During times of relative stability and peace, poor journalism is an annoyance. But during times of crisis, mediocre reporting has far greater consequences.
‘Press release journalism’ favours Morrison and the Liberal Party
Author: peterimrich
Is Barilaro, Berejiklian or Morrison to blame for the annihilation of Australia’s favourite furry marsupial, the cuddly koala? And why is there such a kerfuffle over recent legislation changes affecting koalas?
As the West Goes Up in Flames, Trump Couldn’t Care Less | The Smirking Chimp
Nonetheless, Americans have a clear choice. In a few weeks, when they decide whether Trump deserves another four years, climate change will be on the ballot. The choice shouldn’t be hard to make. Like the coronavirus, the dire consequences of climate change – coupled with Trump’s utter malfeasance – offer unambiguous proof that he couldn’t care less about the public good.
As the West Goes Up in Flames, Trump Couldn’t Care Less | The Smirking Chimp
Incapable of nuance Trump simply denies Science but Science and technology well American Science is the best in the world
Urged to slow the planet’s warming to save lives, the president said, “I don’t think science knows, actually.”
Trump Scoffs at Plea to Take Climate Change Seriously
Well, that escalated quickly. Only a couple of weeks ago, Donald Trump and his allies were using the term “self-defense” to condone the behavior of armed right-wingers who showed up at Black Lives Matter protests to intimidate demonstrators — and also to justify the alleged murder of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, by 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse. Now Trump has expanded the universe of excuses for such lethal violence, suggesting that it’s acceptable in the name of “retribution.”
The Smirking Chimp | News And Commentary from the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy
Is this really an industry we want to trust with our economic recovery?
When investors won’t back gas, why should taxpayers?
Rupert Murdoch, Dick Cheney, former CIA director James Woolsey, former US Treasury head Larry Summers, former US Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, hedge fund boss Michael Steinhardt and Jacob Rothschild have something in common. They are all on the board of oil and gas explorer, Genie Energy. Gas industry whistleblower Simone Marsh explores Rupert Murdoch’s fossil fuel interests.
Compromised: Genie Energy and the Murdoch media’s climate denial – Michael West
They often call selling roadkill on the stock market as offering a share shouldn’t be better called a dead or dying parrot. Remember Howard’s 2nd tranche of Telstra shares?
The giant coal port Dalrymple Bay is up for sale. The financial engineering wizards from Brookfield want out. Brookfield’s debt is humungous, and green hydrogen is looming as a mortal threat to coking coal. They can’t offload it to professional investors, so they are now targeting the mums and dads for a float on the ASX, while even angling for a bail-out by the Queensland Government. Michael West reports on one of the trickiest financial juggling acts you will ever see.
Desperate Dalrymple: Brookfield dumps coal port on mums and dads in ASX float as Queensland moots bail-out – Michael West
Years ago the “I see no evil, I hear no evil, I speak no evil” 3 wise monkeys ornaments were frequently on display. Abbreviate that to “Blind, Deaf, Dumb”, drop the word ‘wise’ and use the modern connotation of Dumb as being Stupid, and you have summed up Morrison.
Why is Morrison like the 3 monkeys? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
does it matter that the president is once again being a hypocrite? There’s a danger in dismissing this latest bold-faced lie. If white fear and shameless hypocrisy were central to Trump’s first term and help him clinch another four years, imagine what he will do in the next round.
Trump Doesn’t Want to Keep You Calm. White Panic Is Central to His Presidency. – Mother Jones
“I thought I’d find it funny watching this, but instead it’s just chilling: as the West Coast faces a climate catastrophe, the president laughs at them and denies the problem exists.
“It’ll Start Getting Cooler, You Just Watch”: Trump Spits Climate Denialism Right in California’s Face | Common Dreams News
In what appears to be a blatant appeal to the white supremacists in his base, President Donald Trump has made clear his attempt to both defend and rewrite the history of racial injustice in the United States while eliminating the institutions that make visible its historical roots.
Attacking even the Study of Slavery History, Trump is Running for President of White Nationalists
Trump is Netanyahu’s Muppet (ODT)
Trump appears to have made the decision to cut $5.5 billion in US AID funds to the Palestinians in part on the basis of his rage about Abbas allegedly being a baby-killer, which was a Netanyahu lie. It seems likely that Netanyahu and Trump are responsible for the deaths of Palestinian children through this deprivation.
Gullible Trump was manipulated by Netanyahu’s Deep Fake Video of Mahmoud Abbas to Cut off Palestinians
We were always told what to think; what is correct and what is wrong. By the white dudes living in or coming from Europe and North America. They knew everything. They were the most qualified.
The West should sit on its backside, shut up, and listen to “the others”
A half-century ago, the economist Milton Friedman wrote an article in the New York Times Magazine that got a lot of attention. In it, he argued that CEOs should not try to be socially responsible. Their sole obligation was to maximize shareholder returns. It was the responsibility of government to respond to social needs.
Milton Friedman, 50 Years Ago Today | The Smirking Chimp
News Corp is just four months away from launching its internal newswire service into the open market. But is there space in Australian media for this and an independent straight news agency (as the new AAP hopes to be)?
Is there room for a News Corp newswire and a remade AAP?
Opposition says proposed code should cover public broadcasters so the revenue is used to boost regional news services
ABC and SBS should also receive fees from Facebook and Google, Labor says | Media | The Guardian
Morrison hasn’t moved on from “on the water matters” and ” Matter of National Security” That is the Morrison LNP Government other than the of course Abbott’s blame game. They can fight as they have the help of the IPA and Murdoch but they can’t and don’t govern as they have no plan. As a consequence their eye is firmly fixed on Trump (ODT)
Rejecting the premise or the characterisation of the question points to trickiness and deceit. Taking the time to provide an explanation is much more open and a discussion around why the question was inane, irrelevant or pointless demonstrates there is nothing to hide. While we have seen traces of real leadership and communication during the current pandemic period, at this stage it is certainly too soon to be able to call most of our political ‘leaders’ authentic leaders and communicators. We have an opportunity to embed a ‘new normal’ in political and business life into the future — our future leaders need to answer the question rather than reject or deflect them. Who knows, they might engender trust if they do.
I reject the premise – » The Australian Independent Media Network
With the U.S. Election approaching, President Trump seems to be agitating his country into a frenzy of violence and hate crime, writes Dr Martin Hirst.
America could be heading towards a second Civil War
The choice shouldn’t be hard to make. Like the coronavirus, the dire consequences of climate change – coupled with Trump’s utter malfeasance – offer unambiguous proof that he couldn’t care less about the public good.
Trump doesn’t care if wildfires destroy the west – it didn’t vote for him | Robert Reich | Opinion | The Guardian
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President Donald Trump has repeatedly lied about the coronavirus pandemic and the country’s preparation for this once-in-a-generation crisis. Here, a collection of the biggest lies he’s told as the nation endures a public-health and economic calamity. This post will be updated as needed.
All of Trump’s Lies About the Coronavirus – The Atlantic
The USPS is under assault at the very moment we need a functioning postal service to hold a free and fair election. We can defend electoral democracy by defending the post office.
Save the USPS, Defend Democracy
My thought for the day It is clear that from whatever way you look at it that Trump lied and people died. PS: For the complete list of Trump’s lies about the coronavirus (John Lord) click here.
Donald Trump: The fool on the hill is full of rage – » The Australian Independent Media Network
. Bernie Sanders used a virtual town hall on Saturday to call out his fellow members of Congress who—in the midst of record-shattering heat waves, massively destructive storms, and unprecedented wildfires—continue to insist that a Green New Deal aimed at combating the climate emergency and creating millions of good-paying jobs in the process would be too costly.
Sanders Delivers Message to Lawmakers Who Claim US Can’t Afford Green New Deal: Climate Catastrophe Is ‘Much More Expensive’ | Common Dreams News
Israel’ grand plan was always to keep the Middle East religiously divided their biggest danger a secular and united pan Arabic military union Libya, Syria Iraq made it urgent to get rid of Qaddafi, Assad and Saddam.
Peace hasn’t arrived in the Middle East only a light shone on what was always the goal keep Shia and Sunni divided with Israel and the US on the side of Israel Sunni States and Oil. ISIS is not their enemy anymore. Fuck the Kurds.
The Iraqi government says that Soleimani came to Baghdad on a commercial flight with a diplomatic passport to engage in behind the scenes talks Saudi Arabia that the Iraqi government was mediating. There is no evidence that he was, as Trump alleged, coming to kill Americans, and the Pentagon has refused to make that charge. The furious Iraqi parliament voted to constrain the prime minister to find a way to move US troops out of Iraq in the aftermath, since Trump whacked Soleimani on Iraqi soil without bothering to tell that government. The prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has complied, arranging for the US gradually to leave. This month 2,000 of the some 5,000 US troops in Iraq will depart.
Lindsey Graham: Soleimani hit “Over the Top”– As all Tru
mp’s Iran Goals Foiled
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The problem isn’t only that Elon Musk has a net worth of about $100 billion when tens of millions of Americans are barely getting by. It’s that he’s made this money while treating his workers so badly. His wealth quadrupled during the 4 months Tesla forced all workers to take a 10 percent pay cut.
Citizen Musk | The Smirking Chimp
The Coalition’s ability to retain power while also switching from leader to leader to leader is, in strictly political terms, a major achievement. But what are its policy achievements?
What has this Coalition government actually achieved in seven years?
Not under an LNP watch
Hiring properly qualified staff, staff-resident ratios and a commitment to be transparent and accountable for the $13 billion in annual taxpayer funding would help private providers of aged care “change the conversation” and “win the hearts and minds of middle Australia”. Dr Sarah Russell reports.
Tone deaf: aged care providers’ PR campaign strikes wrong note – Michael West
The President’s comments about fire management are likely to prove contentious, particularly as most of the forests in California are in national forests, and managed by federal authorities.
Trump breaks silence on devastating wildfires, blaming them on bad forest management
How overlapping false claims about the wildfires ricocheted around conservative social media thanks to a bogus story from Russia.
Right-Wing Conspiracists Linked Antifa to the Wildfires. Then They Got a Big Boost from Russian Media. – Mother Jones
Climate Emergency Overdrive: Our Age of Compound Disasters as 10% of Oregon is Evacuated, California Burns and Louisiana Sinks
If you go back and look at the predictions of climate scientists about 2020, you’ll see that they gave a range, of best- and worst-case scenarios. In every instance, it is the worst case scenario that has come to pass. Even the most jaded and alarmed scientists in 2000 were not pessimistic enough. Mother Nature is trying to tell us something but we are not listening.
Climate Emergency Overdrive: Our Age of Compound Disasters as 10% of Oregon is Evacuated, California Burns and Louisiana Sinks
“A Trump stooge with a history of racist statements and no medical background is doctoring CDC reports warning Americans on Covid because they make Trump look bad.”
‘Downright Criminal’: Leaked Emails Reveal Effort by Trump Aides to Censor and Alter CDC Covid Reports Behind Closed Doors | Common Dreams News
Critics accuse Trump of attacking mail-in balloting as part of his strategy to manipulate the election in his favor by suppressing the vote. But the president is also sowing doubts about the process so that in the event of his loss to Democratic nominee Joe Biden, he could challenge the result by claiming widespread fraud, critics predict. In the meantime, DeJoy — a prominent Trump campaign contributor — appears to be crippling the U.S. Postal Service operation ahead of the election by ripping out hundreds of mail-sorting machines and letter collection boxes, and eliminating overtime and extended mail deliveries.
New Mail Wrinkle: USPS Sending Out Inaccurate Mail Ballot Info, Warns State Official | HuffPost Australia
Conservatives are sounding the alarm bell about a Marxist takeover, with at least one philosopher urging liberals to join forces with the Right to destroy the socialist bogeyman. But the values of liberalism have much more in common with socialism than the Right — and liberals sincerely committed to advancing freedom and equality should unite with leftists.
Why Liberals Should Unite With Socialists, Not the Right
China has complained about our media’s fanning of the negativity towards it countless times yet the government has supported the media. News Corp has been spreading anti- Chinese sentiment since Abbott. Yet nobody seems to listen. The Chinese kicked Murdoch out because they regarded his organization not just critical but toxic why is it the LNP and IPA don’t? (ODT)
“How do you think the United States would feel if somebody were to jump up and say we need an independent international inquiry into how badly President Trump has mishandled the coronavirus leading to nearly 200,000 American deaths? Everybody would think that was a very high-handed thing to do.” Despite the backlash, China ended up supporting the European Union-drafted, Australia-backed, heavily negotiated motion that sailed through the World Health Assembly the following month. But the diplomatic dispute shows no signs of abating.
Culture clash: has Australia miscalculated in its feud with China? | Australia news | The Guardian
Stone also said federal authorities should seize all Nevada ballots, federal agents and GOP state officials should “physically” block voting, that Trump should nationalize police forces, and that Trump should order widespread arrests
Roger Stone calls for Trump to seize total power if he loses the election | Media Matters for America
At the heart of Biden’s climate change package is a determination to decarbonise the nation’s electricity system by 2035 before reaching net-zero carbon emissions for the entire economy by 2050.
Biden’s radical climate change plan could overturn the world’s efforts
“The gravity of this decision cannot be overstated. It is an affront to the spirit of democracy.”
‘Incredibly Dark Day for Voting Rights’: With Support of Trump Judges, Federal Court Upholds Florida Poll Tax Weeks Before Election | Common Dreams News
Focusing on national counterterrorism efforts against both Islamist extremism and far-right extremism acknowledges that there are differences between these two violent movements. Focusing solely on one, while ignoring the other, will increase the risk of domestic terrorism and future acts of violence.
19 years after 9/11, Americans continue to fear foreign extremists and underplay the dangers of domestic terrorism
Joe Biden and the Democratic Party are promising to expand Social Security and ensure that all benefits can be paid in full and on time for the foreseeable future by requiring the wealthiest to pay more. Donald Trump promises to end Social Security as we know it.No amount of obfuscation by the Trump administration, Trump allies, surrogates, and so-called fact checkers should hide that very clear and very real fact.
Fact Checking the Fact Checkers: Trump Does Indeed Plan To Destroy Social Security | The Smirking Chimp
It’s Ecosocialism or Barbarism
Bloodred skies. Entire towns torched. The West Coast wildfires are the latest proof that we have no alternative to a Green New Deal — and that the urgency, in the face of increasingly apocalyptic conditions, is mounting rapidly.
It’s Ecosocialism or Barbarism
As Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews described protesters as “selfish and unlawful”, at least four participants at one of the planned protests were led away by police officers on Saturday in handcuffs.
‘Selfish’: Premier slams anti-lockdown protesters as crowds fizzle
So why is this piece titled Frydenberg’s folly?. Because in one fell swoop he has morphed his image as a credible commentator on the nation’s accounts into just another partisan attack dog. He has replaced his reputation in the area of finance with what we have come to despise so profoundly. That is his folly!
Frydenberg’s Folly – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Morrison owes Murdoch. This proposed industry code kills two birds with one stone. It pays back Murdoch and ensures a Coalition friendly media.
Couple this with locking the ABC out it’s the equivalent of intended assassination by Novochock and asking who did it?
It rewards the big media players for their failure and throws the smaller media outlets to the lions.
We will lose what little balance is left in our media if the Opposition doesn’t step up.
Morrison and Murdoch take on Google and Facebook
olddogthoughts 
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