Mainstream Media

When are Races Won? (3/14/2012)

When are Races Won? (3/14/2012)

Last summer I wrote a column titled, “The Media Elects Presidents;” a now prophetic article regarding the influence of corporate media on the nominations. Since the spring of 2011 the Republican nomination process has been underway although it did not officially start until the first Tuesday in January of this year. However, long ago it appeared a decision was made anointing Mitt Romney as the heir to the Republican nomination. My goal here is not to offer an opinion on the qualifications of the candidates, but instead want to analyze the process.

Watching the recent Russian elections many media outlets around the world reported possible election fraud and manipulation. I believe Americans have always believed our elections were above such accusations and not subject to manipulation or theft. However, many seem to acknowledge questionable tactics in municipal elections like Chicago’s mayoral races, either like the Daly’s in the past or the most recent residency issues of Emmanuel. Similarly, the Bush and Gore vote division propelled true questions of integrity in our own system to the forefront of our attention.

As of this week, there are only four candidates in the race: Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul. Of the bound delegates, according to the GOP web site, Romney leads with 339, Gingrich is second with 107, and Santorum is third with 95 delegates. Paul is clearly trailing in fourth place with 22 awarded delegates.

Throughout the nomination race I have been puzzled by reporting from major media outlets like the case where Santorum won the Iowa Caucus, not Romney, even though the media was quick to report differently. Although Romney holds a sizable lead over his next closest competitor, only one-third of the total delegates have been awarded. Watching the process last summer and fall demonstrated a candidate’s demise could arrive without much warning. Regardless, since my original column eight months ago Romney has been the declared winner.

I feel the problem with the constant polling and predictions of who will win is the voter apathy created. First instance, if Romney is the winner – as declared by the media before the race started, then why bother voting? When a voter believes his vote no longer matters he chooses to not participate in the process and ultimately fulfills the hypothesis that his vote no longer matters. If results were held back, speculation by the media held back, and no forecasts were made I assert the voters would remain more objective in the process and choose the candidate they feel best qualified for the job.

March 13, 2012 by Mainstream Media Stupid People

The Media Elects Presidents (6/8/2011)

Appeared in the Observer 6/8/2011

The Media Elects Presidents (6/8/2011)

Over the last 50 years I believe there has been a dramatic turn in Presidential elections. Arguably the headline, “Dewey Defeats Truman” in 1948 is reflective of media bias and anticipation toward election outcomes. Most academics will acknowledge the 1960 Presidential debate outcome was not determined by the quality of the candidate speeches, but instead by appearance on television. Nixon articulated much stronger responses but was no match for Kennedy’s suave television charm.

Today the media is controlling who wins the nomination and the election in several ways. One method is withholding information and using editorial prejudice to positively influence opinion about candidates. Two documented cases exemplify this. First, the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal unreported by major broadcast and print outlets until Drudge’s persistence forced the issue to headlines and impeachment of the President. Second, the New York Times failure to print an article deemed damaging concerning the Obama/ACORN relationship which may have brought a different election outcome and it took the whimsical undercover video by James O’Keefe to finally destroy the organization.

The second method of influence is the prejudicial nature of coverage of candidates. For example, The Project for Excellence in Journalism and Harvard University’s Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy conducted a study of 5,374 media narratives about the presidential candidates from January 1 through March 9, 2008. The study found that Obama received 69% favorable coverage and Clinton received 67%, compared to only 43% favorable media coverage of McCain. An October 29, 2008 study found 29% of stories about Obama to be negative, compared to 57% of stories about McCain being negative.

Finally, my last concern regarding media influence on politics is the pervasive use of public opinion polls. With every candidate announcement regarding potential Republican candidates a comparison poll is published. On NBC News May 26th nightly program speculation around Palin’s presidential announcement was offset by a poll showing candidate positioning, with Romney in the lead. The media has given far more coverage to Romney, Gingrich, and Palin than CPAC straw poll winner Ron Paul and Tea Party favorites Cain and Bachman.

With an election 15 months away the media is focused on manipulating public opinion to control an outcome. Imagine what our election process would be like if there were no polls, no television pundits, and no scandalous coverage. Imagine speeches and debates, presented factually, without media editorial. I am not asserting to curtail freedom of the press, but instead push to present unedited coverage, eliminate polling, and present opinion as such, not news.

March 13, 2012 by Mainstream Media Stupid People

1984, Y2K, 2012…(12/28/2011)

1984, Y2K, 2012…(12/28/2011)

It started last week when I saw my first article referencing a countdown to the winter solstice of 2012 when the Mayan calendar predicts the world will end. I think this is silliness and would be the same as a future archaeologist mining a 21st century landfill and finding a “Snap-On” tools calendar ending 12/31/2011. Speculative archaeologists make conclusions based on limited data and future generations could infer we worshipped scantily clad women and predicted our termination at the end of this year.

Cultures have always focused on end-of-time events. I believe a fascination with the opportunity to have a genesis of life provides hope by focusing on doomsday dates . Whether fueled by Nostradamus, lunatics like Harold Camping, a novel written by George Orwell, or the errors of 1960’s computer programmers, Hollywood, the media, and internet pundits focus on predictions to build their own following and create panic. Speculation from movies like The Road, Armageddon, or 2012 feed the appetite of people seeing hope through termination of today’s woes and a clean start in a new world.

Predictions of an Orwellian society did not come true in 1984. However, a slow incremental change has occurred and continues to take us closer to that vision nearly every day. Slowly liberties and freedoms are eroding to government sponsored surveillance and restricted speech, travel, and freedoms. Looking back to 1999 we know airplanes did not fall from the sky or satellites crash to earth, and traffic lights and computers continued to operate. However, more than any prophetic event facing our world the hype around Y2K contained a level of validity. Personally, as a software-company owner at the time, I benefitted from failures of my competitors to update products for the year 2000 and conclude a level of failure was avoided through preparation.

In 2012 disasters are looming on the horizon which may create the feel of a societal collapse and end life as we know it. At the end of 2011 when we feel the worst of the financial crisis is behind us the world governments have used their ammunition to save the economies but the battle must continue. With no way left to fight Europe will face its biggest financial challenge and could ultimately collapse upon itself. Although China has expanded rapidly growth will halt and credit will freeze due to an American and European consumer hunkered down awaiting the end of the world where iPhones and shopping malls will no longer be important. Western nations will fight to recover outsourced industries, realizing globalism created a Roman Empire like gluttonous lifestyle and they must save themselves through isolationism, thus shutting down third-world development and freezing economic growth.

I predict the world will not end December 21, 2012. However, our current malaise will continue to exacerbate and make many wish an epic calamity would cleanse our past mistakes. Careful prudence and pragmatism will guide the successful whereas hardship will enslave many of our friends and neighbors unwilling to change old habits. Ultimately we will look back laughingly at the hyped prophecy of 2012 as we do past predictions. Next up, Hollywood can focus on the impending collision of the Apophis Asteroid on April 13, 2036. Happy New Year!

December 28, 2011 by Depression Great Recession Mainstream Media

Small Town Newspaper (11/16/2011)

Small Town Newspaper (11/16/2011)

Imagine a world where no newspaper exists. Very soon we may live in such a time. Most people treasure newspapers as milestones of current events. For example, in my possession I have framed front page issues of The Chicago Tribune from November 23 and 24, 1963 detailing Kennedy and Oswald’s assassinations. History books show pictures of Truman holding The Chicago Tribune on November 3, 1948 announcing his defeat to Dewey.

Since the printing press was invented by Gutenberg around 1440, people have used shared printing to record history and news and this the newspaper has been the most popular daily diary of our world. Today, historians scour pages of black and white text to create the synopsis that becomes our history books. However these summaries are swayed by opinion and filter critical details.

The average person typically keeps newspapers clippings; I have copies of my high school athletic feats, graduation announcement and other personal milestones. Most of us save birth, death and wedding announcements. In each of these cases without a local newspaper there would be no record. As I paged through last week’s paper I read about school children, Council meetings, local sports, and crime. Arguably information is captured digitally via the Web and television, but only the small town newspaper remains accessible to everyone.

A March 22, 2009 Time magazine article reported on a Pew Media analysis focusing on the question, “what happens when a town loses its newspaper?” For small towns the consensus seems to be one of indifference other than the loss of primary news sources via the “ecosystem” of local journalism feeding other outlets because only a small town newspaper provides the depth and diversity of local news. Unfortunately, newspapers are closing at an amazing rate, hundreds per year from major cities to the smallest towns. The brick and mortar business model is giving way to a low-cost digital media that many assert will ultimately replace print.

As you page through this week’s paper take an extra moment to scrutinize each page, looking for particulars normally passed. For instance, read the crime blotter and note the detail forever saved to the historical record. Around the local section imagine looking back 50 years from now through an archive at the photos and current events of the day. While reading the editorial page’s letters and opinions picture future school children doing research on “The Great Recession” and compiling future history books from the non-digital account of today’s woe.

I argue newspapers will always have a place in our world and remain the only reliable method to record history and present opinion. Support for our papers must start via circulation and supporting the advertisers. Patronize the businesses you see in print and let them know it was printed media dollars that brought you to their establishment. Let your editor know how columns impact you and take every opportunity available to contribute editorial content.

November 26, 2011 by Depression Economic Development Great Recession Mainstream Media

I call Bullsh*t

I call Bullsh-t (11/2/2011)

It is disappointing to see the criticism emerging around the Herman Cain presidential candidacy. The irony spewed forth by the media is appalling and I call bullsh-t on this issue. For whatever reason there is a generally accepted media opinion of republicans as racist. The election of Barak Obama was a historic moment for America, the first non-white elected to office. There will be many other firsts to the presidency in the future, this is just the start.

In 2008 accusations flew that conservatives were anti-Obama because he was black. The problem then became one of questioning any comments, statements, or plans by candidate Obama as being made by a racist, not by a person of differing opinions. Conservatives were shut-down and ultimately afraid to speak their mind regarding the questionable path down which President Obama wanted to take America.

Fast forward three years and conservatives are again targeted by the liberal media bias as racist. Ironically, conservatives are now racists because many support a black man running for president. Herman Cain is a capable businessman with more experience and personal successes than Barak Obama. Instead of organizing communities he ran the Federal Reserve of Kansas City and one of the largest food retailers in the country. His 1994 debate against President Clinton over healthcare reform highlighted his capabilities as a knowledgeable man regarding issues. Personally, I have enjoyed Cain’s conservative radio show and never questioned his race as a factor regarding his views.

Over the last three weeks MSNBC has been at the front of the hypocrisy regarding these issues. On October 14, Ed Shultz, host of the “Ed Shultz Show” commented, “You think about white Republicans who don’t like black folks,” Schultz explained. “It’s almost as if this guy is trying to warm up to them and tell them what they want to hear.” Last week On Martin Bashir’s television program, Democratic strategist and MSNBC analyst Karen Finney said that Republicans are supporting Herman Cain because of his race.

It appears in America to not be racist one has to be a democrat. It also appears even if you are black, you can be racist if questioning the education gaps and the possibility some fault lies personally with people. For my entire life democrats have successfully pandered to minorities in our country under the guise the only solution is through government to increase personal well-being. Most businessmen and Herman Cain too, will argue that success comes from individual achievement, not government charity. I do not want to be part of the government plantation and argue my support of Herman Cain does not make me racist. To MSNBC and the liberal media I call bullsh-t.

November 4, 2011 by General Rant Mainstream Media

Republican Chumps

Republican Chumps (09/07/11)

It is amazing how the media handles the messages from the candidates for Republican presidential nomination. Unfortunately, only “The View” and the evening news can deliver a message people will understand as most Americans will never tune into a debate. I personally believe Oprah Winfrey had more to do with the election of Senator Barak Obama than the debates and job qualifications. By comparison Hillary Clinton was far more qualified and should have taken the Democrat nomination, but she was trumped by Oprah’s afternoon television show.

In Iowa last month the two winning candidates were Bachmann and Paul. However, the media spent the weekend reporting on Perry and whether he would enter the campaign. Maybe looks have more to do with the process than records, or an agenda exists behind the scenes to drive a certain candidate to the top? For instance, when Gingrich announced his campaign the media immediately began unraveling campaign contribution paperwork and essentially destroyed the campaign before it started. Likewise, questions were raised concerning Bachman’s conflict between using Fannie Mae versus her opposition to the organization.

In sharp contrast, Perry has been heralded by the media as the savior to the Republican Party; the only electable candidate. Similarly Romney has maintained headlines as a contender and every effort is made to make this a two-horse race. However, under scrutiny these two candidates are far more questionable than Bachman, Paul, Cain, or the rest of the field.

Most people don’t realize Perry’s significant personal contributions to the Democrat party. He was formerly the Democrat Representative for Haskell County, Texas, state director of the Al Gore Presidential campaign in 1988, and in 1993 documented his enthusiastic support for Hillary Clinton’s proposed health care program. By far Perry’s worst action was his February 2007 executive order forcing every sixth-grade girl to submit to a three-jab regimen of the Gardasil vaccine. This decision undermines parental authority and one must wonder how such a mandate regarding a newly approved drug with unforeseen side-effects could benefit his state’s citizens.

Romney is currently among the media top-ranked candidates although he skips debates and passes on appearances where voters could confront his record. Mitt Romney, as governor of Massachusetts, passed a health-care plan providing socialized medicine for its citizens. Regarding his jobs and economic performance, under Romney’s leadership Massachusetts has a weak comparative economic performance of the state, one of the worst in the country.

I titled this column “Republican Chumps” for a reason; to highlight the fallacies of the contenders and question why so many are willing to blindly follow polls and “The View” to determine their Presidential nominee. I argue candidates Perry and Romney fail under scrutiny. The other candidates are only “unelectable” when ABC, NBC, and CBS make the decision on the voter’s behalf. Today the “chumps” are the candidates; tomorrow the “chumps” will be the uninformed voters.

October 21, 2011 by Mainstream Media Stupid People

My 100th Column

My 100th Column (07/27/2011)

This week I celebrate my 100th column, a huge milestone for me as I could not have imagined writing for “The Observer” for nearly two years without missing a week; I just wish my high school English teacher could see me now. I want to thank the publishers for the opportunity, seeing something they liked and allowing me free reign to pontificate as I desire. It was freelance writing, “Death and Taxes” that won me the opportunity and I find it ironic it is that issue, taxes, currently in front of the American people. As I look back over the last 99 weeks I note my philosophies have emerged where I feel I can clearly define my views: libertarian (with a little “L”), constitutionalist fearful of eroding liberties, and angry at politicians feeling anointed to spend, steal, and create laws but yet hold themselves above the people.

My early columns could be republished today: “What is Government’s Role”, “When Should Citizens Fear their Government?”, and “Big Brother is Watching.” Sadly I look back and see a country that has worsened during the last 100 weeks and continues to spin into the abyss while the citizenry look the other way to take in meaningless hype like Casey Anthony, the NFL, and “Dancing with Stars.” Two forces have united to provide the Kool-Aid for apathy, the media and the President. Right now we are two years into the economic recovery: remember “Green Shoots”, Biden and Obama touting all of the jobs they saved, and the National Realtors Association calling the bottom to housing prices? This deception is dutifully reported by the three networks and bull-horned by General Electric owned MSNBC and CNBC.

Over the weekend, the networks gave more time to the Amy Winehouse drug-induced death than the critical issues. Did you know last week gold hit a historic high over $1,600/ounce; jobless claims topped 400,000 for the 15th week in a row; and Borders (closed 399 stores), Cisco and Lockheed Martin announced combined layoffs of 23,000? Since January state and local governments have laid off 142,000 workers. Let’s not forget last week’s media celebration of American Airlines ordering jets from Airbus, a consortium of European companies, a staggering loss to domestic aircraft producers. Although our President tells us things are better and improving it is impossible to conclude the same when looking at the numbers. Likewise the 1930s were a long road of government missteps trying to fix problems created by the same banking cartel whose lineage has brought the same destruction upon us today. Looking back, history provides hilarious quotes from our leaders during the Great Depression trumpeting the recovery and “Happy Days are Here Again.” I believe Obama and Biden will be similarly chided for their mistruths when history is chiseled.

July 24, 2011 by Civil Rights Depression General Rant Great Recession Mainstream Media Obama

Nuclear Meltdowns

Nuclear Meltdown (5/25/2011)

This past week I counted at least four meltdowns, all covered with vigor, in the media headlines. Probably the most obscure and curious regarding the hype to most Americans was the arrest, indictment, and release of IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Little do many of my countrymen understand regarding monetary policy, let alone the calls for an end to the dollar as the reserve currency by Strauss-Kahn. The second meltdown was the failure of the Gingrich campaign to gain traction. Laughably, the most academic of a possible Republican field of presidential nominees, fell flat before starting. Like Strauss-Kahn, Newt melted down.

Meltdown number three was President Obama extinguishing his fiery return in the polls by crossing middle-east ally Israel with a call to return to territory held 44 years ago. The contradictory nature of Obama is puzzling as a blind-eye is turned toward our own border issues and we idly watch killing of refugees seeking democracy in Syria. But, the President is pro-Hamas supporting the terrorist organization publicly as far back as May 2008. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu skillfully schooled our President on the fallacies of his position and Obama’s action may be the beginning of his re-election meltdown. Finally, the mainstream pundits could not get enough of the Terminator’s marriage meltdown, number four last week, as revelations exposed infidelity and a love child with a household staff member. Each of these personal meltdowns, in my opinion, is rooted in ego and self-interest.

Sadly though, the most important nuclear meltdown in the world is not garnering any media coverage and is similarly rooted in ego and self-interest. However, this meltdown over the next 30 years will result in many unnecessary deaths and cancers worldwide. On March 11, 2011 the historic earthquake rocked northern Japan, suspiciously damaging nuclear reactors, but denied by Japanese government. A newly released TEPCO report this week contains a disaster timeline stating within 5 hours of the quake fuel rods were exposed and rapidly melting, and within 16 hours Reactor No. 1’s rods had melted down and dropped to the bottom of the reactor. Similar events occurred in Reactors 2 and 3. Today the reactors are continuing to spew radiation and radioactive water is flowing to groundwater and the ocean. Worse than Chernobyl, Fukushima has become the world’s first nuclear meltdown. Curiously, the four men in personal meltdowns garner far more coverage, but every plant, animal, and human being in the Northern hemisphere is now poisoned by the ineptness of a government and power company that chose to hide their failures to protect their egos.

May 26, 2011 by Big Government Civil Rights Controversy Mainstream Media Stupid People

iTracker

iTracker (5/4/2011)

In the “Daily Mail” on 4/18/2011 I first read hackers in London discovered iPhones are recording and storing specific location data about their users. Initially the major networks and newspapers in America were slow to report this, taking almost 4 days to do so. Humorously Apple’s, Steve Jobs first offered no such information was gathered and certainly without malicious intent. With persistence though, the media found more details and Jobs did acknowledge the data gathering. So what’s my beef? As a programmer I do not consider the tracking file an accident and my concern is the potential misuse of the data. Possibly the programmers had good intentions but knowing a data record of individual details exists would be too tempting for use by others.

Let’s consider three examples. First, police in Michigan have been accused of downloading the data during traffic stops, without warrants or arrest in violation of the 4th Amendment. Law enforcement could use the data to pinpoint the whereabouts of a particular individual. Imagine the phone doing detective work for the police by providing when and where he goes. Second, employees are at risk from employers as the employer typically owns the phone; thus the data can be checked to verify the whereabouts of employees to ensure he is working, or where reported during office hours. Third, consider a contested divorce with a vindictive ex-wife. Through Discovery the data file must be made available and the husband’s whereabouts at any time readily known. In my second and third examples the 4th Amendment does not apply, thus anyone with an iPhone has already voluntarily submitted to 24-hour tracking.

My preference is to believe Apple had no malicious intent in mind when the file was created and most likely it was created to improve location data services and their product service offering. However, some have reported this is a requirement under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and most likely “we the people” allowed this further erosion of our privacy and personal rights to take place based on the premise, “they would never do anything bad and it will help stop crime or save lives.” In my recent column, “Land of the Free” I argued there is no longer bravery among us and we idly standby while our freedoms disappear. Personally, I have deleted the file on my phone and will continue to do so. Maybe it still exists on a server somewhere, but at least I have fought back. My concern is when will anyone else fight back?

May 26, 2011 by Civil Rights Freedom Mainstream Media

The King’s Speech

The King’s Speech (04/20/2011)

I have never been as angry after a President’s speech as I was last week. Being forthright, I do not like Obama, never have, and never will. I believe he was unqualified to lead our country, has blamed others for his failures, will not hold himself accountable, and ultimately we disagree on the direction our country should go. Furthermore, I believe the Republicans have nothing different to offer than to protect their own interests and continue stealing our freedoms.

The King had an opportunity to win the American people over to the proposals for our future. Our fiscal situation is dire, inflation is increasing, wages are falling, energy and food prices are increasing, the Democrats have proposed spending $1.4 trillion more than tax revenues will produce, and in just 2 years the King and his court have increased the national debt 33%. The Jester, John Boehner, bragged regarding the bipartisan budget agreement, largest in history, but that lie only survived a week. The CBO reported the “real” cuts are only $352 million, less than 1% of the lie put to us.

The King, Jester, court, and sleeping beauty (Joe Biden) know how government works; let me explain. Let’s say you and I spend $100/month on eating out and decide next month we will budget $50 more dollars for dining. Using government accounting if we reduce the total budget to $120, we “saved” $30! There were no cuts; we just didn’t spend what we planned to, unlike spending $70 you and I would have inferred. Because my children’s future is in peril let me propose true government responsibility: mandatory 15% income tax for everyone, 20% for all corporations, and reducing the tax code to just one page as there will be no deductions of any kind. Second, eliminate the Departments of Energy, Education, Interior, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services. Third, close all foreign military bases. Fourth, eliminate public funding of arts, Planned Parenthood, charitable programs, and any constitutionally questionable program. Fifth, cut all Congressional member and staff budgets and salaries by 50%. Sixth, eliminate all civil service pension plans and special medical plans. Seventh, remind our elderly that Social Security and Medicare were supplemental programs, not entitlements, and cut the monthly benefit to $750/person, regardless of income or marriage.

Only radical, truthful proposals will work to save our country. A parent makes tough decisions and redirects behavior; similarly we need politicians to lead, not steal our futures. The current tomfoolery will continue to strengthen the uprising and anger in America and revolution against the elected royalty will occur.

April 20, 2011 by Big Government Great Recession Mainstream Media Obama