Steve Kelman on Politics, Culture, and Life, 12.17.2021
Harvard Kennedy School prof, moderate Dem, pro free speech/anti cancel culture, pro tax rich, pro Israel.
Russia loves Tucker Carlson
CNN runs footage of sympathetic coverage of Tucker Carlson in Russian state media. One commentator praised Carlson's statement that Russia just wanted a "stable" Western border with Ukraine. They like his defending Putin against Biden. Such people once would have been called "useful idiots."
Chinese state TV pays Reuters and AP to distribute their stuff
An editorial in Sweden's leading newspaper highlights a Swedish think tank report about agreements between Reuters and AP with the Chinese state media broadcaster, under which the western bureaus are paid and 'news" from this network is sent out. According to the report, it appears mixed in with other reports and is "not clearly marked."
Democrats more of a threat to the US than Putin
Half of Republican voters believe the Democrats constitute a greater threat to the American way of life than does Vladimir Putin.
Bing now blocked in China
When Google was blocked in China a number of years ago, many Chinese who do not want to rely on China's Baidu started using the Microsoft Bing search engine instead. This has now just been blocked in China as well.
The mission of journalism in China: support the party
A senior Chinese party official told the annual meeting of China's journalists association, that journalists "should actively present a reliable, admirable and respectable image of China to the world in order to better serve the cause of the Party and the State" He also urged the All-China Journalists Association to "strengthen its political and ideological guidance in the country's public communications work."
Anti-vaxxers in Germany trying to kill leader who imposed restrictions?
German authorities have seized weapons in the possession of a group possibly planning to assassinate a provincial leader who has promoted vaccine restrictions. I don't want to say that it makes me feel good that we don't just have this craziness in the US.
Vaccine mandates and restrictions: Fox gift that keeps on giving
For Fox, discussions of vaccine and mask mandates are the gift that keeps on giving. Not a day goes by on Fox without several angry discussions and angles on this. Getting
very tiresome.
“Vax” and “vaxxed” as verb and noun
I am noticing that Fox regularly uses the verb "to vax" and the adjective "vaxxed," instead of vaccinate and vaccinated. I may be wrong here, but I wonder if this it's not
language that anti-vaccine people have adopted.