Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 228 Editor's Choice: 9
-
Have a look at those deleted posts, and judge for yourselves. They've been recovered.
[Read the article: Whipping the Post]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Let's look at the record.
Specifically, the record of the posts the Post deleted, still viewable via the magic of Google's cache, and collected by a blogger (that's what the kids call 'journalists' nowadays...)
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/21/11010/7038
As should not surprise anyone, there is not much in the way of profanity in these posts - less than any PG movie. What **is** here is a complete and utter evisceration of Howell's illogical, dishonest and **lazy** arguments and defenses, from every single direction.
It seems very clear that the Post simply could not handle the embarassment of it's ombudsman being spanked for committing what is, at best, some of the worst journalism ever, in defense of what was previously some of the worst journalism ever.
One of my personal faves among these deleted posts:
' The "online graphic" that she [Howell] refers to, when compared to actual FEC filings, ( http://www.capitaleye.org/... )demonstrated precisely the opposite of what Howell claims. The list, which Howell says shows Abramoff "directing contributions" to Democrats, shows that....
1. While Abramoff supposedly "requested" $2000 each for Jean Carnahan and Max Cleland, and $5,000 for Tom Daschle, the tribe in question gave Carnahan and Daschle NOTHING, and Cleland on $500.
2. Every GOP incumbent who was running for re-election that is mentioned on the list got at least $1000 --- the total "contribution" to the GOP names found on this "graphic" exceeded $15,000. '
Can you imagine being so lazy that the evidence you cite points to the exact opposite of your argument?
Can you imagine paying someone to do this on your behalf?
Looks like the Post should hire some bloggers, rather than banning them for pointing at the Post's nakedness.
-
The fuss is this - NO DEMS TOOK MONEY FROM ABRAMOFF
[Read the article: Whipping the Post]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is in response to Jimmy - whose letter, to me, illustrates exactly what is making a lot of people angry: this 'Abramoff paid Dems' disinformation is quite pernicious. And the fact that it's utterly unsupported by reality, is incredibly frustrating.
I say again: Not one single Democrat has been implicated as taking **any** money from Abramoff.
Not. One. Single. Democrat.
Why are Dems getting so bent out of shape just because a lobbyist gave money to Dems to influence them?
Lack of clarity number two. It's not just lobbying. Lobbying is bad enough, but it's legal. Abramoff is in trouble for illegal use of lobbying funds, to peddle influence. And his world is entirely and wholly a Republican cesspool of corruption.
The problem with this country is not a Rep v Dem, it is a people problem.
I agree, in that too many voters, Republican and Democrat, allowed all this power to be concentrated within these Republicans hands.
But it is the GOP that is in control of the White House, the Senate, and the Congress. And it is only members of the GOP who are implicated by Abramoff.
And we who are not Republicans are sick and tired of Republicans trying to thin out and spin out their own blame, on the Democratic party.
Until we The People stop acting like a bunch of greedy, money grubbing, immoral, un-civilized, ignorant morons, do not expect our politicnas to behave any better.
I agree there. But the only way forward is to demand accountability - and that means to **accurately** go after those accountable. In Abramoff's case, not one ounce of blame can be placed towards the Democrats.
So when Howell, the Post's Ombudsman, for Pete's sake, lazily backs up a lazy reporting of a factually baseless GOP spin, instead of both Howell and the reporter doing their jobs to accurately inform the country, a lot of people make a fuss.
Because making a fuss is the only way anything ever gets changed.
-
The *Editors* choose the stories, not the reporters
[Read the article: Bloggers, meet reporters. Reporters, meet bloggers]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I understand and empathize very much with bloggers' frustration with the MSM. Its coverage of the tun-up to the Iraq war was unconscionable.
But it's easy to lose sight of the fact that the reporters don't choose the stories that get printed - their bosses the editors do.
And people who don't please their bosses soon lose their jobs.
And Editors have bosses to please as well - the actual owners of their branch of the MSM.
Hopefully this will become more and more evident, as the creation and dissemination of information continues to decentralize.
-
Is there any reason why the guy is hurt like that?
[Read the article: Hire this ad team!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Or is it just thrown in there, as a non sequitir?
-
I hear you, brother Knight
[Read the article: The K Chronicles]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I moved to LA from SF last year; one of my friends asked me why I was moving South to Mordor.
A year later, I'm still second-guessing the move myself; but yes, I'm involved in a few different projects for shows and movies now.
You may already be aware of this - but be prepared for the worst traffic and the ABSOLUTELY worst public transit system you have ever seen in your life. A seriously surreal new low.
And lots of artists who make their own networks. After a while, hopefully as short as possible, it all does start to knit together.
That said, I'm giving LA another year, and then I'm going to figure out whether I'd rather be here, or back in the good ol' Bay Area. Which, I have to say, has to be one of the most all-aronud pleasant places to live in the entire US.
-
When you get here, work that MySpace page
[Read the article: The K Chronicles]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It seriously holds LA together, just like Craigslist does for the Bay Area.
Craiglist works for LA too, mind; it just doesn't have near the level of ubiquitous use as it does in the Bay Area.