Hello, welcome back to The Heavy Stuff (THS) - thanks for hitting the link or favorited bookmark (and, also, to my 40 or so subscribers too). Today’s post is a little off the beaten path compared to the `normal’ (lol) posting on this blog (normal around here are speculations about consciousness, the afterlife, ufo’s and such - and, indeed I’m working on at least two posts right now) - as this post covers what I am now calling `Heavy News’ on my Squidoo `AnomalyMan Listing’ webpage. And, a quick read of the title of this post gives you an idea about `my spin’ on some recent events/things.
Actually, if you are a fan of THS - you remember that last fall - during the peak of the teetering of the financial system - THS on three occasions took to calling a spade a spade. Never before did this blog get so many `general population’ type readers via Goggle users looking up the term `economic collapse’ - literally, thousands. And, while this post will skirt about the edges of the Economic Collapse issue - recent events have brought to focus just how manipulative the media has been in any number of ways (nothing new of course).
But, before I talk politics and the media’s political spin - since this is generally a non-political blog - I want to share that I have NEVER ONCE voted for a democrat or republican for President since 1976 - voting each time for the Libertarian candidate as the least objectionable choice (confession - living near Atlanta I met, shook hands and talked for a minute privately with Bob Barr - months before he ran for President) - yes, correct, I really don’t like the Libertarians all that much anymore - especially with the Presidential contest they just ran. So, perhaps that amounts to a view of pure skepticism in many folks eyes. So be it. Then, throw into that, the media’s simpleton approach to any issue - and you have my general view in a nutshell.
So; let me provide examples of `Howard Beale-ism’ that are seemingly screaming out to a totally deaf - but also confused at times - big time TV media.For those who don’t know who Howard Beale is/was ………… you are probably under 45, and, probably think you are a democrat (I normally call democrats - democraps. Don’t smirk republicans; I call them republinuts. How can anyone have respect for political partys represented by a Jackass and Bloated Elephant?) Indeed, please look his `name’ up on Wikipedia - but, knowing you, a democrap, you probably won’t - so - in abbreviated USA Today style, —- Howard, a fictional newsreader, represented the `Fed-Up Citizen’ in a 1970’s movie - where in his most famous scene, he opens a window and shouts out to the public “I’m Mad As Hell, And, I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore”. (And, then, others began the scream too.)
And, indeed, the mid 70’s were an infuriating period in America; - having most folks thinking, for the first time really, that `the government lies about things to promote an agenda’ (regardless of `party’). Additionally, our society had just scooted out of a war and had a press taking on a lying President (after his VP took bribes and resigned) followed by an Unelected President (Ford). So, the funny thing, is that `Howard’ was screaming in an era where the Press actually stood up and perhaps stood for something. Now, the press doesn’t even recognize Howard.
But, this is the 2000’s. Now, we have a greatly weakened Newspaper industry in shambles in what is becoming the worst downturn and financial crisis since the 1930’s. Indeed, in the old days of yesteryear, we `the citizens’ could at least hope that the muckrakers of the day would have dug up the coming AIG fiasco - or talked more of `real estate anomalies’ (or credit default swaps) - instead of pumping the bubble by having a blind eye to an impossible to sustain market condition. Or, perhaps challenge our lawmakers to at least put the Iraq war `on the budget’ instead of off-budget. Don’t you think?
Or, did they - do they - think `they’ are no longer entitled to the truth by the government - and certainly the citizens aren’t entitled to it.
But, NO. We had and have the weakest, lamest, wimpiest version of muckrakers ever seen in the profession. (This includes the big Internet sites too.) What we have are TV news (give that story 15 seconds) and Newspaper weaklings that bow to political correctness and have zero backbone or ideals. And, one that seems INCAPABLE of understanding, or depicting, dissent in this country. And, obviously, our recent nationwide protests bring that to mind. (Protests you say?)
This bubbling up of the Howard Beale (HB) sentiment began brewing last year with the run for President by Ron Paul - and - also the run for President by Mike Huckabee who `stood alone’ for the Fair Tax. Both candidates and their `unique ideas’ were scoffed at and treated as if they had coodies. This despite the relative successes of both campaigns overall. But, by the time the candidate field was whittled down to one on each side - those folks/citizens who were identified with Paul or the Fair Tax - (the Howard Beale’s) - were largely marginalized.
Then, last fall, the crappola that Ron Paul had been talking about - the very weakness of the financial system - which the media ignored when he said the words ———— was suddenly coming true. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury -`they said’ - suddenly needed to `save’ the very system our politicians had built. If not, dear citizen, Great Depression Two was promised as a possibility. I guess we all were expected to just be quiet and let the powerful `save us’. How very nice of them!
Instead, after trillions was given to the very big businesses that had caused the bubble and crash, we have instead ———- The Great Recession of the 2000’s. Indeed, I want you to look at this interactive link from Slate.Com — I’VE NEVER SEEN A LINK SAY IT ALL LIKE THIS ABOUT THE ECONOMY. http://slate.com/id/2216238/ This link visually depicts the FACTS about NOW — not rhetoric about `hope for the future’. (That said, if the dollar doesn’t implode - the trillions should buy some measure of slowing the decline.) Please see this link - then - send it to as many folks as you can - I’ve never asked my readers to do so before - this link is that important for understanding `where’ the country lies in this `recovery’.
Indeed, what `hope’ can be found in `slowing the decline/crash’. Is this just delaying a Depression like scenario? Is not the visual shown by this map on the above link the most frightening you have ever seen?
Indeed, the media, concerning the economic situation is torn between promoting — things will never be the same (February’s positioning) — and - things can be the same again (March’s positioning). (While pushing the Tent city stories off the screen - or - the recent story on condo’s in Miami (video on CNBC) that once were $700,000 going for $130,000.) And, while wealth destruction is rampant and all around everyone - the media `rounds up the wagon train’ around `action’ from our `democrap’ lawmakers - quote - holding them accountable for `doing something’. (Isn’t this like closing the barn door………?)
So, what is `The Cost’ for allowing lawmakers who ruined a system to fix it? Trillions and trillions. And trillions. (Along with getting the government itself into the banking system and thereby - everyone’s life.) And, unbelievably, it might still - NOT even be `fixed’. —- But, we, the citizens are expected to be quiet (oh, by the way, eventually Ron Paul’s supporters ended up on Government lists of folks to `watch’).
As the Russians and Chinese - suggest a new - world currency. And, still, the people/sheeple are expected to be quiet.
And, with that as a backdrop — someone woke Howard Beale up again.
This time, his name was Rick Santelli - who used the idea of another `Tea Party’ being necessary to wake up the government and the politicians. Unless you were asleep for a of couple days, parts of his `rant’ - of his anger - were allowed to make the TV screen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZB4taSEoA And, regardless of his words, it was his emotion - the real anger - authentic anger at the system - that was the news.But, somehow, our blind, weak media missed the significance of it. After all, the sheeple need to be quiet and stop their bah-bah(ing).
NO, our media has been involved in promoting the chance that our new President may actually figure a way out of the mess without pain to anyone. Now, I’ll grant you in a second that President Obama is impressive in his speech and thought process. And, if anyone can figure out a way out - it is probably him. That said, there may be no way out - or - the way out - would be better in some direction other than that promoted by the democraps.
But, that wouldn’t be PC.
But, there is no other way - not in a country with just `two’ views on things - democrap and republinut. Think about it this way - if 1/3 or so of citizens identify themselves as independents (read, hate each party) and if say 3% are really Libertarians - when was the last time you heard a Libertarian on TV or a viewpoint not suggested by a demo or repo – is it one out of every 33 times a politician is on TV? Of course not - to the big media & mainstream newspapers and such — one almost never hears the `ideas’ of the fringe. Or, those that disagree with the system. (To them, the talking head media, fringe ideas get absorbed by the two parties over time.)
So, when suddenly, on April 13th - when the media realized that common citizens would soon be seeing `TEA Protests’ often in their hometown or in front of the IRS - (or White House - or State Capital) - they had to `scramble’ to catch up on the story. (To someone, like me, reporting real news via the internet, I had the link to this April 6th on my Squidoo page.) You would have thought this was all happening spontaneously. (The media talking heads were like — what’s this Tea Tax party all about - we just gave the sheeple a tax cut last week?)
Suddenly, they, the big media, had to put a `face’ onto these TEA Protesters. Conveniently, to the mainstream sheeple PC press, this meant - they - those protesters - must be `fringe’ conservatives. Or, at least they told us that. They `wondered’ how many would really show-up? Or, at least they told us that. Even the power-brokers on `the right’ missed that this was Howard Beale in the streets — not `people from the right’.
So, thruout the country, in towns large and small - with crowds that were both LARGE and small - citizens gathered last week to say - “I’m mad as hell and I’m NOT ……” — But, the media didn’t hear that.
NO, the big media has an interest to minimize the sheeple anger - to marginalize it. No credibility is given to the fact that the Tea Party was nationwide, in towns of all sizes, by folks of all ages, - or - that it was also a protest against current policies in general.
A Howard Beale feeling that is tired of being ignored by the PC press and media. Indeed, could it have been the ignoring of the HB (Howard Beale) movement - that lead to the `floating’ of the idea of state secession again? Is there any feeling strong enough to get the mainstream media’s attention? Is secession it? — And, yesterday - Ron Paul said this about `state’ secession - http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/04/20/ron-paul-thoughts-on-secession/ - it’s a four minute video.
Some folks may remember that last fall a report - years old - by a USSR man - suggested that the USA may break apart into six areas or country’s. If you look at the first Slate link - and see that Texas is in a different situation than most of America - one can see how certain states may want a new union. States that were less involved in the Federal Fraud. Would the media even be willing to entertain such ideas? Not this media.
After all, this is a media that YESTERDAY again - ignored nationwide protests —- of the nations marijuana laws. Protests that have been going on at an organized level for decades. By, folks tired of being told that Micheal Phelps is a loser for toking when thousands die of alcohol overdoses yearly. Think I’m kidding? Check this out - http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2009/apr/20/420-cu-colorado-boulder-marijuana-pot-smoke-out/ - and, I assure you that supporters of hemp and medical marijuana were NOT happy with the way President Obama brushed off the pot question at his recent internet town hall meeting. But, then again, when you have a media that ISN’T OUTRAGED that tens of thousands are in jail for pot while in other states Judges order the police to return 12 pounds of pot to another citizen based on doctors orders (don’t believe me - see this - http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Dude-Wheres-My-Pot.html). And, not one state has that has had reform - was led by the politicians - most were led by citizen initiatives. Worthless politicians and media, again. Millions upon millions waiting decades for the politicians to do the right thing - or - for the media to point it out.
Finally, we have President Obama yesterday asking his cabinet members to save 100 MILLION budget dollars - while the government ran up a deficit of over 120 BILLION in one month alone. And, yet, the media can’t hear Howard Beale yelling - screaming - begging - for them to do their job. But, who has time for that when Miss USA gave a `controversial answer’ to the gay marriage question (they forgot that it is the same as Obama’s) and no one is interested why 70% of Somalians support the pirates. Could there be two sides? OMG. http://www.infowars.com/you-are-being-lied-to-about-pirates/ Or, cover the fact of an astronaut again saying the government is covering up about the alien presence on Earth - spinning it - without ever covering the `deceivers’ - satisfied with another `brush off statement’ by NASA. (You mean the media lets the government lie about pot, aliens, immigrants, big money and more — quiet sheeple.)
Indeed, the big media hopes they can `entertain’ you with `murder mysteries’ (like the craiglist case) and such nonsense; hoping to lull the sheeple — hoping that Howard Beale goes back into the film canister and doesn’t rear his ugly head - or voice - again.
And, that’s today’s news - Howard Beale reporting.
A link for the Tea Party numbers (the number of Beale’s) http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjcwN2Y0M2MzMjc4MzViMTNjOWQzZTZjNDU5NjE4ZTY=
You can also find all the above links and much more on my squidoo page at www.squidoo.com/anomalyman and, if you want more of my few rants about politics use this http://theheavystuff.com/?cat=14
Thanks for visiting and reading and thinking - I’d appreciate your views too - leave a comment today.
