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FOX Memorial Service Bias

As I sit here waiting for the Tuscon memorial service, switching between news stations, I have to share that only FOX was talking about the heated "one sided" patrician attacks of the past few days "without regard to those who lost their lives." The other two stations were focused on the event, and the reason for the event, a memorial.

Yet FOX News viewers are rapid in their defense of the non-news network, saying all the attacks and bias are on the "liberal" side (including other conservative media by independent evaluation by communication scholars and research organizations.

In all polls FOX shows us as the most off center, bias and politically motivated network, even compared to deliberately "liberal" MSNBC.

Anyway, the way Fox was tossing oil on a fire going into the memorial, while the other two were respectful and focused on the event has to be posted in this blog.

Now let the hateful attacks against me for posting this begin..,


PS: After the service, a very uplifting memorial, FOX jumped in by criticizing it as not being appropriate, and put words in the president's mouth I did not hear him say, implying he criticized his own party for its rhetoric (show me the exact sound bite, because he did not do that).

Once again FOX is indoctrination done for ratings, not news.

Sarah Palin's use of "Blood Liable" itself inflamatory

Sarah Palin's use of the words "blood-liable" may have been a simple rhetorical mistake for Palin, but it is a serious insight into her own lack of sensitivity and historic perspective. Its historic use is to raise populations in hatred against others, not explain away a mass shooting in Arizona.

Blood-liable is very specific in its anti-Semantic roots.


For more, listen to "The World" from Public Radio International (click here).

Washington Post Speech topics 1-12-11

Washington Post Speech topics 1-12-11

A few topic ideas for speeches or term papers for Spring 2010:

Hate speech, is it protected speech?

How did we become a society where personal attacks are not only accepted, but applauded and defended with passion by others?

Are we rude?

One source of speech topic ideas lies in the national media and their coverage of events. Here are a few items that were "most viewed" in today's Washington Post, covering a wide range of topics (links included):

1) Analysis: Sarah Palin's use of 'blood libel' sparks new controversy Sarah Palin's statement Wednesday in response to the Tucson shootings, in which she has found herself at the center of a debate over civility in political discourse, was crafted as both a defense of her own actions and a strike against her critics - but reaction to the statement was dominated by ... 2) Massacre, followed by libel Don't link the Tucson tragedy to a 'climate of hate' Loughner has a clinical disorder. 3) Republican school board in N.C. backed by tea party abolishes integration policy RALEIGH, N.C. - The sprawling Wake County School District has long been a rarity. Some of its best, most diverse schools are in the poorest sections of this capital city. And its suburban schools, rather than being exclusive enclaves, include children whose parents cannot afford a house in the... 4) Investigators probe Loughner's gun purchase, examine finances TUCSON - Federal and local investigators are trying to determine how Jared Lee Loughner came up with the money to buy the weapon and ammunition he allegedly used to shoot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 19 other people at a Tucson constituent event Saturday, law enforcement sources said Wednesday. 5) Church agrees to not protest slain child's funeral KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas church has decided to not protest at the funeral of a 9-year-old girl killed in a shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz. 6) In N.C., a new battle on school integration IN RALEIGH, N.C. The sprawling Wake County School District has long been a rarity. Some of its best, most diverse schools are in the poorest sections of this capital city. And its suburban schools, rather than being exclusive enclaves, include children whose parents cannot afford a house in the... 7) In MLK's honor, let's strive for dialogue that's passionate but not poisonous As we approach Dr. King's birthday, let's recall how he'd react to violence. 8) Capehart: Sarah Palin doesn't get it Sarah Palin has emerged from the protective cloak of Twitter and e-mails to Glenn Beck to speak directly to the American people about the tragedy in Tucson. In a video, she expresses condolences for the victims' families and concern for those recovering from Saturday's horrific events. But for ne... 9) Five myths about why the South seceded One hundred and fifty years after the Civil War began, we're still fighting it - or at least fighting over its history. I've polled thousands of high school history teachers and spoken about the war to audiences across the country, and there is little agreement even on why the South seceded. Was it... 10) Catholic leaders warn of 'totalitarian' Venezuela CARACAS, Venezuela -- Roman Catholic leaders in Venezuela are calling for President Hugo Chavez to give up special lawmaking powers granted to him by his congressional allies.

Company Town

Company Town

From LA Times Company Town.

A reduced cable bill? Not so fast. Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable operator, has joined Time Warner Cable in creating a new low-cost package for consumers who may be feeling a financial pinch in these difficult economic times. The drawback is that the new "digital-economy" package, with a cost of about $30, does not include ESPN. That's because it wouldn't be an economic package if that channel, which costs well over $4 per-subscriber, per-month, was thrown in the mix. More on the offering from the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, while there may be some good will from cable operators in offering cheaper packages, prices overall are on the rise again, per the Street.

New faces. The revamping of Miramax under its new owners continues with a trio of big hires with experience in finance, distribution and operations. The first goal for Miramax is to find new ways to exploit its library and bring in much-needed revenue. From there it can start to acquire new content. Details on the hires from Variety.

Bad sign. CNN has taken down the giant billboard by its New York headquarters promoting its prime-time talk show "Parker/Spitzer." Given the show's poor ratings and reviews, many are taking it as further proof that the show is on the way out the door. The gossip is that Kathleen Parker may be history. There is also talk that as a last-ditch effort to generate attention, the show might be done live instead of taped. The New York Post has the latest.

It had to happen sooner or later. The adult entertainment industry is usually the first to jump on new technological trends. It saw the potential in home video long before Hollywood. It initially embraced the Internet until piracy sort of overwhelmed the industry, and now Penthouse is planning what may be the first 3-D adult channel. I could spend all day making jokes about that but then I'd never get to work, so I'll just link to TechCrunch. To be honest, I'm not sure why TechCrunch tried to create a mock conversation between Jules and Vincent from the movie "Pulp Fiction" to explain the announcement. It didn't work.

Brittany Murphy's last act. The Hollywood Reporter's Alex Ben Block, a veteran entertainment journalist, has written an investigative piece looking at the life and death of actress Brittany Murphy. A family friend, Ben Block reports that Murphy's husband, who died soon after she did, was not exactly a positive influence and that the actress, who had great success in her youth but struggled as she grew older, felt tremendous pressure from her husband and her own mother to be the breadwinner.

No blackboard material. Disney TV co-chief Anne Sweeney, who oversees ABC as well as several cable networks including Disney Channel and ABC Family, gave a lengthy interview to Broadcasting & Cable. Like any good head coach though, she didn't say something that might annoy a rival or reveal anything about herself or her company's strategy. Instead, she stayed on message. Call it the Bill Belichick approach to interviews. Even the most routine of questions, such as whether ratings for Fox's "American Idol" will fall without Simon Cowell (they will) was met with a benign response. One things for sure, don't play poker with her.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: DC Comics has learned that making a new Superman for its DC Universal Online is no small -- or cheap -- task. James Rainey on the media and the shootings in Arizona.

To read more from the LA Times and Company Town, click here.