"Why now"? or "How to Read The News" by SIGNYM

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

"Why now"? or "How to Read The News"

POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Monday, August 24, 2015 18:04
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VIEWED: 2021
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Sunday, August 16, 2015 3:18 PM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

We all have our own ways of interpreting the news. The way that hubby approaches the MSM (and that's including FOX, and any other information sources with advertising) is simply to start out with the idea that it's mostly lies. I have to say, he's been very successful with that idea. He pursues information onto the most obscure websites I've never heard of. Being a scientist AND an engineer, there are some things that he always looks into: economic output and military might. He knows American and Russian military hardware to a level of detail that just makes my eyes glaze over.

We discuss the news and make predictions and bash together various interpretations from time to time, and our international friends do the same, and quite often those obscure news items are very telling, and reveal something significant about the future.

But since I can't do what he does, I have my own way of approaching the news. I scan a large variety of sources every day: Reuters, BBC, NPR, McClatchy, RT, FortRuss, and Zerohedge almost every day, but I have no problems searching into far-flung sources for interesting items.

Mostly I look at headlines, and one of the things that becomes evidently clear when you look at a variety of headlines from around the world is that quite often they don't even talk about the same things. It's not like there's different viewpoints of the same events, it's as if people are being informed about completely different worlds. So, another thing that becomes clear is that "the news" is ... mostly ... constructed. It reflects the interests of the regional elite, for the most part. (Same with Twitter, by the way.)

What you see in "the news" is only a small portion of the REAL news. You don't need to make stuff up to lie (altho that happens too), all you need to do is select appropriately. Stories are raised to prominence, and then disappear.

*Heard anything about the Puerto Rican default and impending bankruptcy lately?

*What about Nemstov's murder, which occurred right before a planned protest march in Russia?

And so quite often, the first thing that comes to mind when I read a particular headline is ... "WHY NOW"?

Likely, the "news" which is being headlined has been happening for weeks, or months, or sometimes even years. WHY NOW? Somebody wants you to think something, and the news items are parsed out to direct your attention and reactions along particular lines. If you manage to look at the news as an ongoing constructed fable, you'll be a lot farther ahead.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015 2:01 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

What's more important: Rosie O'Donnell's daughter, or the coming economic crash?

Obama's transgender staffer, or the 100,000+ demonstrations in Brazil?

Danica's new car, or the rapid depletion of the Ogallala aquifer under west Kansas?

Did you even HEAR about those other items? Why not?

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You can't build a nation with bombs. You can't create a society with guns.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015 10:07 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

Do you really think that US corporations and TPTB want an informed and thoughtful citizenry? All you have to do is look at the adverts and the fluff that surrounds it to get your answer.

Wallow in ignorance, for all I care. It's what you want to do anyway; you know it! Just don't come crying to this board, shocked and rattled by the next big crisis that catches you unaware.

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You can't build a nation with bombs. You can't create a society with guns.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015 5:54 PM

MAGONSDAUGHTER

It's a bit of both, innit?

You have very powerful figures and lobby groups that manipulate the news, or own it. My hub works for government coms, there are ways that you get stories noticed or buried, and governments (and businesses and individuals) use these methods all the time.

And then there is the value of click bait. Man ate live penguin is going to get more clicks than an indepth analysis of the situation in Syria, and the clicks are wait the advertisers want...

So you have news that is both manipulated and appeals to the basest elements in us all. Even ISIS have worked that one out.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015 9:12 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by G:
Hrmm.. you seem to completely dismiss the important fact that news outlets are for profit businesses.
You also seem to miss that some shit just happens without provocation or manipulation. Disasters happen, people shoot cops, politicians make genuine mistakes, etc etc., the world isn't all planned out.

Here's cnn's current run down:

Did Trump just contradict himself?

Poll: Republicans pick Trump on every issue

Obama hires transgender staffer

Clinton: 'You don't change hearts'

Police 'very sure' bomber in video

Target, Visa reach deal in hacking case

Hospital ends heart surgeries for children after CNN report

Prep school hiding sick game?

Danica gets new car, sponsor

Rosie O'Donnell: Daughter missing

Which of these are lies, and which of these already happened because they were planned by those bogeymen in control of the news as you suggest?

When you say:
"Mostly I look at headlines, and one of the things that becomes evidently clear when you look at a variety of headlines from around the world is that quite often they don't even talk about the same things. It's not like there's different viewpoints of the same events, it's as if people are being informed about completely different worlds."

That's Marketing, knowing one's audience and what they want to hear. Markets throughout the world are different, just like the people.
If you ran a magazine and you knew your readers responded very favorably about x story, then you are going to look for x-story II. If you rec'd increased sales after running a searing editorial about drug companies, do you think you would continue to do searing stories about similar companies? Different parts of the US and the World want to have their news delivered in a certain way and news outlets go to great lengths to deliver it that way to them. That's understanding one's audience.

Signym: "So, another thing that becomes clear is that "the news" is ... mostly ... constructed. It reflects the interests of the regional elite, for the most part. (Same with Twitter, by the way.) "

More like it reflects the interest of the potential consumers. Please show examples of manipulated stories just for the power elite.
I'm not saying that there isn't influence from political forces or overly biased news outlet owners, but if that influence continues and is more than "on occasion" it better find a significant audience (like FOX did) or it risks going out of business - there's way too much competition for hearts and minds and eyeballs.

The OP starts off attempting to make a serious point and spur discussion about news. Then the first reply derails any pretense of serious or news by referring to CNN.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015 11:35 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

You are most likely ready to cite that as proof! that that's why these meaningless stories are presented, as mass distractions, but I'd tell you it doesn't matter - people would skip over "Ogallala aquifer" and go for Rosie O's daughter's tragedy every time.

Not true. When Canada was attempting to 'bring the constitution home' for the umpteenth time, CBC radio covered it in detail, every day. They had extended shows outlining the issues - official language, how many and which ones, Crow's nest freight rail pass, independent provinces (good for resource rich provinces like 'tar sands' Alberta, not so good for others) v strong central government, and other 'deep divisions', and live coverage of the convention. Audiences were huge.

If you treat your audience like nitwits the mass of them will live down to your expectations. If you treat them like intelligent humans, OTOH mass of them will live up to your expectations.

So anyway - yes. When they COULD be treating their audiences like intelligent people and intelligently presenting news and issues, and instead turn to shock, scandal, prurience and sentimentality, they are using the news as mass distraction.

Personally, I find nearly all TV and radio to be extremely insulting, especially the commercials. It grates on my nerves that they presume I'll buy in to (literally) their idiocy.

SAGAN: We are releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect. It may not take much to destabilize the Earth's climate, to convert this heaven, our only home in the cosmos, into a kind of hell.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015 11:42 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

Then the first reply derails any pretense of serious or news by referring to CNN.

It's people like you who do nothing but post flame-bait and troll - turning everything into snark devoid of facts or topic - that made rwe what it is today. Congratulations. Well done.

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Thursday, August 20, 2015 12:21 AM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

"while real journos seek to uncover the truth"

Real journos do seek to uncover the truth. You otoh wouldn't recognize one if your life depended on it. You're too busy seeking out the ones bent on proving agendas similar to the ones you deeply believe.

How's that Russian 'invasion' of the Ukraine going btw? Has it started yet? It's been a year and a half since it supposedly launched. It sure seems if Russia is truly 'invading' Ukraine it's doing a epically shitty job. With its massive military and world-class weapons systems it should have made far better progress by now.

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Thursday, August 20, 2015 8:17 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by G:
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
The OP starts off attempting to make a serious point and spur discussion about news. Then the first reply derails any pretense of serious or news by referring to CNN.

Then second sentence of the OP is:

"The way that hubby approaches the MSM (and that's including FOX, and any other information sources with advertising) is simply to start out with the idea that it's mostly lies. "

Clearly stating "MSM" - cnn is perfect fit for that subject, don't you think?

OK. So you were agreeing with hubby, and expanding on it.
I conjured I was missing some context. Sorry about that, long days this week.

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Friday, August 21, 2015 12:22 AM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

"Russia is in eastern Ukraine with military people and material."

Two things you have yet to address after all this time:

your lack of evidence (instead of unsupported claims and hearsay)
and whether it constitutes the normal modern English understanding of a military INVASION.

And also, of course, the sheer ridiculousness of claiming there's been an INVASION for a year and a half that no one can find.

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Friday, August 21, 2015 12:28 AM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

Says the RT/Russian Gov shill.

As I recall, in something like 24 pages I posted exactly TWO stories that were emailed to me (I didn't go looking for them), that originally came from RT, and that were true in all their facts.

You're a lying ass, a propagandist, and a troll. A real trifecta.

But you know something? ONCE AGAIN - AS ALWAYS - you posted exactly zero support for your claims. Nothing says more about you than that simple fact that you expose about yourself with every post. You just can't help being what you are and showing it to the world.

Your lack of ethics is showing. Again.

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Friday, August 21, 2015 12:48 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

Quote:
Russia is in eastern Ukraine with military people

Not under orders, tho.

Quote:
and material.

Maybe some.

Quote:
Denying it does not change it.

And repeating it over and over doesn't make it true.

I would add that America is in western Ukraine with military people AND equipment, and (unlike who or what may be in eastern Ukraine) THESE soldiers are under orders. Does that constitute an invasion?

I feel like I've had this conversation 100 times or more. You have yet to separate accusation from fact, and you sound like you're parroting the KyivPost.

May I suggest a moratorium on replying to GSTRING?

--------------
You can't build a nation with bombs. You can't create a society with guns.

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Sunday, August 23, 2015 5:18 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

Keep being purposely stupid Kiki.

Yes, keep failing to acknowledge all the other things I posted on the topic as well as dictionary definitions!

Keep being the fine troll that you are!!!

An invasion is a military offensive in which large parts of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a territory, forcing the partition of a country

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Sunday, August 23, 2015 8:23 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

Quote:
May I suggest a moratorium on replying to GSTRING?- SIGNY

Yes! Only "Yes" people for Signym, The Gutless!- GSTRING

I've wasted far too much time conversing with idiots, and you're one of them.

--------------
You can't build a nation with bombs. You can't create a society with guns.

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Monday, August 24, 2015 3:39 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

The "normal modern English understanding of a military INVASION." *snort* You mean your outdated, grade school version?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion
An invasion is a military offensive in which large parts of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a territory, forcing the partition of a country, altering the established government or gaining concessions from said government, or a combination thereof.

Why oh why do you keep displaying your dishonesty and utter incompetence?

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Monday, August 24, 2015 6:04 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.

So, where IS that invasion, anyway? Because you sure haven't posted anything that shows Russia invaded anyone. Do you think it's it an invisible invasion?

Also from your link, btw;
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?bid=18&tid=58499&p=15

EVIDENCE:

1.
the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.

Now, just to be sure that gossip, innuendo and speculation don't count I looked those up too:

1gos·sip
noun \'gä-s?p\

: information about the behavior and personal lives of other people

: information about the lives of famous people

: a person who often talks about the private details of other people's lives

in·nu·en·do
?iny?'wendo/
noun
noun: innuendo; plural noun: innuendoes; plural noun: innuendos

an allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one.

spec·u·la·tion
?speky?'laSH(?)n/
noun
noun: speculation; plural noun: speculations

1.
the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.
"there has been widespread speculation that he plans to quit"
2.
investment in stocks, property, or other ventures in the hope of gain but with the risk of loss.
"the company's move into property speculation"

But, since I know English, I can tell you the second definition doesn't apply.

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