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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
The IFC Media Project , (see sig) an eye-opening new documentary series created by a producer from Fahrenheit 9/11 and Sicko, reveals the truth behind the news. This series takes an in-depth look at the influences shaping today's media coverage including journalistic integrity, biases, corporate influence, profits, ratings, propaganda, agendas, obsessions and more.
Hosted by Peabody and Emmy Award winning news correspondent Gideon Yago (CBS News, MTV), this series brings a fresh, unapologetic perspective on a variety of issues affecting accurate, balanced reporting from leading news outlets. Six half-hour episodes premiered Tuesday, November 18 at 8:00 PM ET.
"The average American spends 70 percent of their waking day consuming, or exposed to, some form of media, but goes on autopilot when it comes to thinking about the message behind the media," said Evan Shapiro, president of IFC. "This series gives viewers a first-hand look at why we should think twice about everything we see, read and hear, and spotlights the importance of being informed, critical media consumers."
Uncovering the harmful impact poor news reporting has on people's perceptions of what's going on in the world around them, this series examines alternative viewpoints on mainstream news reports. Each episode looks far beneath the surface of news coverage to expose what is really driving the news media's agenda, such as why the media is obsessed with missing white girls, how the pro-Israel lobby influences the narrative in press coverage of Israel, and how the government uses propaganda in the media to sell policy decisions to the American public.
http://www.ifc.com/on-ifc/mediaproject/about
I'll take a look at it.
Help (G.I.’s coming home) is on the way (see sig)
If you’re in your late teens or early 20s and your energies have been directed for a year or more toward dodging roadside bombs and ambushes, caring for horribly wounded comrades and, in general, killing before being killed, it can be difficult to readjust to a world of shopping malls, speed limits and polite conversation.
Bryan Adams is the face of a sophisticated new advertising campaign that is trying to get troubled veterans to come in from the cold and piercingly lonely environment of post-wartime stress.
Bryan, now 24, was an Army sniper in Iraq from February 2004 to February 2005. At an age when many youngsters go to college or line up that first significant job, he and his squad-mates were prowling Tikrit with high-powered weapons, looking for bad guys.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/opinion/22herbert.html?ref=opinion
No Comment
By Scott Horton
November 22, 3:22 PM
The Bush Pardons
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/11/hbc-90003905
One way of reading Obama's reconciliation with Lieberman and quick meeting with McCain is that the era of the permanent campaign is over. Government will be run as it should, not as an extension of the political party that is in power.
About accountability - while it is true that the Republicans now have a majority nearly nowhere, and almost every county in the country voted more Democratic than it did in 2004, nevertheless they got 40+% of the vote for the most unattractive ticket - McCain/Palin - that I can think of. This group of people have no doubt a very different view from us of whether Bush & Co have anything to be accountable for.
That is the second read I take from Obama-Lieberman: namely, if Obama establishes in people's minds that he is not vindictive, politically speaking, then that opens up the political space for him to do some real accountability without tearing the country apart in a new political war.
The government is so degraded that the new one must be seen as doing its constitutional duties and not engaging in perpetual campaign politics before it can hold the previous one accountable.
I know her-ur and co are going to scoff at this. But there is wisdom in what Rep. Rush Holt said an year and some ago - that while Bush is impeachable, it cannot be done as long as it is seen as coming from the Democrats - impeachment has to be by the people, not by the party. Otherwise the damage will rival that of the original problem.
The scoffing of Heru, it seems clear, should only ever be taken as a compliment.
I agree with half of this:
"namely, if Obama establishes in people's minds that he is not vindictive, politically speaking, then that opens up the political space for him to do some real accountability without tearing the country apart in a new political war."
That is I think you accurately peg the trategy. He does seek to complete the narrative of his post-partisanship. But I doubt that there is any real noble reason behind this. On one level it is a continuation of the campaign branding that will take him into the next campaign (which should start in about eight months, if it ever ends at all). On another, it is a political tool to be used rhetorically in the national stage where all of our political discourse now takes place--the pundit shows. He may also appear to be 'bucking' his party, while at the same time exerting the velvet glove cast in iron; as the narrative seems to be that the senate dems carried out his wishes at the expense their own.
"impeachment has to be by the people, not by the party."
If you are saying that impeachment should be a bi-partisan affair, I also agree, though highly doubt that is possible. The people, however, are represented by the legislature. When they vote to impeach, they are acting as representatives of the people.
I love: `Harpers. Jebbie will make Homer and Pedinska blush with shyness.
I'll ask Glenn to write about Jebbie. The stupid wog blog must be annulled?
Who do? Glenn? Ah, absolutely Jebbie? Please show virtuous self restraints?
A gentleman's rumored very impotent? Are not readers wise to shun them?
Catullus (Pedinska's cat?) said: O be well-advised.
`Whose tiny dagger drooping like a flabby parsnip,
`and it never stuck halfway up his underwear.' oho.
`Virgil wrote:` We all know what a woe-man's rage can do.
`And a fury which is all more gnawing for being compelled
`to justify itself by loving affection. He/she won't be bridled.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
219 Democrats and one Republican join in favor of the legislation, which passed by a narrow margin
Salon headlines in your mailbox
