 20th centruy should have taught us that it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire. The history of this century should have taught us to embrace the cause of American leadership
Our aim is to remind Americans of these lessons and to draw their consequences for today. Here are four consequences:
1. we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;
2. we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values;
3. we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;
4. we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.
Such a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be fashionable today. But it is necessary if the United States is to build on the successes of this past century and to ensure our security and our greatness in the next.
William Krystol, Chairman.
Easy, a one word answer PNAC
Regarding the Michigan Petition Scandal.
To correct the woman from New Mexico's recollection:
Congressman Thaddeus McCotter's (Michigan 11th Congressional District) reelection team submitted something over 1,800 petitiion signatures, of which some 240 were determined to be real by the Secretary of State, and the remaining were deemed questionable.
Issues with the remaining signatures included having duplicate petitions with the same signatures, signature lines which appeared to have the date cut and paste into them, and petitions which were xeroxed instead of being original print copies.
McCotter's petitions are being reviewed by the Board of Canvassers, and may be under investigation for a fraud charge.
Pete Hoechstra is not involved in the matter.
Fox
Opinion
eXtreme
What can we do about it now .All We can forestall future problem by closing nuke plants in US of A
Your post says it all !
Your comment regarding employee owned companies (and I don't mean the stockholders) is a sound and economically sustainable business model. Wonder why there are not more ESOP's in existence?
Who knows how to execuate and manage a business better than the people that work in it day-to-day? They undersatnd their customers requirements, know their products and have the knowledge to operate more effectively and efficently.
A much better choice than someone sitting in their office or out on their horse farm making decisions on the future of the company and the lilves of so many people!
There is NO such thing as safe low radiation. We should absolutely be concerned NOW!!
Mr. Hartmann asked the following (I assume) rhetorical question; "Does anyone out there still think nuclear power is a good idea?" Yes, I do! However, let's make a distinction between fission and fusion; Meaning that, yes, in listening to Mr. Hartmann's criticisms of nuclear (fission) power I agree that (in practice) it has turned out to be too dangerous. However, given the risk from climate change, and that the alternative to nuclear (fission) power is often coal power (instead of wind and/or solar) I think nuclear fusion is (potentially) a good idea...
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ScienceDaily (Apr. 27, 2012) — Many regard nuclear fusion as the main energy source of the future. Among others, the ITER project is seeking to turn this venture into reality and is making use of the Tokamak reactor for this purpose. Reactors of this type have a number of control problems, and to solve them the electronics engineers have come up with some tools.
This is not nuclear fission that is currently in use, but nuclear fusion, which many regard as the main energy source of the future. Among others, the ITER project (the third most expensive in history) is seeking to turn this venture into reality and is making use of the Tokamak reactor for this purpose. Reactors of this type and the plasma used in them to carry out fusion have a number of control problems, and to solve them the electronics engineer Goretti Sevillano has come up with some tools in her thesis defended at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Her thesis is entitled Herramientas para el control del plasma en reactores Tokamak de fusión nuclear: integración Astra-Matlab y control en tiempo real (Tools for plasma control in Tokamak nuclear fusion reactors: Astra-Matlab integration and control in real time), and she has also had two papers published on the subject in the journals Informatica and Energy.
What happens in fission is that the nucleus of an atom is split; this is in stark contrast to fusion in which two lightweight atoms join together. Sevillano explains that the latter could generate more energy than fission, on which nuclear power stations are currently based. But that is not all. "In fission reactions there is a risk of explosion, but not in fusion, so nothing like what took place in Chernobyl or Fukushima would ever happen. What is more, the waste generated in fission has a very long life and is radioactive; but this is not the case in fusion. Likewise, the fuels are more accessible. Uranium or plutonium is used in fission, and its access is not so widespread; but in fusion, helium or tritium, which can be obtained from water or earth, are used," she explains. So her PhD thesis is another step along the path to fusion.
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ScienceDaily (May 28, 2012) — A new study combining the latest archaeological evidence with state-of-the-art geoscience technologies provides evidence that climate change was a key ingredient in the collapse of the great Indus or Harappan Civilization almost 4000 years ago.
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ScienceDaily (May 27, 2012) — It took some 10 million years for Earth to recover from the greatest mass extinction of all time, latest research has revealed. Life was nearly wiped out 250 million years ago, with only 10 per cent of plants and animals surviving. It is currently much debated how life recovered from this cataclysm, whether quickly or slowly. There were apparently two reasons for the delay, the sheer intensity of the crisis, and continuing grim conditions on Earth after the first wave of extinction.
These are interesting times we live in, just remember...there is Cosmic Law..."Like Attracts Like" !!! the dark feeds off of negative energy of fear, don't feed it.
Read, and find out the truth!!! Mother Earth is not dying, she is being killed, and the ones killing her have names and address, follow the money.
I say we're being groomed as a future member of the Commonwealth.
Does anyone really believe BP spill is all' gone ' ? Repeat a lie often enough it becomes some peoples ' truth' Fox knows this well Millions of folks are gullible Do not read- check facts - or think critically Too much time on cell Phones Facebook Twitter So Glad I grew up when we were active ran biked swam walked Played games like Tag Hop scotch I saw NO obese kids in those days . Can't we see how unhealthy our lifestyle is and then DO something about it ? Think of the kids
This is the issue and these are the people that the protesters should be specifically protesting. The exact motivation of these people is not nearly as important as the general idea that they are interested in using finances and income to harm people. That is all you have to know. It has been suggested by some that the Democrats should be putting forth a proposal to increase Social Security benefits. At least, that might limit reductions if the negotiating begins with proposesed increases, rather than reductions.
If people are harmed, they may not be able to pay their bills, so companies and business people such as doctors would also be harmed. As it is, many who receive Social Security or SSI cannot make ends meet.
The estimated number of protesters in Chicago during the summit was around 2000, far less than many anticipated. The leaders did not see anything of the protests, unless they happened to watch the evening news, and I think most of them left on Monday before the news comes on. There is only so much that can be accomplished with any form of protests. Local news reporters wondered if the message of the protests were not lost simply because there were mutliple causes that were being addressed, rather than a few unifying themes. Those who caused most of the problems were reportedly members of the so-called Black Bloc, who supposedly are anarchists but who seem mostly to want to cause a certain degree of chaos at such events, without having a real message. I answered dankir's blog posting mentioned above after the other reply, which I didn't understand as to its intent.