New MSNBC same old Skullduggery - Manufacturing the News Liberals Love - Part 1.

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Trump is first GOP candidate to take his case to Vermont, home of Bernie Sanders.

Nothing can tell the story of the media manipulation of the American public better than the recent reorganization of MSNBC to become less liberal and offer more balanced news coverage.  Yes, they did get rid of a bunch of people whose brand of liberalism drove the viewers away.  Still, they kept too many who are clearly frustrated by the new direction of the cable channel.

So, my next three stories are examples of why MSNBC failed to become anywhere close to fair and balanced in their coverage of the presidential election.  Now bear in mind that to the new bean counters at MSNBC, ratings mean everything and the grossly liberal views were driving the network into oblivion.

So they restructured sending flaming liberals to the scrapheap and trying to tone down those remaining.  Unfortunately, those remaining are finding it impossible to even approach a standard of fair and balanced as their hatred of Republicans in general and Donald Trump in particular has made them do things beyond unethical, beyond belief, and beyond any journalistic standards ever used in American television.

Tonight Trump was speaking in Bernie Sanders hometown of Burlington, Vermont.  The first part of his speech aired during the Chris Matthews Hardball show and in uncharacteristic fashion host Matthews let the viewers watch Trump.  Of course just a couple of days ago Mathews landed what he said might be the best interview in his life when he had a sit down with Hillary Clinton, but that is the next story.

The second part of the Trump rally was during the Chris Hayes show and he made a shambles of journalistic ethics.  First, he (MSNBC) staged a Bernie Sanders rally in a bar down the street from Trump filled with Sanders supporters.  This was no focus group, it was a rally to trash Trump.

Then his producers apparently decided to do a split screen showing Trump talking while the noise of the Sanders bar crowd and a video of them trashing Trump was shown to the nation.  There was no effort by Hayes to identify the protestors and noise came from a staged event in the bar, not from the Trump rally.

Those few protestors at the rally were quickly thrown out by Trump while MSNBC aired footage of the disrupters being tossed and a crowd of anti-Trump protestors cheering as they left the building.  A staged event by the media, a split screen with no identification that they were two separate events, and total bias in the reporting by Hayes and company, is a sad commentary on today's media.

Ironically, MSNBC was covering Trump at the same time Obama was doing a gun control town hall on CNN and it will be interesting to see who won the ratings war.  Of course the liberal tilting CNN and liberal dominated MSNBC are fighting it out for last place in the ratings race.

Is it any wonder that the fires of polarization, partisanship, and gross hatred are fanned by the very liberal progressive media who suddenly figured out what the American voters has known for some time.  Trump is a real threat to the progressive movement of the Obama administration, and Trump is exposing all the hypocritical ways the Democratic party has conned and conjured the Democratic base into blind submission.

See the next article for Part 2 of the MSNBC debacle when attempting to become a legitimate news service.

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CPT Spirits in the Sky - Natalie Cole - Daughter of Legend Nat King Cole

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Yet another of the golden voice jazz divas has joined her legendary father, Nat King Cole, and Mother, Maria Cole, in the Spirits in the Sky.  Here is what the UK Daily Mail had to say about the passing of Natalie Cole.

EXCLUSIVE: 'I love you all.' Natalie Cole's last words to her younger twin sisters who were by her side in her last days and reveal 'we're suffering but she's at peace'

The Cole 'kids', Casey, Natalie & Timolin

• Natalie Cole's family, including her son Robert Yancy, enjoyed several days together over the holidays, reveals sister Casey to Daily Mail Online
• Cole told them ‘I love you all’ before she passed away

By Ryan Parry West Coast Correspondent For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:38 EST, 1 January 2016 | Updated: 15:47 EST, 1 January 2016

Unforgettable with Father Nat King Cole

Natalie Cole is now ‘at peace’ according to her sister who spent Christmas with the singing legend.

Casey Cole said she and twin sister Timolin, 54,  had flown out to Los Angeles to be with their seriously ill sibling over the festive period.

The family, including Cole’s son Robert Yancy, enjoyed several days together during which Cole thanked them for their support, saying, ‘I love you all’.

And Casey 54, who is now back home in Boca Raton, Florida, revealed her sister had son Robert by her side when she died in hospital on New Year’s Eve.

She told Daily Mail Online: ‘It’s heartbreaking, she’s fought a very long battle and she’s at peace now.

‘She passed last night and we were not with her as we are back in Florida, but she was in hospital with her son Robert, he was by her side.’

Casey, who plans to fly back to LA in the coming days, added: ‘My twin sister Timolin and I were with Natalie at Christmas time as a family. She told us that she loved us all.

‘We’re all heartbroken, I’ll miss my sister very much. We’re suffering but she’s not. She’s in heaven now and she’s ringing in the new year in ways we don’t know.’

Cole’s son Robert, 38, is the product of her first marriage to producer Marvin Yancy.

The 65-year-old singer suffered from a number of health problems over the past decade, including liver disease and Hepatitis C, for which she received chemotherapy in 2008.

It’s believed she died from congestive heart failure, although her death was contributed to by other underlying medical issues including complications from a kidney transplant.

Cole’s sisters, twins Casey and Timolin, are the youngest daughter’s of legendary crooner Nat King Cole.

They run the Nat King Cole Generation Hope foundation out of Boca Raton in Florida which raises money for instruments and music lessons for school children who can't afford them.

The foundation has benefited more than 5,000 children since the twins founded the nonprofit in 2008 to honor King Cole's legacy and life.

When I Fall in Love with Father Nat King Cole

Today Cole's biographer Digby Diehl, who co-wrote the star's autobiography Angel on My Shoulder, with her in 2000, said in a statement released to Daily Mail Online: 

'Natalie’s talent was eclipsed only by her extraordinary strength of character.

'She embraced the entirety of her life, both the successes and the struggles. She was not only a remarkable vocalist, but a remarkable human being.'

Cole's oldest sister, Carole, died aged 64 in 2009 - the day Cole was in another hospital undergoing kidney transplant surgery.

Carole, who was the CEO of King Cole Productions up until her death, was the adopted daughter of the late crooner.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3381413/I-love-Natalie-Cole-s-words-younger-twin-sisters-days-reveal-suffering-s-peace.html#ixzz3w3qgNIrS
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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Solar Flare Issue continues to perplex Experts

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Here is the latest update on the solar flare issue the CPT has been tracking for years.

Starpulse.com

Frighteningly Enormous Solar Flare Update: White House Prepares For Coronal Mass Ejection, Potential Catastrophic Space Weather Events

Read more at http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2015/12/29/frighteningly-enormous-solar-flare-upd#d23MpBDEYteAj1Hz.99

Brad Ryder 
12/29/2015 3:45am EST

While many people are looking back on pivotal events of 2015 -- famous deaths, terrorism, and the horse and pony Republican presidential debates -- a disturbing solar flare report is trending again. 

Recently, the White House made preparations for unpredictable and severe space weather events. And much of the clamor focuses on the possibility of a catastrophic coronal mass ejection striking Earth, citing an AOL latest news story. 

According to a video report, an intense solar flare narrowly missed a direct hit with Earth by a matter of days in 2012. NASA said an intense CME launched towards the planet at speeds of over 6 million miles per hour. 

At that speed, it would have taken the enormous flare 13 hours or so to reach our atmosphere. Consequently, the effects would have been catastrophic. As the news journalist says, it would have thrown us back to the Ice Age, so to speak, as many power grids would have been taken offline.

In October, the Obama Administration published the National Space Weather Action Plan, under the auspices of the National Science and Technology Council. The scope of the 44-page document is defined as such:

"With the objectives of improving understanding of, forecasting of, and preparedness for space-weather events (both the phenomena and their effects), the National Space Weather Strategy defines six strategic goals to prepare the Nation for near- and long-term space-weather effects."

 

NASA describes solar flares or coronal mass ejections as huge bursts of energy that launches materials from the sun. If the Earth's orbit takes it into the path of the solar mass; the results can be disastrous for a race highly dependent on electronic technologies.

One scientist painted an ominous picture of what could have occurred had the planet suffered a direct hit from the solar flare three years ago. 

"If it had hit, we would still be picking up the pieces." 

Here's putting things in perspective: Space meteorologists and teams of experts agree that the 2012 solar flare could have caused widespread damage and psychological effects to the tune of $2 trillion. Comparatively speaking, based on the sun's recent volatile activity, officials fear a cataclysmic solar flare that is 1,000 times larger. The costs are immeasurable. 

Doomsday thinkers say the White House report telegraphs a message that human life may be on borrowed time, that a space storm capable of mass extinction is brewing. No credible sources are reporting such extreme Earth events. However, one has to wonder why federal authorities are mulling the idea. 

This story is developing.

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CPT Breakout Artist of the Year 2015 - Lindsey Stirling

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If ever there was a pioneer in the new computer age who is blazing a trail for the future of the music industry it is Lindsey Stirling, whose story will become a legend.  Following is her biography from her website, lindseystirling.com and a series of her videos you really must watch.  Double click the videos for full screen and you will not regret it.

A Savior is Born - Lindsey Stirling

About

Lindsey Stirling is one of the biggest artist development breakthrough stories in recent years. A classically trained violinist from Gilbert, AZ, Lindsey has entered a futurist world of electronic big beats and animation, leaping through the music industry with over 675 million views on YouTube, Billboard chart-topping hits and sold out tours worldwide.

Les Misérables Medley - Lindsey Stirling

Lindsey’s self-titled debut album featured twelve original tracks; including the viral smash “Crystallize,” which has racked up over 97 million YouTube views. The album has sold over 350,000 copies in the US without the backing of a major label, and has gone platinum in Germany and gold in Poland and Switzerland. The album reached number one on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Chart and the Billboard Classical Album Chart and also peaked at #22 on the Billboard Top 200.

On April 29th, 2014 Lindsey released her new album Shatter Me, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, her highest charting album to date. The album features 12 new songs written by Lindsey and includes collaborations with lead singer Lzzy Hale from the Grammy winning band Halestorm and The Voice runner-up Dia Frampton of Meg & Dia. “I really dug deep and poured my heart into Shatter Me,” said Lindsey. “Everything from the artwork to the music shares a cohesive message that I hope will inspire others to push their own boundaries.”

Elements - Lindsey Stirling (Dubstep Violin Original Song)

It is hard to believe that Piers Morgan told Lindsey Stirling the world had no place for a dancing dubstep violinist. But being voted off 2010’s “America’s Got Talent” at the quarterfinals turned out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Rejection simply strengthened Stirling’s resolve to be herself. “The same reasons I was told I wouldn’t succeed are the reasons people travel hundreds of miles to see me now,” she laughs. “Because it’s different. Because it’s something you haven’t seen before…” Since the show, Lindsey has flourished as an artist.

Raised in a Mormon community in Arizona, Lindsey studied classical music rigorously as a teenager. Lindsey’s love for the violin would not let go, and it became a comfort throughout her struggle with an eating disorder during her early adulthood. Through this passion, Lindsey has created a new music world where the romance of Celtic folk music and modern classical meet the infectious energy of dance and electronica.

Master of Tides - Lindsey Stirling

On stage, Stirling moves with the grace of a ballerina but works the crowd into a frenzy, “dropping the beat” like a rave fairy. Stirling is the model of a modern independent recording artist, with a symbiotic relationship with her fans. She is famed for taking “requests” and has recorded unique versions of the themes from “Phantom Of The Opera” and “Game Of Thrones”, the computer games “Zelda,” “Pokemon,” and “Skyrim,” as well as pop songs by Michael Jackson and Rihanna; She uploads them all to Lindseystomp, a secondary YouTube channel packed with music videos and short comedy films, many featuring her alter-ego – a ‘superfan’ named Phelba.

A motivational speaker in her spare time, Stirling uses her own story to show teenagers that you’ve got to have confidence in the very thing that makes you unique – then wait for the world to catch up.

Lord of the Rings Medley - Lindsey Stirling

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CPT Spirits in the Sky - Hollywood Legends of 2015

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Here are the newest additions to the Coltons Point Times Spirits in the Sky for 2015.

(Double click for full screen)

  Thank for the wonderful memories.

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Happy Holidays to all my friends around the world!

OUR HOLIDAY GREETING FOR YOU

For all of the world we offer hope for world peace and wish you happy holidays for (Christian) Christmas, (African) Kwanzaa, (Hispanic) Las Posadad-Noche Buena-Navidad, (Jewish) Hanukkah-Rosh Hashanah, (Persian) Yalda, (Islamic) Eid al-Adha-Muharram, (Buddhist) Rohatsu, (Hindu) Sankranti, (Celtic) Winter Solstice and (Chinese) New Year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Feliz Navidad y Felices Fiestas

Joyeux Noël et joyeuses fêtes

Buon Natale e Buone Feste

Frohe Weihnachten und frohe Feiertage

Vrolijke Kerstmis en Gelukkige Vakantie

Καλα Χριστουγεννα και καλες διακοπες

Feliz Natal e Boas Festas

И Рождеством Христовым праздники

メリークリスマス休暇で幸せ

聖誕快樂，節日快樂

This is Rockefeller Center in NYC which could be seen from my office above it on 5th Avenue.

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From the Coltons Point Times -- have a great, safe and loving holidays....

Classic Christmas videos - American style

    

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The Rights and Responsibilities of the News Media

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The press, or news media, are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This is the Code of Ethics used to guide the news media in the exercise of their work.  Do you think they are following their own Code of Ethics?

Society of Professional Journalists
Improving and protecting journalism since 1909

SPJ Code of Ethics

Preamble

Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.

The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.

Seek Truth and Report It

Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should

be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting

information.

Journalists should:

Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before

releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible.

Remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy.

Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in

promoting, previewing or summarizing a story.

Gather, update and correct information throughout the life of a news story.

Be cautious when making promises, but keep the promises they make.

Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible

to judge the reliability and motivations of sources.

Consider sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Reserve anonymity for

sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm, and have information

that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Explain why anonymity was granted.

Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism

or allegations of wrongdoing.

Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information

unless traditional, open methods will not yield information vital to the public.

Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.

Give voice to the voiceless.

Support the open and civil exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.

Recognize a special obligation to serve as watchdogs over public affairs and

government. Seek to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the

open, and that public records are open to all.

Provide access to source material when it is relevant and appropriate.

Boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience.

Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear.

Avoid stereotyping. Journalists should examine the ways their values and

experiences may shape their reporting.

Label advocacy and commentary.

Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information.

Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments.

Never plagiarize. Always attribute.

Minimize Harm

Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of

the public as human beings deserving of respect.

Journalists should:

Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort.

Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness.

Show compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage. Use

heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles, victims of sex crimes,

and sources or subjects who are inexperienced or unable to give consent.

Consider cultural differences in approach and treatment.

Recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification

to publish or broadcast.

Realize that private people have a greater right to control information about

themselves than public figures and others who seek power, influence or

attention. Weigh the consequences of publishing or broadcasting personal

information.

Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity, even if others do.

Balance a suspect’s right to a fair trial with the public’s right to know. Consider

the implications of identifying criminal suspects before they face legal charges.

Consider the long-term implications of the extended reach and permanence of

publication. Provide updated and more complete information as appropriate.

Act Independently

The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve

the public.

Journalists should:

Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.

Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political

and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality,

or may damage credibility.

Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for

access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid

or not.

Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests,

and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage.

Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines

between the two. Prominently label sponsored content.

Be Accountable and Transparent

Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one's work and

explaining one’s decisions to the public.

Journalists should:

Explain ethical choices and processes to audiences. Encourage a civil

dialogue with the public about journalistic practices, coverage and news

content.

Respond quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness.

Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain

corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly.

Expose unethical conduct in journalism, including within their organizations.

Abide by the same high standards they expect of others.

The SPJ Code of Ethics is a statement of abiding principles supported by additional explanations and position papers (at spj.org) that address changing journalistic practices.

It is not a set of rules, rather a guide that encourages all who engage in journalism to take responsibility for the information they provide, regardless of medium. The code should be read as a whole; individual principles should not be taken out of context. It is not, nor can it be under the First Amendment, legally enforceable.

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