Mediaboss Marketing

The most deleterious force for America and for conservatism has been Fox News leading people astray, conservative author Ann Coulter told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview last Thursday following her lecture at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin.

When asked if there is a future for populist conservative media on television, Coulter said, Wed all be better off if TV went under altogether.

Everyone on TV, as we found out briefly this week, theyre just the pretty faces for whatever the plutocrat behind the screen wants, Coulter said.

She was referring to an incident on November 9, when Fox News host Neil Cavuto cut away from live footage of White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaking during a Trump campaign press conference. McEnany was discussing alleged voter fraud during the presidential election.

I saw, live, Cavuto cut away from Kayleigh McEnany. That was so shocking, Coulter said.

And, except that I didnt want to admit to anyone that even on a commercial break from both MSNBC and CNN, I was watching Fox News, I wouldve tweeted about it myself. I go up to my Twitter feed, thats all anyone is tweeting about, she recalled.

So, I guess the primetime hosts, they and the corporate management [at Fox News], probably figured out, We cant do this or its over even for the declining days of cable news, Coulter said of the networks post-election coverage of Trump.

I dont think Ive met anyone under the age of 60 who watches cables news. So, Im not sure theres that much of a future, anyway, she added.

As other people have pointed out, you could kill your cable subscription altogether and just be on Twitter because, if you ever do watch these shows, its [content] that was [broken] three days ago on Twitter. I have friends who watch Fox News and theyll call me with, like, breaking news, and Im constantly telling them, I tweeted that yesterday,' Coulter said.

I really hope the whole thing collapses, because I think, the most deleterious force for America and for conservatism has been Fox News leading people astray, she opined.

As you will recall throughout 2016, well, I wasnt allowed on Fox News then because I supported Trump, and they were anti-Trump. And then, when he [Trump] switched we got the big bait-and-switch, from all of his [campaign] promises to whatever Jared [Kushner] wantedthen I wasnt allowed on Fox News. I guess because I wasnt willing to fellate him [Trump] every night as he broke his promises. But for whatever the reason is, whomever you think you like on Fox News, check my Twitter feed that day. See if you havent seen it there first, Coulter advised.

Even as Americans have become increasingly reliant on social media sites for their news, Big Techs left-wing censors have actively throttled conservatives voices during the Trump presidency, including President Trump himself.

Breitbart News asked Coulter if a populist movement can survive Big Tech censorship with Silicon Valleys preferred candidate Joe Biden in the White House. Alarge number of Big Tech executives are expected to join Bidens transition team, according to a recent report. Is there a viable social media future for conservative voices?

This is another thing that makes me laugh about Trumps loss, said Coulter who, just a few hours earlier,told a socially distanced audience of 97 people at UT Austin that America needs Trumpism without Trump four years from now.

His supporters were thrown off [social media], deplatformed, suppressed immediately throughout his administration. Breitbart was crushed. From 20 million readers a day [to] YouTube starts taking down their videos. Facebook is taking down their stories, letting other people rip off Breitbart stories, she noted.

You know, whatever you think of them I dont care, I believe in free speech Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos, Gavin McInnes, [all were] totally deplatformed. And did Trump ever lift a finger to help them? Oh, now I remember. No, he did not. So, I cant wait for Twitter to ban Trump on January 20, Coulter said.

Twitter has confirmed that President Trump will lose special privileges protecting his Twitter account from being suspended or banned for alleged policy infractions if he leaves office. Twitter placed warnings on dozens of the presidents tweets in the hours and days immediately following the contested November 3 election, effectively muting his communication with the American public.

As for what happens going forward, its sort of unfortunate in a way, its not our fault, but its conservatives who are bearing the brunt of this tech monopoly right now, Coulter said.

Because, if you read the New York Times, theyre not wild about this sort of, you know, czars wealth either. Articles by Kara Swisher a few years ago in the New York Times addressed the insane amount of power the tech companies have, and they realize its utterly unfair, she noted.

So, if leftists become honest again and dont keep defining themselves as the antonym to Trump, as [New York Times op-ed columnist] Frank Bruni described it [in 2019], I think this is something all freedom-loving people can agree on that we shouldnt be a world of Rollerball, Coulter said, referring to the 1975 science fiction film by Norman Jewison. The movie depicts three corporations running the world. Its totally whats happening right now, she explained.

Coulters lecture at the University of Texas at Austin was on the issue of immigration, the subject of her bestselling 2015 book, Adios, America.

Even before Trump came along, Republicans and Democrats have conspired to try to sneak an amnesty through Congress about a dozen times, Coulter said.

She agreed with conservatives who are concerned that Republicans might work with their corporate donors and the Chamber of Commerce to push for another Gang of Eight-style amnesty deal, as they did in 2013.

Yes, I am worried about that. Yes, they absolutely will, she said, noting several previous attempts by bipartisan groups of senators to usher an amnesty plan through Congress that would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship for tens of millions of illegal aliens.

And it wasnt Fox News, it wasnt major talk radio hosts who alerted America, but somehow it would get out. It would be Howie Carr, or Joyce Kaufman, or Matt Drudge. Somehow America would find out and shut down the congressional switchboards, the political commentator recalled.

Hopefully the MAGA [supporters], the Trumpsters are organized enough that they will not be able to push it through. Hopefully some of these Republicans have realized [that trying to pass amnesty is] not popular [with the bases populist wing], Coulter said.

The author added that she hopes Republicans understand that in order to speak to the populist base they must strive to protect American workers [and] protect American culture.

Read more here:
Ann Coulter: Fox News Has Been 'Deleterious' for America and ...

Let me tell you about the one where Tim Cook took a shower...

Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Satya Nadella walk into a bar.

No, that's not going to work. Let's try this:

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Mark Zuckerberg.

Oh, go away.

Please forgive me, but I've suddenly learned something about humor I never expected. Well, never expected from Stanford University.

I think of it as a place where people are grotesquely self-confident and self-absorbed -- even on a golf course. I think of it as a place that may have been slow to embrace the teaching of ethics in certain quarters.

I don't think of it as a place where some of the softer sides of management leap to the fore.

Yet here are Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas ready to disabuse me. They believe a crucial element of modern leadership is, oh really, humor.

Aaker is the Stanford Graduate School of Business General Atlantic Professor and Coulter Family Fellow for 2020-21. I don't think it's Ann Coulter's people, but you never know. Bagdonas is a lecturer in management at Stanford Business School.

Together, they not only teach humor to the evidently dry leaders of the future but have written a new book,Tell Us A Joke, Tim Cook, You Sanctimonious Twerp.

I'm sorry, that's not quite right. It's called Humor, Seriously. Why Humor Is A Secret Weapon in Business and Life. Seriously.

Humor. Surely that's the first trait you associate with Zuckerberg, Dorsey, Nadella, Cook, Sundar Pichai, and just about every other tech leader today.

They make you feel at ease with a quip, rather than want to furiously scratch some part of your face. Whenever they speak, there's a tumult of titters and a groundswell of guffaws. Their one-liners are the stuff of legend.

Actually, one can only imagine -- and one has heard from those who know -- that their leadership styles drift toward the intense, rather than the innately cheery.

Oh, but look at the research Aaker and Bagdonas presented in an excerpt from their book published in Fast Company.

Are you aware that those who use humor at work are seen as more competent and confident -- and enjoying higher status too?

Can you possibly believe that employees who say their leader is humorous -- even the slightest hint -- rate them 27% more motivating? Employees say they're 15% happier in their jobs if they have an even vaguely funny leader. (I'm not thinking Larry Ellison. How about you?)

It could be, of course, that our tech titans are, in the cocoon of their own Zoom meetings and Polynesian hideaways, cracking even wiser than they're pontificating.

It could be that I'm dreaming here.

Aaker and Bagdonas insist humor isn't just confined to leaders personally. Why, it makes teams more productive. Including Microsoft ones, I shouldn't wonder.

The authors say: "Teams that laugh together before trying to solve a creativity challenge are more than twice as likely to succeed versus those who don't laugh together first."

Were they all laughing while they created the iPhone? Yes, they were. Even Steve Ballmer thought it was funny. The iPad? Ach, that came out of a drinking game at the office when someone broke the screen off a MacBook.

As for AirPods, someone put a couple of broken bits of plastic in their ears as a joke and an engineer cried: "Genius! That's it! Crappy earrings that double as headphones!"

Aaker and Bagdonas' book came out last week. I wonder if Cook was the first to reach for it.

That was a joke.

Go here to see the original:
Apple and Facebook have one startling thing missing. Stanford is trying to teach it - ZDNet

Pine Bluff, Ark. Civil rights activist, author and media personality Rev. Dr. Al Sharpton will be the featured speaker for the Office of Student Involvement and Leaderships Black History Month virtual event on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 4:00 p.m.

The veteran civil rights leader will discuss the focus of this years event, Unity for our Nation. It is free and open to the public to attend.

The political unrest our country has experienced will be studied and examined for generations to come at institutions like ours, said Kara Brown, dean of student activities. This event not only celebrates the legacy of Rev. Sharpton as an outspoken leader in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and a first-hand witness to history but also provides our campus community with insights for how we can collectively work together to strengthen our nation.

Sharpton is one of Americas foremost voices in the battles against economic and social injustices and political inequity. He is the founder and President of the National Action Network, a not-for-profit civil rights organization formed in 1991 with more than 100 chapters nationwide. Sharpton also hosts the daily radio show Keepin it Real w/ Rev. Al Sharpton and a national cable news television show entitled Politics Nation. His most recent book, Rise Up: Confronting a Country at the Crossroads, was published in September 2020 and is already a national bestseller.

The event will begin with an opening ceremony featuring Leon Jones III, president of the Political Science Club. Jones is a Political Science major and last summer co-hosted a virtual event following the death of George Floyd. Jones said he recognized the impact these types of events can have on a community.

I saw people from all different backgrounds coming together trying to find clarity and understanding, Jones said. It was pretty special, and Im excited to be in a space, yes virtually however, a shared space with a seasoned and wise activist.

The free event will be hosted via Zoom webinar. Details for accessing the webinar can be found at uapb.edu.

More here:
Rev. Dr. Al Sharpton will speak at UAPBs Black History Month Event - KARK

Rev. Al Sharpton

By Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) It is rare to be able to interact with a living historical figure. But thats what students and faculty at Tennessee State University experienced on Feb. 3 when the Rev. Al Sharpton, one of the nations most renowned civil rights leaders and activists, began as a Distinguished Guest Lecturer for the semester.

Sharpton will be a featured lecturer in the area of political science grounded in social justice. His lectures will be via Zoom each Wednesday through April.

Not only does the Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights icon, know American history and the role African Americans have played to shape that history, he has been an intricate piece of it as well, said TSU President Glenda Glover. This will be an amazing opportunity for our students to learn from an individual who comes from the pages of the history books they are reading, and to gain knowledge directly from the source.

Sharpton, a community leader, politician, and minister, serves as the host of PoliticsNation on MSNBC. With more than 40 years of experience as an advocate, he has held such notable positions as the youth director of New Yorks Operation Breadbasket, director of ministers for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and founder of his own broad-based progressive civil rights organization, the National Action Network.

His activism allowed him to walk among other civil rights icons, like Jesse Jackson and A. Phillip Randolph. He also brought attention to high profile cases in New York, such as the Howard Beach incident in December 1986 in which three African-American men were assaulted in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens by a mob of white men. Later that month, Sharpton led 1,200 demonstrators on a march through the streets of Howard Beach. His role in the case helped propel him to national prominence.

Sophomore Alexus Dockery is a political science major from Memphis, Tennessee. She said its only fitting that Sharpton should be at TSU because of the universitys rich history in the fight against racial injustice, such as students participation in the Freedom Rides and sit-ins during the civil rights movement. In 2008, the university honored 14 TSU alums who were beaten and arrested during the Freedom Rides with honorary degrees.

TSU students embody the meaning of call to action, which is demonstrated through our motto, Think. Work. Serve, said Dockery. Rev. Sharpton understands the importance of this, and the importance of HBCUs contributing to society for the advancement of Black people.

Gelanni Jones is a junior majoring in biology at TSU. However, he said Sharpton, because of his historical significance, should appeal to all students, regardless of their major.

The statement that he makes by just being himself, is exciting to have at TSU, said Jones, a Cincinnati, Ohio, resident. Hes a civil rights icon at an HBCU that I attend.

Sharpton is no stranger to TSU. He gave the keynote address last year at the universitys spring graduate commencement ceremony, where he was given an honorary degree in recognition of his body of work and societal impact.

Read more:
TSU Students Excited About Historical Knowledge Rev. Al Sharpton Will Bring as Guest Lecturer - tntribune.com

Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Iran

Confirmed cases 1099

Confirmed cases 100499

Confirmed cases 500999

Confirmed cases 1,0009,999

Confirmed cases 10,000+

Last updated on 9 May 2020

Deaths

The COVID-19 pandemic in Iran is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2). On 19 February 2020, Iran reported its first confirmed cases of infections in Qom.[3] The virus may have been brought to the country by a merchant from Qom who had travelled to China.[4]

In response to the coronavirus the government cancelled public events and Friday prayers; closed schools, universities, shopping centres, bazaars, and holy shrines; and banned festival celebrations.[5][6] Economic measures were also announced to help families and businesses, and the pandemic is credited with compelling the government to make an unprecedented request for an emergency loan of five billion US dollars from the International Monetary Fund.[7] The government initially rejected plans to quarantine entire cities and areas, and heavy traffic between cities continued ahead of Nowruz, despite the government's intention to limit travel. The government later announced a ban on travel between cities following an increase in the number of new cases.[6][8] Government restrictions were gradually eased starting in April. The number of new cases fell to a low on 2 May, but increased again in May as restrictions were eased, with a new peak of cases reported on 4 June,[9] and new peaks in the number of deaths reported in July.[10] Despite the increase, the Iranian government stated that it had no option but to keep the economy open;[11] the economy of Iran was already affected by US sanctions, and its GDP fell by a further 15% due to the coronavirus pandemic by June 2020.[12]

Some early outside estimates of the numbers of COVID-19 deaths are much higher than those from government sources,[13][14][15][16] while the People's Mujahedin of Iran has consistently claimed a much higher death toll.[17] Leaked data suggest that 42,000 people had died with COVID-19 symptoms by 20 July compared to 14,405 reported that date.[18] The government has also been accused of cover-ups, censorship, and mismanagement.[19][20][21][4] However, the World Health Organization says that it has not seen problems with Iran's reported figures,[22] although a WHO official later said that due to limited testing in the early months, the number of cases reported in Iran may represent only about 20% of the real number until more tests could be conducted.[23] Later increase in the number of cases in May was attributed to increased testing by the Iranian government.[24] The official number of cases surpassed 200,000 with over 10,000 deaths recorded by June 2020.[25] President Rouhani, however, estimated that 25 million may have become infected by July 2020, considerably higher than the official count.[26] Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iran account for around a quarter of all cases in the MENA region by mid-July.[27]

Multiple government ministers and senior officials have been diagnosed as SARS-CoV-2 positive, as well as 23 members of the Parliament (around 8% of all MPs) by 3 March.[28] At least 17 Iranian politicians and officials had died from the virus by 25 March.[29] Notable Iranians reported to have died from COVID-19 include Hadi Khosroshahi,[30] Mohammad Mirmohammadi, Hossein Sheikholeslam, Fatemeh Rahbar, Reza Mohammadi Langroudi,[31] Mohammad-Reza Rahchamani,[32] Nasser Shabani,[33] Hashem Bathaie Golpayegani,[34] Hamid Kahram,[35][36] and Khosrow Sinai.[37]

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, that had been reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[38][39]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than that for SARS in 2003,[40][41] but the transmission has been much greater, creating a higher total death toll.[42][40]

FebFebMarMarAprAprMayMayJunJunJulJulAugAugSepSepOctOctNovNovDecDec

Last15daysLast15days

Date

# of cases

# of deaths

View post:
COVID-19 pandemic in Iran - Wikipedia