Why was the old pentagon press corps so bad?
Why are subject matter experts in the new press corps getting attacked?
David absolutely nails it. Must-watch.
What’s most troubling is this: 🧵
Why are subject matter experts in the new press corps getting attacked?
David absolutely nails it. Must-watch.
What’s most troubling is this: 🧵
https://twitter.com/thechiefnerd/status/1997134342200463361
yes, @DavidSacks has conservative views, yes he’s outspoken but he’s also chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology.
Even the far-left in Silicon Valley doesn’t deny his technical credibility.
The fact he’s getting attacked should worry everyone.
Even the far-left in Silicon Valley doesn’t deny his technical credibility.
The fact he’s getting attacked should worry everyone.
I'm dealing with the same thing—millions of views on posts by @ggreenwald and @CAgovernor trying to bully a new Pentagon press reporter who focuses on niche topics. I'm one of a few hundred Americans who hold a Master Unlimited license to captain the largest ships. I've built some of the most technologically advanced ships on earth.
Why are they personally targeting me and relentlessly pursuing David, whose specialized skills far surpass mine?
Let me explain, as simply as possible, how the New York Times has deteriorated and why they are so fixated on destroying individuals with expertise.
Let me explain, as simply as possible, how the New York Times has deteriorated and why they are so fixated on destroying individuals with expertise.
I read the NYTimes every single day from the age of 13 until around COVID.
I have always been a conservative and NYTimes was always liberal but in the 90s they employed a lot of beat reporters in various niches with deep knowledge and connections.
Deep knowledge AND connections.
I have always been a conservative and NYTimes was always liberal but in the 90s they employed a lot of beat reporters in various niches with deep knowledge and connections.
Deep knowledge AND connections.
For example they didn’t have just a transportation reporter, they had a dock reporter who focused just on ships. This guy was different from the Navy reporter who was different from the USCG reporter.
He literally walked the docks.
He literally walked the docks.
This guy spent, men like the last dock reporter SF Chronicles’ Carl Nolte, or the bestselling Robert Frump spent their entire life climbing around ships and ports and nano-niche tradeshows.
And they produced incredible journalism.
Reporting like this book which reformed an entire industry amzn.to/3YbOKnH
And they produced incredible journalism.
Reporting like this book which reformed an entire industry amzn.to/3YbOKnH
That all changed early this century when the adoption of craiglist killed their most profitable business: classified ads. Almost overnight they gave buyout offers to these titans… topic specific nerds with encyclopedic minds.
The reason I, a deeply conservative young man, could read the New York Times in the 1990s is the economy of words. There simply isn’t enough space in a 1,000-word article to excessively discuss liberal talking points while omitting crucial facts.
For a journalist with extensive encyclopedic knowledge, these facts hold significant importance.
For a journalist with extensive encyclopedic knowledge, these facts hold significant importance.
The difficulty these men had was trying to shoe horn so much knowledge on an incident or event in 1,000 words.
When you have that much at your fingertips you want to put in, but a limited word count, the bloviating goes first
When you have that much at your fingertips you want to put in, but a limited word count, the bloviating goes first
They had to get the facts straight because they had competition.
Now, I believe Politico is the only publication that assigns reporters specifically to the Department of Transportation, and they never write about ships. In the 1990s, @JOC_Updates had a reporter who was an insider at the maritime department of DOT.
Now, I believe Politico is the only publication that assigns reporters specifically to the Department of Transportation, and they never write about ships. In the 1990s, @JOC_Updates had a reporter who was an insider at the maritime department of DOT.
The specialist role was replaced with generalists. The old beat reporters possessed such extensive knowledge that they could, and many did, secure high-paying consulting positions.
Editors accepted this compromise because journalism schools were not yet burdened with DEI curriculum and continued to teach graduates essential skills such as networking and research.
Furthermore, those beat reporters with the most extensive professional networks were spared.
Editors accepted this compromise because journalism schools were not yet burdened with DEI curriculum and continued to teach graduates essential skills such as networking and research.
Furthermore, those beat reporters with the most extensive professional networks were spared.
A rolodex was a contact system based on index cards were journalists not only kept phone numbers of contacts but notes on a source’s reliability and skills. These were HIGHLY guarded assets.
Facts remained crucial, but the equation had shifted. They had become a liability. The most significant challenge faced by seasoned beat reporters was the task of cramming an immense amount of knowledge and expertise into a mere 1,000 words.
On the other hand, the young, intelligent journalism graduates encountered a different problem. They required to make phone calls and conduct extensive research to gather facts for their articles. This process demanded considerable time and effort.
On the other hand, the young, intelligent journalism graduates encountered a different problem. They required to make phone calls and conduct extensive research to gather facts for their articles. This process demanded considerable time and effort.
But all wasn’t lost. The guys with the deepest rolodex’s were still around to hand out sources who could fill out the facts.
Some of the old beat reporters started blogs and many new subject matter experts launched did so too. Niche publications like JOC and Lloyds List were still around for those who wanted deeper dives and for mainsteam media (MSM) to use as a crutch.
Some of the old beat reporters started blogs and many new subject matter experts launched did so too. Niche publications like JOC and Lloyds List were still around for those who wanted deeper dives and for mainsteam media (MSM) to use as a crutch.
Then the Iraq war happened and hit the NYTimes like a nuclear bomb. The reporters with deep subject matter expertise were gone or quickly loosing influence. The ones with the deepest rolodexes were gaining influence because young journalists were leaning on them so hard.
Dick Cheney saw this clear as day. If you don’t have deep knowledge yourself then you have to believe your sources. The sources lied and the NYTimes took the WMD hoax hook line and sinker.
We went to war, which turned into a disaster, resulting in a massive backlash. In response, the New York Times implemented stringent rules and checks on sources. However, they failed to rehire experts. This was because those individuals were either making money elsewhere or were disillusioned with the management of the newspaper.
Rebuilding that expertise would have required billions of dollars and would have taken decades.
Other disasters followed the 2008 financial crisis when reporters trusted corrupt sources, and the Jayson Blair scandal where a journalist just invented them. We bailed out banks and autos… but not journalism.
If newsrooms had asked for a bailout maybe they could have rebuilt their newsrooms with experts, but they feared looking captured and the public was angry at them and wouldn’t want to bail them out.
By NOT asking, they became even more dependent on government sources.
If newsrooms had asked for a bailout maybe they could have rebuilt their newsrooms with experts, but they feared looking captured and the public was angry at them and wouldn’t want to bail them out.
By NOT asking, they became even more dependent on government sources.
To their credit the NYTimes recognized this. Many of the old reporters with deep rolodexes where shown the door. More focus was put on research and verification of sources. Lots of hurdles were placed on journalists.
As is usually the case paperwork often has the opposite of the desired effect
As is usually the case paperwork often has the opposite of the desired effect
At the same time blogs stopped being “new” and their primary revenue source, google ads, got squeezed so many disappeared.
The ones who survived, like my @gCaptain, expanded from micro niche (a publication for ship captains) to wider coverage (e.g. naval news) and doubled down on social media.
The ones who survived, like my @gCaptain, expanded from micro niche (a publication for ship captains) to wider coverage (e.g. naval news) and doubled down on social media.
No social media platform has had such a profound impact that entire books have been written about it (Start with Ryan Holiday’s book, “Conspiracy,” delves into the smear campaign against David Sack’s close friend, Peter Theil.) so I cannot provide a detailed analysis.
However, it is crucial to acknowledge that social media replaced the traditional Rolodex.
amzn.to/4pWdkVv
However, it is crucial to acknowledge that social media replaced the traditional Rolodex.
amzn.to/4pWdkVv
As Ryan Holiday documents in Trust Me I’m Lying the journalists so started relying on gotcha fake news moments and news manufactured by PR professionals working for companies and NGOs
amzn.to/4poUFlq
amzn.to/4poUFlq
Journalists who succeed were great at navigating the hurdles orgs like the NYTimes put up. They did this primarily by manufacturing authority.
People who were really good at social media also became really good at getting BS PhD degrees, winning “journalism” prizes at NGOs, manipulating bestsellers book lists, etc.
People who were really good at social media also became really good at getting BS PhD degrees, winning “journalism” prizes at NGOs, manipulating bestsellers book lists, etc.
JOurnalists who succeed were great at navigating the hurdles orgs like the NYTimes put up. They did this primarily by manufacturing authority.
People who were really good at social media also became really good at getting BS PhD degrees, winning “journalism” prizes at NGOs, manipulating bestsellers book lists, etc.
People who were really good at social media also became really good at getting BS PhD degrees, winning “journalism” prizes at NGOs, manipulating bestsellers book lists, etc.
At this point in the timeline (early obama administration) my phone was ringing daily. I had legitimately established credentials (ship captain license, degree, Guinness World Record, alumni of the year award, bestselling book, etc) and was easy to find on Twitter and Facebook… but that was about to end. amzn.to/3XEF98Q
Journalists weren’t subject matter experts and didn’t have rolodexes with hand written notes on a sources reliability and background. But a new rolodex was created for them: Wikipedia
Why spend years building sources when you could just google for sources via Wikipedia and get footnoted lists of credentials to show your editor.
Why spend years building sources when you could just google for sources via Wikipedia and get footnoted lists of credentials to show your editor.
It wasn’t a bad system. Some Wikipedia pages were better than other but the John Konrad page was fairly accurate and helpful.
Everything changed during the Arab spring of 2011. At first social media companies were lauded for being the driving force behind the overthrowing of corrupt regimes. Then organizations like ISIS emerged and coopted social media.
Again, books have been written on this, but I am explaining why deep technical experts like David Sacks and myself are getting nailed by MSM so…
Again, books have been written on this, but I am explaining why deep technical experts like David Sacks and myself are getting nailed by MSM so…
The rise (arab spring) and fall (ISIS) of social media took a few years to play out and for the government and media to understand the full potential but it was clear to everyone that it’s enormously powerful.
As @MikeBenzCyber has documented this become a key priority under the second Obama administration and the military and industrial complexes started pumping billions into influencing the media and co-opting influencers.
As @MikeBenzCyber has documented this become a key priority under the second Obama administration and the military and industrial complexes started pumping billions into influencing the media and co-opting influencers.
@MikeBenzCyber As @cdrsalamander likes to point out nearly every chart of national problems begins to spike around 2012-2014.
Every social media platform became a battleground of influence and new science by researchers like Robert Cialdini showed everyone how to manufacture persuasion.
Every social media platform became a battleground of influence and new science by researchers like Robert Cialdini showed everyone how to manufacture persuasion.
https://twitter.com/cdrsalamander/status/1671303742107287558
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander NGOs (funded by USAID, DoD and others) started manufacturing influencers—handing out awards, building think tanks to lend “credibility,” and scripting narratives for journalists.
Then came the bribes: luxury defense summits, UN trips, book & movie deals, paid speaking gigs.
Then came the bribes: luxury defense summits, UN trips, book & movie deals, paid speaking gigs.
https://twitter.com/johnkonrad/status/1892239891586523363
MSM itself became a self licking ice cream cone. By helping sources get featured profiles in NYTimes magazine, dropping tips to book agents, social media RTs, suggestions to Rogan to book you and more journalists could build up your favorite sources. And those now highly influential sources would be loyal to you… and pay back lucrative favors.
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander And because all this was established under Obama’s second term it all became very liberal which is why it lashed out at Trump.
If you were really good you could lick several ice cream cones (print, social media, podcats) all the way up to making millions and taking over CBS as @bariweiss has brilliantly done.
Or you could focus on one (podcasts) to just subsidizing a debouched lifestyle in Brazil like @ggreenwald has done.
These two have done exceptionally well because they built up their influence operations and bank accounts as liberals and once they reached escape velocity switched to help republicans to gain influence on changes to the trends.
Or you could focus on one (podcasts) to just subsidizing a debouched lifestyle in Brazil like @ggreenwald has done.
These two have done exceptionally well because they built up their influence operations and bank accounts as liberals and once they reached escape velocity switched to help republicans to gain influence on changes to the trends.
Republicans, shut out of the paid Obama-era NGO/think-tank grift, ended up building far more influence online. Meanwhile the speaking gigs, NGO parties, and 4-star summits became a distraction.
That’s why a single MAGA influencer working from hone can run circles around them on X.
That’s why a single MAGA influencer working from hone can run circles around them on X.
https://x.com/johnkonrad/status/1885854358371434621
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss This has all been exposed by @elonmusk , @MikeBenzCyber and @mtaibbi but what few understand is ground zero for these operations was not social media, it was Wikipedia.
There are three ways to create a Wikipedia page today.
When my Wikipedia page was created, it was likely just by an anonymous fan.
Now, there are expensive PR firms that have paid interns for years to write and edit articles to achieve editor status, allowing them to create new pages for paid clients and protect existing ones.
Alternatively, you can become a real celebrity with superhuman talent (e.g., a sports star) or by working a self-loving ice cream cone.
Lastly, a military or intelligence complex asset can create one for you.
When my Wikipedia page was created, it was likely just by an anonymous fan.
Now, there are expensive PR firms that have paid interns for years to write and edit articles to achieve editor status, allowing them to create new pages for paid clients and protect existing ones.
Alternatively, you can become a real celebrity with superhuman talent (e.g., a sports star) or by working a self-loving ice cream cone.
Lastly, a military or intelligence complex asset can create one for you.
Remember how influential social media became after the arab spring? Well that created massive legal liabilities too!
There are two ways corporations like google, Meta and twitter managed liability.
First if you invite the government inside (as the twitter files exposed) then the government will protect you from the big stuff.
Second you can just throttle everyone who isn’t vetted by the system. But this is highly illegal for a for profit company. It’s safer to outsource this to a highly reputable nonprofit.
There are two ways corporations like google, Meta and twitter managed liability.
First if you invite the government inside (as the twitter files exposed) then the government will protect you from the big stuff.
Second you can just throttle everyone who isn’t vetted by the system. But this is highly illegal for a for profit company. It’s safer to outsource this to a highly reputable nonprofit.
Social media did both. Benz has explained inviting in the government and NGOs but even more important is the second option.
Governments and NGOs began funding ways to delete Wikipedia pages (like mine) and blacklist organizations (like my publication @gCaptain ) they consider dangerous. If someone is too legitimately talented (like David Sacks) to delete or ban they would edit his page to include red flags.
The brilliant part of this plan is deniability. The social media companies have nothing to do with how Wikipedia operates. What they CAN do is create bots and algorithms to read hidden Wikipedia editorial notes files for red flags.
Governments and NGOs began funding ways to delete Wikipedia pages (like mine) and blacklist organizations (like my publication @gCaptain ) they consider dangerous. If someone is too legitimately talented (like David Sacks) to delete or ban they would edit his page to include red flags.
The brilliant part of this plan is deniability. The social media companies have nothing to do with how Wikipedia operates. What they CAN do is create bots and algorithms to read hidden Wikipedia editorial notes files for red flags.
Sacks has billions and could hire firms to clean his Wikipedia page of red flags (I can’t), but nobody can erase them from the hidden history notes only bots (or very determined researchers) can see.
I’ve had this account since 2007, and magically I started gaining tens of thousands of followers once Elon cleared the throttles.
Did the government agents working with Twitter tell Twitter to throttle me?
No, they didn’t have to. When I applied for the old blue checkmark years ago, someone checked my Wikipedia page and saw it was deleted. They turned me down for a checkmark, and the throttle was put on.
I’ve had this account since 2007, and magically I started gaining tens of thousands of followers once Elon cleared the throttles.
Did the government agents working with Twitter tell Twitter to throttle me?
No, they didn’t have to. When I applied for the old blue checkmark years ago, someone checked my Wikipedia page and saw it was deleted. They turned me down for a checkmark, and the throttle was put on.
And this is not just social media. Guess how google decides what pages are shown and what pages are not? By cross checking everything with Wikipedia.
Even the best organizations (like the amazing people at the Shawn Ryan show) use google or Wikipedia to check the resume of guests.
Hence I’m essentially banned from everything except X and podcasts that ignore ALL the noise and have DEEP factual knowledge themselves to vette guests with… like the incredible @DonaldJTrumpJr or Charlie Kirk
Even the best organizations (like the amazing people at the Shawn Ryan show) use google or Wikipedia to check the resume of guests.
Hence I’m essentially banned from everything except X and podcasts that ignore ALL the noise and have DEEP factual knowledge themselves to vette guests with… like the incredible @DonaldJTrumpJr or Charlie Kirk
But wait— it gets much worse. Even people like Elon who KNOW Wikipedia is rotten at its core have no idea how deep the rot goes.
@Grokipedia at least makes pages more reliable and hides the bot-flag red edits… but I don’t have a Grok page, @gcaptain doesn’t either. All the pages blacklisted and deleted on Wikipedia?
They’re missing from Grok too…. So it’s impossible to vet me as a reliable source there too.
@Grokipedia at least makes pages more reliable and hides the bot-flag red edits… but I don’t have a Grok page, @gcaptain doesn’t either. All the pages blacklisted and deleted on Wikipedia?
They’re missing from Grok too…. So it’s impossible to vet me as a reliable source there too.
So why the hell is Glen Greenwald and Gavin Newsom and others posting numerous posts attacking me, the ship guy, after I was invited to the pentagon press corps?
Because out of all the excellent news reporters @SeanParnellUSA & @PressSecDOW invited into the new press corps I’m the closest to a traditional beat reporter. I have deep expertise and a deep rolodex that’s not tied to Wikipedia.
Because out of all the excellent news reporters @SeanParnellUSA & @PressSecDOW invited into the new press corps I’m the closest to a traditional beat reporter. I have deep expertise and a deep rolodex that’s not tied to Wikipedia.
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW If I get a foothold inside the belly of the beast (remember this all started getting real ugly when Obama’s DoD tried to use these tools after the arab spring) I will suggest Parnell brings in other beat reporters with deep expertise.
Pentagon reporters who lean into facts!
Pentagon reporters who lean into facts!
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW At the core of journalism are facts and sources. Beat journalists built both. Beat journalists are gone.
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW Remember when Wikipedia hired a CEO who gave a speech on how she was pulling the organization away from truth? Remember when NPR hired her?
https://twitter.com/endwokeness/status/1860687747733749890
This is all a house of cards. I could read the NYTimes as young conservative because, even though the editorial bent was liberal, the detailed facts carried the weight.
Now there are no detailed facts in NYTimes articles because neither the journalists or their sources or the Wikipedia pages fact checkers us have trustworthy facts.
Now there are no detailed facts in NYTimes articles because neither the journalists or their sources or the Wikipedia pages fact checkers us have trustworthy facts.
And I was not the only subject matter expert there.
Ask @LauraLoomer what she is at her core and it’s not an influencer or even expert, it’s a researcher of facts.
@mattgaetz was a representative in congress who focused on drilling down at hearings on facts.
@JackPosobiec is a naval intelligence veteran with deep military expertise.
These are the three the media attacked the hardest because these three focus hard on the facts over fiction!
Ask @LauraLoomer what she is at her core and it’s not an influencer or even expert, it’s a researcher of facts.
@mattgaetz was a representative in congress who focused on drilling down at hearings on facts.
@JackPosobiec is a naval intelligence veteran with deep military expertise.
These are the three the media attacked the hardest because these three focus hard on the facts over fiction!
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW @LauraLoomer @mattgaetz @JackPosobiec But why me? I’m not controversial. I never served in congress or built up millions of followers. I’m conservative but my editor in chief is liberal.
My social media account leans right but my articles are light on bias and heavy on facts
My social media account leans right but my articles are light on bias and heavy on facts
Glen is attacking me because I was inconsequential. My Wikipedia page has no warnings, it’s just deleted.
They spent years using #fakenews to smear Laura, Jack and Matt so that “serious people wouldn’t trust them. I’m unknown, and my expertise is DEEP.
If I gain traction, podcasts stop booking Glen and start booking real SMEs. That ends his grift.
They spent years using #fakenews to smear Laura, Jack and Matt so that “serious people wouldn’t trust them. I’m unknown, and my expertise is DEEP.
If I gain traction, podcasts stop booking Glen and start booking real SMEs. That ends his grift.
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW @LauraLoomer @mattgaetz @JackPosobiec If people like me start gaining traction, Glen doesn’t just lose money and influence, we start telling everyone that David Sacks isn’t some political “hack,” he’s a guy with real technical depth.
And once that sinks in… the entire ice-cream-cone narrative melts.
And once that sinks in… the entire ice-cream-cone narrative melts.
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW @LauraLoomer @mattgaetz @JackPosobiec And it’s going to melt from inside the most powerful building on earth.
It’s going to melt because “journalists” who fabricate sources with “impressive” credentials have been replaced by these who focus on facts
That’s the brilliance of @realDonaldTrump and @PeteHegseth’s plan x.com/joelvaldezdow/…
It’s going to melt because “journalists” who fabricate sources with “impressive” credentials have been replaced by these who focus on facts
That’s the brilliance of @realDonaldTrump and @PeteHegseth’s plan x.com/joelvaldezdow/…
But go ahead @ggreenwald attack me. You might even win and get me booted from the Pentagon. Maybe get an NGO to takedown @gCaptain.
The difference is if you win I can double my salary overnight by returning to captain ships.
What hard skills do you have if we win exposing your leaked classified documents grift?
The difference is if you win I can double my salary overnight by returning to captain ships.
What hard skills do you have if we win exposing your leaked classified documents grift?
What are all the “journalists” and NGO executives and grifters going to do once Wikipedia is deleted and the world figures out @DavidSacks and @SecWar and people like me are right because we focus on facts and truth… and they are wrong?
No hard skills, no deep knowledge and no connections is no way to go through life son.
That’s why they are absolutely freaking out.
No hard skills, no deep knowledge and no connections is no way to go through life son.
That’s why they are absolutely freaking out.
@MikeBenzCyber @cdrsalamander @bariweiss @elonmusk @mtaibbi @gCaptain @Grokipedia @SeanParnellUSA @PressSecDOW @LauraLoomer @mattgaetz @JackPosobiec @realDonaldTrump @PeteHegseth @ggreenwald @DavidSacks @SecWar Department of Defense = Who You Know
Department of War = What You Know Deeply
Same goes for Sacks and the guys over at the White House. 🇺🇸
Department of War = What You Know Deeply
Same goes for Sacks and the guys over at the White House. 🇺🇸
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