Fake News

The social media fight against Trump is a modern battle of the presses

At first glance there would seem to be little that would connect Donald Trump with Martin Luther, but stick with me here.

In 1517 Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation with his 95 Theses. This document railed against Papal indulgences, which the faithful could buy as a sort of "Get Out of Jail Free" card for sin.

The later Reformation also held that Christian scripture is the only source of the rules for worship. There was no need for priests to get in the way. This, of course, went over in Rome like a fart in a spacesuit.

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How can the Canadian government combat hate crimes?

Linda Leon

| February 2, 2017

An open letter to:

Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration

Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety

Gentlemen,

Canadians watch aghast as intolerance, misogyny and xenophobia sweep the United States, and creep into Canada.

Six innocent men were murdered, many others grievously wounded and families harmed in Québec City on January 29. This atrocity occurred at a place of worship during prayer.

It is not a coincidence that a similar crime was committed in a African American Church in Charleston, South Carolina less than two years ago. Extreme right wing groups fomenting violence are now in Canada with connections to larger American counterparts.

In Greenspon report, corporate media blames everything but itself

Nick Fillmore

| January 27, 2017

What a difference some 50 years has made in one of Canada's most important and powerful industries!

Back in 1970, the Senate of Canada called an inquiry to investigate the exorbitant profits made by Canada's handful of media barons.

Skinflint media mogul Roy Thomson had declared that owning a radio or television station was like having a license to print money. He added that owning a newspaper was even better, because a license was not required.

Legislating against 'fake news' leads us down a path to censorship

Meghan Sali

| January 10, 2017

If you've opened your eyes in the last two months, you'll know that there's a new boogeyman coming to deceive you and your family: the phenomenon of "fake news."

The spectre of fake news has been flooding the airwaves -- with a noticeable uptick since the U.S. federal election in November -- and it seems to be gaining steam with every passing day.

Columnists

Joke news provides hope among stories on 'fake news'

This was the year of fake news, as I keep reading. But so were most years preceding it. In 1897 newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst sent ace illustrator Frederic Remington to Cuba to cover a revolutionary war against its Spanish rulers. Remington wrote to Hearst that he found no revolution and there would be no war. "You furnish the pictures," wrote Hearst, "and I'll furnish the war." War duly followed, and the sorry saga of Cuba-U.S. relations, still ongoing.

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Download MP3

Redeye

Washington Post creating propaganda, not exposing it

December 21, 2016

| An article in the Washington Post on Nov 4 claimed to present evidence of Russian propaganda in the form of the website Prop-or-Not. Veteran reporter Dave Lindorff calls the article sloppy journalism.

Length: 17:06 minutes (15.66 MB)

Columnists

Fake news is foolish but the consequences are real

This week a photo of a racist letter made the rounds on social media.

It read:

"Dear Terrorist-Bitch,

We are writing to you as the newly organized Neighborhood Town Watch. We understand that you currently wear a scarf on your head and we would like to put you on notice that this will no longer be tolerated in our neighborhood.

Now that America is great again, we would like to offer you two opportunities to avoid any consequences on your poor previous decisions. First, you can take your radical attire of and live like all Americans. Or, your second option, you can go back to the God Forsaken land you came from.

America is Great Again,

Neighborhood Town Watch"

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social media Digital Media Donald Trump hate mongering Fake News U.S. election 2016

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U.S. will not tolerate foreigners acting like Americans

David J. Climenhaga

| July 31, 2016

Like this article? rabble is reader-supported journalism. Chip in to keep stories like these coming.

The United States will not tolerate the countries of the world acting like the United States, senior U.S. officials say.

In particular, according to U.S. officials speaking in a variety of media, the United States will not permit foreign intelligence services to act like U.S. intelligence agencies.

Albertans will soon be able to 'tap' for ambulance service with new smartphone app

David J. Climenhaga

| April 1, 2016

April 1, 2016

Residents of Alberta will soon be able to "tap" for an ambulance with Alberta Health Services' new "TAP-ulance" smartphone app.

The app, which will be rolled out in Edmonton first and then throughout the rest of the province, provides "new market-based emergency care solutions focused on patient choice," AHS said in a news release.

The release said AHS believes the smartphone app will offer major improvements in emergency care service throughout Alberta and is expected to help solve the crisis in ambulance wait times experienced since AHS took over local and regional ambulance services in 2009.

Well-known former political rivals set to team up in high-powered U.S. consulting firm

David J. Climenhaga

| April 1, 2015

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (April 1, 2015) -- Former Alberta premier Alison Redford has been joined by the woman who once was her chief opponent, recently retired opposition leader Danielle Smith, in the Palm Springs, Calif., strategic consulting firm.

"It's not every day that a political strategist with the experience and skills of Danielle Smith unexpectedly comes onto the job market," a spokesperson for the new consulting firm said. "Even though the company is still in its start-up period, Ms. Redford insisted that we acquire Danielle’s services while she remains available."

"Danielle and Alison are both very excited by the opportunities for synergies their extensive experience in Alberta politics offer," the spokesperson added.

Fake News

The social media fight against Trump is a modern battle of the presses

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Joke news provides hope among stories on 'fake news'

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Washington Post creating propaganda, not exposing it

Fake news is foolish but the consequences are real

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