Fracking PsyOps. Yesterday America, today New South Wales?

For all those NSW Northern Rivers 'insurgents' out there.........

http://youtu.be/vJwAXTxPIXo

DRIVING FORWARD A UNITED INDUSTRY FRONT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, ENGAGE NGOs AND LEVERAGE MASS MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY TO OVERCOME PUBLIC CONCERN OVER HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, Houston, Texas USA 2011

CNBC 8 November 2011:

CNBC has obtained audiotapes of the event, on which one presenter can be heard recommending that his colleagues download a copy of the Army and Marine Corps counterinsurgency manual. That’s because, he said, the opposition facing the industry is an “insurgency.”....

Another told attendees that his company has several former military psychological operations, or “psy ops” specialists on staff, applying their skills in Pennsylvania....

In a session entitled “Designing a Media Relations Strategy To Overcome Concerns Surrounding Hydraulic Fracturing,” Range Resources communications director Matt Pitzarella spoke about “overcoming stakeholder concerns” about the fracking process.

“We have several former psy ops folks that work for us at Range because they’re very comfortable in dealing with localized issues and local governments,” Pitzarella said. “Really all they do is spend most of their time helping folks develop local ordinances and things like that. But very much having that understanding of psy ops in the Army and in the Middle East has applied very helpfully here for us in Pennsylvania.”

At another session, Matt Carmichael, the manager of external affairs for Anadarko Petroleum , spoke on the topic of “Understanding How Unconventional Oil & Gas Operators are Developing a Comprehensive Media Relations Strategy to Engage Stakeholders and Educate the Public.”

He said he had several recommendations for the oil industry media professionals at the event, one of which, he said, involved the military.

“Download the U.S. Army-slash-Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Manual, because we are dealing with an insurgency,” Carmichael said. “There’s a lot of good lessons in there and coming from a military background, I found the insight in that extremely remarkable.”

Audio here.

Approximately 472 page U.S. Army -Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual (December 2006) here.

Excerpt from U.S. Army - Marine Corp Counterinsurgency Field Manual: Afghanistan Edition here.

Australian Journalism 101: Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant

A published letter to The Daily Examiner editor by Holly Shiach on 23 January alerted me to the many errors packed into so few lines by one notorious repeat offender employed by the APN regional media group.
See how many factual errors you can spot in the opinion piece below after reading a little about Greenpeace.

Whale of a PR machine by Graham Orams on Page 8 of The  Daily Examiner,  16 Jan 2012:  

WHALE activists aren't doing themselves any favours with some of their antics.

Greenpeace activists are losing a lot of support among the mainstream public because of their eco-terrorism approach to this matter.

For a start, despite its ostensible outrage, Greenpeace would have been rubbing its hands together when three of its crew members were detained on board a whaling ship recently.

In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that was the plan all along.

After all, a big PR firm like Greenpeace needs to constantly find new and exciting ways to get media attention.

That's not to say whales are not worth saving; it's just funny how activist organisations like Greenpeace never seem interested in saving endangered spiders, for instance.

That type of endeavour would unlikely stir the public's emotion enough for them to donate money (cynical, aren't I?).

And having to send an Australian rescue team to bring the "captured" activists back to Western Australia hasn't gone down well with many in the community, who are less than impressed at the cost to taxpayers.

Now we hear anti-whaling activists are throwing acid at Japanese whaling boats to get their message across.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Greenpeace claim to care about the environment?

I'm no marine biologist but isn't it bad for our oceans to have acid poured into it?

No matter what I say, though, there are many people who believe the means justifies the end.

But all too often that attitude amounts to hypocrisy.

A New Year's Honours List conceit

Newspapers typically report that those receiving an honour from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II are astonished to hear they have been gonged in some way – it came out of the blue and dropped on the doorstep with an unexpected thump which woke the sleeping household.

You’ve gotta love the conceit of that myth.

This is how it really goes for one ‘fictitious’ couple…….

Mr. Far Right and his spouse Hyacinth decide that another honour is needed to boost his profile and his worth on the international freeloader circuit.

Both begin discreet inquiries about what might be on offer for former politicians of his lack of stature.

Both even more discreetly let it be known that he would like one of those honorific titles – say a mere trifle like The Most Noble Order of the Garter, The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle or The Most Honourable Order of the Bath.

Hyacinth takes the lead in ferreting out suitable sponsors, while the pukka Mr. Far Right pretends to step back as is right and proper.

Once these sponsors (who might expect favours or bonbons in return) take up the cudgel on Mr. Far Right’s behalf, he and Hyacinth begin crafting the required novella which lays out the reasons he should receive a Great Big Gong.

Armed with what is now a mini-version of “War and Peace” the sponsors lay siege to the Royal Household and British Establishment until Her Maj consents to give Mr. Far Right what he wants, or a close consolation prize like the newfangled Order of Merit for which all citizens of Commonwealth countries are eligible for appointment.

The sponsors privately prepare the grasping couple for the inevitable disappointment, by assuring them that if Mr. Far Right fills a dead woman's shoes to even up the OAM numbers it is bound to lead on to further glory in the near future.

Buckingham Palace then formally notifies Mr. Far Right of his consolation prize. Hyacinth brews a new pot of Earl Grey and she and Mr. Far Right hit the phone to the family and one or two close friends – swearing all to absolute secrecy and pretending that he didn’t really want just a little of what his hero, Teh Mighty Ming, wore on his ample chest.
Reflecting that this gong means that she and hubbie will get to have tea with the Queen every so often and that her beloved will have his portrait drawn and hung (no quartering allowed thank you very much), Hyacinth wets her knickers.

The day before the Honours List is formally announced someone close to Mr. Far Right informs select media of the totally unexpected news and indicates a suitable time for photo ops and quotable gems.

Come the day of the announcement, Mr. Far Right (having washed the brown substance off the end of his nose) acts humble and surprised on finding himself in a group which includes his political opposites - Sir David Attenborough who is a passionate lobbyist for an international response to climate change and Nelson Mandela who steadfastly opposed South Africa's apartheid system.
Australia gives a bored yawn as it watches Mr. Far Right on the tellie that night telling the world he is trooly rooly touched.

Pic of Order of Merit found at Buck House website

Hadley and Flannery with pistols drawn

2GB Radio The Ray Hadley Show Thursday, 28 July 2011

Listener confirms Tim Flannery does own a waterfront home

David calls in to Ray Hadley to confirm Professor Tim Flannery does own a waterfront home at Coba Point.

Professor Flannery in Crikey, 22 November 2011:

Flannery did his own investigation. He found an address for “David” and made a house call. Flannery writes:

“His stammering voice was so unlike the smart-alec tone I’d heard on the radio that at first I thought I had the wrong person. But he soon admitted that he knew Ray Hadley. In fact, he worked for him.

“David then stated emphatically that he had not called Ray Hadley at all. Instead Hadley had asked him to appear on the show, and had called him. David said that Hadley had sought him out after learning that I lived nearby. The story, and all of the supposed ‘facts’ that David was to raise during the interview, had, according to David, been assembled beforehand by Hadley and his team … David stated: ‘You’re on the other side of the fence [regarding climate change] … they hate you … they’re out to get you.’”

2GB Radio The Ray Hadley Show Wednesday,  23 Nov 2011

Ray responds to Tim Flannery's claims
Calls Flannery you low bastard as he concludes a denial of ever knowing "David"

As Hadley made a number of errors in his reply, uttered contradictory statements about legal action and "David" remains an unverifiable source, I suspect that Flannery wins this round without much effort.

Especially as Crikey published this memo on 25 November 2011:

21.viii.11 Sunday afternoon
Tim pulls up at pontoon — v crowded with debris — revs motor to reverse.
Man appears on verandah, shirtless, comes down pulling on sweater.
T calls out: Are you David? I’d like a word.
Man walks down, diffidently but expecting us (?) Tells barking dog to be quiet.
Man & T meet mid-jetty.
T: Are you David?
Man: Yes.
T: You’re the caller David who called Ray Hadley?
D: That’s me.
T explains visit. D is barely coherent [does he have a speech impediment?] T asks re call to 2GB?
D, matter of factly: They called me … They had it all arranged. I just called in.
D: … You’re on the other side of the fence [re climate change], they [2GB] hate you, they’re out to get you. I didn’t call them, they called me.
Alex (surprised): Why would they call you?
D (flatly): I work for them.
A (politely): What is your work?
D (softly): Card [incoherent]
A (gently): Sorry?
D (clearly): Car detailing. I do car detailing for them at 2GB. I know them all.
T (firmly, fairly): Well, we’d like the podcast permanently removed rom the public domain. Could you ask Ray Hadley to do that.
D (hesitating, uncertain): Well, I won’t see him for another fortnight, another two weeks.
A (quietly): You’re a newcomer here. We don’t do this sort of thing to each other. We’re a small community & just respect each other’s privacy.
T (gently): It’s OK, leave this to me. (firmly, fairly): OK David, the decent thing to do is to get the podcast removed. It’s untrue & it’s dangerous. That’s all.
We leave.

Ray Hadley has since fired back in this TheTelegraph online article.

Which again returns readers to the question of the mysterious
"David" aka "Dave" allegedly of Coba Point, Berowra Creek NSW. Seen here in one of the many photograph's posted by his wife on her Facebook page between 2008-2011......

And this is probably Dave's 'new' waterfront home....

After two on-air interviews with Ray Hadley, one wonders if "Dave" is still enjoying his notoriety?

Liar, liar?

“Thanks for all the support. I believe what happened today is completely unfair .. And I am seeking advice on the matter” tweets CamPriceBris after being sacked for lying about where he was reporting from during ‘live’ television coverage.

According to his now former employer “Cameron Price joined WIN Television in Toowoomba after graduating with a BA of Journalism from the University of Queensland. After a two year stint there, Price joined the Nine Network in 2008”.

I would’ve thought that Queensland Uni would have taught him that indulging in fakery to ginger up the nightly news is just not on.

It's all about E*T*H*I*C*S, Cam.

Pic from The Age story

News footage video here.

Viscount Monckton: House of Lords publicly knocks down one of his many false claims after Spencer interview in Australia & journalists do the rest

One could be forgiven for thinking that florid climate change denialist Christopher Monckton’s recent Australian speaking tour did not return value for money to his backers or give comfort to the anti-science views of Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott.

First Monckton was forced to publicly apologise for the fascist/Nazi slur thrown at one Australian economist before the start of his journey and now this………………

An open letter to Viscount Monckton of Brenchley from the Clerk of the Parliaments published at www.parliament.uk after Monckton’s ABC Sydney Breakfast with Adam Spencer radio interview on 7 July 2011:

Dear Lord Monckton

My predecessor, Sir Michael Pownall, wrote to you on 21 July 2010, and again on 30 July 2010, asking that you cease claiming to be a Member of the House of Lords, either directly or by implication. It has been drawn to my attention that you continue to make such claims.

In particular, I have listened to your recent interview with Mr Adam Spencer on Australian radio. In response to the direct question, whether or not you were a Member of the House of Lords, you said "Yes, but without the right to sit or vote". You later repeated, "I am a Member of the House".

I must repeat my predecessor's statement that you are not and have never been a Member of the House of Lords. Your assertion that you are a Member, but without the right to sit or vote, is a contradiction in terms. No-one denies that you are, by virtue of your letters Patent, a Peer. That is an entirely separate issue to membership of the House. This is borne out by the recent judgment in Baron Mereworth v Ministry of Justice (Crown Office) where Mr Justice Lewison stated:

"In my judgment, the reference [in the House of Lords Act 1999] to 'a member of the House of Lords' is simply a reference to the right to sit and vote in that House ... In a nutshell, membership of the House of Lords means the right to sit and vote in that House. It does not mean entitlement to the dignity of a peerage."

I must therefore again ask that you desist from claiming to be a Member of the House of Lords, either directly or by implication, and also that you desist from claiming to be a Member "without the right to sit or vote".

I am publishing this letter on the parliamentary website so that anybody who wishes to check whether you are a Member of the House of Lords can view this official confirmation that you are not.

David Beamish
Clerk of the Parliaments

15 July 2011

Monckton publicly and somewhat pathetically hit back during the televised National Press Club Address on 19 July, when a journalist raised the issue of the open letter, with a classic piece of misdirection along the lines of 'my passport says I'm a peer and because I'm a peer I must be a member of the House of Lords' or words to that effect.

In answer to a question from another journalist concerning his so-called expert status, Monckton also stated that he had a peer reviewed scientific paper in the APS Physics Journal titled Climate Sensitivity Reconsidered By Christopher Monckton of Brenchley.

Predictably, the American Physical Society has a very different perspective:

Climate Sensitivity Reconsidered

The following article has not undergone any scientific peer review, since that is not normal procedure for American Physical Society newsletters. The American Physical Society reaffirms the following position on climate change, adopted by its governing body, the APS Council, on November 18, 2007: "Emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are changing the atmosphere in ways that affect the Earth's climate." [my emphasis]