[FoxV]

I woke up at 1am a few days ago and flicked on CNN and was astounded to see LIVE coverage of the US congress passing a new law for Terri Schiavo with the Bush on hand to sign the law when complete.

This seems an incredible amount of attention for one person that is not even a unique case. I'm not one to subscribe to conspiracy theories, but PO abounds with them (and they're all turning out to be true )

So the question is 'if Terri Schiavo is 'wagging the dog' what is the US goverment hiding?'

I noticed NYMEX crude has dropped almost $2 in the last two days, was Terri Schiavo just a ruse to hide oil prices until they make the new Inventory levels announcement

Or is it something more sinister like the invasion of Iran has begun

[formandfile]

If anything, it goes pretty far to show how easilly the media (and lets not forget the viewers, as alot are eating this stuff up as quickly as it can be dished out) can grab a rather meaningless issue/story and place it in a headlock for a few months, before its deemed 'yesterday's news' and something new is found.

Lemme see, what was it a few years ago? Some shark attacks? Some guy with a sniper rifle? Michael Jackson? Some Gary Condit guy....oh hey that was right before those planes did that whole thing in NYC wasnt it?

See what it takes to get our attention?

[BabyPeanut]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('formandfile', 'I')f anything, it goes pretty far to show how easilly the media (and lets not forget the viewers, as alot are eating this stuff up as quickly as it can be dished out)

[formandfile]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BabyPeanut', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('formandfile', 'I')f anything, it goes pretty far to show how easilly the media (and lets not forget the viewers, as alot are eating this stuff up as quickly as it can be dished out)

[BabyPeanut]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('formandfile', 'I')n the end though media concentration is a sign of a weak democracy, and its rather scary.

[RiverRat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his seems an incredible amount of attention for one person that is not even a unique case. I'm not one to subscribe to conspiracy theories, but PO abounds with them (and they're all turning out to be true )

[Frank]

I think most people have forgotten how to think and may be considered sheep.

[shortonoil]

The media is just administering another dose of analgesic. Television is a great way to keep the populous from realizing that the State of the Union is a Der-Bush train wreck in progress. We the People have become so unconscious that we can't even see the evil in the action of Uncle Sam who has just killed 100,00 people, stolen their resources and contaminated their land beyond repair. We can't see that an $8 trillion debt, much of it to not so friendly nations, is a disaster waiting to happen. We can't understand that Liebig's Law means that we are close to the end of the food supply in our pond. Thus, the Games must get continually more brutal and more disgusting to keep the proletariat distracted. Will the lights go on before the lights go out? Watching the recent events that have surrounded this pathetic and exploited woman make it appear very doubtful. What do you think?

[Yossarian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Frank', 'I') think most people have forgotten how to think and may be considered sheep.

[BabyPeanut]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Yossarian', 's')heepeople

[shortonoil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')oh, I just figured it out. I'm totally opening myself up to flames here, but you know how liberals are currently being demonized the way Jews were in Nazi Germany? This whole thing is just a way to label liberals with that "culture of death" thing that Rush and his parrots have been spouting for the past few days. Another brilliant move by the propaganda machine

[WebHubbleTelescope]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BabyPeanut', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Yossarian', 's')heepeople

[mgibbons19]

We don't even have to deride the general public to understand the shallowness. It's not that they're all stupid (this is one of my good days). More important is how little we all share. What is common to the ghetto kid, the indian on the rez, the asian shopkeeper, the jewish new yorker, the bible-thumpin whities, etc? Not a hell of a lot. So the news (and all shallow culture) in an attempt to gather as broad a market share as possible hits on a handful of sensational topics that gurantees someone will watch for five minutes, and hopefully leave the tv on. Deeper news, deeper culture speaks to a smaller group of people and that might hurt market share.

Similarly, conservative politicians see this as a low cost way to market to their religious conservatives in a pro life fashion. No more to it than that.

[stu]

I don't believe there's any conspiracy going on here in regards to Terri Schiavo.

The implications of the outcome of this situation will affect US law on right- to-die issues.

It seems stupid to imply that the coverage of this story is being used to divert our attention away from oil-related issues.

If the price of oil goes up it is reported from a business angle.

It only ever becomes big news when it starts to have a significant and noticeable effect on society in general. One example would be the Petrol blockades of 2000 in the UK.

[stu]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shannymara', ' ') I'm not sure if you're aware how incessant the coverage is over here, Stu. It goes beyond ridiculous.

[maverickdoc]

Whaaa. Religious right turning against JEB?

[Barbara]

I don't think there's a conspiracy, simply an useful way to entertain us hiding important news.
Yesterday our govt (Berlusconi) changed our Constitution, with only the help of right wing and not an all-Parliament vote.
What do you get on TV news? Endless hours of talking about a child kidnapped by some immigrants, and twenty seconds on Constitution changes.
This is how it works our new world... order?

[maverickdoc]

Barbara, Berlusconi is out of control. Is he mad? What are the people of Italy doing, electing this mad man?

[FoxV]

perhaps conspiracy is to strong of a word, but the whole point of 'wag the dog' is just to make people look the other way for a moment which I think has clearly happend. Rising oil prices was starting to bring people's attention to Peak Oil, which is clearly not acceptable by today's standards

I guess the conspiracy is just how completely the media is turning from news to propoganda. Thanks to the wide range of news that's reported on this site, I've taken to watching the news for signs of "official" recognition of PO and the topics reported here (and signs of their coverup). I'm amazed at how little is actually reported. Even Canadian news; which use to be pretty good for international stuff (not much happens in Canada anyways); is now just more drivel

[SidneyTawl]

This is a very disturbing case. Disturbing on more than one level.

In a very short amount of time on the web this case became a main subject at many forums in the last couple of months. This then "spilled over" in the last week or so into the mainstream news. Then the senate/congress did their thing. Followed by the dramtic actions of the President. Fax machines work well. Flying back to the White House put much more meaning forward to his base.

I won't bore you with all the details of each side. I will offer a brief synopsis.

As I read what the Terri supporters said on forums and then read what the courts and accounts of the proceedings said I saw that the Terri supporters were giving statements that were wrong or very misleading according to the history from the courts etc. . On the web forums it became extremely vocal.

I have been to Terri's site and watched the video's and the other info they offer. As a professional producer of video/film I immediately noticed how the audio/video were used to convey a message. However as "documentary" evidence it wasn't very helpful. Very short pieces not showing "everything". Someone could easily accept these images and start to believe that "someone" must be lying in this case.

Most of the other info is "subjective".


Then when the court proceedings a couple of weeks ago went against them (after the Fla. legislator's "law" was thrown out) then the next stage was set. The rhetoric changed and changed dramatically. Words like Murderer, Nazi, and more started to be used. Not on just one board but all over. It even made it to the mainstream news when Keith Oberman stated he had received and email calling him a Nazi for airing a piece that the emailer disagreed with.

I am watching MSNBC right now and a spokesman for the family is talking to the media. This is the type of misinterpertation I mention. The spokesman claimed that Terry was different today. She is usually happy and talkative and very responsive when people come into the room. Today she is very weak and can barely talk.

Those are his words almost to a word. It is irresponsible rhetoric.

The people giving the monetary legal support to Terri's mother and father are from the "right to life movement".

The basis for their losing in the courts is LIBERAL JUDGES MUST GO. That is the bottom line you keep hearing. Liberals are killers, nazi's This case represents the death of america. God will destroy those that wish to kill Terri. Words like these and worse are very common on the web, and its escalating.


Connection to the administration?

There is also currently an attempt by the Republicans to end the filabuster rule for appointing judges. They haven't tried it yet, but before this started the "stomach" for it was not quite there. Wonder if that has changed. This end of the filabuster for appointment of federal judges is ended will be another first for the Republicans.

Wag the dog.

HOWEVER there is ONE VERY DISTURBING FACT THAT HAS NOW MADE AN APPEARANCE.

You won't see this one on the mainstream news. It is however making the rounds on the internet forums.

Scientology. Clearwater Fla. near Pinealas is a Scientology stronghold. Judge Greer is perhaps a Scientologist. That Michael is also. There is a fact sheet circulating with some points on it. Some of the points are true, some (those containing connections to Teri) are not so clear. It again looks like more mixture of fact and rhetoric again which doesn't help their case. Messing with C o S is not smart unless you are prepared for the retaliation.

The people on the forums are being warned that what they are posting is very dangerous. Scientology does not take lightly to critics. Trust me on this one. There is ample evidence of others if you don't want to take my word and you shouldn't.

The web, broadcast, media aspect of this looks like something right out of Karl Roves playbook.

What happens if there is "win" for Terri. What does that mean to you and your rights and where the seperation of powers ends "now".

If Terri dies what does that mean. How will the far right react.

The C O S in the mix is very disturbing if its true.

However that is recent and like all things lately for Terri's supporters it changes with each loss at the courts so its hard to see if they have a real point where C O S could have been involved.