From Government, Military, Intelligence, and Law Enforcement
“I’m very impressed with John’s book if for no other reason than it forced me to re-look at my own sources of information and evaluate how I learn, retain, and express my personal views of domestic and international events. I had not realized just how mired I had become in a single, right-leaning perspective. The ROIL System is a motivator; a tool that pushes the reader, especially us Boomers, to explore a wider spectrum of information sources. As I write this endorsement I am living in Baghdad, working as a security advisor to a major U.S. contractor. Information in my line of work is essential to survival, literally. Linear or single track thinking is dangerous in my business. The ROIL System prevents that, if you’re willing to look at and listen to opposing views. After all, if you don’t understand what the other guy is saying, how can you counter what he’s doing?” Anthony Blondell, Jr. Major, US Army, retired, currently senior security coordinator; Kellogg, Brown and Root, Baghdad, Iraq
“The ROIL System gives the reader a readily available blueprint to track down and obtain the sources of information necessary for any American to be an informed citizen of both the US and the world. I know many professionals who will benefit from using the techniques John Daly identifies in ROIL.” Jim Handlin, former CIA case officer and author of Survivors of Predator Priests
“Between 24-hour cable news cycles, the Internet, and blogging, there is no end to how much information is available at our fingertips. The key is understanding how to get to the meat of the issue and get around all the bias and gossip. For those who follow John Daly’s ROIL System, the result is a better sense of how events and issues around the world are truly unfolding.” U.S. Senator John Ensign, Republican from Nevada
“In American politics today we have witnessed a disturbing decline in basic decorum. Anger, name-calling and unbridled animosity toward others that would have been shocking a generation ago have become commonplace today. I would urge every member of Congress, indeed every elected official, to read John Daly’s book. We live in a time in which people feel fervently about key issues and express their views with intensity. That is a good thing, but it is important to make sure that our views are shaped by a true understanding of the issues. We must learn to listen to others and truly understand. I am convinced that the ROIL System can make an important contribution not only to bringing about greater comity in American politics, but in helping us come together as a nation to solve many of our most pressing problems.” Retired U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini, Democrat from Arizona
“This book is a roadmap to becoming more informed and better educated about our daily events. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand both sides of the table and the purpose of each group’s positions. For me, I will use it to better prepare myself for the investigative interviews I routinely conduct. I also believe that it will help me in my day-to-day conversations, because your opinion is much more respected when you speak from what you know. Being evenly informed is a valuable tool.” Detective Jack Ballentine, Phoenix Police Department Homicide Unit
“Perhaps the most crucial skill to a law enforcement professional like me is the ability to quickly digest vast amounts of information from many biased sources and accurately assess it. Fortunately, the officer’s job in the field is always made easier by his ability to personally interact with human subjects—a benefit that is absent when assessing raw media data. John Daly provides not only a systematic method of effectively gathering and interpreting various forms of raw and biased media information; he educates the reader in the all-important techniques of developing contacts and exploiting information from human sources. Daly’s ROIL System was formed in the crucible of investigative reporting and media insight and it is conveyed in a manner that only a veteran and master journalist could achieve.” Michael H. Green, police sergeant, East Hampton, Connecticut
From Journalism and Education
“With the media bombarding us with information 24/7, and with so many agendas from left to right, John Daly offers an easy-to-understand and valuable way to find the news nuggets we need from among all the verbal and printed rubble. He demonstrates how to be informed, while keeping an open mind. That takes talent to explain and basic intelligence to execute. And unlike so many in the media, John does not insult his readers’ intelligence.” Gerry Brooks, news anchor, WVIT NBC 30, Hartford, Connecticut
“John Daly is a top-notch journalist. His book lets you in on the little-known secrets top-notch journalists use to keep abreast of the news. Buy it and use it to machete your way through the information jungle to a clearer understanding of what’s going on in the world, and why!” John Dancy, retired NBC News Correspondent, Professor of Journalism at Duke University
“For all of us who need to have a ‘big-picture’ view of the world to help us make good judgments on specific issues, this book efficiently gives solid advice on seeing all while avoiding information overload—an invaluable tool for the overworked!” Geoff Wardle, Acting Chair, Transportation Design Department, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California
“Who has the time? How many times have we used that question as an excuse for just about anything that could help improve our quality of life? Trying to balance my life as a national sportscaster, mother and wife, I never could find the time to tap into the ocean of information that was out there. I used to get caught up in the undertow, until John Daly’s ROIL System taught me how to swim!” Linda Cohn, ESPN
“John Daly’s ROIL System is the ‘how to’ guide to dealing with the media. From a screenwriter’s perspective, Daly has a library of knowledge that is both humorous and informative. It has shown me the intricacies into the so-called backstage elements of a media-based society. I highly recommend this read for writers of all genres.” Eric Snyder, screenwriter and sports journalist
“John Daly has provided me with my Bible. As a recent graduate entering into the current world of journalism, I was faced with a countless amount of questions and concerns. I can finally take a sigh of relief. The ROIL System has helped guide me towards ideas and thoughts that will help shape my career.” Meagan Farley, journalism student
“If we take John Daly’s ROIL System to heart, it will yank us out of the comfort zone that Walter Lippmann warned about a century ago in his book, Public Opinion: ‘For when a system of stereotypes is well fixed, our attention is called to those facts which support it, and diverted from those which contradict.’” Rev. Paul Seaver, OP, Providence College
From Business, Media, and Entertainment
“Biologist Stephen Jay Gould once said: ‘Nothing is more dangerous than a dogmatic worldview—nothing more constraining, more blinding to innovation, more destructive of openness to novelty.’ John’s book is a needed antidote to the era of news by doctrinaire hyperventilation. He invites us to use technology to expand our vision, thereby inviting fresh insight into our interpretation of national and world affairs. Thanks, John, you’ve supplied a valuable resource!” John Ray, president of Heritage Capital Advisors
“Daly has grabbed the ‘bull’ by the horns here. We desperately need to raise the level of public discourse in this land. With ROIL, he offers a practical first step that anyone can take.” Craig Miller, correspondent on California Connected on KCET-TV, Los Angeles
“John Daly’s straightforward, no-nonsense approaches will change the way you get your news. This is a smart, eye-opening tool that every journalist and non-journalist should absorb. Daly has done his footwork. Follow his lead and you won’t be duped by biased news ever again.” Alison Serene, publisher/editor, Newshound magazine
“Easy and recommended reading for aspiring journalists, the business community, and people wanting to stay a step ahead of the game. John Daly offers a clear, clever, and concise approach to understanding the news media.” Craig Hoffman, news director, WBKI-TV, Louisville, Kentucky
“As a broadcast news executive for nearly two decades, I agree with John’s assertion of media bias and the prostitution of local TV news in the past decade. The ROIL System is the best I’ve read for gathering, processing and using information in today’s age both for business and journalism.” Bob Walker, former executive news producer, WTRV-TV; and current broadcast journalism instructor at Alcorn State University
“Even serious news junkies can benefit from John’s reminders of how to streamline news-gathering techniques in a world of information overload.” Trina Virgo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance and former foreign policy adviser to Senator Edward M. Kennedy
“A good, quick read that can make the difference between being an informed, thinking person and a tool of the media. The ROIL System succinctly describes how the quality people I know and trust take meaningful action to shape their world.” John Shulansky, president and CEO of Jetlantic
“This is terrific stuff. A wonderfully insightful, intelligent, and most of all, helpful way of learning how we can read, listen, think and interact more clearly. It’s a book I wish had been written long ago, but I’m certainly grateful it’s here now.” Matthew Laurance, actor
“I was at a point where I had to either shut all news sources out of my life, or make it a full-time job. I didn’t want to do the former and be an ignorant soul just strolling the planet, but I also can’t devote what seems like an eternity to gathering information, then having to reintroduce myself to my family. Through John’s book I learned how to gather news smarter, not harder. At first, as I guess most of us past forty do, I resisted having to learn something new. I did it years ago when computers were forcing their way into my life. But now, I can’t imagine going back to a typewriter! So change is good—sometimes daunting, but generally good. I had to face the fact that change was coming regardless of how I dealt with it. I might as well take charge. This book let me realize that I can live an informed life and have time for family, friends and work. It has empowered me to be in control of what goes into my personal computer…my brain. How to recognize baseless assertions from fact, and how to determine when I’ve reached the point of satisfaction on a subject, so that I can turn it all off and enjoy the silence. Of course take this testimony for what it’s worth; I’m just a ‘Democratic, moderate liberal sounding board.’ And proud of it. Thank you, John.” Bryan Cranston, actor/director
“In a world where we’re all asked to run faster than the fastest pace, the ROIL System has defined and organized my method of information upload. I’ve improved my active interaction with this system.” Jean Swift, director of corporate relations, Art Center College of Design Pasadena, California
“A book that can be read at the speed of today’s breaking news...offers a balanced information-gathering process lasting a lifetime!” Sal Mentesana, Division I College Basketball coach
“If Major League Umpires got rid of the Quest-Tech machine and adopted the ROIL System, we’d all see eye to eye.” Mike Maddux, former Major League Baseball player and current pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers
“The best short read … make that the best read I’ve had in months. Something so simple has had such a meaningful impact on my life. Miss this one at your own peril!” John McClain, Grammy winner, owner of The Dog and Pony Show Studio
“ROIL is a mind-opening primer for those who want to be truly in the know.” Patricia A. Trent, Esq., president of Trent, Tyrell and Associates, Las Vegas
“In this age of torrential information flow, John Daly finally reveals his secrets. Many people talk about many things; John has always been one of those who can actually comment intelligently on virtually any subject and now I know how—ROIL.” Hugh Anderson, certified financial planner, charted financial consultant, and certified investment management analyst
“This book is both entertaining and informative. It should be required reading in colleges throughout the country. I wish John Daly had written and I had read about the ROIL System 20 years ago! The depth of his media insight is impressive.” Steven B. Twitchell, chartered life underwriter, chartered financial consultant
“This is good stuff, informative and useful information.” Jim Rosetta, vice president and general manager, Canon, USA
“This book is a great guide for busy people to gather information in a short time. John has given us the ‘how to’ book to keep up or catch up on news from around the world. Even not so well read people can learn from this short book. The ROIL System and the references in this book will help busy business people have the knowledge of a well-schooled journalist.” Dick Conn, retired NFL player with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, currently a sales representative for Jostens, Inc.
“It’s like one-stop shopping for people who want to REALLY know what’s happening in the world around them!” Trent Greenwell, concerned citizen
“May your book help people recognize the need to read, as well as hear with discerning ears, see with clarity, decide with intelligence. What a monumental undertaking, John.” Jeanne Corcoran, children’s multimedia writer/producer
“Knowledge is power. John Daly’s ROIL System is a must read for any entrepreneur seeking better results and greater success in today’s business environment. The book is informative and to the point, with great insight and examples of the tools needed to be well informed.” Virginia Martino, co-founder/president, Brand, Ltd. and The Odyssey Lifestyle
“Before reading John Daly’s book, I would only get my news from publications and outlets that shared my political views, but the ROIL System has provided me with the tools necessary to understand and elevate both sides of the story. It has taught me to look past the article to obtain the entire story and not get caught up in the journalist’s personal thoughts. If you are interested in becoming better informed on what is happening around you this is a must read.” Eric M. Ackman, president of Summit Event Management, Inc.
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My good friend Al DiMora is hosting this event to help the mentally disabled. Al’s one of the great humanitarians in addition to his work in revolutionizing the auto industry. I hope to see you there.
Entrepreneur Alfred DiMora Named Honorary Chair of Tribute Concert for Songwriter Dennis Lambert in Benefit for DesertArc Nov. 14 PALM SPRINGS (Calif.) — Palm Springs entrepreneur Alfred DiMora, founder of the internationally acclaimed DiMora Motorcar, has been named honorary chair of the “Dennis Lambert - The Man Behind The Music” concert Nov. 14 to benefit DesertArc, event producer Bette King announced today.“We are so honored to have Al chair our event because of his tremendous humanitarian support of DesertArc and as a champion of the developmentally disabled,” King said.For his commitment to finding cures for breast cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s, DiMora will be honored with a “star” on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars Nov. 15. Lambert, of Boca Raton, Fl. will also be honored with a “star” with DiMora in a joint ceremony at 11:30 am at ….(location)DiMora will be attending the 8 p.m. concert at The Show at the Agua Caliente Casino, Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage. This tribute to Lambert, a 12-time Grammy Award nominee, will feature entertainer Natalie Cole along with many of his musical friends, such as the Commodores, Player, Starship lead singer Mickey Thomas, Tavares, British singing star Elaine Paige, television-film star Connie Stevens and her daughters, actress-singers Joely Fisher and Tricia Fisher. Tickets are on sale for “Dennis Lambert - The Man Behind The Music” by calling (800) 585-3737. Concert tickets are priced from $75 for balcony seats to $250 for box seats. “I am delighted to participate in this celebration of the wonderful music that Dennis has created to enrich all of our lives,” said DiMora. “I welcome this opportunity to join DesertArc in helping our neighbors with disabilities become full participants in our vibrant community. I encourage everybody to join us for a fun-filled weekend in support of an extremely important cause.” DiMora lives in Palm Springs with his wife, Yvonne, and stepdaughter, Chanel, while his stepson, Josh, is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.DiMora produced two of America’s finest luxury automobiles, the Clenet (as owner) and the Sceptre (as co-founder). When President Reagan declared 1986 the Centennial Year of the Gasoline-Powered Automobile, DiMora’s Clenet was selected as the Official Centennial Car and both were honored at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan. DiMora founded Starbridge Systems, Inc., where he developed the world’s fastest FPGA supercomputer. As an entrepreneur and business consultant, he has advised and built companies in industries as diverse as chemical recycling, public relations management, software development, television infomercial production, and real estate.Today, DiMora is creating the four-passenger Natalia SLS 2 sport luxury sedan, powered by the 1200-horsepower DiMora Volcano V16 engine. It is scheduled for completion in 2010 and features technological innovations throughout. King, a long-time friend of Lambert, is producing the “Dennis Lambert - The Man Behind the Music” concert to raise money for DesertArc, formerly the Foundation for the Retarded, the Palm Desert-based organization that serves the Coachella Valley’s developmentally disabled.
Two-night VIP weekend packages are now available, starting at $1,050, including hotel accommodations for two, a gala luncheon, the concert and other events.
I show you a new putting system called Sure Putting on JohnDalyGolfShow and LasVegasGolf. Here’s the video.
Check out the posting on my new news and media analysis site — JohnDalyLive.com. I take a look at an interesting interview this morning on MSNBC and how it might have happened thanks to the recent smacks on CNBC, MSNBC’s sister station, from Jon Stewart and The Daily Show.
 This is a shot of Nike and my wife Teri who appears to be, as our friend Judith Hantin wrote, in the witness protection program. This was taken on a snowy day in Las Vegas.
This is a posting that makes me think ignorance is more than bliss. It might make sense in some cases. But let’s look at why so many folks ignore the news and the news media. I also offer a great tool to make news gathering easier and more enjoyable.
LAS VEGAS, NV (September 20, 2008) – Michael is one of my business referral sources. He’s a salesperson who deals with major companies around the world. You would think he’d be up on all the news that’s happening. But he floored me when we had coffee the other day.
“I stopped reading and watching the news,” he told me. Before I could respond he added, “And my business has gone through the roof.”
He told me that he removed everything negative from his thinking and concentrated on the positive. As a result, his clients are buying. I don’t doubt Michael. He’s good at what he does and he’s honest. So, there’s no skullduggery here.
I understand his thinking. Plus, it’s hard to argue with his success. And, in part, I agree with him. The news is depressing and, worse, the facts are wrong. Take our financial crisis. Who do you believe?
Certainly not our government. Treasury and The Fed can’t get it right. First, we won’t bail out major Wall Street firms; now as I write this the breaking news says the bailout of firms holding bad mortgages will be close to $700 billion.
You can’t believe Wall Street. They helped get us into this mess. The top five investment banks were given enormous latitude to increase their lending ratios. Three of those five have either failed or needed rescue.
You can’t believe the media pundits. Why? They don’t know the answers either.
To be honest, no one does. The new financial instruments are so complex. But a failed regulatory system that stretches from Wall Street to Main Street along with a lack of economic education among the masses have helped put us in this mess. The next weeks, months, and years will be very revealing about the future of ours and the world economy.
You certainly can’t trust the politicians – especially our two presidential candidates. Check out FactCheck.Org and you will see a listing of false claims and outright lies from both sides.
Here’s what’s so amazing. Go to the Tax Policy Center to learn about the economic plans of McCain and Obama. The Tax Policy Center has to break down the plans into two reports. Get this! One report tells what the candidates and their surrogates have said on the campaign trail while the other report describes what the candidates have written on their websites. In other words, they’re telling you two different things. And do the mainstream media pick this up? No. So who knows where they stand? No one. In short, we will vote on gut.
No wonder Michael has stopped paying attention. Don’t you negate or block out compulsive liars? My long-time friend comedy actor John O’Hurley parodied a frustrated voter during the 1980 election, “I’m not going to vote. I don’t want to encourage any of them.”
Following the news and dealing with the distortions can be depressing. Frankly, there’s very little positive news these days.
But let’s put this into perspective. Michael and all of us still need to pay attention to the news.
First, apply some filters when watching the news. First, remind yourself that the news is not supposed to be uplifting. It’s supposed to be informative to help you live your life safely. It’s like going to the doctor for a check-up. It’s not fun, but necessary to staying healthy.
Second, don’t believe everything you hear and see on the news. Not that they’re purposely deceiving you, but news stories are just a snap-shot in time. What seems big now becomes trivial or an after thought in days or weeks to come. We have a tendency to get all worked up for no reason. Occasionally, the media gets it wrong. They’re human, too. Make sure you’re the most important journalist in your life; do as journalists should do, get confirmation from more than one source.
Economically speaking, this knee-jerk reaction to everything we hear could be dangerous. A lot of the selling on Wall Street earlier in the week was based on fear, not fundamentals. So, as grandma used to say, take it with a grain of salt. See if what the news reports say fit with the reality you see in your life and business. Obviously for Michael, much of the news reality runs counter to what his business is doing.
However, here’s where I disagree with Michael. Paying attention to the news media will help him know what his clients are hearing and thinking.
A good example was during this past historic financial week. One of my portfolio managers was reviewing clients’ portfolios while also watching CNBC. Normally, we tell folks to ignore the knee-jerk info you hear from the cable business network; not because the info is wrong, but their info speaks more to day-traders rather than long-term investors that we rep. However, my portfolio manager knew clients would be glued to the TV, so he wanted to hear what they were hearing so he could reasonably answer their questions.
I was not able to tell Michael this at our meeting. To be honest, I was more interested in how successful his sales efforts are. But I did tell him this. He needs to at least turn on local TV news in the morning for safety reasons. TV news does a great job of warning us about physical danger whether it’s the weather or a man-made catastrophe. At worse, you’ll avoid some early morning hassles.
In addition to that early morning TV news blast, you need a few minutes each day or at least every other day to scan the news.
This is where an RSS Feed is so valuable. All the stories you want come directly to your computer and you can read the synopsis or the first five paragraphs and move on to the next story. This way you can read four newspapers in 15 minutes.
Here’s how to do start an RSS feed for free.
Go to www.sharpreader.net. This is a news aggregator.
Click “Download Installer”
Click Run
The news aggregator will download to your computer. Across the top you will see buttons that say: Refresh, Subscribe, and Address.
Create another window and go to www.nytimes.com
At the bottom of the New York Times home page, click on Add New York Times RSS Feeds.
You will see a listing of the RSS Feeds. They are rectangular orange boxes labeled XML. They cover many topics.
Let’s get the business RSS Feed. Go to the Business RSS Feed and right-click on the orange XML box, and then click on copy shortcut.
Go back to the page where you downloaded the news aggregator.
At the “Address” box at the top of the page, right-click and hit “paste” then press “Enter” key. The RSS Feed address for all the New York Times business stories should be there.
Then hit “Subscribe”.
Find other RSS Feeds you want.
Go to other publications and find their RSS Feeds
This is a posting on the latest trends in news gathering among Americans. Are we seeing a disparity in society along news gathering lines as many would have us believe is happening along economic lines? You might also want to sit down and talk to your daughters!
LAS VEGAS, NV (September 7, 2008) — The latest Pew Research on news consumption has good news and bad news – and more changes on the way.
First, the good news. More people are turning to the Internet for news and information. Although only 13-percent are voracious news gatherers on the web, that number seems to be growing.
Add to that the 23-percent that watch TV news but supplement their news gathering with information on the web, you get 36-percent who either solely use the web or in conjunction with TV news.
I believe this is a good sign. As I mention in my book, that combination is the best way to understand news events. Use the Internet and its wider array of sources to gain a fuller understanding of events; then go to TV to visualize and grab the emotion of an issue.
Despite the faults of TV news, the boob-tube has two benefits – immediacy and emotion. Breaking news is the forte of TV. Say what you want about our talking head friends (yes I was and probably still am one of them), but they excel at warning you. Sure, they may overdo it. But they rarely fail to shout out danger. That’s why I always recommend you turn on TV news in the morning while you’re getting ready for work or starting your day.
The hope is that news consumers are reviewing a variety of sites and sources to gain what Fox News claims but fails to deliver – fairness and balance. The Pew study doesn’t describe if these voracious news viewers check many points of views.
The other good news is that these interested news consumers are the most affluent and educated. As a result, the news media will start trying to reach them – using more intelligence.
And this is the change that continues to happen – thanks to technology. Once your big screen TV and your computer morph into one, (I think this will be ubiquitous by 2010) the news will be more directed to America’s smarter folks. Currently local TV news seems to cater to less affluent, less educated women from 25 to 45. As a result, we get more entertainment news from our local newscasts.
This leads to some bad news from the Pew Study. Thirteen-percent of people are totally “disengaged” from news. And most of these folks are young and women. That’s scary. Yes, they’re young and they have other more pedestrian, fun interests. I’m not saying we should deny them that. Heck, I watch sports with the zeal of a teenager. My fear is this: the older generations right now are spending a lot of the younger generations’ futures and these kids have no idea. We’re so anxious to secure the rights of the unborn; how about thinking about the young who are still in a womb protected from news and information? The flip side, and the study doesn’t mention this, is the increased interest of young folks in politics thanks to the Obama campaign.
Still, we need to make news and politics more relevant to our kids – especially our young women. In my book, I use the example of Amber Frey, the woman who was romantically involved with Scott Peterson, who is now in prison for killing his wife and unborn child and dumping their bodies into the ocean. Amber Frey failed to see news stories on Scott’s pleas for his missing wife – for five days. Although she was in no danger at that time, she could have been. Furthermore, her story reveals how out of touch she was. It’s frightening to think young women are so fixated on Britney, Lindsay, and Jessica. Maybe Gov. Sarah Palin is the answer here.
The other bad news is that 46-percent of news viewers get all their news from TV. Unfortunately, TV is an entertainment medium. So, folks will be getting information that has some drama or comedy. As a result, we get extremist or exaggerated view points that offer black and white, but fail to deliver gray.
This study proves some of my theories about America’s disenchantment and mistrust of the news media and the lack of knowledge and education most Americans endure.
The majority of Americans are not stupid or apathetic. They’re busy. Whenever I give a speech or seminar, someone always tells me how their work, their family obligations, their education, or caring for an elderly parent robs them of truly getting informed. Who can argue with them?
The news media has failed to meet the public’s needs – especially those who want real news. TV adds the entertainment bells and whistles to get a bigger audience while turning off the most important viewers. But that’s all TV knows how to do. It’s the same thing credit card companies do: who has the time to read the pages and pages of small print legalize that buries the hidden fees and surprise rates?
Unlike credit card companies that have bigger lobbyists, the news media realizes it is losing audience. I think (and here’s a buried gem that you may notice in the future) that a ten-minute newscast delivered on computer, Ipod, cell phone, or some device other than TV – with a balanced and fair perspective – might be a winner.
In the meantime, what can you do?
First and foremost, if you have a daughter, educate her on the importance of being informed. If not for the enjoyment of learning, at least implore her to “stay in touch” for her safety.
Second, read my book. Let me give you pointers on how to gather information quickly. With my tips, I’ll have you reading four newspapers a day in less than 30 minutes.
Third, talk about what’s happening in the world in an engaging way with others. Stop the partisan talk about how liberal Obama is or how far right McCain is running. Discuss an issue knowing both sides – not just the bloviating from cable and talk-radio yakkers. And make sure to listen to others.
This is the latest Daly Show video posting on the recurring battle between O’Reilly versus Olbermann that has grown into a wider media war.
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This is a posting announcing my new golf blog on lasvegasgolf.com.
LAS VEGAS, NV (June 22, 2008) — In addition to the blogs you see here, I have started blogging on golf. Here’s where you find the blog.
This is a posting about the week which saw a controversial debate, a not-so surprising investigation into the media being duped by the Pentagon, a defiant doggy act – and what you can do about two out of three.
LAS VEGAS (April 20, 2008) — Our puppy Nike was obviously angry. My wife and I were gone for five hours at a charity event. He was left in the portable kennel for five hours. When we returned, he went outside to pee. But then he ran upstairs and pooped in the bedroom; not in one area, but three different spots.
He’s a smart dog. He got his point across. But he also understood our anger. He hung his head and stayed stationary in a “time out” position. Hours later, he remained a model of good behavior.
We need to do the same – show our anger — with our elected officials and the media. But we also need to realize they are like pets: they have their own specific agenda and they’re not really aware of what’s going on with us. Too often we’re apathetic owners of this country we claim to so dearly love.
Let’s look at the Democratic debate last week. First, understand it was a TV debate. That means it needs to be entertaining and lack substance. So, I don’t have any problems with the questions to Barack Obama about what he said about angry people clinging to guns. I have no problem with people criticizing him for his less than stellar responses. I have no problems with him being asked about the stupid questions about whether his psycho pastor loves America or why he doesn’t wear a lapel pin.
My problem is that the debate was lopsided against Obama just as I thought some of the earlier debates were lopsided against Hillary Clinton. Why wasn’t Hillary grilled on her now former operative Mark Penn and his connections to a Colombian trade deal?
I’m a big fan of Charlie Gibson. So, I was disappointed in his performance as an entertainer more than a journalist that night. I doubt we would have seen that performance from the late Peter Jennings. George Stephanopoulos’ performance doesn’t surprise me. He’s not a journalist; he’s a political operative. We know this and he once worked for Bill Clinton’s White House.
(For the record, I have met and spent time with both Gibson and Jennings. I have never met Stephanopoulos.)
Here’s the point. Watch these debates for entertainment only. Don’t let these silly versions of reality game shows help you decide who to vote for.
As I write in my book, television is good for two things: immediacy and emotion. Depth of issues is something you get from books and websites using experts.
Like lax pet owners, we seem to forget the mounds of crap shoveled to us by George Bush that made us vote for him in 2000. We elected an intellectual lightweight who we thought he’d be a good guy to have at a backyard barbeque. We’re not deciding who our neighbors are. We’re electing a commander in chief who will have the fate of our jobs and our lives in his or her hands.
You need to reprimand both the candidates and the networks for their behavior. Did we really get any answers to Social Security, Medicare, the War in Iraq, immigration, energy independence from this debate? No. Frankly, any debate between Barack and Hillary is a waste. They agree on most issues, so it comes down to an ugly popularity contest.
Now let’s look at the New York Times investigation of the TV networks use of military experts who are controlled by the Pentagon and the Bush Administration.
My take: any general or military expert who helped push the WMD argument to get us into war should be banned from appearing on network TV. We’re fining networks for showing some skin on TV. So why wouldn’t you push a worse punishment for smart people who knowingly deceived the American public about going to war that has led to the deaths of four thousand troops? Frankly, I would prosecute them.
Many of these retired generals had jobs with defense contractors. They clearly put their own economic principles ahead of their duty to the United States people.
Again, I have no problems with their opinions. My anger is two-fold. One, they never disclosed that they were getting their talking points from the Pentagon. Two, they never disclosed they were working for defense contractors bidding on government contracts.
And the networks are as much to blame. They never vetted these so-called experts. Why? It’s to easy not to do that. That takes time and money. And if they found someone who’s an independent thinker, then that person won’t have access to the White House.
Again, TV is not an information medium. It’s an entertainment medium. Its main goal is to get ratings and if being a propaganda tool brings in ratings and dollars, the media will do it.
Watch CNBC. They no longer disclose what conflicts the guest analysts have with certain stocks they’re discussing. They were quite vigilant a few years ago after the Enron and Martha Stewart scandals. But not now.
And if CNBC was that worried about the truth why wouldn’t they have fired Jim Kramer of Mad Money. Two days before the collapse of Bear Stearns he yelled that Bear Stearns is fine. Kramer’s not on for his stock picking; he’s on for ratings. He’s an entertainer. Would you pick stocks or set up your portfolio based on that show? I hope not. (Some disclosure: I work for BNY Mellon Wealth Management. See how simple disclosure is.)
The same is true about the political debates. Why would you decide who to vote for based on this artificial, lack of substance debates on TV?
This is why you need to be the most important journalist in your life. You need to question everything you hear on TV news. Everyone has an agenda. That’s not to say there isn’t good information, but you need to be less accepting of its total veracity. And you need to realize that networks are cutting corners, so you’re not necessarily getting the best trained and most experienced journalists.
Again, please read my book. (Blatant disclosure: Yes, I’m trying to sell my book.) If not, then the media and the politicians will continue pooping on your bedroom floor.
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