Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land: Media & the Israel-Palestine Conflict [GOOGLE]-6604775898578139565[/GOOGLE]
Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported.
http://mediaed.org/
The Power of Nightmares The Power of Nightmares, subtitled The Rise of the Politics of Fear, is a BBC series of documentary films, written and produced by Adam Curtis.
Watch it here - Parts 1, 2 & 3...
This documentary argues that during the 20th Century politicians lost the power to inspire the masses, and that the optimistic visions and ideologies they had offered were perceived to have failed. The film asserts that politicians consequently sought a new role that would restore their power and authority. Writer Adam Curtis, who also narrates the series, declares in the film's introduction that “Instead of delivering dreams, politicians now promise to protect us: from nightmares”. To illustrate this Curtis compares the rise of the American neoconservatives and radical Islamists, believing that both are closely connected; that some popular beliefs about these groups are inaccurate; and that both movements have benefited from exaggerating the scale of the terrorist threat.
Distribution
The Power of Nightmares was first broadcast on BBC Two in three hour-long parts on consecutive Wednesday evenings in the autumn of 2004. The series was rebroadcast in late January 2005 on three consecutive nights, with the final part updated to reflect the Law Lords ruling from the previous December that detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial is illegal.
Although the series has not been shown on U.S. television, its three episodes were shown in succession on 26 February 2005 as part of the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri, USA. After the film, Curtis made a public appearance and led a discussion in which he expressed pessimism about an eventual American TV airing or DVD release. It has, however, played in some small independent theaters.
Curtis has also stated: "Something extraordinary has happened to American TV since September 11. A head of the leading networks who had better remain nameless said to me that there was no way they could show it. He said, 'Who are you to say this?' and then he added, 'We would get slaughtered if we put this out.' When I was in New York I took a DVD to the head of documentaries at HBO. I still haven't heard from him."
An edited two and a half hour version was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2005, with Pathé buying up distribution rights to exhibit this version in cinemas worldwide.
The Power of Nightmares was aired in Canada in April 2005 by CBC Newsworld.
In Australia, the programme was to be screened on SBS commencing 2005-07-12 [1], however this screening of the series was cancelled. An e-mail response enquiring as to this cancellation was worded "SBS Management made the decision that in light of the recent London bombings it would not be appropriate to screen the series at this time." SBS rescheduled the series and it was screened over three nights commencing 2005-12-06 [2].
The programme has been widely distributed for download on the Internet.
Documentary
The documentary consisted of three parts.
Part 1 - Baby It's Cold Outside
In the 1950s Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian civil servant turned revolutionary, and Leo Strauss, an American professor of political philosophy, both came to see western liberalism as corrosive to morality and to society. Qutb had been sent to the U.S. to learn about its public education system but was disgusted by what he saw of its society. They each argued that radical measures, including deception and even violence, could be justified in an effort to restore shared moral values to society, and their arguments heavily influenced radical Islamism and American neo-conservatism, respectively. Senior American civil servants and politicians influenced by neo-conservatism came to believe anti-communist propaganda and saw communism as an evil force against which the U.S. should be presented as a force for good. This propaganda included Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney's formation of Team B, which over-estimated Soviet military technology, and the William Casey-led CIA assertion that various terrorist organisations were backed by the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, Qutb became influential in the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and was then jailed after some of its members attempted to assassinate President Nasser.
This was first broadcast on Wednesday 20 October 2004. Its title is taken from a popular song which Qutb heard played at a church-organised dance for young people, which he saw as symptomatic of the immorality of American society.
Part 2 - The Phantom Victory
In the 1980s the Islamist mujaheddin and the neo-conservative-influenced Reagan administration temporarily cooperated in fighting a common enemy, the Soviet Union and the Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan. Although the Soviet Union was already on the verge of collapse, both groups came to believe that it was their actions in Afghanistan that had caused it to fall. However, other attempts by Islamists to incite popular revolution failed, and the neo-conservatives lost power in the U.S. as the presidency passed to George H. W. Bush and subsequently to Bill Clinton. Both groups, having failed to achieve lasting political influence, identified new targets to attack: the neoconservatives sought to demonise Clinton while the radical Islamists decided that those who had not aided their cause were legitimate targets for violence.
This was first broadcast on Wednesday 27 October 2004.
Part 3 - The Shadows in the Cave
In the late 1990s the Taliban set up military training camps in Afghanistan for Islamist fighters. Most were only interested in fighting in their home countries, but Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of Egyptian Islamic Jihad and follower of Sayyid Qutb, paid the Taliban to allow them to recruit volunteers for attacks on the U.S. from these camps.
Prosecutors for the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings believed bin Laden organised them and wanted to convict him in absentia by showing that he headed a criminal organisation. Jamal al-Fadl, a former associate of bin Laden, conveniently described just such an organisation to them, which the investigators called al-Qaeda. While bin Laden apparently aided the attacks he had no organisation through which he could command and control them; al-Fadl seems to have told investigators what they wanted to hear in return for money and witness protection. Similarly, while bin Laden provided funds and volunteers to carry out the September 11, 2001 attacks, they were actually planned by Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.
Following this attack, the neo-conservatives were able to convince George W. Bush to begin a War on Terror and to paint al-Qaeda as an international network of terrorists. The war in Afghanistan removed bin Laden's main source of recruits, but the U.S. military and the Afghan Northern Alliance also captured and killed many people in the Taliban camps that had nothing to do with him. The story circulated that bin Laden and the core of al-Qaeda had retreated to an underground complex in Tora Bora, but an exhaustive search revealed no sign of this. Al-Qaeda could not be found because it never really existed; Islamist terrorists are connected only by ideology and not by an organisation that can be cut off at its root.
The arrests of various groups of suspected terrorists in the U.S. following the September 11 attacks failed to find any substantive evidence, but did show a lot of imagination on the part of investigators. Similarly, in the U.K., arrests under new terrorism laws have resulted in only 3 convictions of Islamists, all for fundraising. Much of the media coverage of potential terrorist attacks is also highly speculative and sensational. For instance, a terrorist attack using a radiological weapon, referred to by the media as a dirty bomb, wouldn't kill many people from fallout because the radioactive material would be spread thinly by any explosion. However, the neo-conservatives had found they could use the threat of Islamist terrorism, and the claimed possibility of sponsorship by Iraq, as an enemy against which to unite the U.S., and other politicians such as Tony Blair claimed an important role in protecting their countries from attack. Politicians and counter-terrorist agents have decided that they must be proactive in imagining the worst possible attacks and in stopping those who seem likely to carry out attacks.
This was first broadcast on Wednesday 3 November 2004. Its title appears to refer to Plato's allegory of the cave and to the belief in the complex in Tora Bora.
Accolades
"The Power of Nightmares, a three-hour BBC documentary directed by Adam Curtis, is arguably the most important film about the "war on terrorism" since the events of September 11. It is more intellectually engaging, more historically probing and more provocative than any of its rivals, including Fahrenheit 9/11."
The Nation
Criticism and responses
Various attacks have been made on the programme, its author, the BBC and the arguments presented. Curtis has responded to some of the criticism.
The programme is, or presents, a conspiracy theory
David Aaronovitch has suggested that the programme "is a conspiracy theory".
Curtis replies: "The use of fear in contemporary politics is not the result of a conspiracy, the politicians have stumbled on it. In a populist, consumerist age where they found their authority and legitimacy declining dramatically they have simply discovered in the 'war on terror' a way of restoring their authority by promising to protect us."
The programme neglects to analyse the impact of economic interests
Critics such as MediaLens, who believe that US government policy is shaped to a large extent by powerful business interests, point out that Curtis did not address this aspect.
Curtis accepts this criticism as "serious and important". However, "Both the neoconservatives and the Islamists have become powerful and influential and I chose to make a series of films that explained the roots of their ideas and how they were taken up, simplified and distorted. You want me to have made a different series [about] a perfectly good and very important subject - but different." [3]
The neoconservatives were "misrepresented"
Clive Davis in "The Power of Bad Television" at the National Review claims that the characterisation of neoconservatives' views in the programme is inaccurate. He has also suggested that the degree to which neoconservatives have been influenced by Leo Strauss is greatly exaggerated. Further he maintains that this programme suggests that "it is Strauss, not Osama bin Laden, who is the real evil genius."
Theres your answer everyone…
Quote:
'Spy helicopter' used at festival
The festival is the first time the force has used the technology
A remote control "spy helicopter" has been helping police patrol a major music festival.
Staffordshire Police have been using the CCTV drone for the first time at the V Festival site this weekend.
Officers said the remote controlled plane helped capture offenders at the festival site at Weston Park, on the border of Staffordshire and Shropshire.
By Sunday police had arrested 62 people in total at the festival and had cautioned more than 100.
Officers said 32 of those arrested had been found possessing drugs.
The remote control drone was being used particularly in the festival's car park to catch criminals attempting to break into vehicles.
'Caught on camera'
Police said they expected to use the technology at future big events.
Ch Insp Pete Owen said: "We are delighted to be trialling the drone.
"It will work in addition to the CCTV that we will monitor on site throughout the festival.
The festival is expected to attract about 90,000 people
"Our message to criminals is that we will be watching you and you will be arrested if you are caught on camera."
People travelling to the festival on Friday faced traffic delays of hours because of motorway congestion.
Highways Agency officials were forced to close a slip road on the M6 to help ease the traffic problems. The two-day festival has attracted about 90,000 people to the park.
theres ur answer the the UFO.......... maybe:groucho:
sorry moderators could not find the original thread, anywhere12
Something’s Very Wrong with this Country! Hi folks,
Everyday all you see and hear is of people being attacked, ppl being stabbed/shot beaten to death etc etc.
An 11 year old boy is shot and killed, A 20 year old woman died after a gang attack! and thats the tip of the iceberg!
The government are useless as are the courts, the police cant do fuckall due to red tape, its getting worse and worse each fucking day!
Does anyone think that one day the 'establishment' can rectify the situation or that in the end it's us, the public who are gonna have to take the law into our own hands and fight back?
What are all your views on this?12
Anti-nuke activist killed by neo-nazis! Check this out and spread the news;
Quote:
In the early morning of 21st July, neo-nazi skinheads launched a vicious and unprovoked attack on an anti-nuclear protest camp in Angarsk, Siberia, Russia. The nazis violently attacked activists in their sleeping bags and tents with iron rods, knives and air pressure guns. 21 year old Ilya Borodaenko from Nachodka suffered a head-fracture during the attack and later died in hospital from his injuries. At least nine others have been reported to be seriously injured, one of which has had both their legs broken. Tents were set on fire and several belongings were stolen.
The whole story here;
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/07/376699.html
:hopeless:
UK: Police Rapped over Tolworth Party – October 2000 Police rapped over rave party
By thisislocallondon - Thursday 19 October 2000
Copyright: thisislocallondon
Police chiefs were rapped last week for not contacting community group leaders during the weekend of the Tolworth rave. Kingston Police Community Consultative Group (PCCG) was angry it had not been kept informed of events over the August Bank Holiday weekend, when thousands of partygoers descended on Tolworth Court Farm.
The PCCG represents sections of the borough and discusses crime issues with the police.
At its meeting on October 8, chairman Sandra Flower told the group she first she heard of the event when reading the national papers.
On learning that Superintendent Keith Free, acting borough commander, had forgotten to tell her, she said: "I expressed my dismay at such a response and stated that had we known about the rave, we may have chosen to go and hear for ourselves the noise and to possibly talk to residents.
"This would have lent weight to any representations we might have been making."
The police have promised to store PCCG contact numbers in the police control room in future.
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/
tell the press If you have relevant information for the media professional concerned please click this link to reply:
mailto:martin.moore@mediastandardstrust.org
Request deadline: Monday 27 August, 2007, 18:00 pm
Contact me by e-mail at mailto:martin.moore@mediastandardstrust.org
My request: The Media Standards Trust is inviting comments about this week's media coverage of 'yob culture' in Britain.
Do you think news stories about 'anarchy in the UK' and the growing problem of youth crime present a realistic picture of Britain today or have the media latched onto a small number of incidents and over-emphasised their significance?
Please email me or leave a comment at www.mediastandardstrust.org.
but don't be surprised if they take what you say, twist it around, and make it into lies :groucho:
police want drinking in public banned knicked from squat juice
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20070815/tuk-police-boss-urges-public-drinks-ban-6323e80_1.html
i reckon its a good idea would stop allot of the violence in towns an stuff also owuld stop the young kid drunks who just causing trouble
i wouldnt mind either as i dont drink =]
Bush gets new powers to spy DemocracyNow.org spends an hour looking at the powers a democratic congress recently signed over to the Bush Administration allowing it to legally eavesdrop on Americans at home and abroad without warrants more widely than before...
http://play.rbn.com/?url=demnow/demnow/demand/2007/aug/video/dnB20070806a.rm&proto=rtsp&start=13:08
http://www.democracynow.org/
body found burnt in suitcase a bit late, but this is the first time ive been on since the incident.
the body of a middle aged woman was found in a burnt suitcase about a week ago, was on the news and radio.
happened a two minute drive from where i live, rarely does anything like this happen around here.
a freind who'd stopped to finish a spliff saw a fire thru the bushes where she was found :yakk:
good news is three people are being questioned.
UK : LDN(SE) : Riot cops deployed to family fun event after gangs clash Bear in mind this is was not an illegal rave - its some kind of city equivalent of a "village fete".
I think the "reds" are Greenwich gangs and the "blues" are Lewisham gangs (ironically the colours usually come from the corporate colours on the trash bins the local Councils put up on the street!)
fair play to that youth worker for defusing the situation, but I bet metpol will definitely object to next years license.. :you_crazy
Gangs turn family day into battlefield
Jul 20 2007
Leon Watson
WARRING gangs turned on police after a mass brawl kicked off at Lewisham's biggest annual family event.
Mounted police were forced to storm into the battleground and use batons to control the crowd as trouble sparked at Lewisham People's Day.
Shocked families looked on as around 60 yobs ran riot near the event's youth stage in Mountsfield Park, Hither Green on Saturday.
Cops made 15 arrests, including one for violent disorder,four for affray and four for robbery.
There were also arrests for drug possession, obstructing a police officer and for minor public order offences.
Two officers and an event steward were hurt in the riot after being hit by missiles thrown by yobs.
Former girl gang member Minty Challis, from anti-gang campaign group Cease Fire Crew, helped to calm the situation by addressing the yobs directly.
She said: "It was absolutely ridiculous.
"It all got out of hand so I asked the police if I could talk to the youths.
"I'm just so glad they listened to me because I thought
"I was going to get stabbed. "There were the reds and the blues there running but at least 40 per cent were not from gangs.
"I stood up and said 'not here, not now' and told them if they were angry they should march on Parliament.
"I talked to them for about 15 minutes and for some reason they stopped."
But a mum, who lives near the park and did not want to be named, said: "I do not go to people's day because its not a safe place for me to take my children because the gangs.
"I live not far from Mountsfield Park and have to put up with the fall out after it finishes.
"Something needs to be done about the gangs but one person talking will not do it alone."
Superintendent Ben-Julian Harrington, from Lewisham police, said: "Intelligence suggested there would be disorder.
"But by working with the organisers, Lewisham council, and all the other agencies involved, major issues and serious injury was averted."
A council spokeswoman said: "The behaviour of the small group of people after the event was disappointing,but this did not undermine the success of the day."
http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200southlondonheadlines/tm_headline=gangs-turn-family-day-into-battlefield%26method=full%26objectid=19482023%26siteid=50100-name_page.html
DVLA Madness I think the DVLA have taken things to the extreme here... apparently "offensive" number plates here in Edinburgh have been banned :you_crazy:you_crazy
The full story is here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6897494.stm
tories reveal they haven’t changed in 25 years anyone else seen the news about the tories planning to penalise single parents?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6285826.stm
it doesn't surprise me at all that despite Cameron trying to be the centre ground man, the whole party are still the same as ever
this policy would mean children of lone parents would be kept in deeper poverty than they already are, effectively punsihed for their parents relationship breakdown :yakk:12
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