[OakSmokeMJA]

There is a strong distrust and detachment from the major media outlets in this country. It is essential to be informed to effectively participate in a democracy. The corporate media has an agenda of product advertising and consent manufacturing and will never give you the story from the perspective of the people.

Independent media is not funded by corporate sponsers, it is funded by us, the people, with donations through fund drives and sponsorships. It is imperitive that we have access to non-commercial news and inormation.

I want my Democracy Now!

http://www.democracynow.org/

[Medpatient]

Originally Posted by OakSmokeMJA

There is a strong distrust and detachment from the major media outlets in this country. It is essential to be informed to effectively participate in a democracy. The corporate media has an agenda of product advertising and consent manufacturing and will never give you the story from the perspective of the people.

Independent media is not funded by corporate sponsers, it is funded by us, the people, with donations through fund drives and sponsorships. It is imperitive that we have access to non-commercial news and inormation.

I want my Democracy Now!

http://www.democracynow.org/

amen. The media is just like politicians, just as we do not buy 98% of the stuff that comes from our politicians mouths, the same is true for mainstream media.

They all have their own agendas to push.

I will usually read the BBC, not sure how much better they are, but I definitely see a difference in reporting of stories through them compared to our wonderful media.

[contract.dude]

take a poll and then vote on it..

[OakSmokeMJA]

Today's Headlines
•Ousted Honduran President Zelaya Returns
•Report: U.S. Considers Increasing Drone Attacks in Pakistan
•World Leaders Hold Climate Summit at United Nations
•EU Accuses US Senate of Holding Up Global Agenda on Climate Change
•China to Announce Plans to Significantly Cut Carbon Emissions
•Study: U.S. Gave $72 Billion In Fossil Fuel Subsidies Since 2002
•Judge Restores Protections For Grizzlies Near Yelllowstone
•HHS To Investigate Humana For Mailer to Seniors
•California Police Taze Wheelchair-bound Man With No Legs
•MacArthur Foundation Announce Genius Grant Recipients
•The Yes Men Distribute Fake New York Post

please watch.

http://www.democracynow.org/

[Sir smokes-A-Lot]

I have a big list of independent media in the cd cover of Jello Biafras spoken word album called In the grip of Official treason. He listed some independent media websites on New Orleans, Anti War, Civil Liberties Democracy and anti racism, other alternative media, Global economic justice, Indonesian 2004 tsunami/2006 earthquake and miscellaneous. These are some good websites that he listed and I remember I lost the cover of this spoken word album from Jello so I bought it again just so I could get that list of those websites again. Oh and Democracy Now is one of the websites Jello listed under the other alternative media section.

[Bogart McKilo]

Amy Goodman is an example of a true journalist. Hard, probing questions and research. Great program, great information.

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by OakSmokeMJA

Today's Headlines
•Ousted Honduran President Zelaya Returns
•Report: U.S. Considers Increasing Drone Attacks in Pakistan
•World Leaders Hold Climate Summit at United Nations
•EU Accuses US Senate of Holding Up Global Agenda on Climate Change
•China to Announce Plans to Significantly Cut Carbon Emissions
•Study: U.S. Gave $72 Billion In Fossil Fuel Subsidies Since 2002
•Judge Restores Protections For Grizzlies Near Yelllowstone
•HHS To Investigate Humana For Mailer to Seniors
•California Police Taze Wheelchair-bound Man With No Legs
•MacArthur Foundation Announce Genius Grant Recipients
•The Yes Men Distribute Fake New York Post

please watch.

http://www.democracynow.org/

Democracy Now is a great website and source for news. But I must say I read just about all those stories in my L.A. Times that was delivered to me at 6:00am. I am old school, and read the Times every day along with internet sources. I have done this all my life. They don't slant stories or have an agenda left or right. In the Opinion section they post all spectrums. I am also a Journalism major who can easily see bullshit and shoddy work.

[Jeffster]

I think it is important to keep an open mind and some degree of skepticism towards any news story. Even in the most trusted news source, mistakes can happen.

That's an interesting news site link you gave us, Oaky. I've bookmarked it to read more there later. Thanks.

[Pico+Barrington Collective]

the media is fed BS too......everyone gets lied to
....I just stopped watching the "news"

[OakSmokeMJA]

9-23-09
Today's Headlines
•Admin to Unveil Curbs on “State-Secrets Privilege”
•Dozens Arrested, Wounded in Honduras Standoff
•China to Link Emissions Cuts to Economic Growth
•Morales Calls on Rich Nations to Pay “Climate Debt”
•U.S. Drops Demand for Israeli Settlement Freeze
•Hamas Renews Backing of Palestinian State Within ’67 Borders
•Bulgarian Diplomat Elected UNSECO Head
•Mass. Senate Approves Kennedy Succession Bill
•ACORN Defunding Bill Could Also Target Military Firms
•Shootout Prompts Closure of U.S.-Mexico Border Crossing
•Senate Finance Panel Takes Up Baucus Bill
•Insurance Costs At Least Triple Inflation Rates over Last Decade
•Ahmadinejad to Seek “Maximum Leniency” for Jailed U.S. Hikers
•Yes Men Unveil Global Warming “Survivaball”

Feature Stories (commercialless)


With Copenhagen Summit Approaching, Leading Polluters U.S. and China Undercut Hopes of Substantial Pollution Cuts
World leaders gathered at the United Nations on Tuesday for a one-day global summit on climate change. But with little on specifics and emerging signs the world’s biggest polluters will try to determine their own emissions reductions, poorer nations most threatened by global warming are warning they’re being left behind. We speak with award-winning New York Times reporter Andy Revkin, environmental activist Ted Glick, and Anna Pinto, an indigenous rights activist from India who’s traveled to Pittsburgh to call on G20 leaders to tackle global warming.

Federal Judge Dismisses Police Harassment Claims by Activist Groups at Pittsburgh's G-20
Thousands of additional security forces have been brought into Pittsburgh ahead of the G-20 and tall steel fencing now runs along the the convention center in this former steel town. On Tuesday a federal judge ruled against two protest groups who accused the Pittsburgh police of harassment. Seeds of Peace and Three Rivers Climate Convergence claim the police used illegal searches, vehicle seizures, raids, and detentions to discourage them from taking part in protests later this week.

Obama Admin Urges Israeli-Palestinian Final-Status Talks, but Abandons Insistence on Israeli Settlement Freeze
The Obama administration has abandoned a demand that Israel freeze settlement expansion before the resumption of peace talks. President Obama signaled the shift on Tuesday as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. We speak to Diana Buttu, a Palestinian lawyer and former legal adviser to the Palestinian Liberation Organization; and Israeli historian Avi Shlaim, a Professor of international relations at the University of Oxford author of several books including his latest, “Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations.”

http://www.democracynow.org/

[Mother Chucker]

Originally Posted by OakSmokeMJA

Today's Headlines
•Ousted Honduran President Zelaya Returns
•Report: U.S. Considers Increasing Drone Attacks in Pakistan
•World Leaders Hold Climate Summit at United Nations
•EU Accuses US Senate of Holding Up Global Agenda on Climate Change
•China to Announce Plans to Significantly Cut Carbon Emissions
•Study: U.S. Gave $72 Billion In Fossil Fuel Subsidies Since 2002
•Judge Restores Protections For Grizzlies Near Yelllowstone
•HHS To Investigate Humana For Mailer to Seniors
•California Police Taze Wheelchair-bound Man With No Legs
•MacArthur Foundation Announce Genius Grant Recipients
•The Yes Men Distribute Fake New York Post

please watch.

http://www.democracynow.org/

But Kris Kardashian is getting married so none of that stuff really matters.

[VooDoo Chile]

Originally Posted by OakSmokeMJA

9-23-09
Today's Headlines
•Admin to Unveil Curbs on “State-Secrets Privilege”
•Dozens Arrested, Wounded in Honduras Standoff
•China to Link Emissions Cuts to Economic Growth
•Morales Calls on Rich Nations to Pay “Climate Debt”
•U.S. Drops Demand for Israeli Settlement Freeze
•Hamas Renews Backing of Palestinian State Within ’67 Borders
•Bulgarian Diplomat Elected UNSECO Head
•Mass. Senate Approves Kennedy Succession Bill
•ACORN Defunding Bill Could Also Target Military Firms
•Shootout Prompts Closure of U.S.-Mexico Border Crossing
•Senate Finance Panel Takes Up Baucus Bill
•Insurance Costs At Least Triple Inflation Rates over Last Decade
•Ahmadinejad to Seek “Maximum Leniency” for Jailed U.S. Hikers
•Yes Men Unveil Global Warming “Survivaball”

Feature Stories (commercialless)


With Copenhagen Summit Approaching, Leading Polluters U.S. and China Undercut Hopes of Substantial Pollution Cuts
World leaders gathered at the United Nations on Tuesday for a one-day global summit on climate change. But with little on specifics and emerging signs the world’s biggest polluters will try to determine their own emissions reductions, poorer nations most threatened by global warming are warning they’re being left behind. We speak with award-winning New York Times reporter Andy Revkin, environmental activist Ted Glick, and Anna Pinto, an indigenous rights activist from India who’s traveled to Pittsburgh to call on G20 leaders to tackle global warming.

Federal Judge Dismisses Police Harassment Claims by Activist Groups at Pittsburgh's G-20
Thousands of additional security forces have been brought into Pittsburgh ahead of the G-20 and tall steel fencing now runs along the the convention center in this former steel town. On Tuesday a federal judge ruled against two protest groups who accused the Pittsburgh police of harassment. Seeds of Peace and Three Rivers Climate Convergence claim the police used illegal searches, vehicle seizures, raids, and detentions to discourage them from taking part in protests later this week.

Obama Admin Urges Israeli-Palestinian Final-Status Talks, but Abandons Insistence on Israeli Settlement Freeze
The Obama administration has abandoned a demand that Israel freeze settlement expansion before the resumption of peace talks. President Obama signaled the shift on Tuesday as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. We speak to Diana Buttu, a Palestinian lawyer and former legal adviser to the Palestinian Liberation Organization; and Israeli historian Avi Shlaim, a Professor of international relations at the University of Oxford author of several books including his latest, “Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations.”

http://www.democracynow.org/

Well, I'm happy to see the new limitations imposed on state secrets claims, not that I'm naive enough to think this is anything more than a largely symbolic gesture.

But the backing away from the Israeli settlement freeze REALLY cooks my friggin goose. That's just straight up bullshit IMO.

[VooDoo Chile]

Originally Posted by Mother Chucker

But Kris Kardashian is getting married so none of that stuff really matters.

To Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom, no less! An entire 45 seconds was devoted to this heart stopping story on last night's CBS news!

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by VooDoo Chile

Well, I'm happy to see the new limitations imposed on state secrets claims, not that I'm naive enough to think this is anything more than a largely symbolic gesture.

But the backing away from the Israeli settlement freeze REALLY cooks my friggin goose. That's just straight up bullshit IMO.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...t-america-fix/

This should make you happy. Obama is not going to just ass-kissingly allow more bullshit settlements.

[VooDoo Chile]

Originally Posted by BrattonBasher

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...t-america-fix/

This should make you happy. Obama is not going to just ass-kissingly allow more bullshit settlements.

Wow. Thanks for posting that dude!

See, this is why I love Obama in spite of some of the dumb things he's said/done: "The United States does Israel no favors when we fail to couple an unwavering commitment to its security with an insistence that Israel respect the legitimate claims and rights of the Palestinians. And nations within this body do the Palestinians no favors when they choose vitriolic attacks over a constructive willingness to recognize Israel's legitimacy, and its right to exist in peace and security," he said.

That's so friggin awesome! It's about time we had a President willing to acknowledge the wrongdoing on both sides of this complex issue. BB- do ya think we may actually see some real progress towards a final solution any time soon?

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by VooDoo Chile

Wow. Thanks for posting that dude!

See, this is why I love Obama in spite of some of the dumb things he's said/done: "The United States does Israel no favors when we fail to couple an unwavering commitment to its security with an insistence that Israel respect the legitimate claims and rights of the Palestinians. And nations within this body do the Palestinians no favors when they choose vitriolic attacks over a constructive willingness to recognize Israel's legitimacy, and its right to exist in peace and security," he said.

That's so friggin awesome! It's about time we had a President willing to acknowledge the wrongdoing on both sides of this complex issue. BB- do ya think we may actually see some real progress towards a final solution any time soon?

I wish!!! I am part of a small group: Jews For Peace Who Are Not So Caught Up In Politics That We Blindly Follow Like Sheep. There is a large difference between Zionists and Jews. Getting leadership from America is a good start, but remember Isreal elected warmonger Netanyahu, and look at the shit Obama got from the Right!!!

[VooDoo Chile]

Originally Posted by BrattonBasher

I wish!!! I am part of a small group: Jews For Peace Who Are Not So Caught Up In Politics That We Blindly Follow Like Sheep. There is a large difference between Zionists and Jews. Getting leadership from America is a good start, but remember Isreal elected warmonger Netanyahu, and look at the shit Obama got from the Right!!!

Just when I didn't think it was possible to love ya even more BB, ya tell me that despite that fact that you're Jewish, you're not a Zionist.

You remind me of my Middle East politics professor. He calls himself an Israeli-Arab and he's part of a group called Peace Now. They try to generate open, civil dialouge between Jews and Arabs of all stripes in the hopes of reaching a mutual understanding based on respect and equality.

But you're right. I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up too soon. I remember a few weeks ago reading that anti-American rhetoric is increasingly popular in Israel since Obama's been elected and Netanyahu ain't helping matters.

He scares the living shit outta me.

[OakSmokeMJA]

After 20 Years of Filmmaking on U.S. Injustices, Michael Moore Goes to the Source in “Capitalism: A Love Story”

Beginning with the 1989 classic Roger & Me, the Academy Award-winning director Michael Moore says his films “come back to a central core concern: the economic system we have is unfair, unjust, and undemocratic.” With his new film, Capitalism: A Love Story, Moore tackles the financial system, and the interchanging circles of Washington politicians and corporate managers that run it. Moore says: “I thought I’d cut to the chase and propose we deal with this economic system and restructure it in a way that benefits people and not the wealthiest one percent.”

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/24/after_20_years_of_filmmaking_on

[gopers]

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/22/mic...eth-eaves.html

Pandora
Michael Moore: A Capitalist Story
Elisabeth Eaves, 09.22.09, 01:45 PM EDT

Democracy, socialism and a penthouse celebration.

The bars were sponsored by liquor companies, the kitchen by Lufthansa. One room had marble walls, another, cashmere. Hundreds of guests plucked hors d'oeuvres from Plexiglas trays, but when I reached for a passing tray of pigs in blankets, the waitress tried to stop me. "These are for Michael," she said.

That would be Michael Moore, filmmaker, who was enthroned nearby on a crowded sofa nibbling from a skewer, which did seem less in harmony with his everyman sneakers and populist persona than a sausage wrapped in fried bread. The Monday night party in Manhattan, which spread over two luxurious penthouse suites, was sponsored by Esquire and tricked out with the magazine's advertisers' products. The guests were there to celebrate Moore's latest movie, which had just had its New York premier uptown.

Capitalism, A Love Story, takes aim at nothing less than the whole capitalist system. It uses all the trademark Mooreisms familiar from earlier works like Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11: Stakeouts, clever editing and innuendo, with the extra-wide filmmaker himself shambling up to corporate headquarters as a self-declared representative of the people. In voice over, he calls capitalism "a system of taking and giving, mostly taking," and he interviews two priests who call it evil. He praises socialism, and near the end of the film concludes of capitalism that "we have to replace it with something, and that something is called democracy."

If this were a different kind of movie, it might make sense to point out here that neither capitalism nor democracy nor socialism exist in pure form, and that pretty much every nation in the Western world, including the U.S., combines elements of all three. But Moore, to borrow a phrase coined by a physicist, is "not even wrong." He makes jokes and tugs at heart strings. He shows pilots who can't make a living wage, corporations that take out life insurance policies on their workers and families who are thrown out of foreclosed homes. It's a litany of economic disasters, but it's not an argument. I've heard him compared to Leni Riefenstahl, which is apt insofar as he is a brilliant propagandist. (He's also fond of cueing Wagnerian-sounding music at dramatic moments.)

It's been observed that Moore, crusading leftist and now explicit anti-capitalist, has made piles of money from his movies. In a question-and-answer session after Monday night's screening, an audience member asked Moore if he wouldn't concede that U.S. capitalism was better than Soviet Communism. Moore replied that the question was "bullsh--" and refused to answer directly, saying that his movie was not about that but about "democracy versus greed." The hazard of being a professional polemicist, I suppose, is the risk of boxing oneself into intellectual corners. He couldn't tenably claim that the Soviet system was good for its people, but if he conceded that capitalism had a few things going for it he would have undercut the revolutionary rhetoric that is his bread and butter.

Among the movie's more poignant subjects are the Hacker family of Peoria, Ill., and their ruddy, gun-owning patriarch Randy, who says that though he would never do it himself, he understands why someone might want to shoot up a bank. After their mortgage ballooned, the Hackers were unable to keep up payments and were eventually thrown out. In a final insult, the bank hired the destitute family to trash and burn the remaining contents of their own home, a task usually performed by an outside contractor.

The fashionably dressed audience that filled Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall included actors like Allison Janney and Wallace Shawn, who moviegoers may think of as the guy who sputtered "inconceivable!" in The Princess Bride, but who, we learn in Capitalism, also enjoys a bit of pontification on economic history. The crowd burst into spontaneous applause four times during the movie, and gave Moore a standing ovation. While several of the film's suffering blue-collar subjects were Republican, in a post-screening show of hands, only three audience members identified as such. Moore introduced the Hackers of Peoria, who were live in the balcony, and the hall of New York liberals gave them a round of applause too.

The film tries to show that capitalism brought about the housing crisis, the recession, decaying cities and unemployment, and the bailout of financial firms at the expense of the middle class. At the end, Moore exhorts the audience to help him defeat the system, saying "please, speed it up."

After the question and answer session, the audience boarded private buses, provided by Esquire, to the party, where assorted guards and attendants ushered them upstairs. The two penthouse suites are in a new building called Soho Mews, where only 13 of the 68 apartments have sold. They are for sale, one for about $6.8 million and one for $8.7 million. Had he known, Moore might have appreciated that he was partying inside another victim of the housing crisis. The building looked eerily dark from the street.

So, I guess the guy who came from a "upper middle class" family, who champions the poor person, who thinks that if you work hard for your wealth, you are evil, just can't stand to enjoy his "WEALTH"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OakSmokeMJA]

Originally Posted by gopers

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/22/mic...eth-eaves.html
So, I guess the guy who came from a "upper middle class" family, who champions the poor person, who thinks that if you work hard for your wealth, you are evil, just can't stand to enjoy his "WEALTH"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An opinion column from Forbes magazine? you're kidding right?



You have not seen the movie.

You did not watch the Democracy Now interview.

[BrattonBasher]

Pathetic job by Forbes. The personal attacks against Moore render the article useless. Might go over with the Faux News crowd, but an educated or neutral reader can glaringly see the difference. Moore is bringing attention to an area that is going to tick off people, so count Forbes among those allergic to the truth.

[juangoodman]

Michael "crock of shit" Moore belongs in the same group with Rush and Beck. Oh wait....he's a Dem so it's different, right?

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by juangoodman

Michael "crock of shit" Moore belongs in the same group with Rush and Beck. Oh wait....he's a Dem so it's different, right?

Moore backs his assertations up. Is he always correct? NO. Moore does not spew out shit for hours a day. BIG difference!!! He puts feature films together. They are two hours long. Take them at face value.

[gopers]

I rate MM up with the other blow hards....

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity etc..

So, his million $ home in Manhatten and his million $ home in Michigan is just for the champion of the downtroden piper?

How about all the stocks he owns in the same companies he blast? Halliburton?

Yes he was a stock holder in 2006.

To me, he is a Hippocrite

So, I won't spam this thread with all sorts of information about his "wealth".

Come on now, objective dialog without naysaying of where the information is coming from?

I don't blast Huff Po, which some of you consider a reliable source, so what gives?

And, if the information from Forbes is so wrong, why didn't twinkle toes MM sue them for slander or at least threaten to yet?

Come on now!

[gopers]

OBTW,
He comes across as a member of the old CCCP inner circle of communist in it's hey day.

You know them, the government does everything for the people, but they themselves are above the average citizen and they are wealthy, get special treatment, and special doctors.

Dear God, we have to have all our dear leaders well maintained so they can carry out Karl's utopian dream!