This and That...

[Warph]

Has MSNBC leaned too hard on "Lean Forward"?

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/does-msnbc-lean-too-far-forward-1200570561/

The NBCUniversal outlet has used that slogan since 2010 to portray itself not as the buttoned-down news source it was when it was a joint venture of NBCU and Microsoft, but as a community for progressive discussion that trumps humdrum reportage with advocacy.

Say what you will about the ongoing collapse of the Fourth Estate, but the partisan approach, in which [Idiot] Al Sharpton and others actively push for change, has worked, bringing ratings increases and celebrity status for primetime personalities like Rachel Maddow.

In recent weeks, [that's months, not weeks] however, MSNBC ratings have slipped, and leaning forward may be a cause. MSNBC markets itself as a place for discussion and community. Yet when bombs explode at the Boston Marathon or unrest shatters Egypt, viewers want information first, and analysis — even solutions — later, if at all.

For the week ended July 7, MSNBC's primetime programming captured 14% to 15% fewer viewers between the ages of 25 and 54 — the demographic coveted by sponsors of news programming — than a year earlier, according to Nielsen. In May, MSNBC , which usually plays second only to Fox News, saw its ratings fall behind those of CNN and HLN, too.
MSNBC's top executive, Phil Griffin, thinks the shift is short-lived. "There has been an inordinate amount of big, breaking news, and that is, honestly, when CNN does well. It's pure muscle memory," he said. MSNBC's performance is bound to suffer in comparison with that of 2012, he added, when a presidential election drew political junkies and casual viewers alike.

Sounds plausible, but could MSNBC's recent ebb suggest something more seriously amiss? Jerey McCall, author of "Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Infl uence," believes so, saying that the newsie generated its initial momentum by riding the optimism of President Obama's rise to prominence.

"MSNBC's problems might be more than just a hiccup," McCall maintained. "Now that the Obama administration's fortunes have apparently declined with various challenges like NSA, IRS and Benghazi, previously (enthusiastic) news consumers on the left might find it hard to keep tuned in."

To be sure, there's nothing wrong with opinion-making. But MSNBC offers an awful lot of it. An analysis by Pew Research of 108 hours of cable-news programming during three days in November and December found opinion and commentary overwhelmed straight news on MSNBC by 85% to 15%. Fox News content included 55% opinion and commentary and 45% factual reporting, Pew said, while CNN content consisted of 46% opinion and commentary and 54% factual reporting.

No matter what their mix, both Fox News and CNN have for years pitched themselves as places to go when viewers need details, not discussion, an angle MSNBC does not take.
MSNBC made a strategic decision to essentially rebrand itself as the policy yin to Fox News' yang, explained Mark Jurkowitz, associate director at the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. "So far this year, (it has) probably seen some of the pitfalls of that rebranding."

Griffin remains steadfast in the transparency of MSNBC's mission, and believes there's little reason to change. The cabler will focus on getting past political malaise, he said. "There is a sense that America doesn't do big things. We do, in some ways as much as ever. We have to find it." Look for the network to dabble in digital community-building with a new website in the fall.

Dispensing "just the facts" is no longer enough for most people. Just ask your local newspaper publisher. Still, when big stories do arise, you need newsgathering muscle, not gum flapping. Activist Sharpton can't do what Brian Williams does, and the more Maddow and Chris Matthews pontificate, the farther they get from being able to present news events in an objective fashion. Who is the face of MSNBC should terrorism cripple a major American city?

MSNBC has woven a grand tapestry. But it should never forget that there are times when a news network simply has to stick to its knitting.

[Warph]

***(Obuma supporters, no doubt)***

**PURE EVIL**

Teamster Protesters Taunt Mourners at Funeral Home – Unleash German Shepard on Grieving Family

The Washington Free Beacon reported:
http://freebeacon.com/teamsters-ordered-to-stop-picketing-funeral-homes/

A judge ordered one of Chicago's most politically powerful labor unions to suspend picketing against 16 funeral homes last week after receiving reports that striking Teamsters had, among other things, disturbed a child's funeral.

SCI Illinois Services, Inc., one of the nation's largest funeral home chains, asked a district court to intervene after striking funeral directors and drivers with Teamsters Local 727 allegedly harassed grieving families.

"We are grateful that the court agreed to issue this temporary restraining order, and we are hopeful that it will help protect grieving families who are experiencing the most difficult times of their lives," Larry Michael, managing director for SCI Illinois Services, Inc., said in a release. "While we recognize and respect the Teamsters' right to lawfully picket, we have been shocked and saddened by their attempts to make grieving families the target of the cruel and outrageous attacks."

The company testified in its filing that union members blocked grieving family members from leaving its parking lot, used bullhorns to shout obscenities at workers and mourners, and unleashed a German Shepard on a dead woman's daughter and husband.

***(Obuma supporters, no doubt)***

Some incidents cited in the complaint include:
** During the service of a young child who had passed away from cancer, picketers laughed, smiled and joked as they created a disturbance within the immediate vicinity of the only public entrance to the funeral home. They were asked to move by a police officer who had been called – then moved back immediately in front of the building and its entrance after the officer left.

** While escorting a woman and her father who were attempting to plan her recently deceased mother's funeral, an employee escorting them was taunted and called names, the three of them were taunted with a bullhorn and siren sound, and intimidated by an unleashed German Shepherd.

** Picketers used a bullhorn to shout profane and sexually explicit taunts while a woman and her four- and five-year-old sons attempted to make arrangements for her grandmother's funeral causing the family to become visibly upset.

** A group of picketers temporarily blocked a grieving widow's vehicle as she tried to exit the parking lot.

** Picketers repeatedly used the siren function on a bull horn, compressed air horns, car horns and car alarms to create loud disturbances during arrangements and services.

** Picketers threatened to blow up the house of a retired sheriff's officer hired to work private security at the funeral home.

Teamsters Local 727
The Teamsters turned down a 9% wage increase offer by SCI and went on strike.

UPDATE: The union protester with the German Shepard has been identified.
His name is – John Belovich – and he's a funeral director.

Here is a description of the dog assault on a grieving family from the court documents:

[Warph]

Initial Jobless Claims Fall To Reagan Recovery Years (1984)...
While Real GDP Is 20% Of Reagan Recovery

(He's just like Reagan... Except when he isn't)

Real GDP under Barack Hussein Obuma is 20% of the Reagan recovery.

Confounded Interest reported:

http://confoundedinterest.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/initial-jobless-claims-fall-to-reagan-recovery-years-1984-while-homeownership-rates-continue-to-fall/

While initial jobless claims are as low as March 1984, real GDP growth is now 1.7%, while it was 8.20% in March 1984. The Obama "Recovery" is only 20% of the Reagan Recovery.

And both labor force participation and the employment-to-population ratio are back to Regan Recovery numbers. But going the wrong way!

(Guess Obuma's "spend your way to hell" plan doesn't work so well, huh?)

[Ross]

CNN Bombshell: CIA Personnel in Benghazi Silenced with Threats to Their Families by Obama Regime

Kyle Becker
On August 1, 2013
https://twitter.com/kylenbecker

CNN has released yet another bombshell in the ongoing Benghazi scandal, and it is sure to shock those who haven't been paying attention. Prepare for a window into the "transparent" Obama administration.

According to CNN's Jake Tapper, the Obama administration is threatening CIA operatives who were on the ground during the deadly terrorist attack in Benghazi to keep them silent:


CNN has learned the CIA is involved in what one source calls an unprecedented attempt to keep the spy agency's Benghazi secrets from ever leaking out.

Since January, some CIA operatives involved in the agency's missions in Libya, have been subjected to frequent, even monthly polygraph examinations, according to a source with deep inside knowledge of the agency's workings.

The goal of the questioning, according to sources, is to find out if anyone is talking to the media or Congress.

It is being described as pure intimidation, with the threat that any unauthorized CIA employee who leaks information could face the end of his or her career.

In exclusive communications obtained by CNN, one insider writes, "You don't jeopardize yourself, you jeopardize your family as well."

This should quell all naysaying that Benghazi is a "phony scandal" and "there is no cover-up." Possible links to the Benghazi story that the Obama administration might want to cover-up are the arms shipments to al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in the February 17th Martyr's Brigade and potential weapons smuggling to al Qaeda-connected rebels in Syria through the Turkish consul.

The CIA operatives' story is similar to that given by the number two diplomat in Benghazi, Libya — Gregory Hicks. Under oath, Hicks testified that he was told by the State Department not to discuss Benghazi with House Republicans and then was demoted when he did.

http://www.ijreview.com/2013/08/70066-cnn-bombshell-cia-personnel-in-benghazi-silenced-with-threats-to-their-families-by-obama-regime/

Surprise, surprise ----- NOT

[Ross]

 Would you like some excitement around your place?
Google Pressure Cooker and BackPack and get a visit from the FEDS.

http://news.yahoo.com/google-pressure-cookers-backpacks-visit-feds-140900667.html

[Warph]

Report: Record Number of Young Adults
Still Living With Their Parents

A Record 21.6 Million In 2012

Via PEW Reserch:
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/08/01/a-rising-share-of-young-adults-live-in-their-parents-home/

In 2012, 36% of the nation's young adults ages 18 to 31—the so-called Millennial generation—were living in their parents' home, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. This is the highest share in at least four decades and represents a slow but steady increase over the 32% of their same-aged counterparts who were living at home prior to the Great Recession in 2007 and the 34% doing so when it officially ended in 2009.

A record total of 21.6 million Millennials lived in their parents' home in 2012, up from 18.5 million of their same aged counterparts in 2007. Of these, at least a third and perhaps as many as half are college students. (In the census data used for this analysis, college students who live in dormitories during the academic year are counted as living with their parents).

Younger Millennials (ages 18 to 24) are much more likely than older ones (ages 25 to 31) to be living with their parents—56% versus 16%. Since the onset of the 2007-2009 recession, both age groups have experienced a rise in this living arrangement.

The men of the Millennial generation are more likely than the women to be living with their parents—40% versus 32%—continuing a long-term gender gap in the share of young adults who do so.1

The steady rise in the share of young adults who live in their parents' home appears to be driven by a combination of economic, educational and cultural factors. Among them:

Declining employment. In 2012, 63% of 18- to 31-year-olds had jobs, down from the 70% of their same-aged counterparts who had jobs in 2007. In 2012, unemployed Millennials were much more likely than employed Millennials to be living with their parents (45% versus 29%).

Rising college enrollment. In March 2012, 39% of 18- to 24-year-olds were enrolled in college, up from 35% in March 2007. Among 18 to 24 year olds, those enrolled in college were much more likely than those not in college to be living at home – 66% versus 50%.

Declining marriage. In 2012 just 25% of Millennials were married, down from the 30% of 18- to 31-year-olds who were married in 2007. Today's unmarried Millennials are much more likely than married Millennials to be living with their parents (47% versus 3%).

(And these same young people overwhelmingly supported the man whose policies has them languishing in mom's basement)

[Warph]

CNN Bombshell: CIA Personnel in Benghazi Silenced with Threats to Their Families by Obama Regime

Kyle Becker
On August 1, 2013
https://twitter.com/kylenbecker

CNN has released yet another bombshell in the ongoing Benghazi scandal, and it is sure to shock those who haven't been paying attention. Prepare for a window into the "transparent" Obama administration.

http://www.ijreview.com/2013/08/70066-cnn-bombshell-cia-personnel-in-benghazi-silenced-with-threats-to-their-families-by-obama-regime/

Surprise, surprise ----- NOT

Bombshell: CIA Had "Dozens" of People On Ground During Benghazi Attack, Agency Making "Unprecedented Attempt" To Keep Details From Leaking Out

(Hmmm... more to come on this, I'm sure)

Via CNN:

CNN has uncovered exclusive new information about what is allegedly happening at the CIA, in the wake of the deadly Benghazi terror attack.

Four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed in the assault by armed militants last September 11 in eastern Libya.

Sources now tell CNN dozens of people working for the CIA were on the ground that night, and that the agency is going to great lengths to make sure whatever it was doing, remains a secret.

CNN has learned the CIA is involved in what one source calls an unprecedented attempt to keep the spy agency's Benghazi secrets from ever leaking out.

Since January, some CIA operatives involved in the agency's missions in Libya, have been subjected to frequent, even monthly polygraph examinations, according to a source with deep inside knowledge of the agency's workings.

The goal of the questioning, according to sources, is to find out if anyone is talking to the media or Congress.

It is being described as pure intimidation, with the threat that any unauthorized CIA employee who leaks information could face the end of his or her career.

In exclusive communications obtained by CNN, one insider writes, "You don't jeopardize yourself, you jeopardize your family as well."

Another says, "You have no idea the amount of pressure being brought to bear on anyone with knowledge of this operation."

"Agency employees typically are polygraphed every three to four years. Never more than that," said former CIA operative and CNN analyst Robert Baer.

In other words, the rate of the kind of polygraphs alleged by sources is rare.

[Warph]

Would you like some excitement around your place?
Google Pressure Cooker and BackPack and get a visit from the FEDS.

http://news.yahoo.com/google-pressure-cookers-backpacks-visit-feds-140900667.html

(And the beat goes on...)

[Warph]

Religion of (((Peace))) Threats Force Closure of All U.S. Embassies In Muslim World

(When was the last time a religion other than the
crappy Islam caused something like this?)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is shuttering its embassies and consulates throughout the Muslim world on Sunday after receiving an unspecified threat, officials said.

State Department officials said Thursday that they were taking action out of an "abundance of caution."

Spokeswoman Marie Harf cited information indicating a threat to U.S. facilities overseas and said some diplomatic offices may stay closed for more than a day.

Other U.S. officials said the threat was in the Muslim world, where Sunday is a workday. American diplomatic missions in Europe, Latin America and many other places are closed on Sunday.

Those officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The State Department issued a major warning last year informing American diplomatic facilities across the Muslim world about potential violence connected to the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

[...]

UPDATE:
List of embassies closed over security concerns
Published August 02, 2013

FoxNews.com
The State Department has announced that the following embassies and consulates will be closed this Sunday over security concerns:

U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

U.S. Embassy Algiers, Algeria

U.S. Embassy Amman, Jordan

U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq

U.S. Embassy Cairo, Egypt

U.S. Consulate Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

U.S. Embassy Djibouti, Djibouti

U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh

U.S. Embassy Doha, Qatar

U.S. Consulate Dubai, United Arab Emirates

U.S. Consulate Erbil, Iraq

U.S. Consulate Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

U.S. Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan

U.S. Embassy Khartoum, Sudan

U.S. Embassy Kuwait City, Kuwait

U.S. Embassy Manama, Bahrain

U.S. Embassy Muscat, Oman

U.S. Embassy Nouakchott, Mauritania

U.S. Embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

U.S. Embassy Sana'a, Yemen

U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Libya

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/02/list-embassies-closed-over-security-concerns/#ixzz2aqP902AD

[Warph]

(Obuma Nominates Three More Major Fundraisers To Top Diplomatic Posts...
Brings the number of top campaign bundlers rewarded with ambassadorships to at least 20)

Via The Hill:

President Obama on Thursday nominated three more major fundraisers to top diplomatic posts.

The president nominated Dwight Bush to be the U.S. ambassador to Morocco. Bush and his wife donated more than $70,000 to Obama's reelection campaign in 2012, hosted a $17,9000-a-plate fundraiser at their D.C. home, and in total pulled in more than $500,000 for the president's reelection efforts.

Obama also nominated Pamela Hamamoto as the representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Hamamoto raised more than $500,000 for Obama's 2012 campaign and was a classmate of the president's when he went to school in Hawaii.

Earlier in the day, the president nominated Noah Mamet as the next ambassador to Argentina. Mamet has bundled nearly $1.75 million for the president since 2007, with the majority of that sum coming in support of Obama's reelection bid.

The president has rewarded at least 20 of his political allies with ambassador posts.

Presidents from both parties have historically rewarded campaign boosters with positions of diplomatic prestige, but an analysis by The Hill earlier this year showed Obama is outpacing his predecessors.