The Decline of the American Media III
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I've been posting on here for years that while I believe we'll need to increase taxes, I'll fight tooth and nail any increase until I see the cuts we're always promised and never see...
Hahaha, they cannot get out of their own way...
At the openeing of the fdilm, Monty Python and the Holy Grail there is a problem with the credits, followed by an announcement that those responsibile have been sacked,=.
There is a second problem with the credits and an announcement htat those responsible for sacking the first group have been sacked.
Here is another example of how American journalists suck.
The Advocate presents a story about the "purge" of transgender service members.
A quick google search turned up 32 pages of medical disqualifications from military service:
Abdominal Organs and Gastrointestinal System
The following conditions may disqualify you from military service: Here are just a few examples (with a lot of intermediate material edited out)::
a. Esophagus. Ulceration,
(1) Gastritis. Chronic (2) Active ulcer of the stomach or duodenum confirmed by X-ray or endoscopy.
(1) Inflammatory bowel disease.
d. Gastrointestinal bleeding.
(2) Cirrhosis,
(4) Pancreatitis.
(3) Hemorrhoids,
(1) Hernia,
(1) Gastrointestinal bypass
a. Anemia.
d. Immunodeficiency.
e. Tympanic membrane.
a. Hearing loss with the severity of:
(1) Pure tone at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 cycles per second of not more than 30 decibels (dB) on the average (each ear), with no individual level greater than 35dB at these frequencies.
a. Adrenal dysfunction of any degree.
b. Diabetes mellitus of any type.
e. Gout.
a. Limitation of motion. (1) Shoulder: (a) Forward elevation to 90 degrees.
(b) Abduction to 90 degrees.
(1) Hip (due to disease, injury):
(a) Flexion to 90 degrees.
(b) No demonstrable flexion contracture.
(c) Extension to 10 degrees (beyond 0 degrees).
(d) Abduction to 45 degrees.
(e) Rotation of 60 degrees (internal and external combined).
(2) Knee (due to disease, injury):
(a) Full extension compared with contralateral.
(b) Flexion to 90 degrees.
j. Osteoporosis.
Eyes
c. Cornea.
(1) Dystrophy, corneal, of any type, including keratoconus of any degree.
Does the DoD hate people with hernias? Gastritis? Diabetes? Of course not. The peculiar requirements of the service make these people ineligible for sevice.
Why would a "journalist" not present a link to the 32 pages of medical disqualifications? Evidently, because the journalist has an agenda. If the facts get in the way of an agenda, jettison the facts.
The Advocate presents a story about the "purge" of transgender service members.
A quick google search turned up 32 pages of medical disqualifications from military service:
Abdominal Organs and Gastrointestinal System
The following conditions may disqualify you from military service: Here are just a few examples (with a lot of intermediate material edited out)::
a. Esophagus. Ulceration,
(1) Gastritis. Chronic (2) Active ulcer of the stomach or duodenum confirmed by X-ray or endoscopy.
(1) Inflammatory bowel disease.
d. Gastrointestinal bleeding.
(2) Cirrhosis,
(4) Pancreatitis.
(3) Hemorrhoids,
(1) Hernia,
(1) Gastrointestinal bypass
a. Anemia.
d. Immunodeficiency.
e. Tympanic membrane.
a. Hearing loss with the severity of:
(1) Pure tone at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 cycles per second of not more than 30 decibels (dB) on the average (each ear), with no individual level greater than 35dB at these frequencies.
a. Adrenal dysfunction of any degree.
b. Diabetes mellitus of any type.
e. Gout.
a. Limitation of motion. (1) Shoulder: (a) Forward elevation to 90 degrees.
(b) Abduction to 90 degrees.
(1) Hip (due to disease, injury):
(a) Flexion to 90 degrees.
(b) No demonstrable flexion contracture.
(c) Extension to 10 degrees (beyond 0 degrees).
(d) Abduction to 45 degrees.
(e) Rotation of 60 degrees (internal and external combined).
(2) Knee (due to disease, injury):
(a) Full extension compared with contralateral.
(b) Flexion to 90 degrees.
j. Osteoporosis.
Eyes
c. Cornea.
(1) Dystrophy, corneal, of any type, including keratoconus of any degree.
Does the DoD hate people with hernias? Gastritis? Diabetes? Of course not. The peculiar requirements of the service make these people ineligible for sevice.
Why would a "journalist" not present a link to the 32 pages of medical disqualifications? Evidently, because the journalist has an agenda. If the facts get in the way of an agenda, jettison the facts.
You Won’t Believe How Much Richer the Trumps Have Gotten This Year
How in the hell does he get away with this? Here’s the answer.
newrepublic.com
You Won’t Believe How Much Richer the Trumps Have Gotten This Year
How in the hell does he get away with this? Here’s the answer.
Jake Tapper Uncovers Startling Evidence That Biden’s Decline Was Covered Up By Jake Tapper
U.S. — In a shocking exposé, CNN anchor Jake Tapper has revealed new evidence that Biden's mental and physical decline was covered up for years by Jake Tapper.
babylonbee.com
You know, I'm old enough to remember when "these folks from Trump's inner circle who knew he was doing X should have gone in and told the truth under oath, not wait until they could profit it from it with books" was a standard reply. And they were RIGHT, too.Jake Tapper Uncovers Startling Evidence That Biden’s Decline Was Covered Up By Jake Tapper
U.S. — In a shocking exposé, CNN anchor Jake Tapper has revealed new evidence that Biden's mental and physical decline was covered up for years by Jake Tapper.
Also - I think it entirely possible that Biden was PROBABLY "sharper" than he came across in that debate that destroyed him. But in the visual era, this does not matter at all. Dan Quayle was not as dumb as he looked, VP Bush was not as wimpy as he looked (he jumped out of airplanes in his 80s and 90s for Pete's sake), and Ford was not as oafish as he looked. Carter was not as prissy as he sometimes looked.
But to the camera, it doesn't matter.
Fair enough, but the opposite holds true as well. Was Obama really as smart as he sounded? Was W really the paragon of Christian virtue he presented? Was Bill Clinton truly the example of self-restraint he appeared to be?
I mean, he was the Harvard Law Review editor at the end of his freshman year and graduated from both Columbia and Harvard.
I think this may be in the dictionary next to straw man given Bush admitted he wasn't exactly always the paragon of virtue.
Clinton always had that look to me like a snarl ready to pounce in anger who covered it with a smile, basically a guy who looked like he was about to react like Trump but then acted more like Reagan.
Oh you mean....
Here is an example from recently.
AP reports that Gabbard fires 2 top intelligence officials and will shift office that preps Trump's daily brief
AP's David Klepper reported, "The two were fired because of their opposition to Trump, Gabbard's office said in an email, without offering examples." AP cited, but did not quote, an email from Gabbard's office so I am skeptical of AP's characterization. This skepticism seems warranted given who loose AP is in relating the facts.
The issue under consideration was Venezuela intelligence's connection with Tren de Aragua. AP reported, "The firings ... follow the release of a declassified memo from the National Intelligence Council that found no coordination between Venezuela's government and the Tren de Aragua gang." No member of the Venezuelan government has ever contacted any representative or member of TDA? How did the American intelligence community prove a negative? Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
I would accept that no one from Venezuelan intelligence coordinated in details TdA's activities inside the US. Venezuelan intelligence did not tell TdA to go to this particular apartment complex in Denver and shake the residents down for cash and send Venezuela. The AP however, asserted (without evidence) that there was no coordination between Venezuelan intl and TdA.
Did Venezuelan intel officials encourage TdA members to go to the US and cause mischief (without specifying specific targets in specific locations)? Probably. That is probably standard practice.
A Venezuelan national police member meets a senior TdA member over coffee and says, "Look, there is no money to be made here other than from Maduro and if you screw with his income we will crush you. Why not go to America and set up activities there? There is a ton of money to be made there and plus, the Americans are so stupid, they will welcome you and give you refugee status. Just burn your passport at the Rio Granda and tell the Americans you are from Colombia." Would that be coordination between Venezuelan intelligence and TdA? Sure. Is there any evidence that this happened? Probably not.
The redacted memo in question does not say "no coordination." In fact, the "Sense of the Community Memorandum" says:
“Some regime officials are probably willing to capitalize on migration flows for personal or other benefits, even though the Maduro regime is not systematically directing Venezuelan outflows, such as to sow chaos in receiving countries.”
“US law enforcement reports claim members of the regime, including Cabello* and former Venezuelan Minister of Penitentiaries Iris Varela, have cooperated with TDA by providing financial or materiel support, but we cannot verify the sources access. Even so, these reports do not claim that these figures direct the group.” So, Venezuelan official may not direct TDA activities, but reports show the Venezuelan government does provide support (which would require some level of coordination).
“Local [Latin American?] press provides some insight on potential ties between the regime and TDA, but the IC typically does not rely solely on such media.” Again, there is a difference between relying solely on local media and discounting local media entirely.
Chile asserts “The Maduro regime is involved in the killing [of a junior Venezuelan military officer in Chile who participated in coup planning], acting via TdA.” So Chile alleges Venezuela got TDA to whack a regime enemy inside Chile This would imply there is some coordination in situations in which it is mutually beneficial, even if that coordination is not minute, direct, or constant.
* Diosdado Cabello Venezuelan Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace embraced Darwin Gomez, a Venezuelan “migrant” who beat up a New York City police officer, when Gomez landed in Venezuela. Shaking Cabello’s hand at the airport, Gomez said, “I am grateful, boss. You don’t know.” Then Gomez said, “Give me a hug, boss” and hugged the Minister. (Video in the link below) That could be "boss in the sense of "benefactor" or it could be "guy I work for."
Outrage as cop-beater deported by the United States gets hero's welcome by top Venezuelan official.
That implies more than just passing interest of Venezuelan officials. Of course, none of this was included in the AP report.
My take aways:
1. Intel officers should not be fired for holding dissenting views. This is what lead Putin to decide to invade Ukraine. Intel officers need to be free to render their honest opinion.
2. The AP implies "no coordination" means "no contact whatsoever," when the SOCM asserts that there is a level of coordination between Venezuelan government officials and TDA. "No direct evidence of minute operational control" would be more honest.
3. AP is either sloppy, incompetent, or manipulating the facts to fit a preconceived conclusion.
AP reports that Gabbard fires 2 top intelligence officials and will shift office that preps Trump's daily brief
AP's David Klepper reported, "The two were fired because of their opposition to Trump, Gabbard's office said in an email, without offering examples." AP cited, but did not quote, an email from Gabbard's office so I am skeptical of AP's characterization. This skepticism seems warranted given who loose AP is in relating the facts.
The issue under consideration was Venezuela intelligence's connection with Tren de Aragua. AP reported, "The firings ... follow the release of a declassified memo from the National Intelligence Council that found no coordination between Venezuela's government and the Tren de Aragua gang." No member of the Venezuelan government has ever contacted any representative or member of TDA? How did the American intelligence community prove a negative? Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
I would accept that no one from Venezuelan intelligence coordinated in details TdA's activities inside the US. Venezuelan intelligence did not tell TdA to go to this particular apartment complex in Denver and shake the residents down for cash and send Venezuela. The AP however, asserted (without evidence) that there was no coordination between Venezuelan intl and TdA.
Did Venezuelan intel officials encourage TdA members to go to the US and cause mischief (without specifying specific targets in specific locations)? Probably. That is probably standard practice.
A Venezuelan national police member meets a senior TdA member over coffee and says, "Look, there is no money to be made here other than from Maduro and if you screw with his income we will crush you. Why not go to America and set up activities there? There is a ton of money to be made there and plus, the Americans are so stupid, they will welcome you and give you refugee status. Just burn your passport at the Rio Granda and tell the Americans you are from Colombia." Would that be coordination between Venezuelan intelligence and TdA? Sure. Is there any evidence that this happened? Probably not.
The redacted memo in question does not say "no coordination." In fact, the "Sense of the Community Memorandum" says:
“Some regime officials are probably willing to capitalize on migration flows for personal or other benefits, even though the Maduro regime is not systematically directing Venezuelan outflows, such as to sow chaos in receiving countries.”
“US law enforcement reports claim members of the regime, including Cabello* and former Venezuelan Minister of Penitentiaries Iris Varela, have cooperated with TDA by providing financial or materiel support, but we cannot verify the sources access. Even so, these reports do not claim that these figures direct the group.” So, Venezuelan official may not direct TDA activities, but reports show the Venezuelan government does provide support (which would require some level of coordination).
“Local [Latin American?] press provides some insight on potential ties between the regime and TDA, but the IC typically does not rely solely on such media.” Again, there is a difference between relying solely on local media and discounting local media entirely.
Chile asserts “The Maduro regime is involved in the killing [of a junior Venezuelan military officer in Chile who participated in coup planning], acting via TdA.” So Chile alleges Venezuela got TDA to whack a regime enemy inside Chile This would imply there is some coordination in situations in which it is mutually beneficial, even if that coordination is not minute, direct, or constant.
* Diosdado Cabello Venezuelan Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace embraced Darwin Gomez, a Venezuelan “migrant” who beat up a New York City police officer, when Gomez landed in Venezuela. Shaking Cabello’s hand at the airport, Gomez said, “I am grateful, boss. You don’t know.” Then Gomez said, “Give me a hug, boss” and hugged the Minister. (Video in the link below) That could be "boss in the sense of "benefactor" or it could be "guy I work for."
Outrage as cop-beater deported by the United States gets hero's welcome by top Venezuelan official.
That implies more than just passing interest of Venezuelan officials. Of course, none of this was included in the AP report.
My take aways:
1. Intel officers should not be fired for holding dissenting views. This is what lead Putin to decide to invade Ukraine. Intel officers need to be free to render their honest opinion.
2. The AP implies "no coordination" means "no contact whatsoever," when the SOCM asserts that there is a level of coordination between Venezuelan government officials and TDA. "No direct evidence of minute operational control" would be more honest.
3. AP is either sloppy, incompetent, or manipulating the facts to fit a preconceived conclusion.
This is what shocked me years ago when I kept finding this in almost every AP story. Once upon a time - in my lifetime even - the Associated Press was about as close to the "gold standard" in American media that existed. Dry, sterile, "just the facts, ma'am." But awhile back - maybe ten years ago or so - I noticed "good Lord, this almost sounds like a talking point for the administration, a memo they handed to someone who editorialized it." And I later learned at some point they went haywire. No, they're not as bad as Fox News is to the right (I mean, who is?), but their "news" sounds like a daily bulletin from Carney or Psaki.
When my brother moved to Bernie-ville (seriously - his initial move to New England in 2008 was to Burlington, Vermont, where Bernie had been mayor), he was told one of the problems with media stories was "military family members have trouble with stories critical of the military." No, we don't. Hell, military members criticize the military - and from a far greater base of knowledge - than most people do.
But for some reason it never permeates their blood-brain barrier that the military is a unique culture with their own rules that people agree to follow before they sign on the dotted line. You don't get to say "it's not a big deal" if someone just calls into work. (And let's face it, national security is largely based on fooling other people/nations).
I regret that change.
In this story, the author should have devoted a lot more space to the email from Gabbard's office. If it really says, "These senior intelligence officials are being terminated because they opposed Trump," then say that, in quotes.
More likely is that the SOCM did show general connections between TDA and the Venezuela but these two officials wanted to emphasize a lack of coordination whereas Trump wanted to emphasize TDA ties with the Venezuelan government, so these two leaked info to the WaPo. When terminated for leaking, the same two contact the WaPo and say, "We were fired because we opposed Trump."
On the other hand, if they were fired merely because they oppose Trump, then shame on him.
This is another example of the principle that you have to read American traditional media really really closely.
CBS tries the same tack.
Rubio says intelligence community is incorrect in assessment of Tren de Aragua: "They're wrong"
The article states it this way:
"The National Intelligence Council determined in a report that the Venezuelan government does not direct Tren de Aragua, contradicting the Trump administration's claims used to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, which gives it the power to swiftly remove migrants it identifies as members of the gang."
Except absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The report actually says, "We have no evidence that Venezuela is coordinating the minute details of TdA activities in America." That does not mean Venezuela is not doing so, just that we haven't see it.
The FBI, on the other hand, does see it.
And, I, using open source materials, showed video of the Venezuela Minister of Interior (which normally oversees intelligence agencies) at the airport welcoming one Venezuelan gang member (young man who beat up a cop in NYC), and the gang member asked for a hug and called him "boss."
I wish journalists would be more cautious in their wording or, if this sleight of hand was deliberate, less focused on "the narrative."
At this point I'm not sure how anyone can believe it's not deliberate - the pattern is well established.
Watching them turn on Biden - as if they weren't unindicted co-conspirators in the deception - has been painful to watch in the sense that they're (the media) going to get away with it. The part that should concern us all as Americans with the freedom of the press (necessary for a free society) is that it has now become easier for ANY demagogue to pull off the kind of change that can dramatically alter this country's governance for the worse.
One does not have to be a conservative, a Republican, OR a Trump supporter to say to ANY press report now, "Yeah, but you're the same people who told me I couldn't believe my own eyes on YOUR networks for years"......
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