Customer Reviews

Censored 2007: The Top 25 Censored Stories (Censored: The News That Didn't Make the News -- The Year's Top 25 Censored Stories)

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With each and every corporate media mega-merger, the news industry becomes less competitive and, as a result, less informative. These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get real news. Luckily, for those who want to keep informed, there is Project Censored (PC), a non-profit news organization developed by Peter Phillips, Professor of Sociology at Sonoma University. This year's CENSORED 2007 is PC's 30th anniversary edition and, along with the top 25 censored stories of the year and the usual array of supplementary essays on media bias, this year's edition includes updates on the most important stories of the last 30 years - a nifty bonus. 2007 stories include:

1. The Future of the Internet: giant cable companies seek a monopoly on cable Internet
2. Halliburton charged with selling nuclear secrets to Iran - illegally - under Cheney
3. The worldwide death of oceans: warming, toxic buildup, dead zones, changing PH balance, fish, grass and kelp die offs
4. Hunger and homelessness in the US on the rise: Government solution? Discontinue Census surveys that keep statistical tables on poverty
5. US supports genocide in the Congo to gain access to resources used to make high-tech gadgetry such as cell phones
6. The end of federal whistleblower protections
7. US operatives torture detainees to death in Afghanistan and Iraq
8. Pentagon exempts itself from the Freedom of Information Act
9. World Bank funds the Palestine-Israel Wall
10. The death toll of civilians in Iraq from the expanded air war
11. Dangers of genetically modified foods confirmed
12. The dangers of common pesticides like Roundup
13. Homeland Security contracts KBR (a Halliburton subsidiary) to build detention centers in the US
14. The EPA's primary research partner is the chemical industry
15. Ecuador and Mexico defy the US on the international criminal court
16. The Iraq reconstruction promotes OPEC agenda: profit for major US oil companies
17. Physicist concludes that official 9/11 explanation is scientifically implausible
18. Destruction of rainforests is at an all-time high
19. Bottled water: a global environmental problem
20. Gold mining threatens ancient Andean glaciers
21. Billions in homeland security undisclosed
22. US Oil targets Kyoto in Europe
23. Cheney's Halliburton stock rose of 3000 percent last year
24. Pentagon plans to build new landmines
25. US military in Paraguay threatens the region

But don't just stop at the headlines. The stories are packed with details, sources, links, and at the end of the book there is a wonderful appendix of alternative media venues. Perhaps the most important publication in journalism, CENSORED should not be overlooked.

Mandatory annual reading.

j.w.k

This book is a must read for anyone who cares about news or what is happening in the world today. The book covers a number of different stories that have been left out of the corporate media coverage, as they usually will shame either sponsers or politically powerful people. Coverage includes global warming, the Iraq war, the White house and President Bush, Congress and a host of other characters.

This book is very well written with stories that give the information needed, but contained to keep them readable. Each story has a link to web site to obtain more information if the reader desires.

If Bill O'Rielly wants to be "fair and balanced" and end the "spin" he should cover these stories. But, he won't, and either will any other corporate owned media outlet! Read the book...it will put corporate media into a whole new light.

Unfortunately amazon's excellent and useful Search Inside feature has not yet been activated for this latest in the series. Nevertheless a quick visit to their website reveals these topics:

Top 25 Censored news stories of 2007

#1 Future of Internet Debate Ignored by Media

#2 Halliburton Charged with Selling Nuclear Technologies to Iran

#3 Oceans of the World in Extreme Danger

#4 Hunger and Homelessness Increasing in the US

#5 High-Tech Genocide in Congo

#6 Federal Whistleblower Protection in Jeopardy

# 7 US Operatives Torture Detainees to Death in Afghanistan and Iraq

#8 Pentagon Exempt from Freedom of Information Act

#9 The World Bank Funds Israel-Palestine Wall

#10 Expanded Air War in Iraq Kills More Civilians

#11 Dangers of Genetically Modified Food Confirmed

#12 Pentagon Plans to Build New Landmines

#13 New Evidence Establishes Dangers of Roundup

#14 Homeland Security Contracts KBR to Build Detention Centers in the US

#15 Chemical Industry is EPA's Primary Research Partner

#16 Ecuador and Mexico Defy US on International Criminal Court

#17 Iraq Invasion Promotes OPEC Agenda

#18 Physicist Challenges Official 9-11 Story

#19 Destruction of Rainforests Worst Ever

#20 Bottled Water: A Global Environmental Problem

#21 Gold Mining Threatens Ancient Andean Glaciers

#22 $Billions in Homeland Security Spending Undisclosed

#23 US Oil Targets Kyoto in Europe

#24 Cheney's Halliburton Stock Rose Over 3000 Percent Last Year

#25 US Military in Paraguay Threatens Region

Each of these at the website is alink to further information. Notice the frequency of topics on Halliburton, etc., as well as the environmental damage studied throughout. There is mention of our torturing prisoners (hostages?) to death, as well as questioning the 9/11 events and other topics on Homeland Security an dits corrupt nature, as in recent past years. And once again we find the USA a rogue nation in regards to the World Court.

Why don't we see this debated on Faux News and the other ubiquitous media? The editorial section explores such topics. Please visit the website if you need further information before purchase here at this reduced price. This book should be in the hands of every student in America required each morning to watch the Channel One propaganda organ.

When finally depressed enough by this reading, be sure to relax with Muhammed Ali's Soul of the Butterfly as peacefully and beautifully read by Mr. Ossie Davis on the audio book. You will find hope in his humility and senseless joy.

Other articles currently featured at the website include how the NAtional Impeachment movement is being ignored, and offers for sale "Impeach the President" which may also be available cheaper here.

Other articles: A Study of Bias in the Associated Press, Will US Attack Iran?, Hard Evidence of US Torturing Prisoners, Corporate Media Ownership, Voter Fraud (August 2005), Unanswered Questions of 9/11 (July 2005), Corporate Media Ignores US War Crimes, Corporate Media Distorts Palestinian Death Rates, among other interesting topics.

Keep abreast with this series which has provided an essential service, praised by Walter Cronkite, for some twenty years.

There is so much important information in here. Any responsible and engaged member of society should at least give it a quick run-through.

Everyone in the country must read this book. I look forward to them making it into a movie so even more people become aware of the information contained within every page of this book. Kudos to the class and every one else involved at Sonoma State University that produce the top 25 censored stories every year!
Thank You Professor Phillips and Professor Jensen! Your work is so very important in keeping the public informed about the events that are not covered by mainstream media but are vital to all of us who live in this country, and all of the people around the globe.

With its aim of ruthless criticism of the existing order, of monitoring the powerful institutions and of bringing real news that builds movements for social change, the `Project Censored' fulfills a most necessary democratic role.
Its top 25 stories show `the bankruptcy of any morality and decency': stolen presidential elections, testing AIDS drugs on children, selling nuclear technologies to Iran (!), 9/11 mysteries (the collapse of the WTC 7 tower without being hit), cover-ups of tortures in Iraq and Afghanistan, suppression of bad news and statistics on climate change, hunger and homelessness ...
Its top story is all important indeed: free access to Internet for everybody.

Its picture of the corporate news media is plainly catastrophic. They are turned in Pravda like (C. Johnson) governmental mouthpieces, creating a soviet like virtual world of blurred propaganda, advertising and `fake' news.

Besides very useful follow-ups on previous censored stories, this book contains also excellent comments by specialists; e.g. on the Global Dominance Group and its aim of establishing a world totalitarian empire and its belief that `Democracy is best defended by an ignorant public pumped on nationalism and religion', or on the Yugoslav crisis with its Western intervention in order to create new friendly States ... and new NATO bases.

Censored 2007, like all previous editions of the Censored group, is a must read for all democrats.

I love reading these types of books because it takes me back to my college days when everything was a dark conspiracy by The Man to keep the common people down.

The authors try to get your ire up by casually throwing around the word 'Censored', even though many of these stories have received relentless coverage in the major media, blogs and academic journals for a number of years. Ask yourself, "Have I really been lacking for stories about the various dealings of Halliburton?"

Here are some others:

* Destruction of Rainforest
* Homelessness rising in America
* Detainees Tortured in Iraq and Afghanistan
* Dangers of Genetically Modified Food

Be honest, have you not been inundated with coverage of these issues?

If the authors of this book had done a quick Nexis-Lexis search, or even a simple Google search, they would have uncovered endless streams of coverage and debate on this and many other topics.

Instead, they focus their efforts on the mainstream media....a dying industry where fewer get their information. Perhaps Project Censored ought to drag itself into the 21st Century before hysterically claiming that Big Brother is trying to keep you ignorant.