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In the past week, two of Britain's most influential newspapers have launched attacks on comedian and YouTube personality Russell Brand. The condemnations caught the attention of billionaire Elon Musk and clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson who both defended Brand from the critical articles.

The Independent published an article this week titled: "How did Russell Brand go from stand-up stardom to peddling YouTube conspiracy theories?"

The piece labeled Brand as "Joe Rogan's British counterpart." The article recalled how Brand was once married to Katy Perry and starred in the "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" movie.

"I know! I'm disappointed too. But such is the age we live in: One minute, a comedian is going about his life, building his career, and the next, he's peddling conspiracy theories on YouTube and quoting Glenn Greenwald's newsletter at length," wrote Louis Chilton, who covers video games and culture for the outlet. "No, I dont like it. Yes, I'm exhausted."

Chilton claimed that Brand "has leaned hard into a brand of pseudo-skepticism we've come to expect from the Joe Rogans of the world."

The article dismissed Brand who has more than 5.2 million subscribers on YouTube (The Independent has 338,000 subscribers) as a "Twitter reply guy."

The writer asserted that Brand's videos "use the language of conspiracies" and utilize his platform to "share shaky conspiracy theories."

"In Brand's world, there should be room for 'alternative opinions' such as Rogan's. Maybe the 'mainstream media' are just jealous that Rogan is so successful, Brand suggested," the article noted, and then admitted, "Maybe we're jealous because Rogan's viewers trust him."

The Telegraph published a piece titled: "How Russell Brand became the Mad Hatter of conspiracy theories."

"In the age of online conspiracies, which have flourished since the onset of COVID, Brand's alarmist video headlines have found support among the frustrated and locked-down," the article purported. "Now, with global restrictions lifting, Ukraine has become the natural next area for scrutiny."

Both articles don't specify what conspiracy theories Brand has disseminated.

After reading The Independent article, Tesla CEO Elon Musk did his own research into whether or not Brand was peddling conspiracy theories by actually watching his videos and deciding for himself.

"With so many mainstream media companies saying @rustyrockets [Russell Brand] is crazy/dangerous, I watched some of his videos," Musk wrote on Twitter in a reply to The Independent. "Ironically, he seemed more balanced & insightful than those condemning him! The groupthink among major media companies is more troubling. There should be more dissent."

Jordan Peterson also defended Brand by saying, "An appalling union of large corporations, media agencies and government. What did Mussolini call that again?"

Peterson is likely referencing this quote: "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power." This quote is commonly attributed to Benito Mussolini, but there doesn't seem to be any proof that the Italian fascist leader ever said it.

Brand released a video addressing the attacks on him by big media on his YouTube channel which has more than 630,000,000 views.

"We dont claim to be a news channel. We're not sending out journalists going, 'Oh my god whats happening over there?' We're looking at news and analyzing news. That's what were doing, just to be clear. We're not claiming to be a news channel."

"So the idea of misinformation this is opinion," Brand stated. "This is obviously my opinion. We check our sources. We never say anything that can't be backed up."

Brand disputed the accusation of being an "anti-vaxxer," pointing out that he has not told anyone not to get vaccinated, but is empathetic to those who are vaccine-hesitant, especially from minority groups that have less trust of the government. He also stressed that the unvaccinated should not be treated as social pariahs.

Brand also questioned the ownership of The Independent. The British newspaper is owned by Evgeny Lebedev son of KGB officer-turned-Russian oligarch. The paper is also owned by Sultan Mohamed Abuljadayel an investor "associated with NCB Capital, the investment banking arm of Saudi Arabias National Commercial Bank," according to the Financial Times.

Brand shared a 2019 article from the Guardian:

Brand declared, "The mainstream media is not your friend. The culture is not your friend. Government is not your friend. Big business is not your friend."

My Response http://www.youtube.com

The rest is here:
After Russell Brand is attacked by big media, Elon Musk and Jordan Peterson defend the comedian - TheBlaze

Today Israel is that different country. Not the progressive, cosmopolitan land. Not the country where people post pictures of coffee shops, bars, malls, and office buildings to show that were just like everywhere else.

Today we are the strange and mysterious Land of the Jews. The place where things are NOT like anywhere else in the world.

Rabbi Chaim Kanievskys funeral is to be held today. At 94 years old, it is not strange that he died but for all those who considered him the Minister of Torah, it is still a shock. Who will continue in his stead?

The title was not an official one but rather the result of deep admiration for his knowledge and wisdom. Minister of Torah signifies that he is of the same importance as the Ministers of the Israeli government only in the eyes of his followers, his field of expertise, Torah, Jewish wisdom is much more important.

Today is a day of different values. Very different from those who value Israels winners of the Eurovision because they popularize us in Europe. Very different even from those who admire Israels assistance to Ukrainian refugees because it is important to be (or show?) that we are good. Today Israelis honor the values of learning, wisdom, and modesty.

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky spent most of his time in a tiny apartment, studying ancient Jewish texts.Every year he would study the Babylonian Talmud a process that regular scholars of the holy texts complete over seven and a half years by learning one page a day.

Children, grown-ups, and politicians all crowded into his tiny apartment to ask for his advice and his blessing.

From a secular perspective this admiration of crumpled old man, pouring over the same ancient texts year after is, well weird. The texts dont change, what learning can be provided from reading the same thing over and over? How can text thousands of years old be used to guide modern life?

When you understand Jewish thought, perspective changes. God created the Universe with the power of the Word. Words themselves have power. Our ancient texts convey wisdom that has been our guide throughout the ages. What is more admirable than one who is deeply familiar with the wisdom hidden within the texts?

The Orthodox Jews believe that their studying is what protects the Jewish People and even more so keeps the world from collapsing into itself. To the secular mind, these ideas seem bizarre and ridiculous. Those who have read Jordan Petersons work might think a little differently about the importance of Words. Those who take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary survival of the Jewish People might think twice about dismissing their idea When our survival occurs against all odds, contrary to all logic, physical, political, and the results achieved by all other nations who am I to say that the Orthodox are wrong in believing that their studying protects us all?

In light of these ideas, it is mind-blowing to consider the fact that Rabbi Gershon Edelstein directed for there to be no Torah studies today. All the students and scholars would focus only on mourning the passing of Rabbi Kanievsky and only that. In other words, this mans contribution to Jewish knowledge balances (or possibly is more important) than the studying that they believe keeps the world from imploding.

That is an extraordinary thought.

Not all Israelis agree with these beliefs and ideas but, nonetheless, the State bends in adaptation to them. So many people are expected at the funeral that streets have been closed, traffic rerouted, and people instructed not to travel in the area, if at all possible. Many people who heard that the police intended to limit attendance flocked to the area last night(!!). Many public sector employees were given an ok to work from home. Secular schools in the area were also shut down or moved to distance learning to prevent unnecessary travel. The IDF canceled induction for new soldiers today to minimize the necessity for travel. Provisions were made for crowd safety, but it is likely that the crowds will be bigger than anything anyone knows how to control. Local parks were set aside so that helicopters could land and evacuate people should a disaster occur.

All this, not for a rock star, politician, or even a charismatic influencer. Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky was a vessel of Jewish knowledge, an example of Jewish scholarliness, of putting learning, wisdom, and faith above all worldly comforts.

Im not religious. Im certainly not Orthodox and yet, in many ways, I like todays Israel better than the Israel we see on so many other days.

{Reposted from the authors blog}

Read more from the original source:
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and the OTHER Israel - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

By Samuel Sey, Op-ed contributor | Saturday, March 19, 2022Reuters/Victor Ruiz Garcia

Most conservatives support Floridas so-called Dont Say Gay Bill. However, many of these supposed conservatives apparently support the bill for the wrong reasons.

Many conservatives do not care about protecting children from LGBTQ indoctrination, they only care about protecting children from leftist indoctrination.

Most conservatives today are heading toward the same direction as liberals and leftists theyre simply progressing at a slower speed.

Christless conservatives hate leftism, not sin. We Christians shouldnt forget that.

They are generally our political allies, but they are not our philosophical allies. Jesus said: Whoever is not with me is against me (Matthew 12:30).

That applies to conservatives too. Leftists arent the only people who are against Jesus. Christless conservatives are against Jesus too. Therefore, Christless conservatives have more in common with leftists than they have with Christians.

So although leftists are a bigger threat to our society, Christless conservatives arent the solution. Actually, they are part of the problem.

Yesterday, Dave Rubin and the man he calls his husband announced theyre fathers of two children through surrogate mothers. Many supposed conservatives, including commentators and media outlets like Candace Owens,Prager University andThe Blaze shared their support.

If youre unfamiliar with Dave Rubin, he is a political commentator on his talk show, "The Rubin Report." He occasionally refers to himself as a conservative, but he mostly describes himself as a classical liberal.

I actually admire Dave Rubin a lot. Imentioned "The Rubin Report" in an article about my top 10 favorite podcasts two years ago. In that article, I said: Dave Rubin is the most interesting podcaster I follow.

His interviews with Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Larry Elder, Douglas Murray and many more have been so helpful to me. His first interviews with Ben Shapiro and Larry Elder especially shaped a lot of my thinking on racial issues. The interviews encouraged me to do further research research that strengthened my blog. Truly, without "The Rubin Report," my blog would be significantly weaker.

Nevertheless, Dave Rubin and the conservatives who support his announcement are part of the problem in our society.

In between their tweets about how LGBTQ indoctrination in public schools harm children, many supposed conservatives tweeted in support of Dave Rubin harming children.

Yes, Dave Rubin and the man he calls his husband are harming their children. I do not take any pleasure in saying that. But its true.

Just as children are a blessing to fathers and mothers, fathers and mothers are a blessing to children. Its therefore harmful to remove that blessing from children through homosexual parenting.

As Katy Faust explains in her must-read book,Them Before Us, homosexual parenting deliberately violates a childs right to a father and mother, with devastating consequences.

We shouldnt have to explain this to conservatives. After all, many of the conservatives supporting Dave Rubin and his partners homosexual parenting are some of the people who rightly blame racial disparities on fatherlessness in black families.

These hypocritical conservatives complain about why leftists do not care about fatherlessness in black families, but they apparently havent asked themselves why they do not care about Dave Rubins children being motherless.

They support homosexual marriages and homosexual parenting, and yet they complain about how gender theory and transgenderism have become so popular without acknowledging that acceptance of homosexual marriages and homosexual parenting fosters acceptance of gender theory and transgenderism.

Also, we conservatives have spent the last two years sharing our concerns about how masks harm children. And yet, we support children being harmed by homosexual parenting?

Of course, children shouldnt be forced to wear masks. But isnt homosexual parenting significantly more harmful than a mask?

Nevertheless, when Pete Buttigieg and his partner announced last year that theyre fathers of twins, they were criticized by many of the conservatives who are supporting Dave Rubin and his partner today.

Apparently, what makes Buttigiegs announcement harmful for society, and makes Rubins announcement helpful for society is their political affiliations.

Many conservatives are only committed to conserving their own interests, nothing more. Thats why just as liberals have regressed into leftists, most conservatives have regressed into liberals.

So dont be surprised when most conservatives support gender theory, transgenderism and public schools indoctrinating children with LGBTQ ideology in a few years.

Most conservatives arent conservatives at all.

Thats why Matt Schlapp, the president of the Conservative Political Action Conference the biggest conservative conference in America shared a tweetin support of transgenderism a few weeks ago. Thats why he alsoadmittedto removing pro-life speakers from the conference because he believes they are unnecessary.

Many conservatives are more interested in being on the right side of history than being right with God.

Until that changes, Christless conservatives will always be part of the problem, not the solution.

Originally published at Slow to Write.

Samuel Sey is a Ghanaian-Canadian who lives in Brampton, a city just outside of Toronto. He is committed to addressing racial, cultural, and political issues with biblical theology, and always attempts to be quick to listen and slow to speak.

Continued here:
Conservatives are part of the problem - The Christian Post

As Russian forces advanced towards Kyiv, Canadas oil and gas industry and its supporters responded with a self-serving narrative: the Ukraine crisis means Canada must accelerate its production of fossil fuels.

Leading the charge is Canada Proud, a right-wing Facebook page with close ties to the Conservative Party, which made post after post in the early days of the invasion urging the country to export more hydrocarbons to Europe.

The world is enriching Vladimir Putin when they buy his oil and gas, it explained in one to its nearly 400,000 followers. Shouldnt the world be buying Canadian oil and gas instead?

The political circumstances may be novel, but this is merely the latest variation on a message that Canada Proud has pushed online for years: that we need to remove as many restrictions as possible on the production, transport and export of fossil fuels.

New research shows that Canada Proud is incredibly effective at spreading that message.

The Ontario-based group founded by Jeff Ballingall, a paid strategist for former Conservative leader Erin OToole, punches far above its weight on social media when it comes to global heating, posting content dismissive of climate action that regularly outperforms national environmental groups and rivals the reach of mainstream media.

Thats according to a newly published study from Simon Fraser University communications professor Shane Gunster, who calculated that Facebook posts from Canada Proud (along with a related page called Ontario Proud) were shared on average 750 times each in 2020, a level of engagement ten times higher than climate posts from the David Suzuki Foundation and Greenpeace Canada.

The Proud network got nearly 118,000 engagements for its climate posts during that period, surpassing the almost 107,000 engagements for climate content on Facebook from Bell Media/CTV, one of the countrys top media outlets.

The Proud traffic is even more striking considering its engagements came from just 48 Facebook posts, compared to 290 posts from Bell Media/CTV.

They are the most effective group at generating action for anti-climate action material, Gunster told DeSmog. Theyre able to drive massive amounts of engagement.

Canada Proud didnt respond to an interview request from DeSmog.

The Facebook pages primary mission is to antagonize Justin Trudeau. Visit Canada Prouds feed on any given day and you are likely to see memes referring to the Liberal prime minister as a hypocrite, political lightweight or dangerous tyrant. We are reaching millions of Canadians every week with our anti-Trudeau message, Canada Proud explained in a recent email to supporters.

In addition to its national work attacking Trudeau and promoting oil and gas, the Canada Proud network is making forays into municipal politics with anonymous Facebook pages in B.C., Ontario and Quebec, according to a recent investigation in Canadas National Observer.

The groups climate posts add an environmental twist. In mid-February, Canada Proud shared several posts referencing an RCMP statement saying that 20 people with axes attacked a worksite for the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northwest British Columbia. Somehow this was the prime ministers fault. Lets expose Justin Trudeaus hypocrisy and double standards, said a Canada Proud post about the attacks.

Another post blamed progressive policymakers for the violence.

This extremism is the direct result of the inflammatory rhetoric of irresponsible politicians and fanatical activists like David Suzuki, said one post, which was reposted from a pro-oil and gas Facebook page called Debunk Inc.

There is no evidence to support this claim, given that the RCMP hasnt publicly identified any suspects in the attack or announced any arrests.

But Canada Proud is not a neutral observer when it comes to projects like Coastal GasLink.

The group launched three paid posts in late January supporting the project, a 670-kilometre pipeline that would supply gas to an export facility on B.C.s west coast.

Environmentalists claim that by opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline, they are supporting local Indigenous people, reads the post. They will never tell you that ALL of the elected band councils along the pipelines route support the project.

Facebook analytics show that Canada Proud spent up to $4,000 promoting that message, which reached an estimated audience size of over one million people, generating more than a million impressions.

Its true that 20 elected band councils along the pipelines route have signed agreements supporting the Coastal GasLink project. But the reality is not as cut and dry as Canada Proud is making it seem. Band councils are tasked with representing reserves chronically underfunded by the Canadian government. Poverty can be rampant, and that complicates meaningful consent.

Making a deal with a large oil and gas pipeline company is sometimes the only way elected First Nations leaders can gain resources and jobs for their citizens. Meanwhile, hereditary chiefs that represent the much larger traditional territories of the Wetsuweten are staunchly opposed to the $6 billion pipeline.

Its disingenuous to give the impression that hordes of Indigenous people are cheering it on, Clifford Atleo, a Tsimshian and Nuu-chah-nulthscholar at Simon Fraser University who focuses on Indigenous governance, told DeSmog. I dont think thats a realistic assessment of whats actually going on.

Another recent paid post from Canada Proud, which resulted in as many as 700,000 Facebook impressions, claims that the Coastal GasLink pipeline would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by outcompeting made-in-China coal energy.

Its source for that statement was an article created by the Canadian Energy Centre, a pro-oil and gas website funded by the Alberta government, which claimed that Coastal GasLink will result in climate gains equivalent to shutting down several dozen coal plants.

Actual climate experts disagree. Methane emissions are likely to give natural gas a climate footprint at least as large as coal, if not higher, Robert Howarth, an Earth systems scientist at Cornell University whos studied the gas industry extensively, told DeSmog.

Methane stays in the atmosphere less time than carbon dioxide, but its warming power is 25 times higher. Worryingly, research from last year suggests that the amount of methane leaking from oil and gas operations in B.C. is up to 2.2 times higher than current federal estimates.

That is not information that Canada Prouds 392,000 followers are likely to see when encountering a climate post created by the group. Instead, those followers get hit with content designed to make them distrust efforts to fix climate change, such as a recent Jordan Peterson interview attacking the naivety of climate activists.

These posts can be easily debunked by experts, but by that point theyve already reached potentially millions of Canadians, priming an online constituency to passionately defend the oil and gas industryor to view a geopolitical crisis in Ukraine as an opportunity to drill for more gas in Canada. Its fairly easy to write it off as a joke, Gunster said of the disinformation given a platform by Canada Proud. But it can end up being extremely effective.

FALL FUNDRAISER

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Go here to see the original:
Conservative party-linked Facebook page, Canada Proud, a major source of climate disinformation - NationofChange

A well-funded and largely anonymous advocacy group thats repeatedly pummeled Portland-area leaders over trash, crime and homelessness faces accusations of illegal politicking and running afoul of Oregon election laws.

People for Portland targeted a clearly identified candidate for office in a recent online ad against local elected leaders including Metro President Lynn Peterson, alleges a union thats endorsed her.

Under Oregon campaign finance laws, any entity that spends at least $250 to campaign for or against a candidate in Oregon must register with the state and disclose such spending as well as its sources of money.

If state election officials side with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, which lodged the complaint, People for Portland could have to disclose who contributed to its $1 million-plus advertising and lobbying budget.

A few donors including Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and real estate moguls Jordan Schnitzer and Greg Goodman have acknowledged chipping in.

But the groups two veteran political strategists, Kevin Looper and Dan Lavey, have kept the full list a closely guarded secret.

The paid ad in question shows an image of Peterson, who is seeking re-election in May, alongside other local officeholders with the word FAILING in large red letters printed on a mock report card above their heads.

Titled Local politicians fail, the ad directs individuals to People for Portlands website to view the report cards results as well as give area leaders a letter grade of their own.

Michael Selvaggio, lobbyist for the food and commercial workers union, filed an official complaint Tuesday with the Oregon Secretary of States Office, according to a copy obtained by the Oregonian through a public records request.

The complaint claims the ad is a clear and unambiguous suggestion that voters should oppose Petersons re-election.

What it boils down to is that Oregon law is very clear on what the line is between simply trying to raise an issue of public concern versus politicking, Selvaggio said in an interview Friday.

Im not saying they cant speak their mind, Selvaggio continued. They just need to show us where the money is coming from and who is behind it.

That is the philosophy that underlies Oregons unusual campaign finance system, which allows unlimited donations and expenditures but requires timely and detailed disclosure of where the money comes from and where it goes.

In a statement Friday, Lavey slammed the union attempt.

This is an absurdly frivolous complaint, he said. From insiders, defending insiders.

People For Portland has spent at least $1.2 million in the months after Lavey and Looper launched the effort last August, lobbying records filed with the city of Portland show.

But because the group organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, it isnt required to list the amounts of individual contributions or the names of its donors so long as it doesnt engage in campaign or election activity.

In addition to a barrage of ads on TV and online, the groups directed a mass emailing campaign to members of the Portland City Council, Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Metro Council and state lawmakers who represent Portland.

The pitch? Local leaders have failed to act swiftly in the face of rising disorder, more people living in the streets and persistent struggles to address litter and garbage.

People for Portland has also conducted and publicized a number of polls that indicate a majority of Portlanders, as well as those in the metro area, support dramatic changes on city policies around homelessness and policing.

The groups onslaught of attacks has rankled many of the elected leaders its targeted as well as their political allies.

Selvaggio said the food and commercial workers union made the decision to file a complaint against People For Portland without consulting Peterson or her campaign and after speaking with other political stakeholders, whom he would not disclose.

Peterson, first elected to head the regional Metro government in 2018, is facing a challenge from economic development executive Alisa Pyszka and two other candidates.

The union has also endorsed Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who too has landed in People For Portlands crosshairs, in her re-election campaign this year. It didnt coordinate with her or her campaign either, Selvaggio said.

The complaint alleges the group violated multiple Oregon election statutes after running the report card ad by failing to register as a political committee; not filing statements required following the supposed independent expenditure; and not disclosing donor information to the Secretary of States Office.

It asks the office to assess appropriate penalties and force People For Portland to comply with the laws it has allegedly violated.

Frankly, part of the issue is that theyre trying to have this advantage of cloaking their resources, Selvaggio said. That makes a mockery of the transparent election system that Oregon has.

Read more:
People for Portland accused of violating Oregon election laws - The Spokesman Review