Minus Western propaganda what's the real story on the Ukraine?

[Paddo Colt 61]

No cred whatsoever buddy. An easy beat. A name caller!

Anybody think Izzy's worth listening to?

[ism22]

No cred whatsoever buddy. An easy beat. A name caller!

Anybody think Izzy's worth listening to?

I see no issue with highlighting that the source of a lengthy pro-Russia opinion piece is self-described as a Senior Fellow of American University in Moscow. You gratuitously stated that it was penned by an 'advisor to 3 UN Secretaries General', which is incorrect.

Notice a pattern? You call all of these guys intellectual heavyweights (often making false claims about their past, usually involving claims they are top spies/ambassadors). However they all turn out to be 'fellows' at Chinese or Russian schools that specialise in 'American Studies' (despite not having PhDs or being able to speak the local languages). Let's be clear... these people are not independent or of the academic standard that one would expect of a 'senior fellow' at a globally recognised academic institution.

Does anybody care what I think? Thus far I haven't had to express my own opinions as you've failed to establish the basis of your claim that Russia/China are utopian societies that we should quietly embrace as our new overlords (or suffer their peaceful, well intentioned wrath). For the intellectual heavyweight of a retired public school teacher that you are, you make it all rather easy for me...

Edit: some basic research into this 'university' where old mate is a 'Senior Fellow'...

1. It doesn't currently offer any courses. Rather, it has its own periodical (which will publish literally any pro-Russia/China bollocks without any peer review process) and is 'concentrating on conference, research, and publishing activities'. So basically... there's no university but people can claim to be part of a university when attending functions before proceeding to troll people with pro-Russian propaganda. That or they can publish stuff on blogs like John Menadue's under the title of 'Senior Fellow' so that they sound important (when they're in fact nobodies).

2. They offer one certificate (which looks rather amateur). How do you get it? Well... 'those who register and send regular well written essays (around 600 words) will receive a university certificate'. LOLz... tempting for me to use a false name and botch something up using an AI essay writing program (e.g. '600 word essay about why Russia is the best country in the world and the USA is is doomed') so that I can have their highest certificate of attainment.


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Jizzy
Senior Fellow

[Jacks Fur Coat]

No cred whatsoever buddy. An easy beat. A name caller!

Anybody think Izzy's worth listening to?

A lot worthier than thou I would offer.

[ism22]

LOLz just as I was talking about this whole 'senior fellow' scam, it appears that it's a pretty common tactic. I thought it was just the randoms who contribute to John Menadue's blog, but 'senior fellows' are all the rage in China too it seems.

In short the process is such that...

1. The Kremlin/CCP astroturfs a dummy 'NGO' with the intention of snaking its way into public/government forums (though it's clearly just a puppet of the Kremlin / CCP).

2. A random white monkey who's got an unsuccessful blog / YouTube channel gets told 'heeeey... want 1m viewers and "expert" status?!?' They say 'YES PLEASE!!!' and are immediately made a 'Senior Fellow' of an astroturfed organisation.

3. In exchange for trying to muddy the waters of public discourse, they get paid to have long rants that are pro-Kremlin/CCP. Also, they get a made-up title of 'senior fellow' and fake traffic to their blog/YouTube (not hard).

4. Rinse and repeat.

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Jizzy
Senior Fellow

[Random Rooster]

No cred whatsoever buddy. An easy beat. A name caller!

Anybody think Izzy's worth listening to?

Well now that i know he is a Senior Fellow then the answer is yes he is definitely worth listening to

[Paddo Colt 61]

Yeah...okay...but the Conga Line doesn't count. Let's await the Tsunami of "No" voters. I can almost see MR at the keyboard right now.

Now a word or two on the Menadue site. As I've said over and over, it is a local sit and the opinions expressed are from prominent Australian thinkers, people who have been highly placed in leadership roles in our society. Their views are worth reading and they're free what's more.

Clearly there is a demand in the public, and presumably in our little community, for alternative, local and informed opinion on matters which are of enormous concern, things like climate, our security, and also the manipulation of us all by conservative MSM.

With the egregious shortcomings of our right wing media, the role of sites like Pearls & Irritations (johnmenadue.com) is becoming more and more important and thankfully, its readership is broadening. In 2022 it had 5,377,189 ‘views’. In the last three years, views have increased by 237%. Subscriptions to the daily and weekly email have reached almost 23,000, an increase of over 20% in the last twelve months. So its no ratbag site as some of the dopey cancellers on here would insist. Ol' Jaxie even goes as far as calling any view not expressed by Sky, "dangerous".

[ism22]

Yeah...okay...but the Conga Line doesn't count. Let's await the Tsunami of "No" voters. I can almost see MR at the keyboard right now.

Happy for you to open a separate thread about the Voice to Parliament referendum if you're concerned about how people may vote.

Right now I'm just focussing on how ludicrous it is that your favourite blog relies on astroturfed 'Senior Fellows' from 'universities' that don't even offer degrees. It's funny because it was so easy to work that out and shows you lack some pretty frigging simple fact-checking skills to have been telling us these guys are 'intellectual heavyweights'.

Mate they're clowns and we all know it. There's a reason why people listen to REAL experts in the field which no... aren't all in cahoots to try and crush John Menadue. They've simply done a little bit more research and are relevant because they are experts, as opposed to astroturfed nobodies who feel good about using titles like 'Senior Fellow' or 'The Ambassador', which no globally recognised body has bestowed upon them.

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Jizzy
Senior Fellow

[mightyrooster]

Yeah...okay...but the Conga Line doesn't count. Let's await the Tsunami of "No" voters. I can almost see MR at the keyboard right now.

Huh? What am I voting 'no' to? Please clarify?

[Paddo Colt 61]

[QUOTE=ism.
Right now I'm just focussing on how ludicrous it is that your favourite blog relies on astroturfed 'Senior Fellows' ...nobodies who feel good about using titles like 'Senior Fellow' or 'The Ambassador'....

Right now, you're focusing on your navel as usual. They "call themselves" Professors, ex Ambassadors, ex high ranking Public Servants and ex PMs because they ARE Professors, ex Ambassadors, ex high ranking Public Servants and ex PMs.

The MSM are "experts" who research? I've already recounted the journalistic rise and rise of my former numbskull high school student. He'd be around your level of sophistication but that's how they like 'em at Newscorp.

[Random Rooster]

The MSM are "experts" who research? I've already recounted the journalistic rise and rise of my former numbskull high school student. He'd be around your level of sophistication but that's how they like 'em at Newscorp.

I know we are going over the same shit.....but the pro-Putin and Russian push on Murdoch's flagship Fox News is over the top. They want to stop the aid to Ukraine and have them hand over the keys at the negotiation table. Instead of bagging Newscorp you should really be tuning in- they are singing your song

[Paddo Colt 61]

I couldn't watch it under any circumstances Randy though I do now wonder whether Trump might have had the right idea since reading the WW3 article on Menadue yesterday. He was/is a mixed bag.

[ism22]

Right now I'm just focussing on how ludicrous it is that your favourite blog relies on astroturfed 'Senior Fellows' ...nobodies who feel good about using titles like 'Senior Fellow' or 'The Ambassador'....

Right now, you're focusing on your navel as usual. They "call themselves" Professors, ex Ambassadors, ex high ranking Public Servants and ex PMs because they ARE Professors, ex Ambassadors, ex high ranking Public Servants and ex PMs.

They're simply not though... literally all the guys you've told me to check-out are phoney 'Senior Fellows'. No reputable media outlet would endorse such persons.

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Jizzy
Senior Fellow

[King Salvo]

Yeah...okay...but the Conga Line doesn't count. Let's await the Tsunami of "No" voters. I can almost see MR at the keyboard right now.

Now a word or two on the Menadue site. As I've said over and over, it is a local sit and the opinions expressed are from prominent Australian thinkers, people who have been highly placed in leadership roles in our society. Their views are worth reading and they're free what's more.

Clearly there is a demand in the public, and presumably in our little community, for alternative, local and informed opinion on matters which are of enormous concern, things like climate, our security, and also the manipulation of us all by conservative MSM.

With the egregious shortcomings of our right wing media, the role of sites like Pearls & Irritations (johnmenadue.com) is becoming more and more important and thankfully, its readership is broadening. In 2022 it had 5,377,189 ‘views’. In the last three years, views have increased by 237%. Subscriptions to the daily and weekly email have reached almost 23,000, an increase of over 20% in the last twelve months. So its no ratbag site as some of the dopey cancellers on here would insist. Ol' Jaxie even goes as far as calling any view not expressed by Sky, "dangerous".

Comrade Paddo how many of those visits do you account for?

I think you are rather stretching it in saying they are great thinkers and leaders of some note. They are basically left or far left in their views, conspiracy theorists and their articles lack any real journalist integrity and credibility due to their heavy anti-west sentiment emphasis.

I have never known someone to reference any one particular site as much as you do.

I think you need to widen your reading and access other sites as you are becoming more and more like a song that is on continuous play

[King Salvo]

I know we are going over the same shit.....but the pro-Putin and Russian push on Murdoch's flagship Fox News is over the top. They want to stop the aid to Ukraine and have them hand over the keys at the negotiation table. Instead of bagging Newscorp you should really be tuning in- they are singing your song

Comrade Paddo will not admit it but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't tune into Tucker Carlson or Tucker box as many call him - The Box is empty as in nothing upstairs.

Even Russian TV uses clips of Carlson due to his pro Russian, Putin and Russian Military campaign in Ukraine stance

[Paddo Colt 61]

I don't know what your angle is here King but I have explained to the confused one why I cite Menadue at #339. I read widely. You'd have trouble denigrating P&I simple as that.