Subservient Donald

MIT Brand Culture Convergence: Blog: "Writers Guild of America that pushes for limits on product placement has launched a Subservient Donald website as part of a larger campaign. The Donald dances, shows off pantyhose he's wearing, and sells paper towels."

(Via .)

Think Tanks Compassionate Conservativism

Think Tanks Compassionate Conservativism: "

As the toll mounts from U.S. political scandals, think tanks have provided new homes to some of the fallen. The Hudson Institute has appointed
I. Lewis Scooter Libby as 'a senior adviser'. In October 2005 Libby resigned from his position as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney after being indicted on five counts including obstruction of justice. 'Libby will focus on issues relating to the War on Terror and the future of Asia. He also will offer research guidance and will advise the institute in strategic planning,' the think tank stated. In mid-December Doug Bandow resigned from both his role at the Cato Institute and as syndicated columnist with Copley News Service after revelations that he had accepted payments from lobbyist Jack Abramoff. On January 1 Bandow started as vice president of policy at Citizen Outreach, a group that favours 'limited-government public policies'.

Website: Hudson Institute Media Release, January 6, 2006.

URL: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=58926

"

(Via PR Watch's Spin of the Day.)

Pentagon OK's Online Propaganda - Center for Media...

Pentagon OK's Online Propaganda - Center for Media and Democracy: "'U.S. military websites that pay journalists to write articles and commentary supporting military activities in Europe and Africa do not violate U.S. law or Pentagon policies,' concluded the Pentagon's inspector general. The websites, the Southeast European Times (launched in 1999 by President Clinton) and Magharebia (launched in 2004 by President Bush), often use 'freelance reporters hired by Anteon Corp.' The U.S. military's Pacific Command in Asia and Central Command in the Middle East are also developing 'regional information websites.' The Pentagon inspector general's report did not address the fact that U.S. audiences, which the government is forbidden from propagandizing, can access the websites. A related investigation into Pentagon-planted stories in Iraqi newspapers, headed by Navy Rear Adm. Scott R. Van Buskirk, is expected to be completed soon."

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Influence Peddlers Pass Out Billions in Washington...

Influence Peddlers Pass Out Billions in Washington: "Special interests and the lobbyists they employ have reported spending, since 1998, a total of almost $13 billion to influence Congress, the White House and more than 200 federal agencies."

Dvorak Uncensored

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The 2005 Falsies Awards

It Was a Very False Year: The 2005 Falsies Awards - Center for Media and Democracy: "Over the past twelve months, the ideal of accurate, accountable, civic-minded news media faced nearly constant attack. Fake news abounded, from Pentagon-planted stories in Iraqi newspapers to corporate- and government-funded video news releases aired by U.S. newsrooms. Enough payola pundits surfaced to constitute their own basketball team -- Doug Bandow, Peter Ferrara, Maggie Gallagher, Michael McManus and Armstrong Williams. (They could call themselves the 'Syndicated Shills.')"

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