Politics
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Lazarsfeld surprised many by concluding in The People's Choice, his classic study of the 1940 election, that the media's effects are, in general, much more selective and limited than we assume. Other forms of communication, from those in the education system to religious communication to interpersonal communication, were apparently more powerful. The mass media were but one part of a larger web of influence, and as one factor, their actual influence was mediated by several other variables. Thus, the media's ability to control us was far less pronounced than assumed.
That is the ultimate irony behind "The War of the Worlds." The discovery that the media are not all-powerful, that they cannot dominate our political consciousness or even our consumer behavior as much as we suppose, was an important one. It may seem like a counterintuitive discovery (especially considering its provenance), but ask yourself this: If we really know how to control people through the media, then why isn't every advertising campaign a success? Why do advertisements sometimes backfire? If persuasive technique can be scientifically devised, then why do political campaigns pursue different strategies? Why does the candidate with the most media access sometimes lose?
The answer is that humans are not automatons. We might scare easily, we might, at different times and in different places, be susceptible to persuasion, but our behavior remains structured by a complex and dynamic series of interacting factors.
Later media theory, and empirical research, would complicate and refine those earliest findings. But the basic problem of audience reception remains stubbornly resistant, and as long as the mass media exist, we'll have empirical studies with dueling conclusions concerning effects. Many people, including scholars, will continue to believe something they intuitively suspect: that the media manipulate the great mass of the nation, transforming rational individuals into emotional mobs. But notice how those who believe this never include themselves in the mob. We are, as the Columbia University sociologist W. Phillips Davison once pointed out, very susceptible to the notion that others are more persuadable than ourselves.
- http://chronicle.com…********
- I wonder how YouTube fits in the theory where persuasive wedges fill the chinks between broad slabs of mass MSM.********
- http://chronicle.com…
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- all extremism is delusional********
- If Obama wins, I bet you $1,000 bucks he doesn't use: Barack "HUSSEIN" Obama on the inauguration day.********
- I see you've already bought the 2009 Republican Propaganda Kit.TheBlueOne
- Nope. Wrong again. I'm just not voting for someone that has socialistic tendencies.********
- Dude, grow up and stop being a moron.TheBlueOne
- You're just pissed the Dems aren't smashing them even with Bush in office and probably a bit scared.********
- country club first********
- Keep enjoying that Republic dog eat dog style of government as US quality of life drops and drops.ETM
- all extremism is delusional
- tommyo0
"This idea that foreign policy is not connected directly to economic policy is total foolishness. This is what always bankrupts empires. It did it to the Soviets. Osama bin Laden knew it, and he sucked us in."
- Um, I've been saying this since 2003. But of course, somehow I'm an "American hating Liberal marxist"TheBlueOne
- Central Asia is basically the place where Empires go to die. See Alexander the Graet, the Brits, USSR...TheBlueOne
- Stupidity bankrupts empires********
- Generalizations define stupidity.********
- LOL says the master of the self defeating sentence********
- I never called you any of those names TBO!!! Most Republicans would though. :-Ptommyo
- Didn't say you did Tommy, just saying in general...TheBlueOne
- Self-defeating? In what way, again, because I don't believe what you believe? How Liberal of you.********
- I know TBO, I know. I was only foolin with you.tommyo
- “I cannot write a word of English;”
that's a self-defeating sentence. You savvy?********
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In a message broadcast on the password-protected al-Hesbah site, the group said they would also welcome a pre-election terror attack on the US because that would make a McCain win more likely.
In an endorsement that will not be welcomed by Mr McCain's flagging campaign, the group said that if al-Qaeda wants to exhaust the USmilitarily and economically, the "impetuous" Republican presidential candidate is the better choice.
"This requires presence of an impetuous American leader such as McCain, who pledged to continue the war till the last American soldier," the message said.
"Then, al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming elections so that he continues the failing march of his predecessor, Bush."- http://chronicle.com…********
- see below********
- Blah, blah, blah conspiracy theories ying-yang-yack.********
- http://chronicle.com…
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- The message is credited to a frequent and apparently respected contributor named Qaeda plans or knowledge of********
- Muhammad Haafid. However, Haafid is not believed to have a direct affiliation with al-Qaeda plans or knowledge of its operations.********
- of its operations.********
- says who? we don't know shit about Al-Qaeda. It could be CIA disinformation, could be real.********
- far-fetched********
- The message is credited to a frequent and apparently respected contributor named Qaeda plans or knowledge of
- hallelujah0
Obama Resoles His Shoes While Palin Spends $150K
While Politico reports on the RNC spending $150,000 to 'accessorize' Palin and her family, I stumbled upon this picture of Senator Obama (along with a great collection of campaign trail photos from Callie Shell).
He's got holes in the bottom of both his shoes from walking so much on the campaign trail. And as the caption explains, he's already resoled them once.
"Senator Obama was doing press interviews by telephone in a holding room between events. Sometime later as he was getting ready to begin his event, he asked me if I was photographing his shoes. When I said yes, he told me that he had already had them resoled once since he entered the race a year earlier. Providence, R.I., 3/1/2008."
So... who's more in touch with the average American again?
- And I thought he simply floated from place to place like a magical unicorn!! :-P Totally joking.tommyo
- Great, now Palin can pronounce that Obama has a hole in his sole. :)monkeyshine
- that is exactly how leaders should act in a time of recession._salisae_
- TheBlueOne0
"Generalizations define stupidity."
- JazXThe jokes write themselves.
- You mean like: Stupidity bankrupts empires – capsize 3/9********
- I gave specific examples of Empires that got bankrupted in SE Asia - the Brits, USSR...TheBlueOne
- ...how was that a "generalization"? I have books and facts and shit to back me up.TheBlueOne
- But somehow "Obama=Carter" is not a generalization?TheBlueOne
- Which is a supposed generalization because their is no facts to back that up yet. You tool.TheBlueOne
- I was making an analogy to Nixon/Ford predecessors similar to Bush, if case it flew right over your head!?!********
- And I was playing off of capsizes, comment not yours, HYPERSENSITIVE are we?********
- stupidity bankrupts empires maybe be a platitude but it is actually specific rather than a generalization.********
- I would guess that it's a number of different variables, not just stupidity that bankrupts and empire********
- I'll ask Paul Bremer next time I see him at the supermarket********
- So afraid of Democrats. Yet Clinton had you guys economically sound.ETM
- You mean like: Stupidity bankrupts empires – capsize 3/9
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- That's Richard Pryor!********
- Don't you have an Obama campaign sign to steal off someone's lawn?TheBlueOne
- Sure I do. If I put up a McCain sign, they'l label me a racist. How odd!?!?!********
- This is actually kinda funny, just cuz I like Borat. Still racist though, like most of Jaz's posts.joeth
- Um... you are a racist!DCDesigns
- Hilarious, racist since I don't like Obama. Rich.********
- Well he is black ya know!DCDesigns
- That's Richard Pryor!
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GUTTERBALL!
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This coffee is for TheBlueOne, so he stops being so bitter in the morning. Someone pisses in your coffee each day brother.- Take your ritalin.DrBombay
- Don't you have another username to loose and a welfare check to collect?********
- Ha! The little heart is a nice touch...TheBlueOne
- Danke!********
- Ramanisky20
i love watching all the shitbags on Fox News Channel with their smug smiles ... knowing that its all slipping away ... fap fap fap
- haha why even watch that garbage?tommyo
- this is the only time I watch .. just to see em sweat ...Ramanisky2
- apparently sweating is really good for you. eat spicey food once a day. can hurt your butt though********
- true trueRamanisky2
- BattleAxe0
I want to see a Montage of Mc Cain on Election day with the Rocky Theme Song
- the world might just come apart if mccain wins.robotron3k
- im getting tired of the world anywayBattleAxe
- i keedBattleAxe
- who lost too.********
- joeth0
I loved that he cleaned up after himself before leaving an ice cream shop in Wapello, Iowa. He didn't have to. The event was over and the press had left. He is used to taking care of things himself and I think this is one of the qualities that makes Obama different from so many other political candidates I've encountered. Nov. 7, 2007.
Two staffers had just passed this site and done two pull-ups. Not to be outdone, Obama did three with ease, dropped and walked out to make a speech. Missoula, Mont., 4/5/2008.
Senator Obama was doing press interviews by telephone in a holding room between events. Sometime later as he was getting ready to begin his event, he asked me if I was photographing his shoes. When I said yes, he told me that he had already had them resoled once since he entered the race a year earlier. Providence, R.I., 3/1/2008.- More photos at http://digitaljourna…joeth
- those are great .. thanks for the postRamanisky2
- ukit0
- Pittsburgh (Western PA) is a tough sell for him, just like BBC America talked about last night.********
- http://news.bbc.co.u…********
- hey, isn't JaxZ from PA...robotron3k
- It's very strange. I know all these Union guys, tried and true Democrats. This time around, totally McCain.********
- Pittsburgh (Western PA) is a tough sell for him, just like BBC America talked about last night.
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heckuva job, brownie
- you were referring to the black dude to the right, weren't you?********
- you were referring to the black dude to the right, weren't you?
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- war sucks eh?********
- torture, not war.********
- that didn't happen during a war? could've sworn it did********
- war sucks eh?
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- is that a scary picture at a movie theater? everyone is covering their faces********
- is that a scary picture at a movie theater? everyone is covering their faces
- Ramanisky20
how the hell is this news??? I mean really ... how
- Tha same way Fox was running those "Is Obama the Antichrist" stories a few months back...TheBlueOne
- Why does Fox News bother? Their core audience wouldn't vote Democrat anyway.ETM
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