On Egypt On the Media

The cold open from the Feb. 11 edition of On The Media had this little soliloquy. Brooke Gladstone talked of the Egyptian government proclamations to not listen to satellite television "who's main purpose is to . . tarnish the image of people" and to pay attention "to your own conscience" -- direct quote there from the Mubarak government -- which led Brooke to this:

Ignore the evidence of your own eyes and ears; your Tweets, and YouTube videos, your Facebook posts. Pay no attention to the coverage of Al Jazeera and the rest of the world's media.

Gladstone brings out a couple of other gems -- how the government contended the protesters had been "infected" by foreign notions. "It's not their idea," one Egyptian official was quoted.

Ah, fond memories of Baghdad Bob.

Or as I like to say, the Adam Savage School of Public Relations:

I reject your reality, and substitute my own.

Always works.