Money Powers the Media

Well, money and power at least. An article of interest in this area from the American Dream  details the ownership by Bain Capital, Mitt Romney's company, of a large piece of Clear Channel Corporation.  Clear Channel went private in 2006 and a large percentage was purchased by Bain Capital.

One of the subsidiaries of Clear Channel is Premiere Radio Networks.

Premiere Radio Networks distributes a whole host of conservative talk radio shows.  Everyone in the conservative world knows names such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck.  Clear Channel also controls some other conservative talk radio hosts (such as Michael Savage and Mark Levin) that are not part of the Premiere Radio family.

The power that Premiere Radio Networks has is absolutely staggering.  The following is directly from the official Clear Channel website....

Premiere Radio Networks Inc., a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, syndicates 90 radio programs and services to more than 5,000 radio affiliations and reaches over 190 million listeners weekly.  Premiere Radio is the number one radio network in the country and features the following personalities:  Rush Limbaugh, Jim Rome, Casey Kasem, Ryan Seacrest, Glenn Beck, Bob (Kevoian) & Tom (Griswold), Delilah, Steve Harvey, Blair Garner, George Noory, John Boy and Billy, Big Tigger, Dr. Dean Edell, Bob Costas, Sean Hannity and others. Premiere is based in Sherman Oaks, California, with 13 offices nationwide.

So do you think that any of those hosts is going to risk viciously attacking Mitt Romney and Bain Capital during this election season?

Understand, real journalism is dead in the mainstream media.  Obviously, journalism is flourishing on the web but until the web generations gain more influence the MSM will still cater to the AARP crowd who still somewhat believes there is any value in watching the nightly news.  The radio stations will cater to those who can be emotionally stirred by there arguments and propaganda.  

Another interesting piece of the article shows how conservative talk radio hosts have been paying actors to call in to their shows expressing the "correct" views.  From Raw Story March, 2011 

Exclusive: Limbaugh’s parent company still using actors to fake radio call-ins, exec tells Raw Story

These shows are a farce!  

Read the American Dream article it's like smelling salts after a lifetime of being knocked on the head.

Mainstream Media

from George Washington blog:

Most Americans believe the lie that the mainstream media is "fair and balanced" and is looking out for the interests of average Americans.  Well, that simply is not true.  Those in the mainstream media serve those that are providing them with paychecks.  The reality is that just 6 gigantic corporationscollectively own most of the major mainstream media outlets in this country.  Reporters are simply not going to be allowed to report stories that are severely damaging to those corporations or to the owners of those corporations.  In addition, reporters are simply not going to be allowed to report stories that are severely damaging to those that spend millions of dollars on advertising (such as pharmaceutical companies) on those mainstream media outlets.  At this point, our "news" is absolutely packed with propaganda.  Way too often, things are not what they seem to be on television.  The mainstream media lies, lies and then lies some more.  They give us the version of "reality" that their owners want us to have.

The following are 23 things that are not what they seem to be on television....

http://bit.ly/zNoQhQ

I can't watch or listen to it even for a few minutes.  Who watches, who then believes?

Police State at the Space Center

Security check at the entrance to space center Houston.  As I'm leading my three year old niece to the entrance. "Do you have any weapons, pepper spray or mace?"

Metal detectors at the tram ride with armed security goons.

Inspirational sales pitch at the Kraft mission control center by some junior space man in shorts.
"And yes it cost a lot of money but that doesn't really exist so I don't count that."
"Why because we just decided to do it."

Even had an inspirational speach set to music from GA bush at the fallen astronaut grove of trees.

The Saturn 5 rocket was awesome but I'll try not to go back.  My understanding is you can go back to the rocket park and see the Saturn 5 without paying or going through any police state hassles aside from telling the gate guard where you're going.

It's painful out there.

Kyle Bass on BBC

Another interview where the interviewer is beaten up by the logical answers to their own condescending questions. Kyle Bass talks about Greece, Europe, Japan, Credit Default Swaps. He come across as credible and sensible in the face of the establishment MSM stooge. MSM is going to have to stop having sensible people on their programs. The obviously credibility gaps between the government and banker shills vs. people like Ron Paul and Kyle Bass is hurting the MSM and their owners, governments, corporations and banks... Enjoy.

Texas Duck Hunt

Shot ten ducks between the three of us at the #5 blind at blockers. Had a great time with Dylan and Beaumont.

Ron Paul Owns Schieffer on Face the Nation

In an obvious hit interview Bob Schieffer, (establishment stooge) gets more than he bargained for and cut the interview short by 10 minutes. Dr. Paul has become more skilled in defending himself, going on the offense and stating his message.  People no longer believe the MSM mouthpieces and as they wake up to the world they're looking for cogent answers.  The MSM silence on Ron Paul's candidacy and message are deafening and judging by Schieffer's beating, they may be even more reluctant to have him on their show.  Give them hell! Here is the link in case the embed isn't working.

The Issue with Liars

They're annoying because they think that they're getting away with it.  In most cases the liar and the person being lied to are complicit because someone has to choose to believe the lie.  When someone lies to us we know something is not right.  Either it is evident at the time or shortly thereafter we realize that everyone just doesn't connect.  We want to believe that people are telling us the truth.

Pamela Meyer from Liespotting.com gives us a few tools based on her analysis of well know liars. http://liespotting.com/2010/08/pamela-meyer-on-the-huffington-post/

There are television liars then there are people in our normal lives and course of business that we work with every day that may be less than truthful.  My concern is for people who's real feelings and intentions don't match their words or intentions particularly when those intentions are malicious but the words are deflecting or comforting.

Gladwell's 2002 article in the New Yorker http://www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_08_05_a_face.htm describes researcher Paul Ekman's studies of the human face and expressions.  We all read faces but we listen to the words first.  This article suggests that the real information comes from the faces.  Believe what you see, not what you hear.  You have to trust your first instinct, not your logical rationalization or thought around the words.

When you're running in the woods for hours at a time your mind wanders but somehow you're able to avoid the roots and rocks and keep your balance.  You're not consciously thinking about placing your feet or keeping yourself upright but your visual input and some place in your mind keeps you moving and safe.  When you catch that hint of movement across the trail somehow deep in your reptile brain a danger flag pops, you get a jolt of adrenaline and manage to jump over or around the snake.  If you pay attention that flag will pop up when people are lying to you.  You just have to watch for it.