Via Atrios, a terrific summary of why Open Source Media/Pajama Media is a fizzle.

The Stiftung doesn't have alot to add. Good essay.

Only quibble? The Stiftung never found the people on the Pajama Media Roll of Shame particularly interesting, as bloggers or now as media personalities. “Heh” and “Indeedy” I suppose are riveting for some.

8th grade algebra is hazy, but iirc the expression for Pajama Media is:

mendacious blogging x (reinforced in endless echo chamber)z = bad gig. Where z = rage, anger and fear.

Enjoy.




UPDATE 09:12.05 The NYT continues to prove it is a vapid shadow of its former self. It is set to publish an item claiming that “conservative” blogs are the most “effective” because they stay on message as a cohesive whole. Pathetic. It is empirically untrue, of course. Witness Kaine in VA, Corzine in NJ, the collapsed faith in the Administration's war, etc. And thematically the premise is inaccurate as well — someone also tell author Michael Crowley that many of these blogs he lauds are not 'conservative' in the traditional sense but truly radical. The Times descent to mediocrity explores new depths weekly and is, as the kids say nowadays, Teh Suk.

ARMY SELECTS MCCANN FOR $1.35 BILLION ADVERTISING ACCOUNT

WASHINGTON (AdAge.com) — The U.S. Army tonight awarded its advertising account, the government’s largest, to Interpublic Group of Cos.’ McCann Erickson, New York. The army said the contract could be worth up to $1.35 billion over five years.

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Hagel, Murtha, and others who have served talk about the “broken Army”. In addition to missed recruiting goals, the Pentagon announced today units slated to go back to Iraq for their third tour will not be sent. (AFP article on the jump).

Perhaps McCann will consult with NSC's Feaver and emphasize “victory”. Americans who don't sign up, like Jonah Goldberg? Why do they hate Freedom and deny Victory?

Link

Update: 08.12.05 10:00 PM AFP article added to jump

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The NYT reports that Peter D. Feaver, a Duke University political scientist who joined the N.S.C. staff as a special adviser in June and specializes in public opinion and war, crafted the “National Strategy for Victory in Iraq” and our Leader's Naval Academny speech. On the PDF of the 'plan', using the reveal code unveils Feaver as the author.

Feaver specializes in the psychodynamics of war and mental conditioning of the American electorate. Hence, under his direction, 'freedom' is mentioned over 20 times and 'victory' 15 times in the Naval Academy speech. Feaver claims his research is that Americans will support war as long as they believe in victory. Repetition is his weapon.

The Stiftung site overall obviously is tongue in cheek. But we are deadly serious about the underlying diagnosis of the ideological agitprop foundations, motivations and techniques of the Administration. Feaver's techniques and the Administration's ideological genetics are in harmony with approaches used by mass ideological regimes from Europe, Asia and South America in the 20th Century.

Welcome, N.Y.Times. Only now, in December 2005 do you report what has been obvious to everyone else for years.

The Stiftung highlights the “Freedom Index” today. The FI will be used periodically as one measure of the political exhaustion and intellectual bankruptcy of this ideological Administration.


As a loyal Acolyte of Freedom, you dear reader understand this Administration rules and wages war through exhortation to shape consciousness at home and abroad. This is similar to the tradition and techniques of the mass ideological regimes of the 20th century in Europe, South America and Asia.

The famous comment to Suskind by Bartlett about disdain for the “reality-based community” would be at home in that context. Paying Iraqi newspapers to run U.S. propaganda is part of the process.

In warfare there is a need and use for propogranda. But here, the blowback from Iraqi papers to the domestic audience was an integral part of the plan, just as use of the Rendon Group had domestic implications, etc.
Mindshare through manipulation.

The word Freedom of course is one of the Administration's favorite intellectual soporifics. To paraphrase Aldous Huxley, Alphas only talk to Alphas who love freedom. Psychological novacaine works, unfortunately. Such slogans shut down critical thinking.

In this Time of Troubles, the Administration's recourse to the freedom bromide is all the more obvious. Our President's speech about “Victory in Iraq” in Annapolis tripped over itself, using the word 'freedom“ over 20 times. When lighting the Christmas tree yesterday, the Leader slipped in ”freedom“ twice. 2 mentions of 'freedom' in remarks at the Christmas tree lighting.

And in case anyone forgot, the United States Navy lauching an entire class of warships, the Littoral Combat Ships, christened as the ”Freedom class“. The first ship is, naturally, the ”U.S.S. Freedom". (DoD Press Release after the jump).

Hapless Democrats and ratings helots in the media have emabled the Administration to substitute sloganeering for governance for 5 years. So it is, in a way, unfair to criticize the Administration to resort to the hoary freedom chestnut in its Time of Twighlight.

You can join in! Stiftung operators are standing by at 1-707- 924-2545, 24 hours a day in the undisclosed bunker location.

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