Toll Road Giant Buys Newspapers to Silence Critics

[pisshead]

ahhh, this will convince how giving up sovereignty and paying taxes for mexico is good for freedom...

Toll Road Giant Buys Newspapers to Silence Critics
Critics charge that the Macquarie purchase of American Consolidated Media is designed to silence critics of a Texas toll road project
The Newspaper (http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1570.asp)
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Australian toll road giant Macquarie agreed Wednesday to purchase forty local newspapers, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, for $80 million. Macquarie Bank is Australia's largest capital raising firm and has invested billions in purchasing roads in the US, Canada and UK. Most recently the company joined with Cintra Concesiones of Spain in a controversial 75-year lease of the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road.
Sal Costello, the leading opponent of toll road projects as head of the Texas Toll Party, says the move is directly related to a 4000-mile toll road project known as the Trans-Texas Corridor. It will cost between $145 and $183 billion to construct the road, expected to be up to 1200 feet wide, requiring the acquisition of 9000 square miles of land in the areas through which it will pass.
"The newspapers are the main communication tool for many of the rural Texan communities, with many citizens at risk of losing their homes and farms through eminent domain," Costello wrote.
Many of the small papers purchased, most have a circulation of 5000 or less, have been critical of the Trans-Texas Corridor. An article in the Bonham Journal for example, states, "The toll roads will be under control of foreign investors, which more than frustrates Texans."

[pisshead]

Toll Road Conglomerate Silences Nagging Texas Newspapers by Purchasing Newspaper Group. Sal Costello Blog (http://salcostello.blogspot.com/2007/01/toll-road-conglomerate-silences.html)

Monday, January 28, 2007
Don't like the bad press from dozens of newspapers?
Just buy them.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports (http://corridornews.blogspot.com/2007/01/macquarie-snaps-up-community_24.html) Macquarie Media Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Macquarie Bank and Cintra-Macquarie partner, has swallowed American Consolidated Media (ACM) for nearly $100 million.
The purchase allows one of the largest toll road operators in the world to control some of itâ??s industries most outspoken critics in Texas, dozens of rural independent Texas newspapers.
The deal could help to clear a political path for potential Texas contracts worth Billions.
The purchase comes after the ACMâ??s rural independent newspapers have clearly been the most vocal opposition to the Trans Texas Corridor (TTC).
Countless articles over the past months and years peg the TTC as an eminent domain land grab. ACMâ??s publications had placed serious political pressure on the TTC, therefore future TTC contracts worth an estimated $185 Billion dollars.
Editorial independence
is being bought out.
The newspapers are the main communication tool for many of the rural Texan communities, with many citizens at risk of loosing thier homes and farms through eminent domain. Future TTC contracts are estimated to effect about one-half million acres of land, and 4,000 miles of Texas toll roads.
Founded in 1998, American Consolidated Media is a privately owned media holding company. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company owns and operates about 40 newspapers, primarily in the small-to-medium markets of Texas.
Texas newspapers under the ACM umbrella include: Waxahachie Daily Light, The Hearne Democrat, Calvert Tribune, Alvarado Post, Bonham Journal, Ellis County Chronicle, Ennis Journal, Stephenville Empire Tribune, Midlothian Mirror, and the Franklin Advocate.
Macquarie is currently poised to buy more newspaper groups. From the Sydney Morning Herald report:
â??The Macquarie Bank-backed fund, which already has broadcast assets, is "in a number of discussions" with other US newspaper businesses, including some exclusive negotiations, but declined to offer more details.â?�
This is Macquarie's first print media purchase and first move into the U.S. media market.
Macquarie Bank is the parent of Macquarie Infrastructure, one of the largest toll road operators in the world. Macquarie Infrastructure last year partnered with Cintra (Cintra-Macquarie) in a $3.85 Billion dollar toll road deal in Indiana.
D.J. Gribbin, a director for Macquarie, has just been nominated by President Bush to be General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation and is awaiting senate confirmation.
-------------------
UPDATE: Selling agent Halyard Capital finally returned my phone call from yesterday and stated that this deal is "subject to HSR", and would not elaborate. The FTC has an HSR approval process.

[Zimzum]

Good old America. If you can't beat them, buy them!

[medicinal]

Good old America. If you can't beat them, buy them!
No truer words were ever spoken. I think Japan and China owns a good share of us, and I've heard the Brits own a lot also, now the Aussies are comming, Geeze, I'll be lucky to hold on to my little homestead.

[eg420ne]

NOOOOO! look over der... Irans Prez just called gwbush a douchebag! ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK NOW

Who care if america being takeover from within we have 2 kill them over there

[Psycho4Bud]

YOUR flying the Mexican flag???:S2: CLASSIC!

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

[eg420ne]

Its all i see around here now... the public schools around here all taken down the america flag, im just waiting for them to put the mexican flag up...then i go burning

[Psycho4Bud]

If/when that happens let us know.......we'll round up the posse and bring our torches!:S4:

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

[eg420ne]

shouldnt be 2 long now, they pretty much get der way

[eg420ne]

im just waiting for them to put the mexican flag up...then i go burning
What i meant to say is "go smoke a joint, for the usa:stoned: " silly me, i would never burn any countries flag but ours-- j/k...

.you know post 911 era :S1:

[Bong30]

EG you are a fucking Pussy..... case in point

At the middle school near my house..... these kids were flying there Mexico flag, and I went and Printed some flag laws...( you should learn some...for a change)

So i printed the law out on my computer took it to the Police and told them the Law was being broken and I dont like it.....Handle it.....

The police made them take the flags down on school grounds......


you are the enemy within......your hate for america has made you give up on it......

you are the worst kind of Person we could have here.....I would rather have a radical Muslim living next to me, cause at least i know where he stands..... your a snake in sheeps clothing.....


Get a Pair of Balls.......(go find some, cause you dont have any in your pants)

Learn some flag laws and go to those schools, and tell them you dont like the bullshit......

Till then take your Mexico flag and shove it way up your ass right next to your head......( im sure it will fit)

get some EG.....


If you are from Mexico you should be proud of your flag just like I am Mine, and I will never go into Mexico and fly my flag above your govement buildings.....I have respect..... Unlike many ILLegals......

[eg420ne]

Dong your hate for america far exceeds my love for her.......let it be known there is no mexican flag flying at any schools here they just have no american flag up......i have no idea why.....maybe they cant afford one, but i suspect other-wise...america is being sold and all you can do is demand war with everyone in the middle-east..sortta like, look over here, while we burn down your home

and your rants are really retarded so fuck off:S4: and get your head out of GWs ass

[Bong30]

Nice come back...... you suck.

[eg420ne]

no you suck gws wee wee

just say no to flamewars dong

[latewood]

real mature! I see now why we allow the politics forum to go unchecked.

[eg420ne]

mybad...but dong started it:cool:

[Bong30]

that is what my 5 year old says to my 6 year old...



and No, pissy stared it....... His thread......LOL


Latewood,
just cause EG and I hate each other politicaly, we are still weed brothers and Americans. I have been going at it will EG since day 1. He is just the exact opisite of me on many issues, not all. He knows how to push my buttons and I push his. We dont bring it to the Feedback sections and bitch. We are Men talking freely to each other.
I do appreciate sundance and cann.com, letting us talk, debate, as real people do. with out holdingback, and censoring us. I wont take rudeness out to the rest of the boards. I keep it here, where my hart is, with my country, and right now, politics..

EG, peace out, and you still suck......LOL

[eg420ne]

yeah it was meant to sound that way................and peace be with you:S5: bong

[Psycho4Bud]

:S2: Dedicated to Bong30 and eg420ne. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-NRriHlLUk)

Have a good one!:S5:

[Bong30]

I was trying to give peace a chance.......


then i just got all pissed and kicked everyones ass................LOL

[medicinal]

I was trying to give peace a chance.......


then i just got all pissed and kicked everyones ass................LOL

The only peace you know is piece of male booty. I've seen guys like you that talk all tough and shit, but when faced with a real man, you poop your britches and go hide in the corner. If you would pull your head out, you might could see that your illustrious leaders are fucking crazy, starting wars all over the place and scaring the panties off of sissys like you with their scare tactics. I've dealt with bullies like you in the many schoolyards I inhabited in my youth, and kicked every one of their asses. The one thing that gets a bullys attention is a good ass whuppin. I'd step out with you anytime, and I'm past 60.

[Bong30]

The only peace you know is piece of male booty. I've seen guys like you that talk all tough and shit, but when faced with a real man, you poop your britches and go hide in the corner. If you would pull your head out, you might could see that your illustrious leaders are fucking crazy, starting wars all over the place and scaring the panties off of sissys like you with their scare tactics. I've dealt with bullies like you in the many schoolyards I inhabited in my youth, and kicked every one of their asses. The one thing that gets a bullys attention is a good ass whuppin. I'd step out with you anytime, and I'm past 60.

Listen Fuckwad,

I was that big mean mother fucker at school that you wouldnt even look at, cause i could have ripped your arm off and beat you with it.....
This "Bullie," Bullied the Bullies....
I have allways been for the underdog, so when I saw real "bullies" i would walk over and ask...what the fuck is your problem....The "bullies" would be like uhhh uhhhh Nothing Adam..... Thats right....Nothing ...get the fuck....out of here.
I Thank you for your service for This Great Country.... It is hard for me to understand why you hate it so Much?
Do you Understand Term limits?
Do you understand Islam started a war with us, and we must win?
Do you understand that you are brain washed from the left leaning media and you dont know it?
Do you understand that we (Must Never forget)? Defend Israel.
Do you Understand the president of Iran wants to kill all the Jews?

Just what do you understand? Besides Liberal Bullshit.....

One thing I have respect for... Is my Elders... you being a man over 60 and a Vet I would never kick your ass.....
I have respect for even for Dumb motherfuckers like you............


I would defend myself by just putting my hand on your head like i do my kids and you could swing away till you got tierd..... then I would get you a chair...LOL, and a New depends.....LOL:S2:

[Breukelen advocaat]

The only peace you know is piece of male booty. I've seen guys like you that talk all tough and shit, but when faced with a real man, you poop your britches and go hide in the corner. If you would pull your head out, you might could see that your illustrious leaders are fucking crazy, starting wars all over the place and scaring the panties off of sissys like you with their scare tactics. I've dealt with bullies like you in the many schoolyards I inhabited in my youth, and kicked every one of their asses. The one thing that gets a bullys attention is a good ass whuppin. I'd step out with you anytime, and I'm past 60.


Two questions:

Where were your "scoolyards" located?
You never lost a fight?

Bully for you! ;)

[WalkaWalka]

Godamn you come along think you've found a hot thread but instead you find a fucking gay lovers quarrel. People like Dong make eugenics sound interesting. This is no grown up discussion either. If this was a grown up discussion we would all left and let the advocaat and dong fuck each other in the ass. Then come back with baseball bats and had a blanket party and not the kind of blanket party you fags are thinking of. The kind were we throw a throw a blanket over you and have a party with our baseball bats.

[Breukelen advocaat]

Godamn you come along think you've found a hot thread but instead you find a fucking gay lovers quarrel. People like Dong make eugenics sound interesting. This is no grown up discussion either. If this was a grown up discussion we would all left and let the advocaat and dong fuck each other in the ass. Then come back with baseball bats and had a blanket party and not the kind of blanket party you fags are thinking of. The kind were we throw a throw a blanket over you and have a party with our baseball bats.

I think that you'll have a long recuperation period in a wheelchair after the hospital removes the baseball bat.

[Zimzum]

:S2: @ internet e-penis fight! :birthday:

[medicinal]

Where were your "scoolyards" located?
You never lost a fight?
Not untill I was 30, then a big drunk Indian, about 6'5" and 320# blind sided me in a bar, It was all over at that point and thats when I pulled my head out and stopped fighting. Like I've said I am basically a pasifist, but I never liked Bullies, And actually, still don't And as far as those school locations, they were all over the west. I moved around so much that it became an automatic thing for me to do, just find the Bully and kick his ass, then I didn't have to fight any more, because I got respect. I never looked for a fight except when I saw a bully picking on someone, then I'd ask him to pick on me. One thing you learn fast in the fight game, the first punch is the best. I'm not that big 6', 260, but the old addage "it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog" is certainly true. I truly hope to never have to fight again.

[medicinal]

I was that big mean mother fucker at school that you wouldnt even look at, cause i could have ripped your arm off and beat you with it.....
Exactly the dude I was looking for, you'd have never got that close to me, I'd have layed about ten good ones upside your head before you saw it comin, and then stood back and let you get up for some more. Anyone that goes on a web site and calls people names, is a sissy and a loser. You need to try and make your points without resorting to name calling, you press my retaliate buttons. I remember when I was in high school, the toughest guy in school was this 6'4" guy (Bully) who was always terrorizing everyone in gym class. One day he had a handfull of the lye from the foot pit and was going down the line threatning everyone that he stepped in front of with rubbing it in their faces. I made up my mind if he stepped in front of me, I was going to let him have it, sure enough, here he came he got right in front of me and started his spiel, before he got two words out of his mouth I had hit him about ten times and driven him all the way to the end of and off of a three foot drop off and jumped down to continue on when the coach and three or four guys pulled me off of him. I invited him to the "Ditch" after school and he never showed. Thats what bullies are made of, cowardice! the coach had been observing this action and therefore I didn't get into any trouble. I guess the coach figured that anyone that didn't take a stand, deserved what he got, that was wrong. sometimes we must protect the meek. Did I like fighting, hell no, I'd just figured out, fighting the tough guy would eliminate all those fights in between.

[Bong30]

First of all you dont Remember High school.....They didnt even have lights back then, then and it was all you could do to remeber to clean off the black boards....

Med... you look. you are the one calling names and threats all over the place, just cause i dont have your same views.....If i was a fucked in the head lib.. you would be cheering me on.

In high school, I lifted weights with the Football "coches", and then i was a wicked skateboarder, cause i had so much dextirty, then i got into snowboarding, the extreme side of it, hucking cliffs and such....
So I hung with the Jocks, Stoners, skaters, all kinds of people.....
You Sir could never have kept up with me, as for as you being all fast...PLease. I work every day with my Hands... I would peel you like a banana....old bruised banana im sure.

[medicinal]

First of all you dont Remember High school.....They didnt even have lights back then, then and it was all you could do to remeber to clean off the black boards....

Med... you look. you are the one calling names and threats all over the place, just cause i dont have your same views.....If i was a fucked in the head lib.. you would be cheering me on.

In high school, I lifted weights with the Football "coches", and then i was a wicked skateboarder, cause i had so much dextirty, then i got into snowboarding, the extreme side of it, hucking cliffs and such....
So I hung with the Jocks, Stoners, skaters, all kinds of people.....
You Sir could never have kept up with me, as for as you being all fast...PLease. I work every day with my Hands... I would peel you like a banana....old bruised banana im sure.

Have it your way, meet me in the ditch after class ~LOL~,uhhhh, do you mind if I bring a friend?