Double-Ply Journalism

Why is the Henrico County Economic Development Commission hosting a book event for Michael Isikoff in Fairfax County? (a two hour drive from Henrico County even in good traffic)

Henrico County Virginia presents Newsweek's and MSNBC's Mike Isikoff

Hear him answer the question on the mind of every business person:
“Obama’s Record and the Election
Outlook for 2010: How Vulnerable
Are the Democrats?”
Join Michael Isikoff for an exclusive free-of-charge breakfast/conversation.

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Michael Getler, PBS's Ombudsman writes a follow op column on the Frontline Follies, check out the letters he reproduces: Read below the fold...

Our calls and emails have been heard, Michael Getler responds to our criticism of Frontline:

At least some of that ambivalence was in evidence this week when our office was deluged with almost a thousand critical e-mails from people who said they were upset and angry that an hour-long look back at how the White House ultimately hammered out a historic agreement on health care, aptly titled "Obama's Deal," failed to deal with the single-payer system advocated by many of those who were not part of the deal.

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Margaret Flowers: PBS Shies from Single-Payer Debate

“Obama’s Deal” endeavored to reveal the significant influence of health industry dollars on our political process; however, as in Frontline’s “Sick Around America,” the producers did a disservice by the failure to educate the public about the bigger picture of the health care situation in this nation and the range of possible solutions.

Curiously, just as it was in the health “debate,” single-payer, improved “Medicare for All,” was excluded from the film.

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It is a question of ownership. The current owners are not interested in running news organizations; or even maximizing returns for shareholders. The current ownership regard their news properties and an agit-prop operation to promote their corporate agenda. Read below the fold...

Fox Hound

Turn Off Fox

DeFox Read below the fold...

NYT Erases Progressive Senate Candidate

Over the course of the past year, the New York Times has provided ample coverage to a series of potential U.S. Senate candidates from New York--none of whom are actually running for office. Meanwhile, a candidate who is in fact challenging incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand in the September 2010 primary has been all but erased from the picture.

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I am slapping this down really fast cuz I am really, really, really angry. I will write a fuller blog later I am sure on the Iran and US situation, but I couldn't let this moment pass. Please indulge me.

I caught part of a podcast of Meet the Press. A part where David Gregory sets up Senator Joe Lieberman to "war monger" once again for war with Iran. That part begins at 30:25 if you access the podcast link for Meet the Press before next Sunday 4/11/10.

David Gregory disingenuously asks Senator Lieberman if Lieberman is AFRAID that the US and the West, in general, are DRIFTING to a war with Iran. Drifting to war with Iran? We all know damn well Lieberman is paddling away like crazy to get us there! Read below the fold...

Crooks and Liars interviews Michael Moore

Maybe our efforts would be better spent telling people not to watch television.

With this latest hire CNN has reminded us how hideous they are. After all, liberal blogosphere arose more in reaction to our hedious media rather than against Republicans.

Eschaton has been concentrating on CNN in reaction to the latest atrocity.

We need to ratchet this up. Time to call on Capitol Hill to turn off their TVs. Read below the fold...

Atrios:

Yes, if you go into any Congressional office there are TVs with the cable nets on all day, making them much more influential than they should be. And when something jumps from Drudge through the puke funnel onto CNN and MSNBC staffers start getting very panicky. I feel much smarter on days I allow myself to just turn them off, and official Washington would be much smarter if they just turned them off too.

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One day last week I had fallen asleep before the TV only to be awakened many hours later by the rantings of some maniac named Larry railing on about the continued existence of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. This was during an early morning newscast which normally consists of overly impassioned chatter about the state of the weather.

Subsequently I have read that it was ol’ Larry’s first week with Channel 11 and he was channeling as much of Stern, Limbaugh, Beck and O’Reilly bad-boyness as he could possibly muster. It woke me up in a hurry. Channel 11 is fighting Fox for some of its audience I would venture. The Fox-ification of more of the mainstream media? Oy vey. Read below the fold...

I am now going to say something odd: The actions of government actually matter to the citizens of that government's country. Read below the fold...

So, I had an ugly encounter with a family member yesterday. Here's the short version:

Her: So I heard this on NPR yesterday /insert Republican propaganda/.

Me: That comes from the Heritage Foundation. And it's factually untrue. Do you know that?

Her: What makes you smarter than NPR? We give them money, you know. They're Liberal! /indignant pose/

Me: Well, actually, they're not anymore /litany of facts about Heritage, NPR, Diane Rheem, Terry Gross/

Her: Fuck you, you fucking DFH! I make more money than you!

/click/

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Gore Effect forces NOAA to announce new climate agency by telephone

Every time it snows climate change deniers are calling it Gore effect. The problem is that if this sort of thing is repeated enough by those with big enough microphones people who should know better begin to internalize it.

They really hate Al Gore and are trying to destroy him. Read below the fold...

Jon Walker over at Fire Dog Lake makes a very effective argument about why learning the wrong lesson from the defeat of Martha Coakley in Tuesday's Massachusetts Senate race will lead to disaster. Read below the fold...