NY Times story about Florida Everglades
Any time I go to the NY Times, I try to figure out their motivation for writing a story, especially one that has nothing to do with New York.
Florida Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Charlie Crist made a big fuss a couple years ago about he used the bludgeon of government to force U.S. Sugar to sell all its land to be used as a wildlife refuge and to “restore” the Everglades.
Today’s story is detailing that the grand plan has almost completely fallen apart. The state doesn’t have the money, local communities can’t find an alternative way to employ people, environmentalists are fighting it because it doesn’t go far enough, etc….
One item the story doesn’t mention is that when this idea was hatched, sugar prices were depressed – since then the growth of ethanol in Brazil and global demand has pushed sugar prices sky high which changes the economics for companies in the sugar business who might have wanted to “get out”.
So why would the NY Times do this story which basically paints Gov Crist as inept and misguided?
For some extra fun, visit CNN.com on a daily basis.
This week they have featured (as top stories for multiple hours on end):
— Racism (Dr Laura used the “N” word and Al Sharpton is upset, has Al ever listened to any hip hop lyrics?)
— 15 minute of famer (Steven “I’m outta here” Slater) — who was the top story for at least 3 days this week (wow, talk about hard hitting journalism).
— Most interesting is that once the testimony of witnesses who pointed the finger at Slater as the trouble-making drama queen that he is appeared, CNN suddenly dropped his smirking face and replaced it with:
— Lesbian Bride magazine (yes, the top story in America was about a female couple who, in preparing for their “nuptials” were disappointed that all Bridal magazines were for “straights”, so they started their own mag).
— Oh, and racism (again) … the suspected serial killer Elias Abuelazam may be targeting his victims based on race (you can guess what his ethnicity is)
Is it possible to conclude that CNN has an “agenda” they are pushing on their website (i.e. shaping culture rather than reporting the news)?
This week has not been an isolated case either, I have been monitoring their site for the past half dozen years and this type of bias is a constant.
Sadly, I can remember when CNN used to be an actual news organization (I think the OJ trial was the point at which they “jumped the shark” from news to tabloid/activist reporting).
Actually, I started writing about Elias Abuelazam. There are lots of implications contained in “He had an Israeli passport”. Having lived and worked in Flint and the surrounding area for perhaps 5 years, my guess would be he’s a Palestinian Arab :)
The “north side” of Flint where he worked is pretty close to 100% African American. If you’re grabbing the first person that walks by at 1 AM, it’s not likely to be a blond blue-eyed Swedish model. After he moved away from Flint, his targets became more diverse. The corner market business in SouthEast Michigan in poor neighborhoods is almost all controlled by middle easterners. There are tax reasons that encourage that. The one thing I couldn’t turn up before I got bored researching it was if he is a member of the Religion of Peace(sm). There are some Christian Arabs on the West Bank, at least during tourist season.
Art Stone, I have the same suspicions about Elias’ possible religious connections, but have not taken the time to research it. Too many other bigger stories to follow right now.
The White House occupant has now injected himself full bore into the Ground Zero Mosque situation:
MSNBC report
I guess anyone who opposes this glorious Mosque in Manhattan is “acting stupidly” (?)
I would like to visit CNN.communist. Honest. But my hands cramp and palsy after typing the first N. My stomach clenches and I break out in a cold and clammy sweat. My feet begin to itch. Visions of Preparation H flash before my eyes (it’s a warning! I can tell).
I must be allergic …
The other day two guys from AT&T uVerse knocked on my door, thinking I had overlooked the 100s of pieces of mail, and my request they stop calling me on the phone. The young guy was a bit surprised when I said I didn’t own a TV and have no plans to buy one. The older training supervisor nodded knowingly.
I understand Hesperus, I do so only to remind myself (& others) that media bias is REAL and can be documented.
I try to take CNN.com in small doses (a quick visit 1 or 2 times daily) more than that and I would be reaching for some antacid.
Maybe if I used a mirror ….
I start from the assumption now that everything I read is a lie until proven otherwise. That’s sad we’ve come to this point.
On the positive side, we no longer have our access to information controlled by 3 TV networks and 1 or 2 newspapers.
Since few of the “radio biz” people will read these comments, I’ll point out that the NAB is at the epicenter of the origins of the media monopoly. The Communications Act of 1934 was the creation of the NAB to set the rules to assure that its members had almost complete control over the dissemination of information over the radio and details like not paying performers to steal their music. Who was President of the United States in 1934? I can’t seem to remember.