Sunday, February 01, 2009

FU WSF

Hey what do you know, in the midst of capitalism's global implosion there were two very different economic forums being held at the same darn time! There was the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, representing the interests of global capitalism and the World Social Forum (WSF) in Belem, Brazil, representing alternatives to predatory globalization.

Well, dang, lets see how NPR - which has been touting the merits of journalists "trained to see patterns in data and ask informed questions" - covered the dueling forums:

Here's a little search of "World Social Forum" on the NPR site. What do you know, nothing from 2009, 2008, or 2007! In all just 8 results.

Let's compare that to a little search of "World Economic Forum" on the NPR site. Hmmm...seems NPR was a bit more interested in the big money at Davos. You can see a wealth (128 results) of stories on the capitalist forum, including a whole story featuring the pro-terrorism, bad Samaritan, and always wrong Thomas Friedman.

UPDATE: Readers have asked for more on "always wrong" Friedman, so here's a few interesting links - enjoy:

8 comments:

Madison Wilburs said...

I'd love to here more about why Friedman is dead wrong.
--Sir Arrogant Numskull

Hubertg said...

I second Sir Arrogant..as articulate as Mr Friedman is, Globalization/NWO stuff scares the hell out of me.

Anonymous said...

#Dean Baker takes Friedman to task for being a know-nothing about the role of the housing bubble crash."

Friedman seems to be a "know-nothing about everything".

Better than a "know-everything about nothing" I suppose (but not much)

You know the system is FUBAR when our "leaders" in Washington turn to columnists for "advice" on matters of greater import than Britney Spears latest adventure in rehab (if such matters indeed exist)

Anonymous said...

Some of my most enjoyable moments of schadenfreude have come at the expense of Friedman's 'family,' the Buchsbaum family which, until the bubble burst, sat on a fortune worth some several billions of dollars, and which fortune was reduced some 95% in just a few days.

Can I have a Hallellulia?

Anonymous said...

Why is Insqueak 'reporting' from Iran?

What makes him a 'reliable' source?

Does he speak Farsi? Arabic?

Has he studied Iran carefully from afar, in school? He has an advanced degree in Middle East or Persian Studies?

Has he ever even slept with an Iranian girl (or boy)?

No? Then why is he on my radio today?

Duh: Insqueak is there because he'll reliably slant the reports to support the USer agenda...

Anonymous said...

I have read every one of Taibbi's Tom Friedman screeds. AWESOME. Listen to Friedman's interview with Terry Gross after the whole "Flat Earth" nonsense. Really, an interview about nothing!

Anonymous said...

I think a much more apt title for Tom Friedman's book would have been "The World is Fat".

Friedman's world, at least.

David Green said...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/16/matt-taibbi-takes-on-tom-_n_158426.html

Here's another on friedman by Taibbi.