Sunday 2 February 2025 09:42:15 PM CDT
Certainly ninety percent if not more of what is classified as journalism these days is pure unadulterated crud. That may be changing as
in volume actual journalism - a few outlets like Fox News and the New York Post have substantially more market share than the dinosaur
media and so-called fringe sources have a huge mindshare. The legacy media has practically no truly sentient and engaged audience its
future is in question. Any of the television outlets that end up being sold off by their owners face two options - become a legitimate
news outlet and compete with Fox or continue as a money-losing propaganda operation. The same choice awaits the big newspapers - Jeff
Bezos doesn't seem to be they type to continue throwing good money after bad and I would expect him to either sell the Washington Post or direct
the management to begin doing news. I can't see the Sulzberger family either selling the NT Times or changing their ways. Whether they
are reality-impaired or blinded by hate is anyone's guess. One or two other big newspapers backed away from the regime by at least not
endorsing Giggles but only time will tell.
As expected incoming SecDef Hegseth is
putting a crimp
in the disinformation capabilities of the big guys. Why he left the HuffPost is anyone's guess - maybe to not be open to accusations of
allowing only friendlies? Or possibly for amusement - HuppPost is comically amateurish most of the time but NPR is rather comical with
its affected accents in the audio segments and stilted pseudo-intellectual writing. The indignation from those being evicted is as
expected. I haven't watched much of White House press conference so far - just the highlights. They're opened it up to alternative
media and
restoring the passes
of those banished by the previous regime.
Thus far the results of President Trump's cabinet appointements have been positive. Aside from Matt Gaetz - I'm not convinced that he
wanted it or that President Trump expected him to be confirmed but rather that he served as a distraction and a feel-good 'victory' for
the enemy. Some people smarter than me belive that all the remaining ones will be confirmed - I believe it could happen if all the
RINO senators get the message - their career is in grave danger if they try to block them. Murkowski may feel safe being in Alaska and
having four years to the next election but I wouldn't bet on it. A lot of money and energy will go into defeating her in any case and
more if she thwarts the president. Collins also appears to have four years and might decide to risk it. I doubt the others (McConnell
excluded) will want to so it could happen. Tulsi Gabbard and RFKjr are will be bitter pills to swallow though.
The hearings themselves were as usual disgraceful but I could look at them in a different light this time around. Perhaps because the
senators are older every time and this time the Democrats are literally hard to look at - not just because they are older and uglier
but it seems that the corruption shows on their faces. Not just the usual political corruption - selling themselves for money and
power but the intellectual bankruptcy that drives them. These old travesties of humanity were juxtaposed against a group of bright,
younger and more attractive and much more intelligent candidates. The canned rhetoric of the inquisitors - almost certainly prepared
their staffs - and delivered almost mechanically falls flat and the resposes while of necessity as courteous as possible drip contempt.
One suspects that after a session the first thing they want to do is take a shower and put on clean clothing after being in that
environment.
I won't comment on the awful plane crash in DC. What happened is bad enough and some of the information leaking out suggests it could
be even worse. If the leaks are confirmed it will be difficult to suppress.
What would Jeff Cooper think of Robert Heinlein? Heinlein (1907 - 1988) and Cooper (1920 - 2006) lived in the same era. Heinlein served
in the navy and his best-known military-related work is Starship Troopers. I don't know if Col. Cooper read any SF but they both had the
right idea about combat. Heinlein's comment may have been more of general observation that weapons are not responsible for the destruction
wrought with them while Cooper was talking about the mental and spiritual component of the warrior.
