We are continually being inundated by propaganda from capitalists and their captive legislators. Some propaganda is true, but the majority is lies, fake news, and rationalizations. We need to be able to see through the falsity, and find the truth!

We are continually being inundated by propaganda from capitalists and their captive legislators. Some propaganda is true, but the majority is lies, fake news, and rationalizations. We need to be able to see through the falsity, and find the truth!

Kasper's Theater: Avant-Garde and Propaganda Puppetry in Early Twentieth-Century Germany is a research-driven study of how and why artists turned to puppetry during the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. Organized chronologically, the project examines the different ways a puppet could be both an icon of rebellious resistance and a vehicle for manipulation and control--and why it matters. Kasper, the tramp-like everyman trickster cousin of Punch, is a central character, but this study follows other puppets, too, and brings together a range of works by canonical, lesser-studied, and newly rediscovered artists. More than just a history of puppetry, Kasper's Theater argues that puppets blur the line between life and art, and offers a new view of German cultural and political history.

When I wrote Authoritarians & Propaganda The Puppet Master Tools, I wanted to create a different type of book. In other words, have the freedom to write something in my own unique style. That is why in the end I decided to self-publish. The more I researched about the publishing process the more I realized that for this project in particular there was a potential (likely unintentional) that my words could be taken out of context or editorialized under somebody else's constraints, or their perception of what I am actually trying to convey. Afterall, my mind is a scary place, and it would take a lot longer to explain to somebody else what and how I am trying to express, and why it is written in the particular way I've chosen. Hence, I chose to self-publish. The writing style for this book is meant to pull the reader in a bunch of directions. Yes, that is intended to be like that for a very valid reason (which is further explained in the book). Much like a bicycle wheel spoke point away from each other, they all come full circle. On purpose, some of my writing in this book is meant to be read a few times over. There are "easter eggs" and symbolism incorporated all over the place. The same is true on any artistic piece I create. There is always more than what meets the eye. The way I frame things will create a different response on each reader or witness to my art. It is meant to be that way. And pertinent to my writing - especially for this book, English is my third language, therefore there is a non-zero chance I had made some idiomatic blunders. But hey, nobody is perfect, and neither am I. In fact, I don't think I will ever be able to speak proper English. I have made my peace with that fact. And to be honest, if I was to wait for perfection, then this manuscript would have been shelved for who knows how much longer. I'm sure future editions might fix some idiomatic shortcomings (if any), but at least the message of this book will be out and about. I wrote most of this manuscript while underway serving onboard the world-famous USS COLE DDG 67 (yes, that is the same ship that was attacked by terrorists on October 12, 2000). We don't have much down time when we are floating away and around, but any bit of down time I could find I invested it in working on my writing, which includes this book. This is the third manuscript I finished during our nine-plus months operational deployment. I finished the manuscript for this book after the ship returned to home port, even though we were still out to sea or were otherwise incredibly busy even back in port. A U.S. Navy Destroyer being the workhorse of the Navy is most definitely a huge understatement. Writing a manuscript is quite an endeavor, but making it available to the world has been perhaps the most challenging part. And quite frankly, the ship's mission schedule have been very busy and any side project, such as this book had to take the back seat while we completed our operational commitments. That is why is called a "military service" and not a "military job." There are all kinds of sacrifices associated with the service. And I am sure any military person you've met can cite countless examples about that. But at the end of the day, this book or any other endeavor takes a team effort. In my case I want to give a special acknowledgment to my wife Alicia. Not only did she created the background for this book cover based on the context about the book. But she was also my primary "beta-reader." When I wrote my first manuscript Alcia offered to be my "editor" - I had a feeling she would change her mind. She did. And I don't blame her, it was a tall order for any person. But in the end, she did agree to be my proof-reader after I did my best to edit the book. Yes, I actually edited the book myself. Yes, I know, I know, [*gasp*] that sounds like a cardinal writer's sin... but hey... it is what it is. Thank you for reading my book!

Propaganda in the Information Age is a collaborative volume which updates Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model for the twenty-first-century media landscape and makes the case for the continuing relevance of their original ideas. It includes an exclusive interview with Noam Chomsky himself. 2018 marks 30 years since the publication of Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s ground-breaking book Manufacturing Consent, which lifted the veil over how the mass media operate. The book’s model presented five filters which all potentially newsworthy events must pass through before they reach our TV screens, smartphones or newspapers. In Propaganda in the Information Age, many of the world’s leading media scholars, analysts and journalists use this model to explore the modern media world, covering some of the most pressing contemporary topics such as fake news, Cambridge Analytica, the Syrian Civil War and Russiagate. The collection also acknowledges that in an increasingly globalized world, our media is increasingly globalized as well, with chapters exploring both Indian and African media. For students of Media Studies, Journalism, Communication and Sociology, Propaganda in the Information Age offers a fascinating introduction to the propaganda model and how it can be applied to our understanding not only of how media functions in corporate America, but across the world in the twenty-first century.