March 5, 2012

Alternet: America Has Never Been Safer - So Why Are Politicians and the Media Trying to Terrify Us?

http://www.alternet.org/world/154405/america_has_never_been_safer_--_so_why_are_politicians_and_the_media_trying_to_terrify_us

America Has Never Been Safer -- So Why Are Politicians and the Media Trying to Terrify Us?
Republicans tend to engage in blatant alarmism about foreign threats and Democrats respond in kind for fear of being portrayed as weak.
March 4, 2012 |

The United States has never been more secure, and Americans have never been safer than at this moment in history. Violent conflicts are at an all-time low around the world, and we still maintain significant military superiority over other major powers. The Al Qaeda network has been rendered largely incapable of mounting major attacks.

So write foreign policy analysts Michael Cohen and Micah Zenko in the March/April issue of Foreign Affairs. Their argument appears to be a contrarian one, but only because our political and media establishements continue to tell us that we are in constant peril. Cohen and Zenko write that the facts say otherwise:


- snip -

Joshua Holland: During the recent GOP debate/cavalcade of clowns in Mesa, Arizona, we learned some interesting things. Mitt Romney said, “The world is more dangerous. It is not safer. North Korea is going through transition, the Arab Spring has become the Arab Winter, Syria is in flux, and of course Pakistan with 100 nuclear weapons or more represents a potential threat. Northern Mexico is a real danger area ... you have Hezbollah in Latin America and Mexico....” (I did not know Hezbollah was in Latin America and Mexico, by the way.) Then Newt Gingrich piped in and said, “You live in a world of total warfare. And everyone needs to understand, we live in an age when we have to genuinely worry about nuclear weapons going off in our own cities.” And he said further that, “all of us are at more risk today, men and woman, boys and girls, than at any time in the history of this country.”

I noticed that when they were talking about that, your head was basically exploding.

Michael Cohen: (laughs) I mean it’s almost hard to figure out where to respond with all that. It’s so ludicrous and empirically incorrect that it just doesn’t make any sense at all. For Gingrich to say, for example, that we are in a period of total warfare is completely untrue. We are literally in a moment in history of fewer wars, fewer civil wars, fewer violent wars that harm civilians than at any point in recent memory.

MORE AT LINK[p]

March 5, 2012

TOON: Slowpoke - "The O'Reilly Method: Who Needs An Aspirin Between The Knees...?"

http://www.slowpokecomics.com/strips/oreillymethod.html

March 3, 2012

BP, Plaintiffs Reach Gulf Oil Spill Settlement (Multiple Billions)

Source: Business Insider / AP

Mar 2, 10:18 PM EST

BP, plaintiffs reach Gulf oil spill settlement

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and HARRY R. WEBER
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- BP and a committee representing plaintiffs suing over the 2010 Gulf oil spill have reached an agreement, a federal judge said late Friday night.

As a result of the agreement that will be filed with the court for approval, the trial that was scheduled to begin Monday has been postponed for a second time, Judge Carl Barbier said.

No new date was immediately set.

The settlement will likely result in a realignment of the parties in this litigation and require substantial changes to the current trial plan, Barbier said. He didn't elaborate, and there was no mention in his order of anything about the status of BP's talks with the federal government and other parties.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/bp-gulf-oil-spill-settlement-2012-3

March 3, 2012

GoToMeeting To Cease Advertising On Limbaugh Show "Immediately"

@janehamsher: RT @GoToMeeting: We have listened to our customers & have decided to cease our advertising on The Rush Limbaugh Show immediately. http://t.co/QFq4Y2C5

http://www.facebook.com/GoToMeeting/posts/10150648503114539


GoToMeeting
Over the past day, we’ve heard from many great Citrix customers about our advertising on The Rush Limbaugh Show. These customers have expressed their growing concern that some of his recent comments seem inconsistent with the core values Citrix has always stood for – humility, integrity and respect.

While Citrix obviously does not control any show’s content or endorse opinions of their hosts, we do take the concerns of our customers seriously. When they are upset about something, we listen. After careful consideration, we have decided to discontinue our advertising on The Rush Limbaugh Show.

Sincerely,
Brett Caine
SVP and GM, Online Services Division
Citrix

March 3, 2012

Attack by Limbaugh Awakens a 'Stop Rush' Campaign (#stoprush)

Source: New York Times

March 2, 2012, 6:18 PM

Attack by Limbaugh Awakens a ‘Stop Rush’ Campaign

By BRIAN STELTER

Some of the same activists that persuaded advertisers to boycott Glenn Beck’s television show on Fox News in 2009 are now mobilizing against Rush Limbaugh in the wake of his verbal attacks on a Georgetown University law school student this week.

Actually, they are remobilizing. A Twitter account, “Stop Rush,” which has been dormant since late 2010, woke up on Wednesday, when Mr. Limbaugh first called the student, Sandra Fluke, a “slut.”

- snip -

The “Stop Rush” Twitter account asked on Thursday, “Are y’all ready to @StopRush? Getting the strong sense that it’s time and the feedback has been there so far. Spread the word.”

- snip -

Mr. Carusone similarly ran a Twitter account called “Stop Beck” in 2009 that targeted Glenn Beck for calling Mr. Obama a racist. He and other activists and groups contacted advertisers, hundreds of whom eventually asked Fox to keep their ads off Mr. Beck’s show.

MORE[p]

Read more: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/attack-by-limbaugh-awakens-a-stop-rush-campaign

March 3, 2012

‘Grisly Reports’ Out of Syria Tell of Torture, Summary Executions in Homs

Source: Reuters

‘Grisly reports’ out of Syria tell of torture, summary executions in Homs

By Reuters
Friday, March 2, 2012 20:03 EST
 
BEIRUT/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he had received “grisly reports” that Syrian government forces were arbitrarily executing, imprisoning and torturing people in the battle-scarred city of Homs after rebel fighters had fled.

Ban’s comments came as a wounded British photographer, who escaped Homs earlier this week, said he had witnessed Syrian troops carrying out a massacre in the city’s Baba Amro district, which had become a symbol of a year-long uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Opposition activists told Reuters Syrian troops, who had bombarded the district for weeks, had started hunting down and killing insurgents who had stayed to cover a rebel retreat on Thursday.

The rebel withdrawal was seen as a major setback for the armed revolt, that began with largely peaceful protests inspired by the “Arab Spring,” but escalated after a bloody government crackdown.

MORE[p]

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/02/grisly-reports-out-of-syria-tell-of-torture-summary-executions-in-homs

March 2, 2012

Armed Forces Radio Network Audience Feedback Email Page

for comments about Rush Limbaugh Radio Show:

http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/email.aspx

March 2, 2012

Reporting Today On Companies Who STILL Advertise on the Rush Limbaugh Show (AutoZone Says Does Not)

http://malialitman.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/reporting-on-companies-who-still-advertise-on-the-rush-limbaugh-show

Reporting On Companies Who Still Advertise on the Rush Limbaugh Show

March 2, 2012

In my post this morning I provided a list of companies who reportedly advertised on Rush Limbaugh’s show. I have personally called them and this is my report of what I have learned.

1. Pro-flowers: Their sales line was so busy that I was automatically disconnected.

2. Sleep Train: No longer advertising

3. e-harmoney: No longer advertising

4. Carbonite: Carbonite has not discontinued their support of the show. The representative I spoke with simply said that they advertised with a wide variety of shows, and that the views expressed did not represent theirs. I explained that by advertising on his show they are making it possible for him to use a public radio show to give voice to his foul and distasteful comments. You may be interested in e-mailing a manager at their corporate office to share your views at : dfriend@carbonite.com.

- snip -

UPDATE: ”Brenda” with Auto Zone called and indicated they do not advertise with the Rush Limbaugh show.

9. Legal Zoom: They indicated they are “looking into this matter.” You can reach them at 800-773-0888 to encourage to look a little faster.

- snip -

11. American Forces Network: I contacted various numbers and got a message at each. The number that I would recommend you call is 301-222-6236 which is the number for T.V. and radio show contacts. You can also reach them by e-mail at American Forces Network@MyAFN.net.

- snip -

Thus the following companies need further encouragement to discontinue their advertising on the Rush Limbaugh show:

#4-Carbonite, ... #8 Auto Zone, #9 Legal Zoom, #10 Citrix Online, #12 Mission Pharmacal

COMPLETE REPORT & LIST AT LINK[p]

March 2, 2012

Olbermann: A Reminder... Rush In Essence Called ALL

https://twitter.com/#!/KeithOlbermann/status/175698988681527296

March 2, 2012

Sleep Number: "Comments Made by Limbaugh Do Not Align With Our Values"

Only recent comments?[p]