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This week on Middle Theory, we examine the events that led to the dismissal of FBI Director James Comey, and the attitudes about his performance on both sides of the political spectrum.
As we begin this Mother’s Day edition of the program, Matthew Oakley joins us as we discuss a viral photograph that allegedly shows Jimmy John Liautaud, founder of the aptly-named gourmet sandwich chain Jimmy John’s, posing in the nude with a shark. As it turns out, the man in the photo wasn’t Liataud at all, which didn’t prevent false impressions about the photo from circulating. This leads to a discussion about the way that media outlets, while catering to the existing biases of their “Target” listenership, do little to actually persuade those who differ on ideological grounds.
We also look at the continuing saga of incidents on board United Airlines flights, and ask the necessary question: how many actual incidents are occurring, versus what we have termed a “Media Copycat Effect” where hot trending stories garner stories of similar interest by attention-hungry news outlets. The latest incident involves an apparent release of cockpit door access information pertaining to United Airlines Flights, which in likelihood had not been intentional. Nonetheless, how will this affect the airline in the broader sense, with other recent news involving controversies with various airlines?
Finally, we look at the very controversial dismissal of FBI Director James Comey, which some are calling a “constitutional crisis”… but is it really? One of the primary issues with this is that what Trump did, in terms of the firing of Comey, was indeed legal; additionally, politicians on both the left, and the right, had been critical of Comey’s leadership of the bureau, particularly in relation to the ongoing controversy involving his 2016 investigation of the Hillary Clinton email scandal. Has justice been served, or was Trump indeed acting more on behalf of personal concerns, which might have involved the present investigations into Russian involvement in the U.S. election?
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Finally, here are links to show notes pertaining to this week’s podcast:
- Owner of Jimmy John’s accused of appearing in photo with shark
- United Airlines says cockpit access information made public
- Trump threatens to cancel White House briefings because it is ‘not possible’ for his staff to speak with ‘perfect accuracy’
- Comey sought more resources for Russia probe days before he was fired by President Trump, officials say
- Was Russia the Real Reason Trump Fired James Comey?
- Democrats: Comey firing is ‘Nixonian’
- Trump to Comey: Better hope there are no ‘tapes’ of talks
- Amid questions about Russia-Trump ties, protesters rally in front of the White House
- ‘Work for WikiLeaks’: Assange offers Comey job as Snowden condemns White House
- White House: Trump thought about firing Comey since Election Day
- Russian hacker currently in prison in Czech Republic claims through lawyer that FBI approached him to ask him to take fall for Clinton email hack in order to pin blame on Russia/Trump
Is thinking in America dead? I went to a web site focused on criticism of the ancient aliens TV show. The reason I did this is when the show first came out I was one of a handful of people who started a campaign to disclose to people the truth behind ancient aliens running a full-fledged con job on the public. I posted comments on every painting of astrological symbolism showing people how the art depicts astrological bodies and the four seasons. Not ufo’s. Another guy I greatly respect started his own web page where you could zoom in on the photos (unlike aa) claimed by “aa” to be ufo’s and see plainly they were in fact obvious hats. He even provided pictures of the hats for comparison. Since I had my comments all erased I said F it and have never looked at another aa rinse job since. I was curious if as alex jones claims humanity is in a great awakening (lol) and went to a current site with criticism of aa.
What I found is a hundred or more comments not a single one having a logical reasoning for disliking the show. Not one person had more than a kids reaction like “because it stupid and some guy act smart say opposite.” This is fine I’m fine with people wearing someone else’s jersey like a high school football team girlfriend. But do you see their girlfriend’s running out on the field and trying to get in on the game? No. This is my problem with everything nobody can think at all for themselves. Just when I think I met somebody who can I crack a joke about a prominent authority figure and see their reaction. Can’t take a joke even though they are the constant joking type. Reacting like you called their boyfriend on the football team a ball fumbler. What we have created with our system of demonizing experience and replacing hands on with words about it is urban legend, superstition, prejudice, leading to controlled forced ignorance in a chaos of opinion.
I have written to skeptico telling Alex to pay attention to how not one of his commenter’s can provide any opinion of their own. It’s either let me pat you on the back for saying some guys opinion I agree with, or I disagree with you because this person said this. Not one single thought of their own. WSB was right the less you see today the less you see tomorrow. Soon we’ll all be blind and going to a box to have some preacher read out of a book of opinions to us on the news without checking the facts and call it rational atheism. Exactly opposite of the old church model don’t you agree? The model of American intelligence isn’t based off experience and knowing it is the game of I don’t believe what that guy said I believe what that guy said. Can anyone think for themselves or are humans really just repeaters and lemmings?
amazing me and my friend were just discussing this exact thing not even two weeks ago about how our society does nothing to correct ignorance, superstition, BS, sure sign of a government that likes people divided and idiots. Easier to put two wrong dumb a holes to justice though isn’t it? Our country does nothing ever to correct. This is definitely were the machines are going to out evolve humanity. A machine can’t convince it self to run without oil or repairs so can hold appearances and so it looks good and flawless to the people. America is the land of voting yourself down the toilet cause the cover looked good.
The Mandela effect. I been thinking about this a lot lately and I do really think some people come from a parallel universe. A universe where you can’t see what is right in your !@#$ face. I remember being a kid and arguing with people over their shared mispronunciation of the Bernstein bears. This just proves indoctrination and mass hysteria have more power over the masses than their own two eyes? You can make the average person see anything with words. I would like to thank all my teachers and the American education system for teaching me to see with someone else’s words and making me blind to my own fallible and useless eyes. So congratulations if you pronounce BB wrong you like many people have a problem with seeing what is right in your face against the authority word. AA? Authority Anonymous