General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Big Bird story has gone international - Germany, France, Brazil
Romneys Threat to Big Bird Sows Confusion Abroad, and Feeds It at Home
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Mr. Romneys decision to run against Big Bird gladdened American conservatives, who have long complained of a liberal bias on public television and radio channels, but puzzled many viewers abroad, where local versions of the educational program are popular and well respected. In France, Le Monde reported that the slight against le Gros Oiseau threatened to spiral into laffaire Big Bird, after President Obama experiencing a certain esprit descalier came up, a day late, with the retort: Thank goodness somebody is finally getting tough on Big Bird. Its about time. We didnt know that Big Bird was driving the federal deficit.
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The German magazine Der Spiegel explained to readers that Mr. Romneys threat to the character that viewers of Sesamstrasse know as Bibo generated a Twitter-Sturm during the debate that reached maximum intensity in just 20 minutes.
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In a useful roundup of the comic images of an unemployed Big Bird circulating on social networks, the Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported, somewhat inaccurately, that Mr. Romney had tried to soften the blow by first telling viewers, I love Garibaldo, which is the name the character goes by in Vila Sésamo.
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Full story with hyper-links here: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/romneys-attack-on-big-bird-sows-confusion-abroad-and-feeds-it-at-home/?smid=tw-share
Lone_Star_Dem
(28,158 posts)Thank you for keeping up with this and keeping all the rest of us abreast of the story. I don't think I've thanked you enough for all you do around this place. You're a "platinum plus" DUer.
Cha
(297,304 posts)Texas!
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Mitt, international meanie of misery.
Mitt, international meanie of misery.
That's a good one. It should stick to ol' Stench like glue.
silverweb
(16,402 posts)[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]It's not about killing PBS or Sesame Street, it's about forcing that "market" to open to advertisers.
Follow the slime trail of the money men, who slaver over every potential market, and whose ambition is to have no corner of the nation (or the world) free from maximum commercial exploitation.
eShirl
(18,494 posts)when I was a kid, they used to have an announcer read a short list of benefactors for a particuar show before it began, but now they run actual commercial ads
DisabledAmerican
(452 posts)Keep in mind it cost a lot more then back then to run a station. Plus the way things are done changes to meet the demand for it. Advertisers want more.
silverweb
(16,402 posts)[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]What else can I say? Maybe the children's programs are somewhat protected so far? Ads targeting children are the mother lode in marketing.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)I'm just glad my kids got to experience PBS/Sesame Street/Electric Company 30 years ago, the way the programs were designed to be viewed on PBS.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)heaven05
(18,124 posts)kind of political system can breed a man/monster, yes monster like this clown? He destroys companies, jobs, families very dependent on those jobs and the when they are forced to go on the dole, they are part of his useless 47%. Everyone has mentioned the soldiers, elderly, chronically sick as part of the useless 47% and by the way, I'm classified in that category, yet I don't hear much about these families and the added insult to injury by mitttwit calling them irresponsible ect. Their livelihoods were sent to China by this monster and he's blaming them. Oh and don't forget, he got very rich destroying other people and families. I hate this guy. What kind of system breeds people who will VOTE for this monster. My god! I know why we have expats. Tell me this is the greatest system in the world and I'll call you foolish and a liar.
BellaKos
(318 posts)On the one hand, the Republican Party is comprised of "vulture capitalists" whose sole desire in life is to acquire wealth and power by whatever means necessary. On the other hand, the party has within its ranks stupid and/or willfully ignorant people who have been manipulated, ill-informed, and even brainwashed into believing completely ridiculous ideas, such as: tax cuts for the wealthy create jobs.
Romney is a ruthless predator who craves power and will do and say anything to acquire it. Or worse. There's something terribly wrong with a man who does *nothing* else for six years other than run for President. After all, Bill Clinton created and established and made successful The Clinton Global Initiative within that same amount of time. Oprah founded a school in Africa and created her OWN network. Bill Gates created a foundation. Hell, Facebook became a global phenomenon.
In other words, Romney has the means to do anything in the world, but instead, he serves himself alone. His ego. As I said, there's something terribly, terribly wrong with him. And I wonder what will happen when his Quest for the White House is finally dashed on Nov. 6th. Will we see him break into pieces on TV that very night? I wouldn't be surprised at all. After all, Romney *believes* in the mythology of his candidacy. He believes that He is the One.
And -- there's that thing about a man who ties a dog to the roof of his car. Yeah, there's that, too.
heaven05
(18,124 posts)very reasoned.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)in so many ways. The system needs a major overhaul. That's what the 1% are very afraid of.