Archive for February 9, 2012
Rupert Murdoch is Insane
Our Tweet of the Day: This is what billionaire Rupert Murdoch envisions for us peasants (while he hides behind an army of guards in a compound on an island somewhere):
No words.
The Fox Business Network (FBN) is History
Fox Business Replaces Its Primetime Lineup with Reruns
Fox Business Network announced Thursday they will replace their three primetime programs with “encore presentations of the channel’s top post-market programs,” also known as reruns of Lou Dobbs Tonight. The network is getting rid of FreedomWatch with Judge Andrew Napolitano, Power & Money with David Asman, and Follow the Money with Eric Bolling. Fox Business has struggled with ratings compared to other networks, and in the short term, it doesn’t feel like reruns are going to improve anything, but then, maybe they’re just regrouping. Only time will tell.
I was at the NewsHounds when the Fox Business Network (FBN) debuted in October, 2007. After watching for several days, it was clear that Fox’s intention in launching FBN was to in essence air a channel centered on right-wing propaganda couched as a “business news” outlet. I knew that wouldn’t fly. People who were/are looking for information as to where and how to invest their money want facts. They want facts and/or informed opinions as to what the future holds in terms of risks, upsides and downsides. They don’t want Sean Hannity-like rants.
Conversely, the folks who want “news” (and Sean Hannity-like rants) had the Fox News Channel (FNC). Why would they migrate to FBN?
When Neil Cavuto (of both Fox News and FBN) started to beg people to watch FBN, I knew they were in trouble:
By the way, in about 90 minutes, I will be speaking live with Rudy Giuliani. It will be his first interview since outlining his tax plan. You can only catch it on Fox Business Network. That’s coming up at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. If you don’t get this network, demand this network from your cable provider.
So this news about Fox Business replacing its primetime programs with reruns — who does that? — can only signal the beginning of the end of the farce that was the Fox “Business” Channel.
RIP. I give it until the end of the year. Fox won’t risk tarnishing its brand by closing the channel prior to November 6. After all, they’ve got “fair and balanced” work to do, i.e., putting a Republican in the White House.
Dumbed Down America
Here are the Time magazine covers for next week’s issue:
Embarrassing for those of us who live in the U.S., imho.
View larger here.
Chamber of Commerce Launches 2012 Ad Campaign — in February!
Almost nine months prior to Election Day 2012, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched its “voter education” brainwashing ad blitz:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a multi-million dollar ad blitz in House and Senate races across the country on Thursday.
The launch marks the earliest start ever to the Chamber’s biennial ad campaigns in congressional races. The ads back Republicans in 11 House races and eight Senate contests. The group is supporting one Democrat: Rep. Jim Matheson of Utah.
“We’re engaging earlier and more aggressively than ever to educate constituents about which leaders recognize the role free enterprise plays in leading our economic recovery,” Chamber President Thomas Donohue said in a statement. “It comes down to a simple question: is big government or free enterprise the solution to our country’s economic problems?”
The Chamber is the largest lobbying power in Washington, representing the common interests of a broad array of businesses with millions in spending each quarter. The trade group is also one of the biggest spenders on U.S. elections, doling out over $50 million in the 2010 midterms.
Stay on top of the Chamber’s, ahem, “2012 Voter Education” ads here.
George Soros’ Predictions For 2012
For what it’s worth, here are some predictions George Soros made earlier this week during an interview with Robert Johnson, Director of the Institute for New Economic Thinking:
Photo: Wikipedia
- That one or more countries will leave the eurozone within the year. While he did not fully agree, he said it was not very far from impossible. However, in the case of Greece, default is more than a 50% probability. [On Thursday, Greece struck a deal to clear the way for a bailout.]
- Collapse of the Chinese market. Soros rejected this idea, but noted that the country’s housing bubble has been pricked, partly as a result of the effects of the financial crisis here spreading to China.
- Former MF Global CEO John Corzine goes to jail under Sarbanes-Oxley. A real possibility, according to Soros.
- Attack on Iran–by either the U.S. or Israel. An outside attack on Iran is very unlikely, Soros said. However, he thinks that the country’s present regime is not going to last the year.
- Gold reaches $2,000/ounce and rises. Soros does not think gold will reach $2,000. He said gold is the ultimate bubble; its price can go in either direction. It was the ultimate safe haven, but funds had to liquidate their positions to cover some loses in the stock market. On the other hand, Soros does not expect gold to retreat much and does not consider $1,000/ounce probable either.
- The polarization of the top 1% and the rest of the population leads to rioting in American cities. Soros said rioting is already happening in the U.S., but it is not getting much media coverage.
- On President Barack Obama’s re-election chances. Soros hedged his response, saying it depends on who the Republicans nominate. “Obama has a slightly better chance than most people because of the totally unacceptable character of the opposition.”
- Unemployment falling below 7.5% in U.S. Soros does not expect employment numbers to grow, but also noted that expiring unemployment benefits will push down the overall unemployment rate.
“At times like this is it more important to survive than to get rich,” Soros said at the end of the luncheon. “Since there are not many productive uses of money right now, it is time to take the long-view.” He suggested two potential plays: Think of undervalued stocks that will survive over long-term, and put the rest in cash.
Before I started reading the article I though his predictions would be much more dire.
Some People Will Do Anything to Get Hits on YouTube
Some people will do anything to get hits on YouTube, including this crazy guy but I’ve gotta say, he looks like he’s having fun.
The description? “Ice skating and shit in Norway.” Enjoy.
(H/t Dyle.)
Serious Buyer’s Remorse Happening in Ohio
[Ohio Governor] John Kasich’s not getting any more popular. 33% of voters approve of him to 53% who disapprove. Only a little more than half of Republicans think he’s doing a good job (58/25), while Democrats (9/80) are almost universal in their disapproval. If voters could do the 2010 election over again they’d vote for Ted Strickland by a 20 point margin, 56-36, numbers that not coincidentally track closely with the Senate Bill 5 repeal result from last fall.
-John Boehner’s approval was 26/52 on our last national poll and it’s not much better in his home state of Ohio at 28/54. Boehner has a similar situation to Kasich where Republicans are meh to him (53/28) while Democrats pretty much all dislike him (8/74). He also does badly with independents at 28/55.
In 2010 Ohio voters elected a Republican Governor and went GOP in many House races, helping to elect a new Republican Speaker of the House from their state. Now they regret the Governor and don’t like the Speaker. It’s hard for me to imagine that buyer’s remorse isn’t going to work to the benefit of Barack Obama and other Democrats in the state this fall.
These guys will probably have unlimited money when they run again (thank you Republican activists on the Supreme Court) but hopefully — fingers crossed! — the people will vote them out anyway. Then again, Ohio isn’t known as the fairest, most transparent place to cast a vote…
