Atroturfing is a practice intended to give the statements or organizations credibility by withholding information about the source’s financial connection. The term astroturfing is derived from AstroTurf, a brand of synthetic carpeting designed to resemble natural grass, as a play on the word “grassroots.” The implication behind the use of the term is that instead …
Tag Archive: John Oliver
Jun 27 2018
How To Get A Cable Network Banned In China
It’s actually much simpler than you would think, China being very thinned skinned about criticism of its leaders and policies. The host of HBO’s “Last week Tonight” John Oliver did it in twenty minutes. How exactly did he achieve that, you ask? Simple, he compared China’s President Xi Jinping to that honey loving cartoon bear …
Nov 13 2017
John Oliver : The Lasting Consequences of the Troll President
Last night John Oliver, host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” gave an insightful dissertation on the techniques that Trump and his followers have used to undermine norms of governing and how Americans talk about ideas. Allowing Trump’s techniques to spread to other politicians and media outlets so that it becomes the pervasive doctrine of the …
Jun 12 2017
Now A Word From Lord Buckethead
While ek hornbeck has been dong his happy dance and gloating over the electoral spanking a that Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and her Conservative party took, the politics over the UK withdrawal from the European Union got complicated. The host of “Last Week Tonight” John Oliver has found the answer to their “Brexit Prayers”: …
Jun 01 2017
We’re Melting
Update 1700 ET: As expected Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris Climate Agreement citing a litany of lies about the agreement and climate change. The US is the world’s second largest largest greenhouse gas emissions. This afternoon Donald will announce his decision whether to stay in the Paris Climate Accord. Withdrawal from the …
May 22 2017
“Last Week Tonight” This Morning
The host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” John Oliver devoted his show to looking back at the week that was and quite a week it was: (F)rom President Donald Trump leaking Israeli intelligence to Russian officials, to finding out a high profile member of the administration has been named as a person of interest in …
May 08 2017
FCC Attacks Net Neutrality, Again
Three years ago, we fought the good fight to protect the internet and with a lot of the help from the good senator from Minnesota, Al Frankin, and an HBO comedian, John Oliver, we won. It was Oliver in particular and the popularity of his then new show, “Last Week Tonight,” that really woke up …
Apr 17 2017
French Presidential Election: Vive La France
On April 23 French voters will go to the polls to elect a new president. The French election of its chief executive is a direct election, unlike the US, which is determined by vote of the majority of the people. The winner must get 50%. If not, then in two weeks on May 7, there …
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