Disney-fy the Lie

Propaganda Lesson #29: Disney-fy Everything.

Why do the real work of creating a real country with real freedoms, when you can just hire Disney to make the delusion of freedom.

Because if anyone can paint America brighter, it's Disney.










US Deploys Disney to Soothe Visitors Stuck in Passport Queues

By David Usborne in New York

The sometimes gruff welcome that the United States extends to its overseas visitors nowadays, made much worse by the newly rigorous visa and security restrictions imposed since the terrorist attacks of 2001, got a make-over yesterday courtesy of it best-known ambassador of jollity and joy, Mickey Mouse.

From now on, the nerves of international passengers queuing up at passport control at airports in Washington DC and Houston will be soothed – or otherwise – by a sappy seven-minute film made by the folks at Walt Disney showcasing all that is wonderful, scenic and nice about the land of the free.

It will be shown in the international arrivals halls of all major US airports as well as in visa-processing offices around the world. Major airlines will also be encouraged to show it on aircraft shortly before landing in the US.

While the no-dialogue video is packed with clichés of Uncle Sam – such as the inevitable shots of the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon and Golden Gate Bridge – travellers who consider themselves allergic to all things Disney should not necessarily despair. Mickey and his gurgling-grating laugh are not featured in the film and Disney even resisted the temptation to use it as a vehicle to promote itself and its theme parks.

The idea for it was Disney's, however, stemming from the widely held perception that the US has become less hospitable to foreign tourists since 9/11 and statistics showing the US winning a declining share of overseas tourism. It deployed Frederico Tio, a veteran of Disney films such as Finding Nemo, to make the short film and then donated it to the US government free of charge.

The reviews are not yet in but Karen Hughes, a former adviser to President George Bush whose current job is to sell the US to a world that in recent years has become a lot less fond of it, seems delighted, asserting that the film will help in "creating a warm first impression, and first impressions are important".

It is not the first time that Mickey's pixie dust has been sprinkled on the flying public in America. Last month, Miami international airport revealed that in an attempt to improve customer service, it was sending all of its employees to the Disney Institute in Orlando for training in the art of the big smile and open hug.

"We thought it would be nice for people to be greeted by beautiful images that inspire them to explore America," Mr Tio said of his film. A Cuban immigrant himself who arrived in the US aged three, he focused not just on landmarks and landscapes but also on the country's ethnic diversity.

It was a project, he said, that took him and his assistants on an almost 15,000-mile trek through the US over 42 days. Characters featured in the final cut include an immigrant from Mexico tending to grapes in the Napa Valley, a former "lost boy" from Sudan brought to the US as a child and a Midwestern farmer.

The Ten Steps of Fascism

Believe It or Not: The United States of America is in the turd swirl of the toilet. Alot of it is gone already and if the current forces continue uninterrupted, it will surely disappear. Guaranteed. Take it to the bank.




Naomi Wolf lays out clearly the Ten Steps to Fascism, proven throughout history and now in effect in the good ol' U.S. of A. This is truly "must-see TV" for everyone, including those without the skills of critical thought.

Here are the 10 steps:

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy

2. Create a gulag

3. Develop a thug caste

4. Set up an internal surveillance system

5. Harass citizens' groups

6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release

7. Target key individuals

8. Control the press

9. Dissent equals treason

10. Suspend the rule of law


Her most important revelation is at the end where she says flat-out that the only way to turn the tide [proven in history] is to IMPEACH and JAIL.

Officially, the majority of citizens in the US are incapable of doing this. So it's 'bye-bye now' to the America you grew up with, and 'hello my baby' to the new fascist flavor. Enjoy!

Don't believe it? Think Americans can take their country and freedoms back? Still drinking the koolaid that the 'greatest superpower in history' can't come to an end? Then prove me wrong by prosecuting the REAL criminals to the fullest, restoring and enforcing your constitution, and becoming once again the true beacon of freedom in the world.

You won't do it - but good luck anyway.

P.S. For those who make their living creating muddy delusion and arguing with history, your jobs are secure. Sleep well.

Power Politics Lesson # 4 - Always Control the Message

Controlling the message entails: hosting a conference, on your turf, where you set the agenda, and only you can speak to the media. Make sure everyone repeats how wonderfully pro-active you are by doing this.

Follow up by doing nothing, or moving on to the next war.









Manipulating the Climate Message

By Roger Harrabin

Environment analyst, BBC News

What's in a name? A lot, according to the Chinese government.

It forced President Bush to change the title of his recent international climate gathering from the "big emitters" conference to the "major economies" conference.

The apparently minor change reveals the exquisite sensitivity of global climate politics.

The US is keen to paint the Chinese as the world's future biggest polluter, but the Chinese reject the epithet because their emissions per person are about one-sixth of the average American.

President Bush first mooted a conference of large emitters just before the G8+5 meeting in the summer. I understand that China was approached but refused to attend the meeting in Washington unless the name change was made.

The victory was notional because the world media continued to refer to the meeting at the end of September as the large emitters conference anyway.

Indeed, the American Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice took the opportunity to consolidate the message by welcoming India, China and Brazil as "equals" in the battle against climate change - an accolade they do not want.

The original wording of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change signed in 1992 by President Bush senior refers to "common but differentiated responsibility" on emissions cuts, but this phrase has been shunned by his son.

Media Control

The whole Washington climate conference was a triumph of US media management. The opening public statements were made by President Bush, Dr Rice and Jim Connaughton, the head of White House climate strategy.

The only foreigner to speak publicly was Yvo de Boer who, as a representative of the UN, remained neutrally uncritical of his hosts. The two-day meeting then went into closed session.

Other delegates were furious at what they said were false leadership claims on climate by Mr. Bush, but they were not given a platform to address the media.

When they emerged at the end of the conference on the Friday, they found that the co-ordinator, Mr Connaughton, had slipped out to brief the media half-an-hour before the end of the meeting, and the US TV networks had gone home.

The conference did not receive widespread publicity in the US despite growing public concern about climate change.

But those papers that did report it ran headlines like "Bush promises leadership on climate" although the Washington Post and New York Times did carry more critical messages down in the body of their articles.

"The White House slaughtered us," said one European delegate in search of the vanished American TV crews, "they absolutely slaughtered us".

Climate Roadshow

The decision to convene the Washington meeting was in itself a masterstroke of PR.

Many of the delegates had low expectations but felt compelled to attend. They noted that the meeting had the same cast-list as the G8+5 meeting of the Gleneagles dialogue (initiated by Tony Blair and hosted by the head of G8 on rotation basis) with just two more guests, South Korea and Australia - both traditional supporters of the US in international relations, particularly climate change.

Next summer, Japan will host the Gleneagles dialogue during its G8 presidency, but Mr. Bush has now asked the heads of government of the 16 biggest economies to travel to Washington to discuss climate, too.

Some delegates felt trapped by Mr. Bush's offer - and fearful of its consequences.

Visiting heads of governments will be obliged by the rules of diplomatic nicety to avoid publicly confronting their host (with whom they may well need to do other business).

It is not clear what extra deal on climate Mr. Bush hopes to gain from a second meeting in terms of content; but the very fact of hosting the meeting will give Mr. Connaughton control once again of the agenda, timetable and media access.

And Mr. Bush may attempt to argue that as the heads are meeting in Washington on climate, G8+5 should focus on other matters.

Chinese Presentation

Some of Europe's delegations had actually planned to speak to the media in Washington, which is more than can be said for the large Chinese delegation.

At international climate meetings they are virtually invisible to the media. One Chinese diplomat ruefully told me: "We believe that we have a plan to reduce the growth in emissions and we are going to carry out that plan so that should be enough.

"We are very naive about dealing with the way the rest of the world sees us."

The BBC requested an interview for radio and TV with the Chinese head of delegation but he only agreed to an off-record background briefing.

Perhaps there is an opening for a large PR firm to advise the Chinese on how to conduct themselves in a world where diplomacy is often influenced by headlines and sound-bites.

By far the best operator of climate spin is the White House's own Jim Connaughton - a brilliant lawyer. Perhaps China could offer to quadruple his salary - it would be money well spent.