Puppet MastersS


Eye 2

Best of the Web: Venezuela: Another national dismemberment brought to you courtesy of the oilygarchy

venezuela oil company
© Reuters
Oligarchy: noun - A small group of people having control of a country or organisation.

Oilygarchy: noun - A small group of people determined to control the world, who use words like "democracy", "human rights" and "freedom" to persuade gullible people to support their plans for toppling the governments of other countries, especially those with large oil reserves.
"Stop what you're doing and care about Venezuela. Yes you! Although we've hardly ever mentioned the country before, and although you may not even be able to point to it on the map, you've just gotta care. You have to. It'd be heartless not to, wouldn't it? The poor people in that country you've hardly heard of and know nothing about, are living under a dictator whose name you don't know. And night after night after night we're gonna keep talking about it until you say it in your sleep: Maduro Must Go! He must be replaced by another man whose name you've never heard of either, but we can assure you he's a good guy. Yessir, he's a good guy alright. Kind. Compassionate. A true democrat. A true lover of freedom. A man of the people. Oh and he's friendly with our oil companies too.

So, c'mon what are you waiting for? Support our nightly campaign to unseat the man whose name you've never heard of, in the country you can't place, with a man whose name you can hardly pronounce let alone remember. And together let's bring about true freedom and liberty for the Venekrainian people, and maybe get ourselves some cheaper oil as well."
Thus spake the Western media in their new campaign to get us to support yet another regime change, brought to you courtesy of Neocon Warmongers Inc., nicely wrapped up of course in the obligatory garb of squishy newspeaky buzzwords like "freedom'n'democracy'n'human rights".

Comment:


TV

No break from Brexit: RT unscrambles the latest developments

brexit
As British MPs are told that their February break from parliament is to be cancelled in order to solve the chaos currently enveloping Britain, RT takes a look at the latest goings-on in the EU divorce saga.

On June 23, 2016, the UK voted in a referendum to leave the European Union. Over two and a half years after that vote, the British people are no clearer as to how the country will leave the bloc it's been a member of since 1973.

So, where are we at with less than 60 days to go until the UK is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29?

Theresa May and her government

The British prime minister won the backing of UK MPs in parliament on Tuesday after the 'Brady' amendment, backed by her government, was voted through, in what was seen as a major victory by many of her supporters.

Comment: Anyone would think that the whole Brexit fiasco was intended to be confusing and distract from the real issues, although that probably would be giving the politicians too much credit whereas it actually just reflects the current, sorry state of politics: Also check out SOTT radio's:


Eye 1

Microsoft's Newsguard marks fake news stories as credible if they spread mainstream narrative

microsoft
© AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File
NewsGuard, which is the establishment media's latest effort to blacklist alternative media sites, is giving its sign of approval to proven hoaxes, even to stories that have been retracted.

Microsoft is so desperate to spread fake news and blacklist ideas it doesn't like, NewsGuard is automatically included in one of its browsers.

You will find more examples below, but here is NewsGuard's seal of approval (on the Google search page) for Rolling Stone's 2014 hoax about a gang rape at the University of Virginia (UVA).

Rolling Stone (which NewsGuard gave a passing grade) was eventually forced to retract the story and settle some lawsuits, but the far-left HuffPost's aggregation of Rolling Stone's proven lie is still live, and that green checkmark is NewsGuard's way of telling readers they are reading something credible:

Snakes in Suits

Virginia Democrat admits she didn't read extreme abortion bill she co-sponsored

intercom
© Jeffrey Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images
After co-sponsoring an extreme abortion bill that allows abortion up until a child's birth, and amid massive backlash to "moderate" Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam's defense of letting a born-alive infant die, Virginia Delegate Dawn Adams (Richmond) sent a letter to her constituents Wednesday night apologizing for supporting the bill and explaining that she "did not read" the bill before co-sponsoring it.

"I made a mistake, and all I know to do is to admit it, tell the truth, and let the chips fall where they may," wrote the lawmaker in a newsletter reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "If you follow my newsletter or have written to me to ask about my votes, you know that I do my best to read and research every bill I vote on. But I did not read a bill I agreed to co-patron and that wasn't smart or typical. I will work harder and be better for it."

Adams then vaguely referenced some of the controversy swirling around the bill she co-sponsored along with fellow Democrat Del. Kathy Tran (Fairfax) and tried to explain why she backed the radical bill without having read it.

Arrow Down

Losing Proposition: Kamala Harris supports Medicare for all

Senator Kamala Harris
© Elijah Nouvelage/REUTERSSenator Kamala Harris launches her campaign for President of the United States at a rally in her hometown of Oakland, Calif., January 27, 2019.
In a CNN town hall on Monday night, Democratic presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris stated that she'd be supportive of ending private insurance companies completely.

"I believe the solution, and I actually feel very strongly about this, is that we need to have Medicare for all," Harris said in response to an audience member's question about health care. "That's just the bottom line."

Since she made the comments, a number of her fellow Democrats have come out to say that they disagree.

"It would take a mighty transition to move from where we are to that," said Senator Dick Durbin. "What most of us said we would support is a Medicare-type plan - a not-for-profit public plan that is available for everyone. I think that's a good first step."

"I'm not going to say you have to give it up," Senator Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice-presidential nominee, said of private insurance. "I think the idea is to offer a nonprofit insurance plan as an option."

Comment: See also:


Gold Bar

Venezuela to sell gold reserves to UAE without Russia's help

Dubai
© Reuters / Hamad I MohammedDubai
Caracas plans to sell 29 tons of gold to the United Arab Emirates in return for euro in cash, Reuters cites a senior government official as saying. The money is needed to provide liquidity for imports of basic goods.

According to the official, the sale of the nation's gold began with the shipment of 3 tons on January 26, following the export last year of $900 million in unrefined gold to Turkey.

The source denied Moscow's involvement in the operation after rumors circulated this week that mysterious Russian-operated airplanes arrived in the country and planned to leave with Venezuelan gold on board. That is incorrect, according to the official.

Caracas reportedly needs cash for imports of basic products that it sells to the population at subsidized prices. A possible explanation for the payment for the gold in euros is US sanctions, which restrict Venezuela's use of the dollar.

Eye 1

Google pays fine to Russian media watchdog amid illegal content row

google eye
© Global Look Press / imago stock&people
US media giant Google has paid a fine to Russian authorities over its non-compliance with the country's laws - namely, the apparent refusal to exclude blocked and illegal resources from results on its search engine.

Google has transferred the funds it was ordered to pay following an administrative case in Russia, a spokesman for the Russian media watchdog, Roscomnadzor, confirmed on Friday.

According to a new Russian law, which took effect last year, operators of internet search engines must exclude results for websites, blocked in Russia. Such content includes blocked websites, extremist materials, child pornography, advertising of illegal drugs and other off-limits stuff.

Star of David

Gantz surges in polls against Netanyahu, who faces indictment

gantz netanyahu
© Carlos Latuff
The Israeli campaign trail is heating up as the April 9 elections draw closer. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a fast-growing opposition, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said he plans to decide whether to indict the PM before the election, and Palestinian lawmakers are scrambling to finalize their slates ahead of their primaries.

Former Israeli military chief Benny Gantz, head of the new Hosen L'Yisrael party (Resilience for Israel), is making strides in his election campaign, with polls placing him at a near tie with Netanyahu - something no other candidate or party has managed to do in recent years.

Following Gantz's first public speech in Tel Aviv earlier this week, Haaretz reported that if elections were held now, Gantz would receive 21 to 24 Knesset seats - eight seats up from the previous poll predictions.

In a poll conducted by Israel's Channel 12 news station asking who voters wanted as Prime Minister, 36% of those polled said Netanyahu while 35% said Gantz.

Leaders of the centrist Yesh Atid party (There is a Future) are reportedly considering forming a joint center ticket with Gantz's party following the ex-military chief's spike in the polls.

Eye 1

Twitter suspends account of attorney representing plaintiffs in DNC fraud lawsuit

Jared Beck
Jared Beck
Earlier today, Twitter suspended the account of Jared Beck, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the DNC Fraud Lawsuit. Disobedient Media has consistently covered the ongoing litigation of the suit, which has resulted in questions regarding a number of deaths, bizarre phone calls, and other unusual occurrences.

The historical significance of the Beck's suit against the DNC and former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz cannot be overstated, as it confronts the heart of the actual election-rigging from which the entire Russiagate scandal was constructed to deflect. Despite this - or because of it - the lawsuit has gained remarkably sparse corporate media coverage.

The suit has forced the DNC's counsel to admit a number of shocking stances, including statements suggesting that the party had every right to choose candidates in back rooms, and even that election-rigging is protected by the first amendment. DNC counsel had the gall to argue:
"... To recognize any of the causes of action that Plaintiffs allege based on their animating theory would run directly contrary to long-standing Supreme Court precedent recognizing the central and critical First Amendment rights enjoyed by political parties, especially when it comes to selecting the party's nominee for public office."

Mr. Potato

War whore litmus test: US Senate passes non-binding resolution opposing troop withdrawal for Syria and Afghanistan

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
© Joshua Roberts / ReutersSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
The Republican-led U.S. Senate approved a mainly symbolic bill opposing plans to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan in a rare rebuke of President Donald Trump.

With substantial support from both parties, the Senate on January 31 voted 68-23 in favor of a nonbinding amendment stating that the Senate believed that Islamic militant groups in both countries continue to pose a "serious threat" to U.S. security.

The amendment acknowledges that progress has been made in the fight against Islamic State and Al-Qaeda insurgents in both countries. But it said the region could be destabilized should "a precipitous withdrawal" occur without measures taken to secure the gains, likely creating a vacuum that could be filled by Iran or Russia.


Comment: Who destabilized the region in the first place? The U.S. and Israel.


The legislation called on the U.S. administration to verify conditions have been met for the militant groups' "enduring defeat" before any significant withdrawal of troops takes place in Syria or Afghanistan.

The bill was drafted by Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has rarely spoken out against Trump or his policies.