“Fox News” and Shameless Bias

By Darlene Mitchell August 21, 2021 August 21, 2021 Climate Change, Editorial, Fossil Fuel, Fox News, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, James Murdoch, Media, Pesticides, Rupert Murdoch, White Supremacy Movement

“Fox News” and Shameless Bias

“FOX NEWS” and Shameless Bias

“You see, the truth is Murdoch has become a cancer – an arrogant cancer – on our democracy,” K. Rudd, former Australian PM

OPINION:

“Fox News” and Shameless Bias

D. S. Mitchell

“An Arrogant Cancer”

A democracy is dependent of diverse, reliable, independent, and accurate information. Kevin Rudd a former Australian prime minister has described Rupert Murdoch’s monopoly of Australia’s media as a “cancer on democracy,” that effectively serves “to chill free speech and undermine debate.” Mr. Rudd continued, “Murdoch has become a cancer – an arrogant cancer – on our democracy,” adding that over the past decade Murdoch has “viciously” campaigned against democracy in support of right wing, white nationalism.

Politically Polarized and Manipulated News

The effect of Murdoch’s philosophy and his powerful media presence is not only effecting Australia, the UK but also the good ol USA, where media ownership has become increasingly concentrated in the hands of the few. The end result has been that Murdoch has deliberately encouraged politically polarized rhetoric and manipulated news for his own agenda.

Enemies In the Crosshairs

Rupert Murdoch through his company News Corp uses its power as a media Goliath to routinely attack his enemies whether it be in business or politics. Murdoch uses his billions in wealth and power derived from that wealth as a media cudgel to “attack opponents in business and politics by blending editorial opinion with news reporting,” alleging that, as a result, those “who hold contrary views have felt intimidated into silence.”

Typical Strategy

This is very similar to what we see in the United States with Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and the Tuck. According to Rudd, Murdoch with the strength of his cable viewing audience seeks “to maximize his political power in. . . defense of his ideological interests; one being climate change denial.”

James Murdoch, one of the 90 year old mogul’s sons revealed recently he had quit his position on the board of New Corp because of “disagreements over certain editorial content … and certain other strategic decisions.” Most particularly he pointed to the company’s coverage of Donald Trump’s presidency. He continued, “I reached the conclusion that you can venerate a contest of ideas, if you will, and we all do, and that’s important. But it shouldn’t be in a way that hides agendas,” James Murdoch said in a New York Times interview. It should be noted that James and his wife give millions to liberal causes and democratic candidates in direct opposition to his father’s espoused philosophy.

James Murdoch Should Know

“A contest of ideas shouldn’t be used to legitimize disinformation. And I think it’s often taken advantage of. And I think at great news organizations, the mission really should be to introduce fact to disperse doubt — not to sow doubt, to obscure fact, if you will.” (James Murdoch)

Just Dave “The Once And Future King”

By Darlene Mitchell July 26, 2021 July 26, 2021 2024 Election, Calamity Video Casts, Donald J. Trump, Elections, Opinion, Videos

Just Dave “The Once And Future King”

Just Dave is at it again. This week Dave asks if Trump should make a run for president in 2024. The man who incited a riot to overturn our government is actually out there rallying his MAGA crowd begging for money to support another Trump presidential run. Dave says, ‘hell no’ the orange one will never run again. His goal at this point in his life is to continue milking his supporters for every cent he can squeeze out of them.

OPINION: Billionaires In Space

By Darlene Mitchell July 8, 2021 July 13, 2021 Elon Musk, Government, Jeff Bezos, NASA, Opinion

OPINION: Billionaires In Space

By William Jones

NASA’s Monopoly Is Over

It is now about 50 years since Neil Armstrong, was the first man to step on the moon. But in the era of space travel now dawning, far more of us are destined to join him. In America’s new space age, NASA’s monopoly is over. The leaders are companies, not countries. And they are about to prove anyone with enough money can become an astronaut. The biggest names in the current space race are three of the richest men in the world, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos.

Space Tourism Starts Off Slow

“People want to go to space, people should go to space, because they come back changed,” said Richard Branson, the Virgin-brand billionaire who launched his space tourism business in 2004. From Virgin Galactic’s spaceport in New Mexico, six passengers per flight will rocket more than 62 miles above Earth for the ultimate selfie. Six hundred people have pre-paid 250,000 dollars for the chance to fly, including 58-year-old Floridian ” It’s my turn, and I’m going,” MaryAnn Barry said. “I do want to see what the Earth looks like from space. I want to have that overview effect experience.” Virgin Galactic on Sunday July 11, 2021 launched its first flight carrying Branson and several employees on a 53 mile high . It is just one of many steps needed before it will launch a single paying customer. “It’s taken us fourteen years,” Branson said. “Space is hard. We’ve had our tears. We’ve had our joys. But I’ll tell you what, the joys have been fantastic.”

OPINION: Retire Justice Breyer

By Darlene Mitchell June 23, 2021 June 23, 2021 Democrats, Government, Justice Stephen Breyer, Liberalism, Opinion, Progressivism, Social Issues, U.S. Supreme Court

OPINION: Retire Justice Breyer

By William Jones

Consistent Defender

Stephen Breyer was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Breyer has been a consistent defender of liberal priorities in cases involving abortion, marriage equality, voting rights, and other issues. There’s growing urgency on the left to see Justice Breyer step down from the court to be replaced by a younger liberal justice. This is only possible while Democrats are the majority party in Washington.

A Billboard Truck

In early April, the progressive group Demand Justice ordered a billboard truck to be driven around the Supreme Court building featuring the words “Breyer, retire.” The message was directed at Breyer, one of three remaining Democratic appointees on a court that has become increasingly dominated by conservative justices in recent years. Much of that anxiety is informed by recent history. Liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not retire when Democrats controlled the Senate during the Obama administration. Ruth Bader Ginsburg died from cancer at age 87, shortly before the 2020 presidential race. Republicans moved swiftly to fill her seat with Amy Coney Barrett. This cemented a 6-3 conservative majority on the court that legal experts say may soon undo many rulings that defined Ginsburg’s judicial career.

OPINION: Belarus Sponsors Hijacking

By Darlene Mitchell June 15, 2021 June 15, 2021 Belarus, Censorship, Government, Human Rights, Journalism, Opinion, Russia

OPINION:

Belarus Government Sponsors Hijacking

HISTORY REPEATING

By T.K. McNeil

Arrest of a Dissident

It was like something from a cold war spy novel. A national government, without a great record on human rights, tricks a commercial airliner from another country into landing there, claiming there was a bomb threat. Absurd as it sounds, this is exactly what happened to Roman Protasevich. Protasevich is a Belarusian journalist and dissident critical of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. The critic was taken, with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, from a Lithuania bound Ryanair flight on May 23^rd. Lukashenko was no doubt angered by the reporting of Nexta a news outlet founded by Protasevich and Stepan Putilo that has focused recent coverage on anti-Lukashenko rallies after the disputed election in 2020.

But It’s Current Year

The hijacking event was met with shock around the world. Many news outlets seemingly uncomprehending that such a thing was even possible. As though dogs had suddenly started reciting Shakespeare in Latin. It seemed like a relic from a different age, as though time runs in a neat line, drawing a straight path from then to now. Letting one take comfort in the idea that the badness has past. The sad truth is, history is more a set of ever repeating cycles, with little indication as to when things might come back around. The mentions of the Cold War and Soviet tactics disturbingly apt.

DANGER AHEAD: Cyber Hacking On The Rise

By Darlene Mitchell June 13, 2021 June 13, 2021 Cryptocurrency, Digital Freedom, Government, Hacking, Russia, Science & Technology, Vladimir Putin

DANGER AHEAD:

Cyber Hacking On The Rise

Colonial Pipeline was hit with a devastating ransomware cyberattack in May 2021 that impacted computerized equipment managing the pipeline. The attack forced the company to shut down approximately 5,500 miles of pipeline in the United States, crippling gas delivery systems across the Southeast and Mid Atlantic states and panicking consumers.

By William Jones and D.S. Mitchell

Terrorists. Criminals and Cowboys

The ongoing digitization of all aspects of modern life should be concerning. Governments world-wide are facing new challenges to keep both business and government secrets private in an increasingly threatening world of cyber criminals, state sponsored terrorists, and cowboy hackers. With increasing online and data usage, government databases have become primary targets for hackers and other cyber terrorists and criminals. Recent events have shaken the U.S. government and citizen confidence. Hackers can compromise data and as Chris Krebs said recently, ransomware attackers are the greatest threat to our digital world. Krebs served as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the United States Department of Homeland Security from November 2018 to November 2020.

Cyber Warfare

Cyber warfare is defined as actions by a nation-state to penetrate another nation’s computers or networks to cause damage or disruption. It may also include non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, private companies, political or ideological extremist groups, criminal organizations, and activists. Cyber attacks have been a cause of concern for years, as the frequency of data breaches has increased along with their complexity and (economic, military, and political) implications, including elections and military catastrophe an ever growing possibility.

“Just Dave” Netanyahu Time To Leave

By Darlene Mitchell June 2, 2021 June 2, 2021 Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Calamity Video Casts, Israel, Opinion

“Just Dave” Netanyahu Time To Leave

An end of an era is approaching. Numerous factions of Israeli political parties have come to an agreement to oust Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu within the next two weeks. The world is holding its breath. Netanyahu and his hard line anti-Palestinian policies have been the face of Israel for at least the last fifteen years. From handsome war hero, to dynamic politician, to accused criminal Bibi has few supporters left. Netanyahu has been clinging desperately to power to also avoid prosecution for multiple corruption charges. Dave has a rant on this situation, just like most others.

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2019/03/12/benjamin-netanyahu/

“Just Dave” Stop The Police Killings

By Darlene Mitchell May 29, 2021 May 29, 2021 Black Lives Matter, Calamity Politics, Calamity Video Casts, Ethics, Law Enforcement, Opinion, Police, Police Brutality

“Just Dave” Stop Police Killings

Calamity News and Politics Vlog Cast this week is about the escalating violence of police officers around country. Police Brutality is out of hand. “Just Dave” is really upset, and so is everyone else in the country with a soul. Calamity doesn’t like it when Dave gets upset. The heartbreak of the recent murders by police is more than our man can handle. If tears would fix the problem we could have already fixed it. End police brutality. The fear of the police by the people of the community needs to stop.

Israel Appears To Be An Apartheid State

By Darlene Mitchell May 19, 2021 May 19, 2021 Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Editorial, Israel, War and Conflict, White Supremacy Movement

Israel Appears To Be An Apartheid State

EDITORIAL: Israel Is Acting Like An Apartheid State

By William Jones and D. S. Mitchell

What is Apartheid?

The 1973 Apartheid Convention and the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defined apartheid as systematic and institutionally entrenched domination and repression by one racial group over another through “inhumane acts.” Among such acts are:

Arbitrary arrest and illegal imprisonment of the members of a racial group
Measures designed to divide the population along racial lines by the creation of separate reserves and ghettos for the members of a racial group or groups
Forcible transfer
Expropriation of landed property
Denial of the right to leave and to return to their country and the right to a nationality

Elon Musk’s Bitcoin U-Turn

By Darlene Mitchell May 16, 2021 May 16, 2021 China, Cryptocurrency, Ecology, Economics, Elon Musk, Fossil Fuel

Elon Musk’s Bitcoin U-Turn:

Nothing But PR & Energy Politics

By Sonnet Gomes

I was so content with my current tiny investment in Cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin, till last night. When Elon Musk’s Bitcoin U-Turn simply throws me off the edge.

Musk’s Tweet on suspending vehicle purchase using Bitcoin not only struck a boult on me but also my itty-bitty crypto asset. No wonder I was enraged to see the price dropping, and my investment is fading away.

However, it took me a while to come to my senses (thanks to my wife for a late-night Coffee) and realize what is actually going on.

Musk’s Twitter Activity from Last Night

The entire Tweet, I am sure, will amaze almost anyone. Let’s look at a few lines of it first, and then I will dive deep into them.

“We are concerned about rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel” (O Boy, O Boy! we had no clue about it until the Tweet!)
“Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels, and we believe it has a promising future” (So Tesla and SpaceX are not dumping all its crypto assets because they are nothing but energy-guzzler carbon-emitting machines)
“Tesla will not be selling any Bitcoin, and we intend to use it for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy” (He actually loves Bitcoin and keeping all the digital assets for future use. Wondering what it’s that? Well, the next Bitcoin big selling)