The Creature from Jekyll Island; The Federal Reserve

On Beck 25 March 2011

Observations on TV channels editorial choices BBC, CNN, FOX, AJ, RT: 2011 events & trends

Observations of the spectrum of TV programming choices and related propaganda or bias, or otherwise during January - March 2011: the 'revolutions', and Japanese 9.0 earthquake and tsunami and nuclear aftermath, and the role of the left.

Just so it's handy, here's this link.  MISINFORMATION
-- for full transparency, I am in no way associated with Alex Jones, but I'd claim Beck as someone who follows 'my' thinking, once he got up to speed on islamism.

In general, we have the following continuum on current events, with BBC being the most conservative (not 'unbiased') and Russia Today (RT) being the most 'radical' (or, from my point of view, the most challenging entertaining and informative, in terms of the obvious play of the propaganda hand.  Most instructive are the most egregious.)
Al Jazeera probably throws most casual observers off, who either don't watch and assume and thus dismiss it as 'just propaganda'; AJ is slick and very professional organization.  RT is perhaps the most vigilant watchdog type media (just not so much for Russia itself; but if you want to hear about how America is 'pathetic', this is it -- and you should know what this channel provides freely to households around the world, courtesy of Russian State.):

• BBC has been notably the most reticent and conservative in down playing the nuclear risks. Had a ridiculous online 'interaction' segment with twits, one out of three which connected and had any relevance. Gives 'benefit of doubt' in most instances.  Looked to be struggling with the event and how to place in context.  May be conflict of interest between owner/UK?/implications.  The overall tone is somber reassessment of likelihood that nuclear energy will eventually cause a disaster.
• First observations subsequent to the Japanese nuclear involvement was how RT handled the story, with the most egregious possibilities repeated if not exaggerated.  RT has provided, on quick demand, new mini-documentaries about the situation and background, including Chernobyl and the human failure involved there.  

• CNN (International version) is similarly conservative or slow to confirm any announcement, but occasionally includes more provocative language. Includes several personal contacts. Tends to self-reference overall (i.e., asks or shows in various ways 'how is CNN doing this'.)  
• 'Experts' are notably from the progressive professional educated elite, aka socialists green advocates, yet the overall tone is somber reassessment of likelihood that nuclear energy will eventually cause a disaster. 

• SKY Australia is covering regularly with some focus on Australians and personal contact. (Labor vs Liberal is adding competition to the 'story'.)
• FOX - range of coverage. Did not leave the sensational out, but had a variety of horror scenarios and caution. Mixed.

• Al Jazeera, as usual, is professional and in control of the story, driving it to context and likelihood of disaster. Good and unique interviews with various subject matter experts. Head of AJ spoke recently about events and provided sane analysis.

• Russia Today; classic in Russian propaganda; every story somehow ends up with how America is pathetic or probably to blame, along with Israel.  Most sensational in implications and possibilities. A must watch.

(US Networks not normally monitored: MSNBC, ABC, CBS.)  CNBC is watched but as a business channel, and since I don't have FOX Business, no current comparison being made.

POINT: Watch how quickly a group moves to assert implications, blame, or craft their 'theme question'.

What was missing:  Context.

Part of news is driven inexorably by 'events', the new and shocking and unusual.  Disasters therefore are nuclear fuel rods for 'news'; whether that news agency is supported by advertising or support by corporations OR taxpayer funds to an unaccountable bureaucracy run by the State.  Same result:  use the crisis to keep attention on events.

This is not all negative.
However, any American (of any nationality!) will note that the 'watchdog' function of the press is obviously compromised by either of these outlets:  Corporate or Statist media.

Question for some comes down to 'who do you trust more', but for most, it is "which one is more interesting to me at the moment and are telling me what I want to hear, and be similarly shocked or entertained by?"

In this continuum:  If you are of the belief (or conviction) that Nuclear Energy is the bane of the world, and you want to see (the West's) swords beaten into ploughshares, then Russia Today and AJ and CNN will fulfill this.  On the upside, the socialist utopian hope of earth-based tribal communes should come to fruit if the editorial bias regarding energy policies are preferred by humanity over the long term. 

The SKY channels (FOX) are diverse in opinion and as adequate as any in providing facts and some coverage.  The projected expectations sometimes come off as hyped, and sometimes as downplayed, with neither egregious doomsday scenarios nor the underlying assumption that FOX (in contrast to CNN) is becoming an advocacy group.

In this regard, CNN may be regretting these Big News weeks, as it makes a somewhat inefficient rollout of their new role as the team who will help stop Sex Slavery --
While a very necessary thing to stop (like piracy), and a very titilating SEXUAL subject, especially with the repeated promo of "girls, 8, 9, 10 years old, being sold into sexual slavery ...", it somewhat fails to mark CNN as a journalistic outlet, nor as having their priorities straight when the Middle East is imploding, if not apparently, as many nuclear reactors as one can find on the planet.

And remember, the 'worst disaster in US niclear history', three mile island.
Right, no one died.

IF the goal is to ensure 'no harm comes to anyone ever' -- then certainly one of the more effective means of accomplishing this is to ban all people from living below 30 feet of sea level.
that's for a start.

Foreign Secretary comments on IAEA report regarding Iran’s Nuclear Programme

Foreign Secretary comments on IAEA report regarding Iran’s Nuclear Programme

Keep eye on ball.


Daily: 
http://www.iranfocus.com/en/

Background on Iranian nuclear program enjoying a "major setback", from 26 Feb 2011: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/02/26/irans-nuclear-program-suffers-major-setback/

check with hints from Israel, and also the computer virus (?) that may have been made to suit.

v

Muslim American groups, not Rep. Pete King, are the ones fomenting hysteria with hearings on tap :: Steven Emerson

Muslim American groups, not Rep. Pete King, are the ones fomenting hysteria with hearings on tap :: Steven Emerson

from the article, by Steven Emerson

" ... The real underlying story here is how the self-anointed leadership of the Muslim community - groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Islamic Society of North America and the Muslim American Society - are the ones responsible for instilling panic into the Muslim community by suggesting that these hearings will lead to "hate crimes" against Muslims.

That canard has been used by these groups for years in their attempts to intimidate the media, commentators and critics of radical Islam from truly analyzing the role of these groups and others in radicalizing their constituents in the American Muslim community. The documents showing the creation of these groups with the assistance of the Muslim Brotherhood were introduced into evidence in the trial of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development several years ago. At the trial, the Council on American-Islamic Relations was described by an FBI expert as a front for Hamas, and was also listed, together with the Islamic Society of North America, as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation indictments.

Groups such as these routinely play the "Islamophobia" card, and get attention for doing so in the mainstream media, in order to silence criticism of Islamic radicalism. In fact, these very same groups, just like the Obama administration, categorically refuse to even use the term "radical Islam" in order to excise the term from the American vernacular.

Critics have taken issue with King's focus on one religious minority. But, in fact, in previous years, Congress has held numerous hearings into various ethnic subcultures that have spawned illegalities - including the Italian mob, Hispanic drug cartels, black and white prison gangs, white racists and neo-Nazis.

Headlines about King producing "panic" in the rank-and-file Muslim community are nonsense. The only panic is that being strategically fomented by groups with an interest in spreading fear."

Zambian proposed Christian Constitution

http://www.scribd.com/doc/46199533/In-Defence-of-a-Christian-Nation

Sun Tzu's Concepts; 4 main themes

From here: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/ksil477.pdf

Sun Tzu’s core concepts are most easily described by organizing them into four main
themes: Fundamentals; Command and Control; Important Strategies and Methods of Warfare; and Tactical Principles.

These four themes address both a direct and an indirect method to warfare, but Sun Tzu stressed that defeating your enemy indirectly was the greatest virtue because it husbanded your resources while attacking your foes’ central strengths.

Three key fundamentals underlie Sun Tzu:

• one was that warfare was the greatest affair of
  state;

• the second stressed the criticality of accurate intelligence, analysis and planning;

• and the last focused on correctly setting strategic objectives and the methods to attain them.

He believed “the highest realization of warfare is to attack the enemy’s plans;

next is to attack their alliances;

next to attack their army;

and the lowest is to attack their fortified cities.”

Whenever possible, victory should be achieved through diplomatic coercion, disrupting the enemy’s alliances, thwarting plans, and frustrating its strategy.

Command and Control, the second theme, is focused on three elements: the commander;
selecting, training and controlling the troops; and the psychology of Ch’i, or spirit.

He stresses the commander must be well versed in the execution of war and must have the utmost trust and freedom of the ruler. The soldiers must be well-trained and motivated thus forming a unified element.

To motivate and most effectively use his force Sun Tzu emphasized the concept of Ch’i, or spirit. Essentially, this involves ensuring a balance between multiple factors that make soldiers perform on an individual basis and motivate the army as a whole. Key to establishing a good command is understanding when your army is in “balance” and when it is not.

The development of strategies and the methods of warfare comprise the third theme.
Here, the ideas of deception, terrain, strategic power, and the use of indirect tactics stand out. Sun Tzu stressed that by selecting the most advantageous terrain, or conversely avoiding the poorest terrain, in conjunction with deceiving the enemy of your true intentions will cause the enemy to make fatal errors thus giving a commander the strategic and tactical advantage. The ideas of strategic and indirect power relate to the effective use of all elements of power that a state controls, including military, economic and diplomatic power, to influence the people’s will and build alliances. Use of these powers alone or together in creative ways will give a commander the decisive advantage.

The final theme can be described in terms of the tactical principles the commander
must understand. These include manipulating the enemy for your advantage, understanding
your army’s strength compared to that of your enemy, and choosing the correct formation for your army.

These four themes when analyzed and applied today provide a construct for an indirect
approach to war that is essential in our war against Islamic extremism.

The construct is comprised of three elements:

First, understanding your enemy--his strengths, weaknesses,
goals and motivations;

secondly, critically analyzing yourself--your strengths, weaknesses and
current strategies;

and finally having the flexibility to change or evolve current strategies based
on the first two elements.

This indirect construct will be applied through the remainder of this paper as we explore our understanding of the enemy, assess our own efforts and lastly, consider modifications to our current strategies in the war on terror.

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in
peril
—Sun Tzu

Calculations & Challenge

Analyze the Conflict & Estimate the Cost

Pajamas Media » Why Do Islamic Groups Fear Hearings on Islamic Radicalization?

Pajamas Media » Why Do Islamic Groups Fear Hearings on Islamic Radicalization?

The Light of Truth should always be welcome.  Why is inquiry thwarted unless to perpetuate ignorance?

From, http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/ksil477.pdf

In a recent  2006? intercepted message from al-Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, to al-Qaeda’s new operational commander in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, these concepts are spelled out and can be extrapolated as ends, ways and means not just for al-Zarqawi in Iraq, but for the entire Islamic extremist movement. 

In the message al-Zawahiri details the plan for success in Iraq:

It has always been my belief that the victory of Islam will never take place until a Muslim state is established in the manner of the Prophet in the heart of the Islamic world, specifically in the Levant, Egypt, and the neighboring states of the Peninsula and Iraq… 

If our intended goal in this stage is the establishment of a caliphate in the manner of the Prophet, then the Jihad in Iraq requires several incremental goals: 

The first stage: Expel the Americans from Iraq. 

The second stage: Establish an Islamic authority or amirate, then develop it and support it until it achieves the level of a caliphate… 

The third stage: Extend the jihad wave to the secular countries neighboring Iraq. 

The fourth stage: the clash with Israel.

Radical Islam or Islamic extremism is propagated by individuals who see the world through a pan-Islamic prism. They view the world in terms of religious unity as opposed to nationalistic unity. They believe that all Muslims should implement Islamic law (the sharia) and they believe the use of violence is justified.

In an effort to understand Islamic extremism, it is essential to understand how it developed organizationally, what motivates and sustains it, and where its weaknesses lie. Al-Qaeda was the spark that provided the organization, leadership and operational successes that formed a networked force of Islamic extremism.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

Bostom "Qaradawi and the Treason of the Intellectuals" | EuropeNews

Bostom "Qaradawi and the Treason of the Intellectuals" | EuropeNews

Sarah Palin Video; Tammy Bruce voice over (2009)

Yes She Will.

This is Tammy Bruce from 2009 radio; the rant about Newt is not (necessarily) current, but the overall tone of challenge and support is probably timeless.  The video collage itself is powerful, even if some consider the music a tad over the 'we've had sufficient flag waving now' line.

Gates of Vienna: Tone Down the Rhetoric!

Gates of Vienna: Tone Down the Rhetoric!: "Tomorrow (Sunday March 6) a new organization called The United West will be launched at an event in Miami, Florida. The new umbrella organi..."