By Mark Dice – Aug 12, 2019
Facebook ‘News’: A bold step toward total control of reality?
By Helen Buyniski
Facebook‘s plan to hook ad-cash-deprived mainstream outlets on licensing payouts seems to be an attempt to hijack narrative control en route to total domination of the infosphere – the ultimate safe space, Zuckerberg-style.
More than two thirds of American adults get their news from social media at the same time that more than half expectthat news to be “largely inaccurate.” Perhaps sensing a business opportunity, Facebook has moved in to manage that news consumption, reportedly offering mainstream outlets millions of dollars per year to license their content in order to present it to users authoritatively, as “Facebook News” – having long since ceased trusting users to share news among themselves.
But trusting Facebook to deliver the news is like trusting a cheetah to babysit your gazelles – all that’s left at the end is likely to be a pile of bones. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg warned legacy media last year that if they did not work with his plan to “revitalize journalism,” they would be left dying “like in a hospice.”
An offer they can’t refuse? Facebook offers mainstream news millions in licensing fees
Dangling a few million in front of news outlets after depriving them of the advertising cash on which they once subsisted is merely the final step in the process of consolidation and control that began when Facebook removed actual news from its newsfeed in an effort to manage the narrative in the run-up to the 2016 election. A move ostensibly designed to “favor friends and family over publishers,” it instead plunged mainstream and especially alternative media into financial oblivion, setting them scrambling to recoup lost traffic as their place in subscribers’ feeds was taken by cat videos and family snapshots.
Alternative media were further marginalized after Zuckerberg inked a deal with the Atlantic Council – NATO‘s narrative-managers whose board is populated by some of the most notorious warmongers of recent history – who arrived to set the platform straight after it failed to deliver the 2016 election to Hillary Clinton. The group would ensure Facebook played a “positive role” in democracy in the future, a press release promised. Six months later, hundreds of popular political pages had been purged for getting in the way of the Atlantic Council’s version of “democracy.” Several more purges followed, many pages getting the axe for nothing more than espousing views “favorable to Iran’s national interests” or posting content with “anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian themes.”
Zuckerberg has never hidden his desire to see Facebook become an internet driver’s license, and he has no doubt watched gleefully as French President Emmanuel Macron‘s government weighs requiring citizens to turn over actual identity documents in order to sign up to use Facebook. The platform was the first to adopt an intelligence-agency-friendly “real name policy,” irritating political activists, performers, and others who prefer not to have their social media activity follow them around in real life.
Privacy advocates are currently up in arms over the FBI’s recently-revealed plans to monitor social media platforms in real time. Combined with the recently leaked FBI decision to label all “conspiracy theorists” as potentially-dangerous domestic extremists, this looks an awful lot like a manufactured rationale to spy on the majority of the US population. Yet Facebook has been feeding users’ data to the government for over a decade. It joined the NSA’s PRISM program in 2009, providing the agency with its own convenient backdoor for slurping up the data others have had to hack themselves. Not that that’s been very hard – Facebook admitted last year that data on “most” of its users has been compromised at some point by “malicious actors.”
Facebook’s decision to hire one of the co-authors of the notorious PATRIOT Act as General Counsel earlier this year was touted as a move that would help the company “fulfill its mission.” Which would be what, exactly?
Despite its egregious privacy record, the areas of reality outside Zuckerberg’s control are dwindling rapidly. With the rollout of Facebook’s Libra coin, commerce, too, is falling under the shadow of this menacingly bland figure.
When Zuckerberg was photographed traveling through Middle America several years ago, many pointed out it looked like he was running for president. His announcement around the same time that he had found religion – a vague, made-for-TV, feel-good faith guaranteed not to antagonize anyone – also had the feel of a campaign move. If Facebook – and Zuckerberg’s – history is any guide, he has bigger things in mind for Facebook News than a new tab on the user interface. Every campaign needs a press office, after all…
It doesn’t take a tin-foil hat to smell a rat in Epstein’s ‘way too convenient’ death
By Neil Clark
The death of disgraced financier, pedophile and alleged blackmailer Jeffrey Epstein came just a day after more court documents were unsealed, leading to speculation he may have been “suicided” to stop his case from going to trial.
On Saturday morning, I was discussing Jeffrey Epstein with a friend. “He’ll be bumped off and found dead in his cell,”was my friend’s prediction. “It won’t come to court.”
A few hours later, I went on Twitter to see what was happening in the world and I saw #EpsteinMurder trending.
The whole thing was quite uncanny.
Let’s be honest: has there been a death of a high-profile prisoner whose expiration has been so unsurprising?
Suicide (non-)watch: What we know about Jeffrey Epstein’s death…and what we don’t
Anyone claiming this time last week that Epstein wouldn’t make it to trial because too many very rich and very important people would be dragged in would of course have been dismissed as a “conspiracy theorist.”
But this morning, it’s the “don’t be so stupid, of course he’ll make it to the courtroom” brigade who are looking rather silly – and you could also argue, quite naive.
If this means we get more open discussion on “conspiracy theories,” it can only be a good thing. Here’s why. When it comes to conspiracy theories, there are three types of people. There are well-paid, establishment gatekeepers who routinely use the CT term to gaslight people and close down legitimate debate. At the same time, these gatekeepers are themselves often the biggest pushers of conspiracy theories – but only when it comes to “official enemies.” Let’s not forget that the deadliest conspiracy theory of this century so far was the one suggesting that Iraq possessed WMDs in 2003. It was, by and large, peddled by those who routinely scoff at conspiracy theorists and label them“cranks.” The same people are also very quick to blame Russia for just about everything, regardless of the lack of hard evidence.
The second category are those who seem to believe everything – or at least almost everything – is a conspiracy. The Moon landings were faked. Elvis never died. Sandy Hook never happened. Every terrorist attack is a “false-flag.” I was once accused by someone at a public meeting of being a member of ‘Agenda 21.’ The fact that I didn’t know what she was on about was proof that I was really an ‘Agenda 21 agent.’
The third category – and this is where surely all sensible people are – accept that while not everything is a conspiracy, it’s actually quite daft to think conspiracies never occur, especially when people involved are very wealthy and very powerful and the stakes are extremely high.
Put another way, did you really think, deep down, given who he was, the people who he was associated with – and the nature of the allegations – that Epstein’s case would ever get to court? Be honest. I’d reckon about 90 percent, even though they might not publicly admit it, would entertain serious doubts.
You really don’t have to be overly suspicious – or be a permanent tin-foil hat wearer to smell a rat in this one.
If, as was reported, Epstein did try to kill himself about three weeks ago, why was he taken off suicide watch just six days later? Who made that seemingly baffling decision? If he was still on suicide watch – and the source cited in the New York Times was wrong, why wasn’t his death prevented?
These are only a few of the many questions that need to be answered. What is particularly interesting is the kind of people demanding answers. It’s not just the “usual” suspects who are routinely labeled cranks by the gatekeepers. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has called Epstein’s death “way too convenient.”
“How many other millionaires and billionaires were part of the illegal activities that he was engaged in?” he asked. Even the BBC website has as its heading of a news story today “Jeffrey Epstein: Questions raised over financier’s death.”
The FBI is investigating the case and who knows, we may get some answers. Perhaps Epstein did after all, kill himself – prisoners facing the prospect of 45 years in jail are quite likely to be depressed; moreover the sociopathic billionaire might even have relished evading justice and depriving his accusers of their days in court. But until more evidence of his suicide comes to light, (and we really do need to see some camera footage), it is reasonable to think that some other explanation is, on balance, more likely.
Taking that line doesn’t make you barmy – just someone who very sensibly breaks with the binary when it comes to“conspiracy theories.”
Modesto, California Denies Permit for Straight Pride Parade
The City of Modesto won’t permit a straight pride parade to take place at a city park on August 24th.
By Richard Moorhead
The City of Modesto, California, has denied a permit for a planned Straight Pride Parade slated to take place in a city park on August 24th.
The event was being organized by the National Straight Pride Coalition.
In a twist many are calling indicative of the city’s double standards and selective approval process, Modesto has granted permission for a Gay Pride Festival to take place in the city. From the looks of it, the gay pride event receives a significant amount of city resources, a luxury the municipal government is unwilling to provide to the planned straight pride parade.
On their website, the National Straight Pride Coalition expresses their support for heterosexuality, God-ordained nuclear families, Western Civilization, Caucasians, Christianity and Nationalism.
The movement expresses a desire for “preventing the current and future generations of all races and colors from being destroyed by the inherent malevolence of the Homosexual Movement toward our founding principles.”
A city spokesman named Thomas Reeves claimed the city couldn’t approve the straight pride parade because of safety concerns. Modesto apparently wanted the National Straight Pride Coalition to obtain liability insurance for the event.
He said the event may end up receiving approval after all if it’s willing to move their desired location from Graceada Park to downtown Modesto. It remains to be seen if city is merely going through to motions to make it seem like the pride event received a fair process before shutting down their event, or intends to actually the straight pride organizers a chance to voice their views.
Report: ‘Camera Malfunction’ in Epstein’s Prison Cell Prevented Recording of His Alleged Suicide – (Does it get any fishier than this?)
Does it get any fishier than this?
By Shane Trejo
The reported suicide of Democrat-affiliated sex predator Jeffrey Epstein earlier this morning has journalists and other concerned citizens demanding answers.
But they shouldn’t expect any to arise soon, if ever, as a report from New Right founder Michael Coudrey indicates that a mysterious camera malfunction has prevented any footage of Epstein’s alleged suicide from being captured.
Rampant speculation and conspiracy theories are reaching a fever pitch as a result of the incredibly suspect circumstances around Epstein’s alleged suicide.
Just yesterday, several prominent officials who served in the administration of former President Bill Clinton were implicated as Epstein’s co-conspirators, abusing child prostitutes as apart of his illicit sex trafficking network, in court documents released to the public. The civil lawsuits against Epstein will continue despite his sudden and suspicious demise.
Jennifer Araoz, an alleged Epstein victim who intends to file a lawsuit against him this week, is “angry Jeffrey Epstein won’t have to face his survivors of his abuse in court,” but will continue onward in her pursuit of justice against the late predator.
“We have to live with the scars of his actions for the rest of our lives, while he will never face the consequences of the crimes he committed the pain and trauma he caused so many people,” Araoz said in a statement.
“Epstein is gone, but justice must still be served. I hope the authorities will pursue and prosecute his accomplices and enablers, and ensure redress for his victims,” she added.
Araoz’s attorney Robbie Kaplan believes that “the many victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplices should not lose hope.”
“We will continue to fight tirelessly on their behalf not only to seek justice, but also to ensure that all of the facts of his monstrous crimes become known to the world,” he said. “… We need to expose the whole truth here so that crimes of this scale and scope never happen to any young girls (or boys) ever again.”
#CLINTONBODYCOUNT TRENDING AFTER JEFFREY EPSTEIN’S MYSTERIOUS ‘SUICIDE’
Another Clinton associate dies suddenly under suspicious circumstances
Only hours after authorities discovered the body of billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in his prison cell in an apparent “suicide,” #ClintonBodyCount began trending on social media in a dig to the Clintons and the curious habit of their associates always turning up dead.
Epstein was found dead in his cell at 7:30 am from an apparent suicide, despite the fact he was on 24/7 suicide watch and was only allowed to wear paper clothes.
Users on Twitter were quick to point out that some powerful people were likely pleased to see Epstein dead, including the Clintons, due to flight logs showing Bill Clinton’s frequent trips with Epstein on his private plane “Lolita Express.”
The ClintonBodyCount meme essentially began after several Clinton scandals ended with many suspicious and unusual deaths, beginning in the 1990s with Bill Clinton’s former Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster.
RELATED: ANN COULTER: JEFFREY EPSTEIN ‘PROBABLY DIDN’T KILL HIMSELF AT ALL’
RELATED: JEFFREY EPSTEIN FOUND DEAD IN JAIL CELL DESPITE BEING ON 24/7 SUICIDE WATCH
Study Finds Rise In ‘Doomsday Prepping’ Due To Mainstream American ‘Culture Of Fear’
By John Anderer
CANTERBURY, England — “Doomsday prepping” or stockpiling food, medicine, weapons and other supplies in case of an apocalyptic scenario has long been considered peculiar behavior only exhibited by conspiracy theorists and other extremists in the United States. However, such prepping has actually been steadily on the rise in the U.S. over the past decade. So, what’s causing this surge in stockpiled rice packets and underground bunkers? One group of researchers say it is an ever growing sense of impending doom in American culture.
Many have speculated that this surge in doomsday preppers over the last 10 years was linked to an extreme political reaction among many conservatives to Barack Obama’s initial election in 2008, but a new study out of the United Kingdom finds that neither the Obama presidency nor extreme right-wing conspiracy theories in general are the main cause of this growing phenomenon.
Researchers interviewed preppers from 18 U.S. states and asked about their motivations for stockpiling food and supplies. The results indicated that, although most did seem to be conservative and fear liberal policies, the main reason behind their motivations was the overall sense of fear currently dominating U.S. culture across a variety of media channels. Most Americans can’t seem to log online or turn on the television without being hit by a grim view of the future being reported or speculated on.
Potential occurrences commonly worried about by preppers include possible economic depressions, terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks, pandemics, or environmental disasters.
Furthermore, researchers say that frequent recommendations from the U.S. government on how to prepare for potential disasters, such as when residents of certain communities are advised to stockpile water in preparation for a hurricane or blackout, have also contributed to the rising number of doomsday preppers in the United States.
The study’s authors say their findings paint a more nuanced picture of doomsday preppers and their motivations, especially since up until now most were simply considered crazy or delusional. According to their results, most preppers don’t believe the world will end tomorrow or a giant meteor will hit the earth at any moment, they simply want to be prepared for anything “just in case” something terrible happens.
Researchers note that while extreme right-wing ideologies don’t seem to be the main cause of these fears and preparations, the general idea among many conservatives that if a Democrat regains control of the White House it will inevitably lead to chaos remains very much connected to the phenomenon of doomsday preppers. At the end of the day, though, that is just another possible event for conservative preppers to fear, and not themain cause.
“Fear is now deeply entrenched in modern American culture and is the principal reason that so many citizens are engaging in ‘prepping’,” explains lead author Dr. Michael Mills in a release.
According to Mills, these preppers believe that if the worse were to happen, the government’s response simply wouldn’t be adequate and many people would be left to fend for themselves.
“Rather than seeing prepping as an exception within America’s right-wing political culture, we ought to see it as being reflective of increasingly established and popular outlooks,” Mills comments.
BREAKING: They Aren’t Even Trying To Hide It Anymore!!!
By WeAreChange
Published on Aug 10, 2019
Illinois Leaders Warn Illegal Aliens of Possible ICE Raids
By Amy Furr
Government leaders in Illinois urged illegal aliens to know their rights after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were reportedly seen in a Chicago neighborhood on Thursday.
“If @ICEgov tries to intimidate you or your family, know your rights,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted. “The state of Illinois refuses to coordinate with federal immigration enforcement. I signed a law ensuring local law enforcement does the same. We’re doing all we can to protect our residents.”
Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th Ward alderman, tweeted that his office had received reports of ICE agents approaching businesses and homes in the Pilsen area.
“We’ve confirmed these reports with the National Immigrant Justice Center,” he said.
The reports come after ICE agents arrested 680 illegal aliens in Mississippi this week, the largest single-state raid in U.S. history, Breitbart News reported.
The individuals were arrested at seven food processing plants across six cities including Bay Springs, Carthage, Canton, Morton, Pelahatchie, and Sebastapol.
“According to federal officials, some of the hundreds of illegal aliens arrested on Wednesday have already been ordered deported by an immigration judge and have refused to self-deport. Those illegal aliens will be quickly deported,” the report said.
A press release from the ICE website stated that the agency will investigate the individuals arrested on a case-by-case basis.
“In all cases, all the illegal aliens encountered as part of this operation are either being placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts, and for those who already received due process and have been ordered removed, processed for removal from the U.S.,” the release said.
However, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) called on President Trump during an interview Thursday to stop the raids, comparing them to the tactics of the Nazi secret police.
“I think it’s unfortunate when ICE has to be made into this kind of agency and to be an intimidator rather than an agency that has in the past made sure that we are safe in this nation,” she said.
“But when their neighbors are rounded up in a vile way, when children are left unprotected, I’m disappointed. And the president and Stephen Miller need to stop these Gestapo tactics, and we need to work together to pass comprehensive immigration reform,” Lee concluded.
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