Good stuff Brad, we have to make astroturf groups a household meme also. I'm finding out hardly anyone knows about this out of control phenomena.

Could you mention that to them?

You really should have fleshed that out with a Does a bear shit in the woods? and an Is the pope Catholic? or so.... At this late stage in the game, I sure wish there'd be panels for you to speak about what to do about it, but, well, I'm just an old subversive, I guess.

Rest assured, 99, I will indeed be speaking on what to do about it...I always do. At least, whenever I am able.

Minor nitpick: subheading needs a Be or change I'll to I'm.

Hope you have a great talk Brad.

- Tom

{Ed Note: Thanks, Tom. Typo fixed. Notice of same always appreciated! - BF}

The biggest reform will be www.uploaded.tv ! Where you can say what you want to say on TV!

Floridiot #1

we have to make astroturf groups a household meme also. I'm finding out hardly anyone knows about this out of control phenomena.

I agree with you. As someone said the other day, there should be a law against this type of fraud.

Here's another one for people to check out.

Advantage Consultants

Just in case that website gets deleted:

http://mynetimages.com/9cd5c67b.jpg
http://mynetimages.com/7fbf47ef.jpg

It's run by Doug Guetzloe, a Republican astroturfer from Florida.

The big issue I see on the internet is this meme that the internet is a joke, that it is an ocean of tinfoil nonsense.

Such tinfoil is in abundance, but my question is, how has it not been part of a deliberate strategy to defraud democracy? This idea is what has inspired me to post a bit at this sincere blog.

I am not an expert on the main issue discussed here. But the last couple months I looked into the wtf's of this Kelvin Mace versus Bev Harris, which evolved into a DailyKos astroturfing campaign that BradBlog is full of "conspiracy chatter."

The dark side crosses the line too often. At some point they turn off the subtlety spigot, and their true agendas emerge.

Here is another astroturfing name. Mark Steadham of Seoma. This guy runs a number of websites, many of which appear to be legitemate business websites. Yet, this guy also runs a number of tinfoil websites.

http://alien-sky.net
http://chemtrailcentral.com

Bob Fitrakis, who everyone here knows about for his work on election integrity issues, wrote a number of articles years ago pertaining to this idea that there are atmospheric modifications taking place in the USA. The problem, however, is that this word called chemtrails has turned the whole subject into a joke. Mark Steadham has been in the forefront of this happening.

Aircraft emissions are creating artificial cloud cover. The BBC had a groundbreaking show a couple years ago on global dimming where they covered this topic. I am very wary of draggin this issue into the BradBlog, even if this is a bastion for free speech. I am being very careful in my use of words here. The bottom line is there is no debating whether aircraft are creating artificial cloud cover. At issue is whether this is deliberate.

I simply want to say that many of us know firsthand the damage that tinfoil by association does.

Michael Rivero is another strange character who has emerged on the internet. He has been around since at least 1995. He is one of the original internet conspiracy theorists.

He went after Clinton in the 90's. He has ties to white supremacy groups, as he used to be affiliated with a newspaper called The Resister, put out by the Special Forces Underground. He has been the good cop, to a Hal Turner's bad cop.

Rivero has admitted working for NASA. Now it turns out that Mark Steadham also has worked for NASA.

A lot of folks like to talk about the CIA, NSA, FBI, Homeland Security, and a few others as being behind much of the paid trolling. I am starting to think a part of NASA is involved with the astroturfing too.

You can't make this stuff up.

The only question I have left for Steadham and Rivero is whether the two of them have ever worked on the same project. To be blunt, are those two guys part of the same division, whose roles have been to promote the image of a kooky internet?

http://support.forumwise...com/support-post-18.html
http://mynetimages.com/5e3f4d2b.jpg

Have the media undermined our democracy?

As Curly would say, "Soitenly!"

What can we do about it?

Here is a long term goal that would take federal legislation. (1) Make it illegal for a media company to own any other business or be owned by any other interest besides its narrowly defined media operation. (2) Make it illegal to own more than one media outlet. For example, a newspaper could not own a TV station, or another newspaper for that matter.

Regarding legislation #1, the US Constitution specifically mentions and gives protection to only one industry, the Press. Jefferson argued that a free press was vital, if not preferable, to a government of the people. Accordingly, when an industry is so important to the survival of the nation that it is granted special rights, then it isn't unreasonable to place restrictions on it, too. Why restrict ownership? When a national TV network is owned by the world's largest military supplier then you can expect the sort of bias we experienced in the run up to the Iraq invasion. There should be minimal conflicts of interest in the News Dept, but as it stands now there are many.

Regarding legislation #2, this is just diversification of media ownership and is obvious why it is needed.

It's going to take a lot for Common Cause to gain my trust after taking $100.00 from me many years ago and doing nothing to help voting integrity, but giving Brad a forum is a start.

I noticed HBO is coming out with a movie in May called "Recount" about the whole Florida 2000 mess. It's not a documentary and could be a powerful thing if it's not another "he said, she said" corporate piece of junk.

Do you think this is in bad taste?

So!

Agent #99

My reaction was either the same or similar.

Why would someone partake of a panel to discuss: "Does shit stink?"

I just don't think that there are enough good smelling shits to merit such an inquiry.

I think some "interesting afternoons" and "panels" should be avoided (kosanostra style could be bette davis style).

Otherwise, faithful bloggers may wonder why the fuck you seem to be insulting their obvious and prevailing intelligence.

Ka friggin peesh baby?

PS: I am not old and neither are you, we have just lived a relatively long time within the bubble of the America vs Amurka struggle and we most certainly can expose perfume posing as shit.

luv ya 99!

Some may misunderestimate my love for 99, so, in this link I reveal all, butt in this link I reveal nothing, because there is only 1 Dredd.

So brad, it is time that you add:

PEOPLE should not be afraid of their governments, instead, governments should be afraid of their people (BIG FUCKING TIME!).

And for those of you in (china style) government in the United States who do not have the slightest fucking clue, I am advocating a free bradblog math class that points out you ticks, leeches, viruses, scum, and the like, who hide in the halls and bathrooms of the people's elected, are outnumbered by a large magnitude.

A magnitude that is forever dedicated to your demise. Leave or die.

Dredd sedd #10:

I think some "interesting afternoons" and "panels" should be avoided...Otherwise, faithful bloggers may wonder why the fuck you seem to be insulting their obvious and prevailing intelligence.

Well, hopefully my appearance this afternoon will not have disappointed the goodd Dredd. Will try to get some video up soon...

Brad #13

It is time to crank up the pressure that has been generated from our goodd nation's having to be tortured by this regime and its republican dogs in congress these many years.

It is time to stop turning the energy on ourselves as some sicko self depricating salve, and treat this fucking sickness that is morphing America into Amurka. I know some treatments.

Either way we gotta vote the way we see it. Then no matter who wins, fuck this pig circus, time for roast pig.

History has its place, especially when there is no statute of limitations on some crimes, or on the soul of American juries. One treatment for the Amurkan criminals is a trip to the jury.

Yes, roast pig History is yet to be made, and I am cranking up my barbie baby, if you know what I mean.

Agent #99

My reaction was either the same or similar.

Why would someone partake of a panel to discuss: "Does shit stink?"

____________________________________

"Does shit stink"?

Of course it does, that's why I would like to address this question Socrates.

Socrates, why are you not advertising your own conspiracy website
http://allaircraftarenotinvolved.freeforums.org/ here at the Brad Blog like you advertise it at sites like
http://www.debatebothsides.com/ ?

Another thing, it seem to me that you have a personal axe to grind concerning this Mark Stedham fellow and his http://www.chemtrailcentral.com/ website, at one time you where a member of that site and then you where subsequently banned from that site for your bad behavior, is that correct?

As I understand it, you, under one name or the another have been banned from a number of sites e.g. chemtrail type forums as well as sites like Democratic Underground, is that not correct?

It would seem that wherever you go you end up being asked to leave either on your own or by way of being banned for your patented bad behavior, of course I'm sure that you will say that you have only been a victim of Fascism or some such nonsense but the point is that your history goes to create an air of confrontation and hostility towards others and much of it would seem to derive from your own personal grievances with those you have interacted with and failed to impress with your way of thinking, I believe much of what you write is in the vein of the "get even" mentality if you will.

While I can certainly agree that there is as you call it an abundance of "Tinfoil / Disinfomation / Astroturfing" prevalent throughout the www.web you seem to be adding your very own abundant supply of it unnecessarily to the mix, given that most people are actually capable of thinking for themselves without your critical guidance I have to question the motives for your actions.

Usually discerning people with a marginal degree of common sense can and do manage to wade through it all just fine without the slightest bit of help from the Socrates of this world who seem to have nothing better to do with there lives than to personally police what other people say or do to the point of an unhealthy obsession.

What higher objective is it that you hope to attain by all of this absurd banter regarding this "Tinfoil, Disinfomation and Astroturfing" by these "Evil" people whom you claim are fouling the internet and our minds, do you even have an objective at all in writing this "conspiracy" stuff?

Please, we are after all so uninformed, enlightening us if you will.

AJN

COMMENT #6

socrates
Michael Rivero is another strange character who has emerged on the internet. He has been around since at least 1995. He is one of the original internet conspiracy theorists. _________________________________________________

Yes, unlike the STRANGE CHARACTER SOCRATES who has only had his own CONSPIRACY website http://allaircraftarenotinvolved.freeforums.org/ online since 2007, a website that is RIPE with all kinds of CHEMTRAIL CONSPIRACY BS and even more full of speculation, innuendo, ridicule, and your CONSPIRACY accusations about a good many people.

So, Socrates, what makes you the slightest bit different from the CONSPIRACY THEORISTS Mike Rivero that you allege him to be?

What is that I smell in the air, could it be the STENCH OF HYPOCRISY?

The mainstream media is run by a few as we all know along with who runs the movie buisness. So of course we the sheeple will only be allowed to see and hear what they want. Then there is the net with so much info some of it of course needs to be really looked into but how do you look into lets say a site that comes from Gaza and is telling the truth about what Israel is doing there or what really is happening in Iraq ? There are some great sites and blogs abd some of them are inflatrated by posters with a agenda sor sure.
But what I found was a very open and frank forum until a certain poster arrived at that forum and did not like what was being discussed so that person went running to the ADL. Needless to say that forum has been shut down and this poster is in your mist right here with a major agenda. Need I say more or would it be better to post some links to the truth of this ?
So far I like this blog I hope it remains open and honest.
NO MORE WARS FOR ISRAEL OR NEO CONS

redender #17

Right, I think I know the forum your referring to, wasn't there some jerk pretending to be a lawyer and also threatening the posters and forum owner with a law suit if they did not shut a particular thread down because he did not like the subject matter being discussed?

I seem to remember that there was a big deal over it all, the FBI was called in because this guy was making threats,etc, am I right or was that just a rumor going around?

It's to bad that there are a few people out there that like to cause so much trouble, I have seen it happen all to often myself, you get involved in a good discussion in a forum or blog and then you get this one guy that shows up and starts causing trouble until he has the rest of the posters ready to lynch him, I think they do it deliberately just to tear the topic of discussion apart and destroy the whole concept of what the thread was about to begin with.

Just such a poster showed up here on the Brad Blog recently who is notorious for doing this sort of thing, I classify people like this as "Internet Terrorist" and they usually have a really bad reputation that follows them around wherever they go in spite of their using many different screen names.

One good thing I've noticed about the Brad Blog is that the moderator, Agent 99" does not take any crap and is not fooled by people like the one I believe we are talking about here, I doubt if "He" will be allowed to get away with here at the Brad Blog the usual kind of crap "He" has stirred up at other forums.

Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, and unfortunately this bout of serious negativity has gone on too long already... besides spreading from its point/s of origin. It's at least as effective at turning people off to discussing things as the classic pesterful trolls, and I think we have all heard more than enough to alert us to any potential problem spots now. So could we just drop it now? Get back to promoting and trying to insure election integrity, and discussing some of the heinous crimes being perpetrated by our own government? There's too much work to be done to keep hashing this stuff out.

We like people to speak their minds --- within certain perameters --- and I'm sure everyone can think of more subtle ways to draw our attention to trouble.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

I very much agree with this Agent 99. This is the time to stay open and honest because this country and well the world is at a major crossroads. We all must be able to speak openly and freely and try to find a way to stop this maddness of stifeling what we have to say. I agree that there is a differant way to show you or Brad prior proff of our free speach being taken away from the likes of one person with a aganda.
With that in mind I would like to keep talking out about groups that are indeed putting a stop to our free speach and our right to know the truth such as Bushco and Israel. My vote against war goes unheard while even Obama orClinton pledge our alliegence to another country and neglet and lie ours into wars and leave our people homeless.

Agent 99, #19, Thank you for your attention to the as you say "classic pesterful trolls" issue, I agree that no more be said on the subject now that it has been brought into the light of day as it were.

REDENDER, I agree 100% with your #20 post, just think what good Bush's $TRILLION$ dollar Iraq >(UNNECESSARY AND STUPID) war could have done if had it been applied to the infrastructure of this country, you think our economy at this point in time might be just a bit different, REPUBLICANS ARE ARROGANT, ELITIST FOOLS AND BUSH SUCKS !
Take care / Mike.

Mike
Yes these wars of aggression have cost way to much when not one penny should have been spent on these illegal wars. But along with the retugs the democraps are also answering to the "owner". Use Pelosi as a example why is impeachment off the table ? Why does AIPAC have so much influance on our country and all of its poloticians ? What good could heve been done for folks right here with the trillions of "AID" money sent to Israel ?
I want our government to work for us not another country.
I am also sorry I forgot to answer your question regarding a pretend lawyer posting on another forum and that answer is yes that was done anlong with many other things like calling anyone who disagreed paid shrills and much worse. Sorry for forgetting your answer.
Just think what it would be like if we went back to paper ballots and had people working for us once again instead of another master ! Stem cell research would be on the top of my list along with giving back the homes to the Katrina victims.
So much good !
But all we ever hear and see is lies from the media.
Sad so very sad we are watching the death of a nation and all the media lets us see is how great we are LOL and how great it is to hate and kill and torture people of brown skin .
Thanks for your patient understanding
Dialog must be left open to all without being called vile names or someone making insinuations that are really just lies made up in a kooks head.
As the nice mod here Agent 99 has said many times that it is ok to disagree but not ok to spread false claims or call names and that I so agree with.

Hi its me again would anyone here like to talk about the topic of the soldier that was given imunity to tattle on others regarding the killing and raping of a entire village in Iraq and why the media is trying to make this PLEA DEAL look like that soldier is inocent of his war crimes ?

Redender #22

Well, I'm all for defending the United States from enemies both foreign and domestic, like the North Koreans or the fanatic Saudis that attacked us on 9/11 but Iraq, excuse me but all of the stuff that we where fed that led us into the Iraq war was pure BUSH SHIT and everyone in the world knows it, even the F---ing Repubs know it, they just don' want to admit that they followed there beloved leader into infamy like the Nazi Youth followed friggen Hitler, what a bunch of stupid mindless Zombies.

Since the Dem's have taken over they are showing America yet again that they have no backbone whatsoever, they are a pathetic lot, they may be liberals but all of them are sell outs to special interest if you ask me.

There going to give Bush and his whole criminal crew a big pass on everything rotten they have done, oh yeah, they will no doubt make some noise but that's about all, the Bush gang will slide on out of town without so much as a hiccup by the Dems, they would not want to tarnish the "WAR PRESIDENTS" image don't you know. (Laughing Hard Now.)

I was going to vote for Obama but now I don't trust the guy, I just got a bad feeling about him lately with the whole "Wright" God Damm The United States thing, he should have denounced that kind of religious fanatic crap right away but he acted like he did not know what to do or how to handle the situation, he blinked big time and I don't want a Pres that can not think on his feet.

Now I don't know if I'll even bother to vote, I have no other choice in mind other than Obama, the options are just to scary to consider.

I really do not know what is going to happen to this country in the next ten years or so but it's getting flippen crazy, gas prices going nuts, the economy is tanking big time, we are paying more and getting less for all consumer goods, housing is in the crapper but good and that's just the tip of the crap that's been brought on by this F---ing Bush A--hole administration and there way of taking care of America, what a crock, the only ones they are taking care of are themselves and there partners in crime and there screwing America in the process.

Is it any wonder that 81% of Americans polled think that we are headed in the wrong direction as a country, Is that news really a big surprise to anyone, I hardly think so because I'm one of that 81%, how about you?

I hate to say it but I have come to believe that if the people of this country really want to take control of it back they are going to have to do it by force because trying to do it by voting will not work, all of government, both parties, both houses, the justice system, it's all corrupted to a point that it's become a dictatorship dressed up as a democracy.

I'll take a pass on discussing that poster who goes around causing all kinds of turmoil at forums, Agent 99 is correct about that BS, it is just petty and BS, the subject has been discussed and the point made with regard to that guy, best to move on now.

The lives that I see being wasted away on the Iraq war just make me sick, all those young lives thrown away by Bush on a war that he knew was not necessary, as far as I'm concerned Bush is a coward and a murderer, his excuse is of course the terrorist attacks 9/11 thus the need for a war on terror,i.e., Iraq was just a convenient target with big $$$$$$$$$$$ benefits for Bush's Daddy's industry buddies, there was billions to be made if we invaded Iraq and took control of it, Oh my, Deja-Vu or what?

I remember when Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Defense Secretary, in an interview for Vanity Fair stated, "For bureaucratic reasons we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction, because it was the one reason everyone could agree on.", Yeah, not because of any WMD because there was none and they knew it, just like there where no terrorist that attacked us on 9/11 in Iraq, we started a war with another country based on lies for one reason, the GREED of a very few rich and powerful people, most of whom are close Bush family friends and business associates involved with oil and gas, bet that's a shock to everyone. (NOT.)

Ah, but why go on about it, nothing is ever going to get to those people, they are to well insulated and protected by there very well paid underlings, they will never get any dirt on them, just like Scooter Libby, they will al walk away with that smug "I got away with it" smile on there faces and we are going to pay them top $DOLLARS" for there retirement packages, once again America gets to bend over for the politicians that take such good care of us, we never learn to say NO to the A---Holes so we must enjoy getting screwed over and over, again and again.

This MESS that passes for our Government just boggles the mind, doesn't it?