Mother, get the smelling salts. Time-Warner is selling out the Great Crusade:
Cartoon Network has partnered with Abu Dhabi's twofour54 to develop Arabic animation projects in the Gulf emirate, the UAE company said on Monday.
The deal will include opening Cartoon Network development and production studios at twofour54 and a training academy, the company said in a statement ...
"Cartoon Network is planning to revolutionise the creation of Arab animation," Tony Orsten, chief executive of twofour54 said in a statement. "This partnership ... supports our aim to develop a sustainable media and entertainment content industry here in Abu Dhabi."
What are they thinking? Once again we are being undermined from within. I can remember when Communist China was filled with people who wanted to "destroy our way of life" and were depicted in the media as Satan's Spawn.
But now the congloms would have us believe that the Commies in China are our friends, making all the baubles, bangles and bright shiny beads that we crave (and our large companies can get manufactured real cheap at a nice profit.) So it's all good.
Well I'm not persuaded, ladies and gentleman. The moral fiber of Our Great Nation is rotting at the core. And just because Cartoon Network is leading the way to change our minds about Terrists and the Allies of Terrists by doing business with them, much as other American companies now do business with the Red Army, doesn't make it right.
How can we Stay Strong when our conglomerates undermine us at every turn?
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58 comments:
I think you are blurring a few important distinctions, here. The Two Four 54 people seem to be more interested in entertainment projects, not terrorist propaganda, or else the would be insane to hire an American country to help them. I think you are confusing them with that Hamas clown in the Mickey suit.
Another thing is, it's not exactly runaway production. They is no worldwide animation quota; this is an expansion of production, not a displacement. We have many more issues that effect us more directly and more immediately, i.e.; animation intended for the AMERICAN market is still being sent overseas to save money. Corporations are STILL getting tax exemptions for money made overseas. Production companies are STILL refusing to properly hire de facto full time employees. Signatory studios are STILL playing the system, evading their union contracts by laundering entire productions by subcontracting to boutique studios.
These problems should be solved before we start worrying about a few wealthy arabs who want to get into the cartoon business.
Steve, it's obvious for some you should some smiley or winking face icons to get your 'subtle' wit. ;P
Nothing like humor based on a nonexistent, simplistic, and stupid assumption - that all of the middle east represents terrorism.
If there was a large segment of our population that actually believed this then your joke wouldn't be such a giant misfire. It says more about a lot of people on the left(including you) that they misconstrue legitimate concerns about influences in a region as being outright racism or fear mongering.
Funny jokes usually start with a premise that is true. Try again.
We don't need the help of terrorists to break down the moral fiber of this country. CN is fully capable of doing that itself. Don't get me wrong, I like bad taste, as long as it's funny. I think this is a perfect way to win the war on terror. Now the Arabs can suffer just like we have. What next...Power Puff Girls with burkas? Think of all the money they'll save on lip-synch.
signed,(obviously by)
I like terrorists more than the complete MORONS at CN.
A network run through complete ineptitude by the army of generals residing in Atlanta.
Steve, it's obvious for some you should some smiley or winking face icons to get your 'subtle' wit. ;P
Agreed: We're not pushing the envelope too far in the pursuit of gratuitous tastelessness for the sake of "clever" clickable copy, are we?
Especially since this seems to be in the same category as Disney sponsoring independent local Indian and Chinese overseas operation, with only a slight nod toward getting domestic dibs to any results (eg. "Magic Gourd"): If it is outsourcing, then yeah, it's evil--But hard to tell from the article whether it's developing an outsource studio, or whether another country got industry-jealous again and needed rich development to make their own backyard product.
Now the Arabs can suffer just like we have. What next...Power Puff Girls with burkas?
(Don't laugh, I've SEEN what the Japanese did with the Powerpuff Girls--CN is definitely one domestic problem we don't want to see become a global epidemic.)
To 'Steven' (the first poster) - I don't see anything in the original post about 'runaway production.' Why the rant on that subject?
And to the third poster, if you don't think a substantial swath of our grat nation doesn't think the middle east represents terrorism, or at least a rejection of our great way of life, then you're living in a cave in Tora Bora.
I don't think our captains of American industry, as it were, see the Chinese as our friends. At best they're scavengers, pirates, thieves, slavedrivers, and partners with some of the most dangerous regimes on Earth (and as far as dangerous regimes go, China itself is not too shabby either). China steals technology and ideas from us all the time, and tries to retro-engineer iconic products like the Jeep. At worst, we owe them billions. You guys wonder why the Tea Party sprang up? Some of you probably believe it's because we have a black president. Yeah. In reality it's because we have a far-left president who not only cannot correct the ills of the past, but who is willing to entrench and enslave our population even further into a society dependent on the government for nearly every human need. Just like China!
As for CN investing in the Middle East, well, all I can say, as a proud American, is that it serves the Middle East right. :D :D :D
Aren't I embarrassed? Now, I see the tone of Steve's comments clearly. I was thrown by the fact that there was no actual reference to terrorism in the quote. Actually there was no point of view of any kind. Steve was mocking the endless wing-nut diatribe we have been enduring from the hysterical right, interpreting everything the president does and says, (even a word-for-word recreation of Reagan's nuclear policy), with a gloom-and-doom apocalyptic spin. He was quoting an imaginary Tea-Partyer.
Sorry Steve, that might have been a little too much of a reach.
To the previous commenter: I always associate concerns about, (not the existence of), foreign animation in connection with American companies with runaway production. Otherwise, who cares? I don't read the want ads in Mumbai.
If there was a large segment of our population that actually believed this then your joke wouldn't be such a giant misfire.
Don't look now, but a large segment of our population believes this. And believed it fervently for much of the past eight years.
It says more about a lot of people on the left (including you) that they misconstrue legitimate concerns about influences in a region as being outright racism or fear mongering. ...
Actually it says more about the easy manipulation of a frightened country.
For some years I listened to a number of guvmint officials tell me how Iraq was allied with Al Qaeda, how the Iraqis were fifteen minutes away from delivering terrible weapons on our heads, and the smoking gun would soon turn into a mushroom cloud, etc. etc.
Remember all that?
But now, a trillion dollars and eight years later, many of the same folks who were beating their chest to charge in with guns blazing say it was not a real swift idea to invade Iraq.
They really need to make up their minds.
My main point here (and I know I'm too subtle by half) is that as long as I've been alive, the U.S. of A. has been fighting some Great Evil or other.
When I was young it was Communists. I even got to wear a uniform and help fight them (lucky me.)
Now it's Islamofascists. Thirty years after I'm dead and buried it will be the French.
Always somebody. The need for an enemy appears to be in our DNA.
Last time I checked Iraq is taking HUGE strides towards being a free nation with working elections(and they elected a secular leader mind you). The returns of our troops efforts of LIBERATING that nation will continue to show themselves. while you weep and bemoan your inability to understand the impetus for military action there. While you also fail to remember that both our current secretary of state and our current vice president supported that action.
It doesn't matter because you can't cry about the price that was paid without admitting your ignorance. According to the serving secretary of state Madeline Albright, over 100,000 children died under sanctions put on Iraq by the international community.
Hey steve, not only has the nation stabilized itself as a bulwark of democratic ideals in a region of the world that is held back by the shackles of tyranny, but 100,000 children aren't dying annually from useless and cruel sanctions that you must support because you are soooo upset about any other action.
Your argument is tired. Its desperate and you've been proven wrong. Get over it windbag.
*and what indication do you have to represent that "a large segment of our population believes that the whole of the middle east represents terrorism"? People don't rent Lawrence Of Arabia anymore? People didn't go see Aladdin? Harold and Kumar was a flop because of a middle eastern lead in the film?
No. People in america are open to more cultures than any other part of the world - and the fact that so many millions of immigrants move here and integrate without incident is a testament to that fact.
You, on the other hand, watch Keith Olberman and parrot his ignorant vitriol.
Have you traveled around the world at all? I've lived in 12 different nations and lemme tell you, racism and ignorance aren't a product of the US alone. Its a whole ton worse in other nations like Italy, Spain, Australia, Morocco, and others.
Bottom line you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
My main point here (and I know I'm too subtle by half) is that as long as I've been alive, the U.S. of A. has been fighting some Great Evil or other."
Yes, that is because we are the leaders of the free world and every single great leader we have had understands that it is our responsibility to help craft a world, through diplomacy and occasionally force, that respects freedoms of people no matter their race or standing. Thats what JFK said.
"Democracy is never a final achievement.
It is a call to untiring effort,
to continual sacrifice."
If it wounds you so, you should move somewhere else and spare this free nation your crying. We are suffering enough under this unemployment rate and ever increasing taxes.
By the way, that's "terrierists." That's what shrub called them. You'd think he let a bunch of dogs with bows in their hair attack us on 9/11.
"Mission Accomplished."
So thats what happened to Cartoon Network. They moved to the middle east.
" under this unemployment rate and ever increasing taxes."
Yes. the bush economic debacle must be paid for. We, the people, must pay for it. Take responsibility. Our President and those who support him have.
AMEN!
Stop making excuses. Obama OWNS this economy.
"I love the folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, 'Well, this is Obama's economy,' That's fine. Give it to me. My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe."
^That was in July of '09
And it speaks volumes that the unemployment rate is STILL where it was at back then. Giuliani was right. He is THE most inexperienced president in the last 150 years. One so uninformed and such an ideologue that he has raised taxes in every aspect of our lives during a recession.
You think he's paying for the Bush years? By doing
what? spending?
You are as big an idiot as he is.
"Hey lets take away the first time home buyer's tax break! And give big insurance and big pharma the biggest payday ever in the history of those industries.
GOOD STUFF!
Yeah, Bush is responsible for a terrorist attack eight months into office that was planned for at least 4 years before he was president and already underway from his first day as president while information sharing between law enforcement agencies was prohibited in every way that would have effectively stopped it.
Yet a year and 4 months on the case and Obama STILL isn't responsible for an unemployment rate that cripples our economy. The guy has a 43% approval rating and dimwits in here are still defending him.
Talk about selective reasoning.
Dont cry - fellas.....things are getting betta!
Obama is a disaster, the 36% that still support his socialist direction will stay with him as he goes down as a 1 term radical president. Just hope the next selection of choices will be better than the 2 lemons we had to choose from with O and McCAin.
OF course, the facdts speak otherwise. bush and dick were asleep at the wheel, with plenty of evidence before them about a "terrierist" attack. They let it happen.
The arrived in office with a SURPLUS, used "reconciliation" and secret back door deals to give corporations and the rich HUGE tax cuts--and made it easier for t hem to send jobs overseas. They broke down barriers for banks to get into shady investing schemes. And they left the economy in SHAMBLES.
And they lied to get us into an un-necessary war, while letting the real terrorists get away.
America is glad bush and dick are gone. republikkans believe you can get something for nothing: corporate communism is their new mantra (when they're not enjoying getting teabagged).
We, the people, and our President, have to restore RESPONSIBILITY to the White House and Congress. republikkan's do not understand PERSONAL responsibility and PERSONAL/INDIVIDUAL rights. They do not understand you CANNOT LEGISLATE MORALITY, and that this nation was founded as a SECULAR NATION (a great thing).
republikkans cannot deal with facts, and cannot make a cogent argument without getting overly emotional and resorting to shameful ignorance and violence. It's just so EMBARRASSING to watch!
Mission Accomplished.
You, on the other hand, watch Keith Olberman and parrot his ignorant vitriol.
Hey, is this Glenn Beckkk talking?
Or is your last name Limbaugh?
"Yes, that is because we are the leaders of the free world and every single great leader we have had understands that it is our responsibility to help craft a world, through diplomacy and occasionally force, that respects freedoms of people blah blah blah"
It's called "The Monroe Doctrine", and its not exactly legitimate. Open up a history book every now and then....
"respects freedoms of people"...LOL, nothing could be further from the thruth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7QRYI15Go
triger happy morons!
(And, um, this is the thread we wanted to happen, right, Steve?)
Did someone just post the wikileaks video that has been widely refuted as bogus? How stupid are you?
The men in the video are holding RPGs and AK-47s in the vicinity where US troops were being fired upon.
The video shows a group of insurgents that had Reuters photographers with them - ergo, they all can be targeted under rules of engagement.
If you are outraged by what you see in that video, you should focus your energy in a better direction, like knowing that the hell you are talking about. OR... moving out of this nation since you hate our troops so much that you have sympathy for a group of insurgents that were trying to kill them.
"O" for One term president.
The men in the video are clearly NOT holding AK-47s or RPGs. There's two reporters from Reuters and two children present.
The footage is real, wikileaks has the raw footage, while the pentagon somehow coveniently lost it. The claim that the video is fake is bogus.
What a lame way to try and put people on the defensive: If you hate the war, you hate the troops.
Typical Righty bullshit-truth be damned, just win the argument!
The right has no ethics and no values. They are mindless corporatist zombies who only want to take control at any cost to make the country a safe place for the greedy and unscrupulous.
Last time I checked Iraq is taking HUGE strides towards being a free nation with working elections(and they elected a secular leader mind you). The returns of our troops efforts of LIBERATING that nation will continue to show themselves.
So the trillion bucks we dropped into the country was totally worth it, eh? One tyrant down, 128 to go.
But attacking countries that don't attack us is a fine American tradition, so why the hell not?
OR... moving out of this nation since you hate our troops so much that you have sympathy for a group of insurgents that were trying to kill them.
rightwing-nuttery strikes again.
Like I'll ever be persuaded by your crocodile tears about the troops. Using the troops to win an argument is callous!
I wonder what you would say if it was Iraqui troops on US soil?!?
Does right-wing brain washing hurt at all? I wonder....
"The men in the video are clearly NOT holding AK-47s or RPGs. "
Striped shirt : AK-47
White shirt : RPG
http://i41.tinypic.com/343tb0j.jpg
Now please post a picture of yourself so I can put a face on your idiocy.
"But attacking countries that don't attack us is a fine American tradition, so why the hell not?"
As good a tradition as killing 100,000 Iraqi children annually with sanctions:
http://tinyurl.com/y92fj6c
Something both republicans and democrats alike use way too much of - oil, coal, and natural gas. It's why the US goes to war, whether you like it or not. It's why we are still at war now. Iraq has always been and will always be about oil, no matter how many times you scream terrorism and democratic freedom from the rooftops.
Oh my goodness. No wonder why there are so many dumb defensive comments on here. People believe everything they read on wikipedia!
"Iraq has always been and will always be about oil"
Iraq awarded all of their oil contracts to foreign nations about 5 months ago.
USA got none of them.
Great argument! Next time research the facts and you'll do better dumbass.
Sorry you have a hard time admitting to yourself that every IED that blows the sanity out of your fellow American putting he or she on VA assistance for the rest of their natural born life is because of every single gallon of gas you shove up the ass of that Hummer you leased. If you are unable to connect the dots of what is completely obvious to even a child, you are either George Bush himself or braindead. IN any case, are absolutely a shithead.
$980,000,000,000.00
What the iraq war has cost the U.S. taxpayer. We didn't ask for it, but we do have to pay for it (although we were told Iraq would).
If Saddam were still in power, there would be absolutely zero impact on world geopolitics. The only "benefit" the Iraq war provided was proving that the UN inspectors were correct after all--there WEREN'T any WMD's left in Iraq circa 2003. Saddam was a powerless, toothless paper tiger, who posed absolutely no threat to even his immediate neighbors, let alone the United States 15,000 miles away.
No doubt the same guy crying phony crocodile tears about Iraqi children dying because of economic sanctions also hates healthcare reform, and wouldn't lift a finger to help AMERICAN children gain access to healthcare, so that they don't die. He's all in favor of $3 trillion of welfare to Iraqis, but nothing for American citizens here at home. Borders on treason, in my book.
Furthermore, I don't hear him crying his false crocodile tears in honor of the thousands of dead Iraqi children who were killed violently because of our baseless war of aggression. Our troops aborted countless Iraqi children, born and unborn, and where is his concern?
Apparently to teabaggers like him, $3 trillion wasted on a foreign country, with no benefit to our national security, is money well spent...but $1 trillion to drastically improve the lives of millions of Americans who can now gain access to health care is the end of the world, and a harbinger of communism in America.
This conservative has neither a moral or fiscal leg to stand on.
Yeah--where were the teabaggers when shrub gave away a trillion of their taxpayer dollars to corporate communists to move jobs overseas? When he erased the surplus he came into office due to President Clinton's fiscal responsibility? When dick cheney said, and I quote, "Deficit's Don't Matter."
No this faux outrage is a thin veil for racism and poor sportsmanship. They didn't seem to mind when disgraced House member tom delay threatened members of both parties on votes, and paid them off, too.
Sore losers. And the best they have to offer is "cult member" mitt romney (pat robertson's quote, not mine) and ignorant nuts michelle bachman and sarah palin? Hell, even true CONSERVATIVES (not republikkans, CONSERVATIVES) see the writing on the wall. I refuse to lower my hope to believe Americans are stupid enough to fall for their dangerous brand of populism. bachmann's a nut. And sarah palin's a quitter. At least romney has had a REAL job before.
Keep typing, your one term president with 43% approval ratings is really proud of you.
And nothing tells us that this administration is "looking out for the little guy" more than letting the first time home buyer tax credit expire. Because trust me, they are going to stick it to the fat cats at this administration... including all of those lousy first time home buyers who have been screwing us for all of these years.
No weapons on the guys in that video huh?
Why should we believe anything else you said?
Go cry in a corner braniac.
Keep typing, your one term president with 43% approval ratings is really proud of you.
Hahahaha! I'll pay good money to see the look on your face when President Obama wins re-election, which he will. A large percentage of his disapproval ratings consist of liberals who don't think he's being liberal enough (ie. the very conservative healthcare bill). Rest assured, they'll vote for him in 2012, and he'll win re-election.
Keep fantasizing about President Sarah Palin, teabaggers.
Gee, who put that first time homebuyer tax credit in the bill in the first place? Oh yeah, Obama and the Democrats! It was their idea. You're crying because you're not getting enough of a government handout?
Why don't you take some personal responsibility, pull yourself up by your bootstraps and earn your own $8000, instead of relying on Obama to give you even more government handouts, you selfish welfare queen?
Even their "populism" is phony. The tea-baggers are lead by retired congressional wing nut leader Dick Armey and funded by the swift-boaters, in a lame attempt to mimic the actual populist movement that put Obama in office.
All you ever from Tea Party people are the same spoon fed talking points.
When Pam Stout was on Letterman, under her polished "Aunt Bea" presentation is was obvious, after five minutes, that she had absolutely nothing to say and when pressed, was hopelessly lost and unable to explain what was behind her beliefs. She was all image, all presentation, nobody home, like Palin, like Bachmann, like W, like Reagan.
People like Chaney, Armey, Rove and Gingrich call all the shots. If anyone else tries to think, they get excommunicated. That's why they all mindlessly repeat the same talking points. Really scarey, huh kids?
You want to know the truth? read, "Conservatives Without Conscience" by John Dean, (Yes, that one).
One more thing; Kieth Olbermann ROCKS!
You, on the other hand, watch Keith Olberman and parrot his ignorant vitriol.
Well, okay.
But at least I floss regularly.
Angry fat old white people pull themselves off the couch from their daily sedative of Rush, emerge from their homes and suddenly realize that they are at war and completely broke. Wuh?
$980,000,000,000.00
What the iraq war has cost the U.S. taxpayer.
What you don't understand is that most of the Iraq thing was financed through emergency supplementals and were "off budget."
Which, last time I checked, means that the war was free.
"Which, last time I checked, means that the war was free."
Free???? It means it was all deficit.
The last time you "checked?" What was it exactly that you checked? The money had to come from somewhere.
Well, at least it wasn't "wasted " on health care or jobs, (excepting UK private security firms, they did fine), that would have been, golly-gosh, SOCIALISM!!! Better to have the money literally go up in smoke.
I interpreted the "free" remark to be high sarcasm.
doublelia: thats good! How about a pic of dubya wiping his grubby hand on Bill Clinton????
repblikkans and teabaggers live in a culture where accountability and responsibility are forgotten values
I've been away from the blog for about a year and now I remember why. Look...American rule one...a corporation's management is DUTY BOUND to maximize profit for the stockholders. That's why, when you've got something that everyone needs, like Fire Protection or Police, the government runs it instead of a corporation...And why, when you've got a company like Turner making cartoons...they can go where they want and do what they want. The only thing that keeps them paying you a living wage? An active union.
So leave those guys at CN alone. I know this political talk is just recreational...nobody's being convinced of anything here. But the one clear thing we can all agree on...all this argument is doing nothing for furthering the common goals of working animators and writers who are trying to hold onto wages and bennies at these big studios.
So argue geo-politics all you want. Just know that while you're fighting, our real wages are dropping, we're still paid by the hour and somewhere in the bowels of hell, a union busting robber baron from Marceline MO is dancing a jig while you guys fight.
Where are the jobs?
Blaming this on Bush fifteen months into the presidency doesn't create jobs. So STFU with that and stop ass kissing the president that hasn't delivered.
Pstt..Anon at 12:32...it took Bush 8 years to royally FU the economy and you're pissed because it's taking more than a year and half to fix it?
When someone's persooanl finances get screwed up it can take a LOOOOOONG time to fix things so you can't expect an overnioght recovery.
A year ago today things were bad for me and mine and now things are looking much better so I can see things turning around maybe it hasn't reached you yet, but that's not from lack of trying on POTUS's part. In spite of the GOPs best efforts thing are getting better.
things. not. better.
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/2198-Death-Spiral-Intercept.html
and this.
http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2010/04/the-origins-of-the-next-crisis.html
Uh huh. So I guess tax cuts for the wealthy, along with all the other Republican "ideas" are what will turn the economy right around, right? More lax oversight on Wall Street, gigantic corporate giveaways, or perhaps Cheney's observation that "Reagan proved deficits don't matter."
Remember that if Republicans had been in office during the last 15 months, they would not have cut taxes for the middle and working classes nearly as much as Obama did. How do I know this? Because these supposed defenders of tax cuts actively fought against cutting taxes for these classes.
If the tax cuts aren't benefitting the ultra-wealthy, the Republicans don't want em.
and then, of course, there is this.
http://www.costofwar.com
We didn't need the lied about war in Iraq. If taxpayers should be angry about anything, it should be that the idiot bush didn't as for ANY SACRIFICE from Americans as he trumped up the want (not the need) to go to war in Iraq. None.
And instead of slightly raising the pay of our brave members of the Military, they shilled out BILLIONS of Taxpayer Money to hire private contractor buddies of theirs to do the jobs our Armed Forces are better trained to do. The big difference is our Military is held accountable, while the freakin' private contractors only robbed the Taxpayer.
Where were the teabaggers THEN? Well listen up, republikkan teabag terrorists, it is TIME TO PAY THE PIPER for your irresponsibility. You get NOTHING for free--no handouts that republicans are so fond of begging for and taking. The days of corporate communism are over.
Whatever happened to Conservatism?
10 Inconvenient Truths for Tax Day:
Over 95% of Working Households Got Tax Cuts
Only 2% of Tea Baggers Know Obama Cut Their Taxes...
...and 52% of Tea Partiers Think Their Taxes are Fair...
...and Think the Federal Tax Level is Over Double What It Is
1% of Families Earned 24% of All Income...
...and 57% of All Capital Income
400 Richest Taxpayers Saw Incomes Double, Tax Rates Halved
Only 1 in 500 Families Pay the Estate Tax
Corporate Taxes Have Plummeted as a Share of GDP
The U.S. Loses $345 Billion a Year to Tax Evasion and Fraud
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