When I was doing my PhD at MIT, Noam Chomsky, one of my professors (in fact, he was on my Generals Paper Committee for the pre-dissertation qualification) wrote a book called ‘Manufacturing Consent’. The basic thesis was this (quote):
“Especially where the issues involve substantial U.S. economic and political interests, the mass media usually function much in the manner of state propaganda agencies.”
They used a tsunami of detailed case evidence and documentation to establish this thesis beyond any shadow of doubt. They delivered an earth-scorching roast to all the “prestige” media: basically the New York Times, the Washington Post…
People have asked me why I harp so much on Contact Tracing, which may seem like a sideshow to some of you. No, Contact Tracing is actually the main event. The current crude lockdown phase has been merely a meat tenderizer to get us clamoring for Contact Tracing as the supposed (but fake) ticket to allow for “safe reopening”. Brilliant tradecraft.
Look at their definition of ‘voluntary’ isolation/quarantine (yes they use the word ‘voluntary’ in open, un-ironic and direct contradiction to its plain meaning. …
‘The street finds its own use for things’
- William Gibson
I heard the details today about the planned joint Google + Apple CV tracing app. Nice, isn’t it? How civic minded of those two megalithic corporate beasts, who together own 100% of the smartphone operating software in the USA! They’re going to cook up an app that will be smuggled into your next forced update. As COVID-19 testing becomes more widely available, this app will be the permanent, instantaneous record of your status.
GREEN = Tested Negative on [DATE], good to: leave house, enter stores, get on plane, drive…
COVID Counterpunch: The Second Wave
I’ve seen the error of my ways. I’ve been poking fun at this ridiculous, bogus, bullshit COVID-19 thing with occasional satire, now and then, here and there, but now I want to recant. I love Big Brother. (So um, don’t tase me Bro!) But how can I atone for my past sins? It is written: “What’s done is done”. All we can do is work forward, right?
So in my new tolerant mindframe, I want to extend sympathy to the devil in the form of fraternal advice. I’ve asked myself the following: “If I were…
Question: Shouldn’t we be locked down permanently, even without CerVeza, due to flu? Please respond in the comments.
NOTES: (1) Any response that includes any numerical term whatsoever, either as orthography (‘two’, ‘million’, etc.) or one or more Arabic numerals (0,1,2… 9) or quantitative symbols or operators of any kind (‘%’, ‘+’, etc.) will not be read. Because when confronted with that question, even to introduce such terms means you are quantifying human lives. Which makes you a psychopathic monster — if you’re evaluating human lives along any numerical scale, you’re sick. Get help now. (2) Any response along the…
“I joined a ‘LIBERATE THE LOCKDOWN!’ rally with my AR-15, and ended up in the ICU with CV-19”
Yes, that above is the kind of headline you’re eventually going to see, right here on this site, Medium.com. It’s a needless tragedy that we are all called upon to exert ourselves to the utmost to prevent. Any unauthorized gathering of more than 2 people is already, or soon will be, and certainly should be, a felony in all 50 states. That’s the only way to save lives.
Recently there have been several articles here about people spotted e.g. eating on the…
‘Common Sense for the 21st Century’ by Roger Hallam (co-founder of Extinction Rebellion) is well written and well motivated. Well-motivated in that Hallam is evidently sincere in his conviction, and very high-minded in calling for non-violence, inclusivity across the political and cultural spectrum, and respectful toward the immediate contact points of the (presumed) opposition, i.e. the police.
He’s not a true wordsmith, but that only makes the presentation feel more immediate and authentic. He does not go into any scientific depth. He assumes, with referrals to presumably unimpeachable authoritative sources, that, as usual, ‘the science is settled’. The book is…
