Letters to the Editor
jebldmm
Published Letters: 933 Editor's Choice: 164
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They are presenting the "truth"
[Read the article: CBS puts Couric on Photoshop diet]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The truth is that in the past few years, television news has been about having pretty people read sanitized news, not "journalism". Making things look prettier than they are is simply what the news channels do. I am less offended when they do it to Katie Couric than I am when they do it to George Bush and the Iraq War.
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What's so great about "natural"
[Read the article: Trading birth control for prayer and the rhythm method]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There is nothing "natural" about providing drugs to women who are giving birth, monitoring the foetus's heart rate, or having s C-Section if things go wrong. In fact, dying during labor is traditionally a very "natural" way for women to die. Anybody who doubts that should go visit an old cemetary and apply some simple math to the tombstones with women's names. For that matter, it is quite normal in nature for a large number of young to die before they mature to reproduce. The fact that childbirth is no longer likely to cause a woman'd death and that most American babies will grow up is due to scientific achievements that defied the tendency of nature to eliminate the weaker members of the human species. I wonder if these doctors who are focusing on "natural family planning" are aware of this?
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I hate the new regulations
[Read the article: Ask the pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to be terrified of water and mascara. I've had enough chemistry to know that it isn't nearly as simple to make a bomb as the government seems to think it is. But what can we do other than acquiesce? I'm afraid to use the word "bomb" in an airport, even if I'm only talking quietly to my husband. People are being arrested for smuggled soda onto an airplane and threatened for wearing the wrong t-shirt. I hate not being able to take my own water on the plane - the little cans they give you aren't nearly enough to keep me hydrated. But what can anybody do except go along? I can't take the time to drive 2,000 miles this christmas, and I can't afford to charter a plane... so I'm stuck. Don't think that everybody is thrilled with these new developments - we just don't have any choices.
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His show isn't that liberal
[Read the article: The Olbermann factor]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I tuned in because I heard he had made a really interesting rant. I started watching the show because he has an interesting way of showing the news. I spend some time on the net, and I assure you he isn't reporting "liberal" news. If you question that, check out any liberal site and you'll see that there is little overlap between their version of events and Olbermann's. Every time he touches on a "liberal" story, the denizens of the left web flip out... but he doesn't do it often. He mostly reports on the news of the day, but without a conservative slant. He interviews interesting people who don't seem to be spouting talking points or pushing an agenda. What's so "liberal" about this? The only reason Olbermann looks liberal is that cable news has moved so far to the right that anybody who actually doesn't cater to republicans appears to be on the left. If democrats somehow take power, I suspect he will be just as hard on them as he is on this administration. Newsmen *should* be more than stenographers. They *should* try to help people sort out the truth from the lies. And they should tell us when we are being lied to. Truth is not a "liberal" concept, although you'll have a hard time believing that if you spend too much time watching Fox.
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There is an egregious error in the photograph accompanying the article.
[Read the article: How bad is he?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I can only view this as yet another typical example of editorial elitism and arrogance-inspired character assassination from a media whose laissez faire attitude towards the truth is one of the reasons our country is in the mess it's in today. At long last, have you no decency ? Comparing Bush to Darth Vader ??? How dare you? I don't suppose I should have expected better from you, but this is an outrage. What (presumably chemically induced) demented flights of fantasy have induced you to malign the character of a man whose talent, nobility of character, strength of will, and humanity could not be achieved or bought by Bush, no matter how hard he tried ? What could have so offended you about Darth Vader that you would stoop to this level? Just how low will you media roaches go ? Let's get a few points straight here:
1a. Vader was a powerful figurehead who wielded power and was controlled by his emperor.
1b. Bush is a figurehead who wields power and is controlled by his vice-president.
2a. Vader flew everywhere, taking control, and fighting the enemies of the empire.
2b. Bush flies everywhere, out of control, and fleeing the enemies of the country.
3a. Vader was a flawed human who eventually saw reason, found his lost humanity, and achieved redemption.
3b. Bush needs no reasons, laughs at humanity, and needs no redemption as he believes he has never done anything wrong.
4a. Vader was born with a natural talent into a lower-class family and used that talent to get to the top.
4b. Bush was born with no talent into an upper-class family onto a position at third base and thought that he had hit a triple.
5a. Vader was feared and respected by his enemies.
5b. Bush is jeered and derided by his enemies.
6a. Vader was the first to take action when the empire was threatened.
6b. Bush was the first to run when the country was threatened.
7a. In the final analysis, Vader recognized the difference between right and wrong, and chose to do the right thing even though it cost him the value of his life.
7b. Bush sees no difference between right and wrong and chooses to do the thing for the right that will return the greatest value for his life.
If you have any journalistic integrity whatsoever, you will issue an appropriate apology to the memory of Darth Vader.