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Blanche01
Thanks for your comment. I think arms length and deep suspicion are the order of the day, every day.
posted by
malcolm
on May 1, 2006 at 9:41 AM
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Malcolm,
I am relieved to see that you are as skeptical as I am about news of all stripes. I have to admit that there are days that I don' t read or listen to it at all. However, I do have a subscription to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which I take with a huge grain of salt, mostly trying to read between the lines, because there is such obvious bias.
For example, there was a headline two days ago on an article, which read that the state of Washington DSHS, the social services agency, had been audited and has to pay back $75 million for providing services to illegal aliens. The timing of that seemed suspiciously political to me, so I read on. Buried deeper in the article I find that the Director of the state agency was dubious that so much money needed to be paid back and there was an interagency battle between the Federal govt. and the state over the interpration of how to document their cases.
Also, there is no mention in today's paper that there is a huge protest against the immigration laws coming up tomorrow. Very selective coverage.
posted by
Blanche.
on April 30, 2006 at 1:19 PM
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Passionflower
Thanks. You make a very good point.
posted by
malcolm
on April 30, 2006 at 9:49 AM
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Marshallengraved.
Thanks. I didn't but I'll go back in a moment.
posted by
malcolm
on April 30, 2006 at 9:49 AM
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Azur.
Many thanks. Interesting though, don't you think?
posted by
malcolm
on April 30, 2006 at 9:49 AM
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avant-garde
Isn't this sad! Thanks for your comment
posted by
malcolm
on April 30, 2006 at 9:48 AM
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malcolm
I can tell you from firsthand experience that the news is almost always misrepresented. I learned this from the numerous crimes I made in Shreveport, working as a medic. I would read the paper, and it would sound like something completely different.
I saved every clipping I could find, and I wrote what I had experienced, so that someone one day would come along and see for himself.
posted by
avant-garde
on April 30, 2006 at 7:33 AM
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Malcolm, I could not rely on blogs for news
because much of what is written on blogs are rehashed impression of news Blogs are best considered as a gauge of what the wo/man in the street thinks which is very valuable. I am fortunate in having some good contacts in the press and I know some very professional reporters so I have a strong sense of who I trust. Don't know if you saw my post early last week about my tabloid reporter friend who writes about people's personal lives?
Re the cannabis resin, it doesn't sound like a big deal. On the other hand someone I know told me about a friend of their's who was traveling in Asia with a new bag on which traces of heroin were found during the airline. Apparently this happens a lot. They asked her a few questions about where she got the bag and then let her go.
posted by
Azur
on April 29, 2006 at 2:29 PM
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Malcom...
i included a link to Ice Cube's video...did you like it?
posted by
Marshallengraved
on April 29, 2006 at 2:18 PM
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We have the same such stuff here in America-
There's a huge decline in morals overall. Maybe the guys' guilty - maybe not! But what's worse? A guy using drugs or a govt willing to use the media to accomplish their goals?
posted by
Passionflower
on April 29, 2006 at 11:01 AM
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blogflogger
Many thanks for this. Even citizen journalism will be influenced by what king od 'citizens' are amongst us. Many thanks for your comment.
posted by
malcolm
on April 29, 2006 at 9:36 AM
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Malcolm - I share your concerns.
Frequently I find myself questioning the validity of information provided by our government (U.S.), weigh the spin placed on right- and left-wing reporting, and watch rumor spun into fact. Even in first-person testimony for congress, I know we will later find lies and spin. Even if I stick to mainstream media and CSPAN, I still worry whether I am hearing truth. What are we to believe?
posted by
blogflogger
on April 29, 2006 at 9:33 AM
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