Planted Story in the Indo

Bodan

In todays online Irish Independent , in one of the top 4 stories meaning its important , theres this article

Let the good times roll . . . students on US work visas splash out

IRISH students are bringing home less money from their summer jobs in the US than in the past - mainly because the vast majority have such a good time there.

In fact, the average amount they came back with dropped to just $550 last summer, even though one in ten of them earned in excess of $5,000 each.

"More extensive travelling", as well as the decline in the rate of the dollar and the fact that they no longer have to save for tuition fees are the main reasons for the continued decline in the level of savings, according to USIT.

Its goes on , i wont post the full story

In recent weeks i have read in the papers that Irish Students are shunning the States mainly because of there political beliefs and security restrictions . Instead there heading to Canada and Europe . Then a few weeks ago the American ambassador said he was going to "Woe" Irish students back to the States complaining that the drop in numbers were way to low . Now im not big city lawyer but this article looks like a plant . Its sicking that one of our national newspapers would be so low as to accept this garbage . Soon toilet paper will have more credibility than this . Tommorrow i cant wait to read how woman(mainly slappers) are been disadvangated from our state handout system ... at least this will have more relevance .

Essey

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1334845&issue_id=12049

Thats the full article and in it it gives some explanation as to why the numbers went down - it also says the the number of students are expected to rise this year - thanks for dosh guys!

Captain Trips

Bodan wrote:

In todays online Irish Independent , in one of the top 4 stories meaning its important , theres this article



Its goes on , i wont post the full story

In recent weeks i have read in the papers that Irish Students are shunning the States mainly because of there political beliefs and security restrictions . Instead there heading to Canada and Europe . Then a few weeks ago the American ambassador said he was going to "Woe" Irish students back to the States complaining that the drop in numbers were way to low . Now im not big city lawyer but this article looks like a plant . Its sicking that one of our national newspapers would be so low as to accept this garbage . Soon toilet paper will have more credibility than this . Tommorrow i cant wait to read how woman(mainly slappers) are been disadvangated from our state handout system ... at least this will have more relevance .

Well, it is the Irish Independent, what do you expect? They've never demonstrated any actual journalistic ability for years IMHO.

I recommend the Financial Times. There is a section on finance and stuff but the main newspaper is very good if not quite the full Economist POV.

Bodan

Thats the full article and in it it gives some explanation as to why the numbers went down - it also says the the number of students are expected to rise this year - thanks for dosh guys!

The articles explanation is poor and they are not the biggest reason's for the lack of travel . Imo , the whole point of the article was to create a false impression of the situation in the hope of generating more interest amoung students . I wouldnt touch the States because of the Bush administration and it seems the majority of people feel that way too . This article was like a sell and with the importance given to it , it seems like it can only be a plant. There lies my disgust .

Captain Trips , thanks for the recommendation but i expect more from the Irish media . Maybe we do need a National Press council

daveirl

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chewy

but thats a good point about the states, it good to get a reminder that all the states are very different?

Hobbes

daveirl wrote:

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The blue/red state is a myth. All states are a varying shade of purple.

daveirl

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A Dub in Glasgo

They would not let me in anyway.

I have protested outside the US embassy in the 1980s against US policy in Central America and when Ronnie came over for his little PR visit. I would probably be sent to Cuba instead.

sovtek

daveirl wrote:

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...like he said...shades of purple...hence Pataki/Guiliani/ etc etc

ionapaul

No sign of the conspiracy theorists / tim-foil hat brigade yet, other than the OP? Who exactly 'planted' this story? The CIA? George Dubya himself?

The 'hard sell' you mention *must* mean it is a plant by the agents of pure evil. Dubya's Ministry for Counter-Propaganda probably has an entire department devoted to Irish PR, with most attention given to the reduced numbers of Irish students heading to the States on J1s - 've must boost ze numbers of Irish, the service industry depends on them!'

ionapaul

A Dub in Glasgo wrote:

I would probably be sent to Cuba instead.

Well, SF is probably in dire need of another representative in Cuba, assuming Niall Connolly hasn't been replaced. Just be wary of those bird-watching trips...

Ba-dum-tish! Sorry, couldn't resist

A Dub in Glasgo

ionapaul wrote:

Well, SF is probably in dire need of another representative in Cuba, assuming Niall Connolly hasn't been replaced. Just be wary of those bird-watching trips...

Ba-dum-tish! Sorry, couldn't resist

I left it open for someone

Captain Trips

ionapaul wrote:

No sign of the conspiracy theorists / tim-foil hat brigade yet, other than the OP? Who exactly 'planted' this story? The CIA? George Dubya himself?

No it could be "black propaganda" for whatever reason. This was very common in the 1960s during the cold war, the CIA admit to planting ctories in european newspapers. I read *somewhere* recently that they are interested in restarting it, it may have been an article in Foreign Affairs or something.

Read into it what you will; the Irish Times also run a yearly piece around October about the US green card lottery, and so this time of year it's the right time for students to be planning US trips for the summer. Nothing malignant IMHO.

ionapaul

If anything, it is simply good PR (or a 'plant' if you will) by USIT, as they (rather than the US government) stand to profit from the J1 summers. They make a pretty penny from the programme.

Do you think American tin-foilers wonder why, every year around March, stories appear in their newspapers regarding St. Patricks Day and the associated festivities...? Maybe the whole St. Patricks hoopla is an ongoing series of dastardly 'plants' by the Irish government and their international network of media agents!

Magnolia_Fan

THE DASTARDS!

Plus only 5000 dollars!?...that sucks either they had crap jobs or didn't work much, I made about that in Ireland this past summer....IN IRELAND!

Hobbes

Captain Trips wrote:

No it could be "black propaganda" for whatever reason. This was very common in the 1960s during the cold war, the CIA admit to planting ctories in european newspapers. I read *somewhere* recently that they are interested in restarting it, it may have been an article in Foreign Affairs or something.

It never stopped. Read up on PSIOPS or mediamatters.org

so this time of year it's the right time for students to be planning US trips for the summer. Nothing malignant IMHO.

The problem is the numbers are way way down. Something like 50% or there abouts drop in numbers recently (and was dropping before that as well).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35332-2004Aug2.html

As US gets revenue and future goodwill revenue from the students it is a bit worrying for them.

ionapaul

I spent two summers on the J1 visa while an undergrad - the employer the second time around loved the J1ers as we were all over 18, spoke English, eager and would work for minimum wage, whereas most Americans of the same age would not work for €6/hour. Maybe the League of American Theme Parks & Summer Resorts planted the Indo article in order to woo back their summer workers? Cheaper than having to pay 000s of Americans €7/hour otherwise

segadreamcast

Hobbes wrote:

It never stopped. Read up on PSIOPS or mediamatters.org



The problem is the numbers are way way down. Something like 50% or there abouts drop in numbers recently (and was dropping before that as well).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35332-2004Aug2.html

As US gets revenue and future goodwill revenue from the students it is a bit worrying for them.

There was a programme on "Black propoganda" last night on Network 2 - it talked about how the Russian candidates would "buy" journalists to invent stories about them for their news bulletins. Interesting stuff - all part of that new 'frame two' series (the one that showed 'Outfoxed')