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GK


Have you ever read Sinclair Lewis' book "Brass Check" on the US Media?

http://www.amazon.com/Brass-Check-Study-American-Journalism/dp/0252071107/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221412012&sr=1-28

"In this systematic critique of the structural basis of U.S. media -- arguably the first one ever published -- Upton Sinclair writes that "American journalism is a class institution serving the rich and spurning the poor." Likening journalists to prostitutes, the title of the book refers to a chit that was issued to patrons of urban brothels of the era.

Fueled by mounting disdain for newspapers run by business tycoons and conservative editors, Sinclair self-published The Brass Check in the years after The Jungle had made him a household name. Despite Sinclair's claim that this was his most important book, it was dismissed by critics and shunned by reviewers. Yet it sold over 150,000 copies and enjoyed numerous printings.

A substantial introduction to this paperback edition by Robert W. McChesney and Ben Scott asserts the book's importance as a cornerstone critique of commercial journalism and a priceless resource for understanding the political turbulence of the Progressive Era"


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Also, speaking of the concept of Nationalism, a powerful state separate from religious identity, Henry Kissinger (in the book "Diplomacy") credits Richlieu in France with the concept and successful implementation.

Although we was a catholic Cardinal, he fought the Holy Roman Empire by out-negotiating them in setting up pragmatic alliances with Protestants and Muslims while HRE was trying to kill them.

DeVaul

Noam Chomsky wrote a book called "Manufacturing Consent" many years ago that also talks about how the media controls all information that goes to the public. I believe this was before the rise of the internet, however.

Christian W

You just have to look at this election to see them manufacture all kinds of crap. 'Scarlett O'Hara v. the 'uppity' Black Man'. McCain as a father figure. Obama as the black man reaching above his station...

They are pushing all kinds of subliminal buttons, not the least so they can avoid any debate of issues belong to reality.

It is impossible to have a political debate in the US on the terms of the establishment. Their 'manufactured reality' will have you going in circles for eternity jumping from non issue to nonissue. And it is designed that way.

Buffalo Ken

Christian W - thanks for that great post.

"buffalo_ken"

Plus, anything that has been designed can also be "taken apart" if there is collective will. Thats what I think.

DeVaul

There is an increasing number of Americans who believe that sucession is the only answer to our current problems. Most people believe the system is irretrievably broken, and I agree with them on that part.

Our republic was designed for self-governance, which is only really possible if the republic is small enough to engage all the citizens. The US is an empire and not a republic.

The problem with having a bunch of small republics is that they afford very little protection from attack. Look at Ossettia. A small republic whose citizens woke up to missiles raining down on them in their beds.

If you want to be independant and belong to a real republic, you must accept the consequences, just as our ancestors did. They were continually attacked and raided by the British for years after independance.

In short, as a republic, we have to be prepared to endure what Iraq has endured. Something to think about.

However, with the imminent bankruptcy and subsequent default of the US on its foreign and domestic debts, there may not be any real debate on the matter. People will just act.

Buffalo Ken

Well hopefully those who are "just acting" will be inwit (and not just for themselves).

I think Lincoln made the correct choice at the time (with respect to the "big-picture" question regarding "Union"), BUT....

now is a different time. Its gonna take many to come to any sort of consensus, but that is the point or i could say "the spot" as in "spot on". Anyhow, lately "the few" have been calling all the shots and now with all of this "chaos" everything is up in the air. Uncertainty - we need to learn to "deal with it" and it can be a great tool (sort of).

Thanks for your post DeVaul.

Peace,
Ken

Neon Vincent

In the US, many millions now believe that the only way they can be saved by Jesus is to turn Jerusalem into a burning pit from hell via nuclear bombs. Then, Jesus will come and eliminate most humans and elevate the true believers...who HATE each other tremendously and think each other are really demons....but this demonic Jesus will select only one sect of True Believers to rule the earth and all others including the Jews who don't join the correct Jesus-sect, will be sent to eternal torment in hell.

Ah, yes, all the lovely strains of Dominionism, a movement with a common goal--the U.S. as a theocracy--who have factions that really despise each other. The Pentecostals and Baptists, who look very similar to outsiders, really despise each other. Both of them are suspicious of the Ultramontaine Catholics (think of the villains from the DaVinci Code). All of them look down on the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses. Should they actually succeed in their goals, they'll spend the next decade or more in witch hunts against each other as they struggle to see who comes out on top.

And, yes, Natasha Sarah the Moose Hunter is a pentecostal, and appears to believe this dangerous nonsense. That alone is enough to make me work harder to keep her out of office.

As for Obama, he's much better than the alternative, but he's not a peace candidate. With Obama, Americans will get a more intense war in Afghanistan instead of the current double occupation. The choice is not between war and peace; it's between which war the US will fight. That said, I'm still voting for Obama, as the true peace candidates--Nader, Barr, Paul--do not have a chance of being anything but spoilers.

BK

Who is Buffalo Ken? we need to be told!

gg battams

neon vincent/these sects are all wrong jesus or any highly enlightend being is not going to say right you went to church up to the pearly gates you go .oh you were not baptised and did not attend church down to the boiler house for you/ god jesus etc with universal awareness realises we are all but children of the light and we will all be .treated equaly .the jews think jesus or jehova is going to save only them at the end of the world what a load of nonsense the jews are no more favored than any of the children of the universal light of love. at death that which you are shows by the purity of your spirit not by which religous sect you belong

High Plains Drifter 2010

Blackwater Worldwide, formally Blackwater U.S.A., is the new S.S.. Only this time many of them quite literally are on steroids. A slight tangent and maybe even too direct of a statement for the dark cloud blog but I know this fact like Elaine knows talking doom from the farm. Anyone at this point who challenges the war machine and the grip now in place on everything we hold sacred, constitution/bill of rights(whatever, pass the remote, it's Sunday) could be eliminated one way or another before this hideous aspect of human nature is put back in the box. Any warm-blooded person who doesn't feel desperately unnerved by the mere presence of these contractor entities within our society will be helplessly preyed upon by what is now quite comfortably roosting among us. These brainwashed and soulless entities are being integrated into all aspects of our police and military. The people with the big guns folks. Don't believe it? HA! Try starting with the following advice BEFORE you even bother to research. If you understand what I'm on about here and don't know what to do listen up too. If you don't take the following words serious, believe, you'll be useless to yourself and others once you do the layer peeling on this one. The stuff is just that fearsome and fear is the power tool of oppression.

Reduce the alcohol intake if not eliminate it all together, stop smoking, drink pure water and juices, eat clean unprocessed foods. Exercise or do some physical labor...you'll like it. Reduce caffeine and sugar. Stop chasing money, violent gratification and porn. In other words, allow yourself to WTFU. Once you do your senses will indicate without a doubt what is healthy or unhealthy in your environment. You'll instinctively be in a position to consciously resist. There is nothing magical or mystical about this solution. Make yourself a healthy sentient being and watch how it spreads.

Talk it and walk it...or at least look like you can. This is the only language the pumped up bully knows. This struggle goes beyond borders and nationalities at this point in time and it will be only concluded favorably with the culture of life prevailing, if we learn how to fight delaying actions. Turn and face, delay, disengage, strengthen, turn and face, delay, disengage, strengthen, 'til the day you exit the show. Strengthen your mind and body, not your gun collection. One very real possibility is that these monsters will eventually turn on each other. Dyncorp vs. Gazprom? That is usually the way it goes.

Resisting these enemies of sustainable life long enough to allow for the extra dimension of human awareness to evolve is essential for the inevitable suppression of the death worshiping cults. Excuse me but life trumps death. One look in my eyes and you know. Tick Tock.

Buffalo Ken

Hey BK - sorry I hadn't noticed you until just now. I have already put my name out there. Numerous times. I'm tired of being out on a limb....because I don't want to get overextended or "out of my league".

Peace,
Ken

Buffalo Ken

Plus, just to be a bit sort-of but not really flippant (because I suppose I can be).....

The Buffalo Bills won (today). Best I can tell from what little I know, it was an inspired victory.

I lived in Buffalo during my "formative" years, and I will always love Buffalo.

Peace,
Ken

CCQ

Buffalo Ken,

Taken apart how? As long as you and fam are safe in your neck of the woods when the stuff goes down huh? You like Ike huh? Can't we all just find a highly logical solution to this mess? Love? You may be too wasted and hypocritical to actually be part of the dialogue. I won't be back to this particular page so don't waste the space responding directly to me. Explain to the others, I've had enough of you. Proceed to rot...my gift to you. Piece!

Elaine Meinel Supkis

Oh no, it is the End of Times: the Buffalo Bills won a game!

Buffalo Ken

Elaine - me and all Buffalo Bills' fans thank-you.

CCG - I rest my case. I'm glad you left so you don't even need to read your own spew. I know it was a waste my time, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Furthermore, I've dealt with many like you.

Buffalo Ken

And I'm sure so many others here also have. You sound like a bully to me. A cry baby bully.

GK

May want to skip posting on Saudi blogs...

Saudi cleric wants death for TV "sorcerers"

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LE668892.htm

RIYADH, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A senior Saudi cleric has said purveyors of horoscopes on Arab television should face the death penalty, a paper said on Sunday, days after another cleric argued death for TV owners.

"Sorcerers who appear on satellite channels who are proven to be sorcerers have committed a great crime ... and the Muslim consensus is that the apostate's punishment is death by the sword," Sheikh Saleh al-Fozan told al-Madina daily.

Buffalo Ken

People can choose to skip a post or even a poster if they want to. Editors of a blog can block a poster (or at least they can on some blogs cause I know - it happened to me). Anyhow, we can skip can't we?

I think when it comes to monotheism it is a matter of perspective and it also "boils" down to some fundamental definitions for which there might always be some disagreement. Are we able to agree to disagree? Thats a big question. Are we capable of recognizing that there might be other views "shaped" by personal individual experience and location. How could we all ever possibly agree on such fundamental concepts that to a great extent depend on where you were born and who you grew up with and who you live with now.

Gracious.

larry, dfh

IMO, the US militarization of Pakistan is an attempt for the cia to do to China what they did to Russia via Afghanistan in the late '70s. China has alot of restive Muslims, and as Elaine has pointed out, the cia is a one-trick pony.

bad credit loans

I guess it's one of the part of the plan somehow.

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