Sunday Morning Bobblehead Thread
By Nicole Belle Sunday Jul 19, 2009 4:00amWalter Cronkite covering the Apollo 11 landing, July 1969. Part 1--watch Part 2 and 3 here.
Walter Cronkite's death this week really brought into sharp focus for me just how much we've suffered journalistically since Cronkite retired in 1981. Gone are the days where we can view our news media as fulfilling their obligations as the Fourth Estate and using the freedom of the press to hold DC accountable for their actions, as originally envisioned by Jefferson:
"No government ought to be without censors, and where the press is free, no one ever will. If virtuous, it need not fear the fair operation of attack and defence. Nature has given to man no other means of sifting out the truth whether in religion, law or politics. I think it as honorable to the government neither to know nor notice its sycophants or censors, as it would be undignified and criminal to pamper the former and persecute the latter."
Sadly, it appears that all we have in the media now is sycophants and censors and very little--if any--free press. And our democracy is mortally crippled by it.
As for this Sunday's offerings, if you are sick as I am of the poor downtrodden privileged white men threatened by Sonia Sotomayor, I don't recommend watching Sen. Jeff Sessions on State of the Union. WH Budget Director Peter Orszag will be making two appearances to reassure us that all is going along with the stimulus plan and the Goldman Sachs bonus bonanza is proof that it's working. And we're still talking health care on The Chris Matthews Show and with HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius on Meet the Press. But what I'm looking forward to--space geek that I am--is Buzz Aldrin and Sen. John Glenn reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
ABC's "This Week" - Pre-empted by British Open golf tournament.
CBS' "Face the Nation" - Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.; former astronaut and Sen. John Glenn.
NBC's "Meet the Press" - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
NBC's "The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Clarence Page, Kathleen Parker, David Brooks and Kelly O'Donnell. Topics: Is the cost of health care reform President Obama's greatest vulnerability? Who got the better deal out of the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton coalition? Meter Questions: Will Obama sign a health care reform law this year? YES: 12
NO: 0; Will the Republicans support a health care bill with new taxes?
YES: 7 NO: 5.CNN's "State of the Union" - White House Budget Director Peter Orszag; Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.; Rev. Jesse Jackson.
CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - Rwandan President Paul Kagame sits down with Fareed to discuss his nation's 15 year journey from genocide to economic growth and autocratic, but stable governance.
"Fox News Sunday" - Orszag; Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H.; astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.
So what's catching your eye this morning?
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I remember when Cronkite retired in 1980. It was as big a news story as any he himself had covered.
It was around that time the news stopped being "the news" and became part of "the entertainment division".
I really wished Walter Cronkite would run for president back in the day. I thought he'd be elected in a true landslide.
I remember watching this as a kid. Very exciting stuff.
This is the first time seeing it again, so here's the thing:
at 6:06 who the heck is already on the Moon with a camera watching the lander descend?
Just askin....
(chuckle) Retractable camera on the side of the lander.
They also left a camera behind to broadcast their departure (in case you were wondering who they left behind to film them blasting off.) lol
a Democrat on the moon to film them leaving
The lander had a retractable camera, that survived liftoff, and landing, but they can't keep foam on a fuel tank for the shuttle?
THAT is conspiracy! See, they previously landed a camera crew, then filmed the other crew landing! Often I've wondered the same thing. Just who really was doing the filming?
At 6:06, the decent is being filmed from the Command Module in orbit around the moon.
say that the moon mission was a hoax. Considering what NASA has done since, who knows, maybe those conspiracy nuts are right. 40 years and what has been achieved? Oh ya, collecting the insurance money on space shuttles and dead astronauts.
As Buzz pointed out, the "Space Station" was a parallel program every bit as important as the moon landing, but it is time to start puting it to its planned purpose: as a platform to the moon.
when finished, will already be outdated. That's what I don't understand. Supposedly, the intelligence was there to put men on the moon in the '60s. Yet scientists today admit, the most advanced NASA machines (space shuttle) have computers on them equivalent to a computer from the early to mid 70's. How pray tell, could the equipment be that advanced in the 60's and not today? It isn't lack of funding. NASA gets tons of cash. And if the space shuttles are that outdated, then what kind of junk were the Apollo spacecrafts, and was their success just sheer luck? And these are the same people that want to build a moonbase, and take a trip to Mars? Who has the death wish to trust them for that one?
But would you trust something straight out of some lab/shop that is new and untested, testing and debugging takes months/years for mission critical equipment and applications.
Go google US car cruise control problems for an example of what happens when things are not tested/debugged properly and fitted to production cars too soon.
U.S. President John F. Kennedy proposed the national goal of landing a man on the Moon. Speaking to a Joint Session of Congress on May 25, 1961....manned moon landing? July 20, 1969.........8 years? But it's taken more than 40 years to? Build an outdated space station with toilet problems, and blow up 2 space shuttles?
was to study aeronautical/aerospace engineering. That changed when Nixon slashed NASA's budget considerably and Congress cut it even further even before the Apollo 11 launch. Many PhDs were put on the street selling ice cream or pumping gas.¹ Since then NASA has been riddled with inept management and more budget cuts.
¹Eugene Cernan, Donald A. Davis, The Last Man on the Moon , pp235-236
Its the same crew of UFO book/TV writers/publishers that are touting the 'Moon Hoax' hypnosis. They know that theres a hard core of people who will pay money for read/watch intrigue and controversy.
And it distracts potential activists from real life problems and issues down on Earth, things like human/civil rights and health care and poverty.
you have to give these conspiracy theorists one good point. If scientific knowledge was that advanced in the 60's, why has absolutely nothing been done since? I mean if you honestly think about it, we went to the moon, and 40 years later the best that can be done is to send people to orbit the planet, while keeping fingers crossed they won't fry on re-entry. It's kinda sad.
NASA also were ordered to destroy all the production jigs and blueprints for the Apollo mission equipment in the 70s, NASA and its advocates in gov wanted no alternative to the new Shuttle. Part of the eternal battle between 'big rockets vs other' people that went on in NASA since the 50s.
And later the battle between manned vs probes.
There most likely is a replacement for the Shuttle in hangers now, the hypersonic Aurora most likely.
you mean mentally ill conspiracy nuts the word "many" would apply. In case you've out of touch for a couple of decades you might want to check out the incredible list of successful missions that NASA has undertaken. Try the "google".
I know that listing "this sundays offerings" is a pretty regular sunday morning function (for you) at C&L, but it strikes me as ironic to see you say,
"Sadly, it appears that all we have in the media now is sycophants and censors and very little--if any--free press. And our democracy is mortally crippled by it."
and then give us a list of (those very same sycophants) ABC's "This Week" CBS' "Face the Nation" and CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS"
Ironic thats all, (and I hope) you don't start watching too much of that shit yourself thats all!
The whole raison d'etre of C&L is to show these Crooks and Liars for who they are--show how they frame the debate, not to inform the public, but to persuade them.
I do believe that at least 50% of the reason our country is as screwed up as it is because our press has failed us.
Just as titled it was an animation. Actually done by a guy named Jamie Short.
7 out of 12 think the GOP would support a health care bill with new taxes? What....the....f***? Give me whatever they're having. I think I'll see a fifth limb growing out of my chest before they support a health care bill with a democrat in the oval office. I think I'll have a spontaneous natural sex change before they vote for new taxes (excepting payroll taxes that affect the less wealthy more, of course). But both? HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA better odds at winning the powerball ten times in a row.
On FnS, they ask about Obama "raising taxes to pay for healthcare" (on the top 2%).
They include State & Local taxes to show the top rate in NY would be "almost 60%".
I hear this all the time and I'm certain most people don't realize that tax rates of "60%, 70%, etc" are NOT on 100% of a persons' income. Because we have a "progressive" tax system, "60%" is only paid on profits ABOVE the next highest tax bracket. For example, if we put a 70% tax on income "over $1million, if they make $1million and 1 dollars, they only pay 70% tax on that ONE DOLLAR.
Later, the subject of "Tax dollars spent on abortions" is brought up. Guest Orszag (sp?) from the WH answered "he didn't know" (bad answer). The correct answer should be "if you don't want your money going there, DON'T SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC INSURANCE.
Judd Gregg comes on the give the Republican side. How this guy could ever of been considered by Obama for any cabinet position is mind-boggling. He complains healthcare would be "a massive expansion of government". (he does show some deference to Obama and claims to agree with all his goals, but his "plan" is for a "private only" solution.)
As a radio broadcaster at the time of Cronkite's retirement, I was disappointed over his leaving because he was my icon of responsible news reporting you could trust, not like this sensationalistic AM hate radio bunch of weasles or FOX morons who are only in it for the money and 'fame' and passing the buck for the GOP.
We took pride in our work, worked for peanuts, honed our skills, developed a style, a voice and delivery and looked forward to going to "work" communicating with our Bay Area listeners.
Look out for the new generastion of Limbaughs, Coulters and Hannitys coming up. They are going to be meaner, hypocritical, greedier and angrier as they attempt to not work inside radio, tv and the media but to control, program the very thoughts of the recipient of their garbage.
"And there ya go", Wally Crankcase - 1916 - 2009. Love ya, man.
to bring down the talking heads, to be so over the top that the public reviles the pundits, and demands change...
He was on a early morning (sunday 3am) CNN slot last year talking to some economist, and he sounded quite sane and possibly had gone through some epiphany over Republicanism and the system, the latest 'new improved' Beck seems to be a stage show with a purpose.
US Fourth Estate = Fifth Columnists
Live simulation of the Apollo 11 mission from the JFK Presidential Library, well worth a look and listen. Its a full screen flash 3D animation of the vehicles and Earth/Moon with real time radio transmissions.
We Choose the Moon
Stage 7 which is the rotation, reverse thrust and entry approach to the Moon starts in 3:34 hours. landing in 30 hours.
Somehow I doubt that the GWB PL will have anything as remotely interesting and a milestone in humanities history contained in it.
Maybe the GWB PL will have a simulation of the economic bubble and subsequent collapse of the US economy. and a seven minute video of somebody sat paralyzed reading a book while America burns.
Listening to Buzz Aldrin explain why we should be reaching for Mars ten years from now with a goal of landing there ten years later, was inspirational.
When asked "why", his response was surprising: Because Mars is "more habitable" than the Moon (colonization?) and a response that must have made many Republican heads explode, he suggested the possibility "life on Earth may have evolved (from) there." :)
Many years ago, shielding from radiation will be a big concern for the Mars mission, the time in flight is a major problem.
It probably will be necessary to build the Mars craft in Earth orbit from many payloads, to build a heavy enough craft with good shielding for a safe trip for humans.
Bill Kristol points out that when Obama says, healthcare "must be passed THIS YEAR", it "doesn't go into effect until 2013. "So why must it be passed THIS YEAR?"
Kristol is correct that 2013 is too late. Of course, he'd prefer "never".
Krauthammer called the Sotomayor hearing "Kabuki" (theater) and that she was "not believable", but "will be confirmed".
The fact FnS waited until the last 8 minutes of the program to cover this big issue (for three minutes), speaks volumes.
Okay, I'm not sure what to make of the FnS "Power Panel" (Kristol particularly) lamenting the death of "real news" following Cronkite's retirement in 1980.
The real rot and decline set in with Reagan and his cronies/heirs.
1989 and the collapse of the Iron Curtain, and start of the NWO, it could have been a chance for global peace and a new beginning for mankind, but business as usual and (eternal) war profits won out.
Good to see Tweety's obsession with all things Clinton hasn't abated.
Saturn V Launch Set to Live Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd-Astronomy Domine
Echoes of Apollo 11
Quite fitting considering PF was out of this world.
A team of genius (and some madness, which helps and is indistinguishable in some cases)
Philosophy set to music.
McConnell cites M.D.Anderson (the "Cancer Center" hospital in Houston) as why our healthcare system is so good, because he met "patients from 90 countries" there.
HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE IF THE GOVERNMENT OFFERED INSURANCE???
Desperate people willing to PAY very well to travel to save their lives, thats the real attraction (to monopoly providers) of private/rationed health care. Always follow the money.
It is a branch of the University of Texas, which at last glance was a state agency.
I'll bet he didn't address the 100,000,000 people who live in the U.S. of A. who are not able to use that facility because their insurance will not cover it. What did he do next, give us some example of how a Canadian was not able to be cured from lung cancer?
Gregory fails to challenge of even follow up on a single (false) assertion made by McConnell on healthcare... most notably, McConnell citing "use of the emergency room" guarantees that EVERY American has "access to healthcare, though we all agree it's not the cheapest or most efficient."
You're right about Gregory, but every one of his kind is the same. There is rarely a thoughtful follow-up, and almost never a challenge to a wild ass assertion by the guest.
We've all figured it out a long time ago. The hosts have a script to follow...do not deviate...do not think.
That's why these shows are a waste of our time.
It was a glorious moment when a disabled person in a wheel chair (selected beforehand from the audience) asked the 'wrong' question to a politico, and Sir Robin Day exploded and got all vicious, no coincidence that RD was retired from QT shortly afterwards.
Gregory is a 100% failure in that spot. I wonder what Gwen Ifle would have done/said in the position. Also I'll bet she would have a guest list that was not always 3/4 neodopes. Gregory is sickening to watch.
McConnell cites "a friend in Florida that told him about a friend in Canada that died because the Canadian healthcare system refused treatment because he was too old".
We have WORSE THAN THAT HERE NOW.
Naturally Gregory doesn't challenge him on this.
full of shit. The Canadian healthcare system spends more money and time on older people, than younger people, often neglecting the young for the old in the cash department. I don't know why, but for some reason, doctors feel it is more important to spend $100,000 health dollars on someone who will die within the next year to three, than on someone that still has a chance at another 40.
Younger people heal a lot quicker and better than older people, you can patch a young person up and they walk out of hospital, minor problems can be fixed later.
Theres no question health care is rationed under ALL systems, if you take the hypothetical scenario of a 70 year old, one bottle of whiskey, four packs of cigs a day, patient going into hospital with a stroke or heart problems.
Under the private system they will provide everything and drain his insurance until empty and then kick them out to some homeless shelter to die.
Under an NHS system they will provide the minimum/medium necessary to sustain and recover that person and get them back on their feet, or live out their remaining weeks/months in a ward, all to do with the survivability longevity statistics. A NHS system will not spend a million dollars on somebody who is killing themselves quickly and willfully wont change their behaviour.
Our healthcare system, though far superior to the US insurance scam, does nothing but cater to the retired and nursing home living elderly. Daily, sirens go off and you can watch ambulances, earning their livings by transporting the old from the nursing home in my town, to the hospital, and back again. It's a market more than anything. The longer they keep these barely alive elderly, alive, the more money the nursing home industry bleeds from their life savings. It's a sad reality here.
Trust me, this has nothing to do with giving them healthcare, and everything to do with trying to keep them alive to get a few more months of their savings out of them.
experience with our health care system I'd have to say that this is pretty much bullshit. It is true that the older you get the more health care resources you are likely to need but to suggest that this is done at the expense of the young is ridiculous. The triage system does not work that way.
and just because you claim otherwise means nothing. And now back to our regularly scheduled Dem-a-thon.
Go move to a more rural community and watch Canada's "universal" healthcare in action and get back to us when you learn something Peter.
against NHS, That is scraping the barrel and not scientific or rational.
McConnell prob got it as a viral email too. Prob originated from some HI company lobbyist.
That had to be the Quote of the day... McConnell citing "a friend in Florida with a friend in Canada" with one obscure story to argue what's wrong with the Canadian healthcare system.
On FtN, Hatch argued that the reason Obama is pushing for a healthcare reform bill before the August recess is because "if they wait until after they go home", members of Congress "will get an earful" of people angry about the program.
Trillions to the Banksters, yet the people/voters die due to lack of a modern NHS health system, there are a lot of angry people waiting to talk to the Congresscritters.
If only the American people got the Congressional 'support' that the MIC/RIAA/MPAA gets from the lawmakers.
I have the luxury of being able to speak truth and not lose advertisers so there.
Skippy Peanut Butter will not slow it's advertising on your network! LOL.
A one billion fine would be petty cash for ExxonMobil, which has income of $400B per annum. And they got their $5B Exxon Valdez fine reduced in June 2008 to a paltry $500M.
If corporations have human rights, can we execute/breakup EM for treason !
With 'friends' like this, who needs overseas enemies...
There once was a time where the advance of science and the application of engineering was important. There once was a time where the press was independent of the corporations and government it was built to watch. There once was a time when people were educated in civics and our government. There once was a time when copy rights and patents expired in a reasonable time so that innovation was necessary for companies to grow. There once was a time when if you cheated on your wife, your taxes or your oath of office you were done. There once was a time when government was able to regulate capitalism and force competition for the sake of the future. There once was a time when building jobs and products in the United States as as important and provided as much pride as the profit obtained. There once was a time when people may have objected, but they would provide alternatives and wouldn't sabotage the will of the people. AND FINALLY there once was a time Corporations were not considered "individuals" and "citizens" under the law.
in order to cover something old white guys are still pretty good at.
Israel.
Mexico
Iran
Iran.
North Korea
US.
M O weighs in on healthcare.
Chechnya
Somalia.
adios
Here's the video of Leahy vs. Sessions:
http://www.gotchamediablog.com/2009/07/senators-leahy-and-sessions-debate.html
That fuck head John King (Mr. Dana Bash) said that the "...White House asked the senators please don't ask her about Roe v. Wade, please don't press on abortion or any specific cases because if the Democrats start pressing it opens the door for Republicans to press..."
Where the hell did he get this? He pulled it right out of his ass. As if the Republicans would not bring up abortion because the Democrats didn't bring it up first. He is a god damn liar. He should be fired RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!! He should not have made it to the next commercial. This guy is as bad as Glenn Beck. At least Leahy sets the record straight but King already got it out and the dumbass right wing will think The White House told them not to bring it up now matter what Leahy thinks.
I think he said that 20% of the uninsured are young people that make over $75,000 a year and are spending their money on things other than health insurance. Those numbers can't have any basis in reality.
Since Cronkite Left... The Left became the Right and the Right just left.
We have seen nothing but Corporate whoring since and it's destroying everything we are.
Imagine telling the people of 1800AD that the US has to protect the Corporations (but since we didn't have Corporations, we called them Nobles and Barons etc...) that own or rule it.
They would start chopping off heads. It's crazy to allow such heartless legislated psychopathic groups rationalize murder and death on a global scale.
It's simple against humanity.
I watched a program on TruTV on the anniversary of Apollo 11's landing that examined the whole "never went to the moon" controversy. I have to say, the scientists and engineers on that program really made a compelling case that this never happened and couldn't have, due to the level of our technology in 1969, the Van Allen radiation belt, the lack of radiation protection, the largest solar flare of the century happening while they traveled to the moon not cooking them, no blast craters when the LEMs landed... They went on and on with a hundred points. Amazing stuff, some I'd seen before that people consider debunked, much more new stuff that hasn't been addressed or answered.
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