Friday Fact Check Open Comments

BOGUS: Newsweek Runs Ridiculous ‘Fact Check’ on MRC’s Google Search Bias Study

We know that Google has been trying to submarine conservatives, and they haven’t even been all that “discreet” about it, either.

The geniuses at Newsweek tried to toss the leftists at Google a lifeline by issuing a ridiculous “fact check” of MRC Free Speech America’s latest study showing Google manipulating search results to benefit Democrats in top senate races.

/snip

Newsweek’s so-called ‘fact check’ whined that the MRC study, which caught Google burying 10 of 12 Senate Republican Party candidates’ campaign websites while highlighting their opponents campaign sites in organic search results, “does not provide any definitive evidence to suggest Google deliberately alters their algorithm for partisan effect.”

Not only did the outlet not reach out to the Media Research Center for comment, it chose to leave out core elements of the study that upend Newsweek’s lazy work. 

/snip

Newsweek had parroted a Google spokesperson’s claim that the MRC Free Speech America “‘report is designed to mislead, testing uncommon search terms that people rarely use.’” 

Yeah, well, MRC had a mic drop moment in response:

MRC President Brent Bozell had a one-line response to Newsweek: “Remember Newsweek was sold for a dollar. Someone overpaid.”

And MRC made this point:

Newsweek didn’t even bother mentioning that the MRC Free Speech America study researched the same parameters on two other search engines: Bing and DuckDuckGo. When MRC Free Speech America researchers performed the same searches on those two search engines, the results were more neutral. 

Bozell contiued ripping Newsweek and Google: “If DuckDuckGo and Bing can get it right, then the self-proclaimed experts at Google should be able to do the same. Ironically, Newsweek makes our case. It is true. We don’t know the reason for these skewed results, and that’s the point. It’s because of Google’s lack of transparency. The results are accurate. It’s up to them to  explain why the results are what they are.”

 

Of course, Google whined and made excuses, but we all know better.  Bring on the midterms!


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65 responses to “Friday Fact Check Open Comments”

  1. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    The Astros pulled it off! I watched until almost 10 but my batteries ran smooth out after running around all day. Can’t wait until they get home. We’ve had a nice visit up here in NW Alabama but we’re heading home today. The good thing about these short “Road Trips” is that we don’t have be be in a hurry to hit the road. We can have coffee and or breakfast, pack at our leisure and head home.

    Oh and it’s Friday.

    Mornin’ Gang

  2. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    My son and my wife have both complained about the bias in the Astros v Phillies broadcasts, son doesn’t follow sports that much and my wife just kind of has an ear to it while she’s doing other stuff, so I was surprised they noticed. I guess I’m accustomed to it and let it roll off, and besides, I feel like they are giving our team their due for the most part and I would imagine the Philly fans have the same complaint.

    But it made me think about a bit. First, they were supposed to get the Dodgers and feel like they need to bump up the underdog Phillies as much as possible. Second, sports fans in Houston get crap teams in all sports, have for decades and really our entire existence. Even when they get to the big stage we suck once there. So, the Astros have gone from step child to villain before our eyes, not so much about the cheating, but they are just damned good. Unless the team is from New York or LA, nobody likes a winner.

  3. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    Oops! I blew the dang link.

  4. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    OK, This is BAAD! But Davey likes it. 😀

  5. Tedtam Avatar

    The DOJ mulls more “special investigations” if Trump decides to run:

    Department of Justice officials have reportedly discussed the possibility of appointing a special counsel to oversee the investigations related to former President Donald Trump should he opt to run again for the nation’s top job in 2024.

    /snip

    “Now federal investigators are planning for a burst of post-election activity in Trump-related investigations,” CNN reported. “That includes the prospect of indictments of Trump’s associates – moves that could be made more complicated if Trump declares a run for the presidency.”

    I believe that in poker that’s called “stacking the deck”.  And it’s illegal.   Well, in a fair game, anyway.

    We are a banana republic.

  6. Tedtam Avatar

    Oh, and good morning, everyone!

  7. Tedtam Avatar

    That game was a nail biter last night.  When Phillie had runners on bases there near the end…..

    I saw some great defensive plays. That catch up on the wall….wow.

  8. Bonecrusher Avatar
    Bonecrusher

    TT 0817:

    Merrick Garland needs to be decorating a lamp post; anything less is not justice.

  9. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Madame Maureen Dean and her Disinformation Specialist husband, John.
  10. Tedtam Avatar

    C&C NEWS ☙ Friday, November 4, 2022 ☙ THE BLAME GAME

    Here’s the roundup, in case I skip something as I read along and it piques your interest:

    Today’s terrific roundup includes: judge slaps down request by Fauci and other government officials to stay their depositions; Pfizer hopes for a strong flu season, since jab sales are off; tranvestites suffer under burdensome voter ID laws; an AP article about learning loss telegraphs the new amnesty narrative; massive layoffs at Twitter begin and liberals can’t believe it; Ted Nugent explains the vaccinated; and a video that will encourage you.

    First up – what has the makings of a huge landmark legal case:

     The Missouri v. Biden case might be shaping up to be one of the most important covid cases to date, out of a wide field of developing lawsuits. … this is the case where Missouri is suing Biden, Fauci, and a raft of related federal officials for First Amendment violations because they secretly coordinated with social media companies to punish wrongthinking Americans.

    Specifically, Missouri alleges that government officials colluded with or coerced social media companies, to suppress disfavored speakers,… by labeling the content “dis-information,” “mis-information,” and “mal-information.”

    /snip

    A couple weeks back, I reported that Louisiana Federal Judge Terry Doughty granted expedited discovery, including depositions of nine federal officials…..

    Immediately afterwards, the administration’s defendants starting filing motions and appeals to prevent their depositions from being taken. Most importantly, they filed a petition for a writ of “mandamus” in the court of appeals, which basically asks the appellate court to stop the judge from allowing depositions of the government witnesses….

    /snip

    But Judge Doughty said, “no.”…The depositions will go forward in the first two weeks of December.

    Those depositions are going to be off the chain….

    Missouri— if anyone in the solicitor general’s office reads C&C: I have deposition superpowers. No job is too small. Please, pick me! [snuffle! snort!  I’d LOVE  to see him do this!]

    Anyway, this case is bookmarked at the top of the list in my federal case portal. I will keep you guys briefed.

    This could be huge.  If plaintiff prevails, this could affect all sorts of laws regarding the cozying up of government officials and social media.  Good.  Especially since the result may be the weakening of this arm of the D party.  By that, I mean the Big Tech arm of the D party.   Oh, they’ll still be liberal, but I wonder if their censorship (“misinformation”) abilities would also be affected?

    Pass the popcorn.

  11. Tedtam Avatar

    And Pfizer thinks it can trick more of us into getting the jab by combining it with another, more acceptable jab.

    Haha, Pfizer has hopes for a good flu season! Hopes that its new-and-improved covid/flu mega-vaxx will be the product that consumers are looking for.

    /snip

    … The white-coat pretenders in the company’s marketing department mistakenly think people aren’t taking the shots because … we’re sick of getting stuck with needles, and if we could just have one stick, that’d be fine.

    But that’s not the real problem. The real problem is people don’t want SADS, blood clots, heart attacks, or pirate syndrome while they are (insert snarky list of benign activities here).

    Great job, Pfizer. Now, people who were, for some reason, planning to get the influenza shot but not the Covid experimental therapeutic jab, are not going to get either one. Morons.

    Sadly, there will be folks who will get the dangerous jab because they won’t be aware of what they are getting (look out for sneaky marketing and the gagging of medical officials), or once in the doctor’s office will be too intimidated by the white coat to say no.

    I learned to stand up to doctors when Handsome was little.  I’m not a violent person, but I’d finally had enough of doctors blowing off my concerns about my son’s lack of speech development.  I actually cornered a doctor against a wall (hands off, no assault), got in his face, and demanded that he tell me where to take my son to get properly evaluated and treated.  He stammered a bit and finally gave me a name, and that was the beginning of my son’s journey to where he is today.

    I learned then that the doctors are really constrained/managed by the insurance companies (why Handsome was denied PE tubes for a while) and that if I didn’t learn to respect that white coat with limits, my welfare was in jeopardy.  My mother finally learned to say no in her later years, and I was happy.  She hadn’t had a voice for many, many years.  When she turned down aspirin (doctor recommended to lower her stroke risk) she said no because it could thin her blood and make her more likely to have another bleed in her eye, jeopardizing what was left of her eyesight.  I sat there between the two of them for this discussion.  “Mom, you realize if you don’t take it you could die, right?”  “I don’t care.  I don’t want it.”  “Okay, doc, she said no.”  That was the end of the discussion.  I was proud of her.  She was able to vocalize her desires and stick to her decision.

    Mom had told me years before that she was ready to go whenever, and didn’t want machines or any measure to extend her life.  She valued the quality of her life more than the quantity.  I respected her wishes.  She knew what she wanted and to be able to say no to her authority figures was a big deal.

  12. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    The line-drive catch by first baseman Mancini (who replaced the injured Gurriel) was another amazing defensive play.

  13. Tedtam Avatar

    Next up: pandemic amnesty.  Discussion of how D run states that pushed not going to school have kids with low literacy rates.  How Florida did so well, etc.  Now, because the damage is coming to light, we have “move on” and not waste time assigning blame for the disaster.

    Now, watch this next part. Midway through the article, the AP summarized the debate like this: “Many adults are pushing to move on, to stop talking about the impact of the pandemic — especially learning loss.”

    “Pushing to move on … and stop talking about learning loss.” And there is was, leaping off the screen: MOVE ON!

    /snip

    The AP then proposed a bunch of harebrained solutions to the learning loss problem, which… was massive in scope. One expert advised, “we need something on the scale of the Marshall plan.” … oddly, all the AP’s suggestions involved dumping a lot MORE money on schools, and were all completely impractical, like holding all-day weekend tutoring for all students.

    But, for some reason, nowhere in the story appeared the patently obvious idea to just cut out bizarre diversity and social education, and focus on STEM. … Plus, you could cancel “teacher workdays” and goofy holidays like Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Day, and Kwanzaa…

    But what do I know? I’m just a lawyer, not an expert with an “education degree.” I’m betting nothing will change except teachers’ union demands for higher administrative salaries.

    Yep, ‘cuz the liberal mind has yet to run into a problem that they think more money can’t solve.

    But it all ends up being a money laundering scheme for the Democrats.  Taxpayers pay for more education, which goes into the coffers of the union, which makes huge donations to…you guess.

  14. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    We should start a pool on how many weeks it will take to get final election results.

  15. Tedtam Avatar

    And then Childers links to this awesome video of Nugent.

    I hope this guy had kids. Just like him.

  16. Tedtam Avatar

    The people have been lied to.

    Are chickens finally roosting somewhere?

  17. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    Well, we’re off, but weren’t we always? 😀 My old GMC is chomping at the bits, ready to head to the barn I just hope I can keep her reined in heading down I 65. I don’t know if I mentioned it but on the way up the Alabama State Troopers paid all of the states bills on a stretch of I 65 between Alabaster and Birmingham and I 22 up to Jasper. I’ve never seen so many cruisers in my life and they were stopping everybody. That said: I didn’t participate in that nonsense. 😉

  18. Tedtam Avatar

    From the C&C comments, mirroring my thoughts above:

    Warn your friends and loved ones who may be inclined to get a flu shot to be on the lookout for this new flu/vid mashup.

    Remember how easy it was for people to “accidentally” receive the vid shot LAST year, when all they wanted was the flu? . Just imagine THIS year when the two are combined in one needle. . “You said you wanted flu. We didn’t KNOW you didn’t want vid along with it.” “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you didn’t want vid too. But the combo is all we have in stock, it was your only option.”

    *IF* one is still inclined to receive the safe and effective flu shot (which, actually, is neither safe nor effective albeit not nearly as unsafe as the vid shots), one should be incredibly wary. Wise as a serpent, Jesus said.

    We have told our elderly moms – repeatedly – to just not get ANY shots. No flu, no nothing. No matter how sweetly convincing their drs sound. I pray they are not sweet-talked into anything.

  19. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    The line-drive catch by first baseman Mancini (who replaced the injured Gurriel) was another amazing defensive play.

    I can’t imagine the butterflies he had to have had, coming in cold like that.

    Wonder how long Gurriel is out?

  20. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    Hopefully he can at least DH. We need his bat.

  21. TexMo Avatar
    TexMo

    I looked this morning and could not find anything new on Gurriel’s condition. He didn’t look too good sitting in the dugout later in the game. Hopefully he just had a headache and not a concussion.

  22. TexMo Avatar
    TexMo

    RE learning loss due to covid shutdowns

    We have been paying for tutoring for my youngest for over a year now to catch him back up. His standardized test scores have improved. He is also doing better on his class testing as well. He is more confident in his abilities to study by himself and take exams.

  23. El Gordo Avatar

    Morning gang.  Here’s Ammo Grrrll.  https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/11/thoughts-from-the-ammo-line-452.php

    Have a nice day and a good trip for SD.

  24. Tedtam Avatar

    It looks like my post on the comments to C&C got lost.  Among the comments was this link to Berenson’s substack report on increasing funeral numbers.  After adjusting for true Wuhan Flu deaths, the numbers are still spiking.

    Go figger.

     

  25. Tedtam Avatar

    Texmo – re learning and catching up

    Having seen what Handsome Son had to do just to progress in a regular, mainstream classroom environment, I wonder how badly children in similar situations suffered?

    Handsome needed the stimulation of other “normal” kids along with tons of speech therapy to make progress.  He wanted to be part of the group, which motivated him to try to speak more and fit in.

    If he’d been in school during the lockdowns, I can imagine he would be one of those kids who truly suffered a “learning loss”.  He would not be able to learn at home; we tried it.  He would’ve fallen further behind his peer group.

  26. Tedtam Avatar

    Border Agents Union tells ACLU to pound sand.

    Reading this article just really wissed me off.  “Migrants built America” means you get to storm our border.

    News flash:  YOU didn’t build our country, so YOU don’t have the right to enter illegally and injure our LEOs.

  27. Darren Avatar
    Darren

    Is Nanci Pelosi ever going to come out and say she will punch out David DePape for trespassing?

  28. squawkbox Avatar
    squawkbox

    Today’s Hamousonian
    (Well there goes lunch)

    Butchering animals for food is not a clean business. There’s no way to make it completely “humane” because they’re not human and we (generally) don’t eat humans. In my opinion, if you’re going to eat meat (and I’m a hard core carnivore) you don’t have to be willing to participate in the process but you should at least be willing to acknowledge the fact that there’s no way to pretty up the process. Every perfectly-pattied hamburger you eat began as a live cow that had a steel rod fired into his brain. Every piece of KFC Original Recipe you shove in your pie hole started out as a fluffy little birdie before he was hung upside down and had his head sawed off on the processing line. We always slit the throat of the pig or cow immediately after the .22 magnum between the eyes but that was just because it was easier. The animals have to be bled.Oh, and throwing a developing egg into boiling water is no different than throwing live crabs or lobsters into boiling water.

  29. Bonecrusher Avatar
    Bonecrusher

    Now I’m REALLY HUNGRY.

    I have been known to skin a deer and eat a sammich at the same time.

  30. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    Astro fielding.

    Last night, I thought that line drive smashed over Pena’s head was a goner but he caught it without even blinking.

    Pena is a super talent, but he’s young and a little cocky.  I saw it the other night when he ran past Altuve at second into the middle of right field to grab a flyball that could easily have been caught by Tucker or McCormick.  He almost caused a collision and if I was his manager, I would have called him on it..

  31. squawkbox Avatar
    squawkbox

    Texpat

    My fave play was Chas at the wall.  I like McCormick so I am a bit more biased on the calling great plays.  He has literally worked his way through the ranks to land a spot in centerfield, that and some fortuitous misfortune for other players.  But still ……

  32. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    19 Squawk

    For sure.  That catch was the defensive play of the Series so far.  I also want to give credit to Bregman for making a couple of great catches along the left field foul line.  The guy has an incredible throwing arm, too.

  33. mharper42 Avatar
    mharper42

    Morning, Couch Critters! I’m trying to finish my breakfast so I can run some errands before the rain starts around here.

     

  34. El Gordo Avatar

    I’m sending over another prospect and I can vouch for him.  His name is Robert Chip …… over yonder, but he may develop an “handle” for use over here.  Good guy, Rice grad, Naval officer, etcl  And he’s from
    Alleybamma or one of those states over there somewhere.  Anyway, I would expect you to extend to him the same courtesies that you show me – oh no, I mean more courtesies…..

  35. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    The cameramen and the director sure liked Mrs. Verlander.

  36. Bonecrusher Avatar
    Bonecrusher

    What’s not to like?

  37. texanadian Avatar
    texanadian

    This is a test.

  38. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    I refuse to curtsy ELG or any of his entourage.

  39. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    texanadian

    You failed

  40. texanadian Avatar
    texanadian

    Well finally. I don’t have anything really to say this AM, but I have been trying to post for several days. I guess something I did, or one of the hosts has tweeked something. So, here I am.

    Go Astros

  41. El Gordo Avatar

    I haven’t asked lately if anyone is voting for Eye Patch McCain?

  42. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    I wish he was in my district so I could not vote for him!

  43. mharper42 Avatar
    mharper42

    Texanadian, you missed all the fun last week when The Couch went down hard! But Squawkman got us back up and running.

     

  44. mharper42 Avatar
    mharper42

    It was sprinkling at Chez Harp when I drove away for groceries. Never got another drop of water on me, including getting 20-lb bags of yard critter chow into the house when I got back home. May be some evening thunderstorms tonight, though.

  45. bsue54 Avatar

    It poured down rain here in the woods for about 5 minutes, and now the sun is back out and the windows are all fogging up… Must be autumn in SE Texas

  46. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    From Michael Barone, the godfather of election analytics, who is always very reserved in his projections…

    ” Republicans are profiting from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) sterling recruitment efforts. “Seventy percent of Republican challengers in the most vulnerable Democratic seats are women, minorities, and/or veterans,” wrote National Review’s Dan McLaughlin. “There are even two nominees who are all three of these things.” Just as the Republican Party’s constituency, in the Trump years but also in the last 20th century generally, has become more downscale and demotic, so has the Republicans’ roster of candidates. “

    and,

    ” Caught on a political limb are Democrats who followed expert advice and endorsed things like school shutdowns and defunding the police — policies New York Magazine writer Jonathan Chait called the “indefensible and self-discrediting positions” of “the most unreasonable people on the Left” and Josh Barro called ‘dumbf— things The Groups signed up for in June 2020, because the people who staff The Groups are the most out of touch people on the planet.’ “

  47. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    Crap ! Bill Clinton will be in the neighborhood tomorrow campaigning for the local Democrat congressman.  I need to warn all the neighborhood men to lock their women in the house till he’s gone.

  48. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    So, what do you do?

    I’m a model on Instagram. You?

    I’m a soldier on Call of Duty.

  49. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    November 3rd

    So I’m reading Gannett, the newspaper conglomerate and owner of USA Today, lost another $54 million in the third quarter and is projected to lose another $60-70 million in the fourth.  I don’t have any sympathy for these losers who have been a legion of haters and leftist activists.  The CEO is “optimistic” as he laid off another 400 employees and promises not to fill hundreds of already vacant jobs.

    November 4th

    Union and non-union Gannett workers went on a one day strike to protest all this today.

    Yawn.

    However, the union guys raised one excellent point with which I agree.  The CEO of Gannett, Mike Reed, blissfully draws an $8 million annual salary even as the company he runs bleeds hundreds of millions and he lays off people right before the holiday season.

    To hell with Mike Reed.  If he had any integrity, Reed would freeze his salary or take a 90% pay cut until he turns the company around.  Gutless bastard.  I don’t have any respect for people who slide into power, plunder the cash flow and assets and then hightail it out the door.

    The Mike Reeds of the world only feed the anti-capitalist, anti-free market movements and provide ammunition to the socialist enemy.

  50. Katfish Avatar

    #36 – How ironic – the current puppet-in-chief is such a perv he darn near makes ole Slick Willie seem harmless………………

  51. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    Probly gonna get a Cy Young as well.

    Justin Verlander has been named both the AL Comeback Player of the Year and AL Outstanding Pitcher as part of the Major League Baseball Players Association Player’s Choice Awards.

  52. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    Kari Lake has stunned not only her critics, but her most ardent supporters with her skill and talent on the campaign trail.

    Good on her.  If she doesn’t blow the deal as governor…

    In 2024, it will be Ron DeSantis/Kari Lake for the White House.

    You saw it here first.

    [ Wait, I thought you didn’t make electoral predictions.

    Yeah, well, I couldn’t help it, you know, violating my own rules.  What can I say ? ]

  53. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    Kari Lake is everything we wanted Sarah Palin to be even as she was sand-bagged and sabotaged by the McCain campaign.  I think she is the real deal in spite of Katfish’s skepticism.

  54. Katfish Avatar

    #42 – WHOA there big Brudda – not a whit of skepticism here for Kari Lake! She is a sho nuff BADA$$ in my book!

    Tulsi Gabbard is who leaves me highly skeptical……………….

  55. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    43 Katfish

    You are correct.  I’ve now used up my once-a-decade mistake coupon.  Profuse apologies are extended.

  56. Katfish Avatar

    #44 – No worries Mate! Hell I thought I was wrong ONCE – but I was mistaken about dat!

    Bwahahahahahahaha   😉

  57. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    My take on Tulsi Gabbard is she understandably left the Democratic Party, but she didn’t run over and bang on the Republican door either which signaled to me she wasn’t trying to run a scam.  Gabbard has her own deal going and I think she’s testing the waters for a sort of rebellion in the Democratic Party and she may get some joiners and support after this disastrous election blowout next week.  I think Tulsi’s strategy is to lead a rear guard action against the prevailing leadership in the Dems and try to exert some real pressure against the new leadership once Pelosi is gone.

    Pure speculation and maybe I’m wrong.

  58. El Gordo Avatar

    Sorry, still not voting for a woman no matter how sane she may sound at times.When the rubber meets the road, she will decide her vote based on how she feels rather than using logic or listening to her constituents.

  59. Katfish Avatar

    #46 – I pray you are right!

    Can’t shake the notion She could be a closeted Soros / WEF operative……….

  60. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    47 El Gordo

    Let me be clear. I am NOT endorsing anyone, male or female.  I am only speculating on how the political game might work itself out in 2024.

    Now, El Gordo, if you want to vote for the Gavin Newsom/Gretchen Whitmer presidential ticket in November of 2024, it is entirely up to you and on your conscience.

    Please don’t let fear and good judgment stop you !

  61. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    The one rule of thumb when thinking about supporting or voting for a Dem was the first thing they’d do in DC would be pull the lever for Nancy. I bet she did.

  62. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    GJT

    I don’t know whether Gabbard voted for Nancy or not and it doesn’t really matter to me because I’m not voting for her anyway.  What I do think is it’s a good tactic to support the rebels behind the enemy lines and help them when it is in our interests.  It doesn’t mean you have to support them or their campaigns, but it would be stupid to ignore them if they are advancing your agenda in unorthodox ways.

  63. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    Texpat

    What I do think is it’s a good tactic to support the rebels behind the enemy lines and help them when it is in our interests.

    I agree with that.

  64. El Gordo Avatar

    About bedtime out here.  Nite nite all.

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