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Beware of the Spinmeister Spam!

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Ragusa, Oct 15, 2003.

  1. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

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    Remove all ads!
    from todays CSMonitor:
    This is not an isolated incident, it is a tool that is in the arsenal for quite a while. Republican have pulled this off a while ago, praising Bush's "genuine leadership" - checking google for "demonstrating + genuine + leadership" (more on that and other campaigns here) you may notice the identical wording under all the various posters names. How it works? Well, when you're not in the army it works with GOPoints! :roll: :spin:
     
    Ragusa, Oct 15, 2003
    #1

  2. Rallymama Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone

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    I heard about this last night on NPR's "All Things Considered." Apparently, at least some of the soldier's names were used without their knowledge or consent, and they're not happy about it.

    Makes me glad that I don't get the paper anymore. Nauseating!
     
    Rallymama, Oct 15, 2003
    #2

  3. Mithrantir Gems: 15/31
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    What is worse is that this a revealed effort of manipulation of the public opinion in USA and god knows if something like this has happened before (which it has but lets give the benefit of the doubt) and if yes i wonder how many times.
    I fear that USA citizens unwillingly ? as Pink Floyd so beautifully wrote in Wish You Were Here
    I don't remember who said it but here it goes
    In USA the less you know the better off you are. Sad but true :(
     
    Mithrantir, Oct 15, 2003
    #3

  4. Laches Gems: 19/31
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    The Army engages in propaganda? Whodda thunk it. Next thing you'll know is it will be revealed this sort of thing has been going on since at least the 1600's! :D

    The fact that it was done isn't nearly as much of an issue in my opinion as what Rally brings up. The part in her post is the part that would bother me. Last I read, yesterday (this showed up on blogs first), was the guys contacted in Kirkuk said they agreed with it but at least one guy said while he agreed with it he hadn't actually signed it. That's, imo, the problem.

    I expect propaganda from the military. Any military. At least for the last half millennia or so anyways.

    Edit - this is tangential, but isn't pretty much any political speech, flyer, ad etc. an "effort of manipulation of public opinion?"
     
    Laches, Oct 15, 2003
    #4
  5. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

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    The most remarkable thing is that, when you believe the senior officials, everything's fine in Iraq. So, according to them, the public impression of faults and quagmire is wrong.

    To show the public that everything's fine ... they lie. That tells a tale about the menthality at work.

    Habitual liars don't care how many times they're caught because they just can't help themselves ...

    "... despite some of the reports about the Office of Strategic Influence that I've read over the last day or two, Defense Department officials don't lie to the public..." so sais Douglas Feith, the man who led the now closed OSI - the office for Strategic Influence, and then the Office for Special Plans (OSP) - the planning cell for all the spin-on-demand that "muddied the water" of the Iraq intelligence ... kinda reminds mo of that old joke about Rummy's OSI closure. Satire is great, but atm the Washington reality beats it.

    [ October 15, 2003, 22:51: Message edited by: Ragusa ]
     
    Ragusa, Oct 15, 2003
    #5
  6. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    [​IMG] Pathetic and pitiable indeed.
     
    Taluntain, Oct 15, 2003
    #6
  7. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

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    After saying that reality beats satire, who would have thought Satirewire was SO close to it ...

    Check this out:
    "We are closed, now go home *wink* *wink* "

    PS: Some more info on the OSI here
     
    Ragusa, Oct 18, 2003
    #7
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