THE NEWS HACK'S CREED:
I know more than you.
I make lots more money than you.
I'm smarter than you.
I'm sexier than you.
I appear on TV all the time.
I work ten minutes a day.
I rule the universe.
I'm going to live forever.
You are an idiot.
THE NEWS HACK'S CREED, No. 2:
A lie isn't a lie when it tells THE TRUTH.
THE NEWS HACK'S CREED, No. 3:
I've come to realize that the looseness of the journalistic life, the seeming laxity of the newsroom, is an illusion. Yes, there's informality and there's humor, but beneath the surface lies something deadly serious. It is a code. Sometimes the code is not even written down, but it is deeply believed in. And, when violated, it is enforced with tribal ferocity.
--JOHN "OMERTA" CARROLL.
THE NEWS HACK'S CREED, No. 4:
News isn't news when we don't report it.
PERMALINKS:
THE NEWS HACKS' DICTIONARY
THE EUGENE DAVID GLOSSARY
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Monday, July 07, 2003
My guess is last summer The Mogul's Friend was lathering up his best buddies for all their bingo bango boffo box office. Just like news hacks -- they kick 'em when they're down.
The correct perception on Capitol Hill is that the president's political team wants to get this over with, sign any bill, and damn the consequences.
This is the man who's led the fight against terrorism?
This is the man who's led the fight against terrorism?
In a world without news hacks one could view this tantrum thrower's firing as a good thing, but then -- the HEROES take credit, and it becomes a politically incorrect cause celebre.
I don't think most people like getting screamed at.
I don't think most people like getting screamed at.
Professor InstaPundit links to a guy who follows a two-thousand word piece with what must be a five-thousand worder. How do these people have the time to write it? and how can they expect us who surf the Web in vain for the interesting to want to read it? I'll say it again: verbosity does not equal wisdom, especially in a medium whose average attention span is three seconds.
HHWWALTER CRRRRRONKITE THINKS!
"I can't stand aside when I have a thought or two that might be interesting and possibly even helpful."
Here's a helpful thought, HHWWalter: bug off!
"I can't stand aside when I have a thought or two that might be interesting and possibly even helpful."
Here's a helpful thought, HHWWalter: bug off!
Audit: Mets Owe City Nearly $4M
And you can bet they make a profit of $100 million.
Or as the Grand Dork of the Major Leagues "Zelig" Selig would say, "Oh well, that's the way the baseball bounces, hee hee!"
And you can bet they make a profit of $100 million.
Or as the Grand Dork of the Major Leagues "Zelig" Selig would say, "Oh well, that's the way the baseball bounces, hee hee!"
Iran Completes Tests on Missile That Can Hit Israel
Ordinarily there'd be dancing in the streets, but I think the region has learned to hold it in for CNN.
Ordinarily there'd be dancing in the streets, but I think the region has learned to hold it in for CNN.
The editor of the sometimes very irritating ArtsJournal.com auditions for BLUNDER rag with a fatuous column in which he approvingly disapprovingly says classical music's no longer the stuff of water-cooler discussion. Neither is the theater, once the mother lode for Hollywood. Neither is radio, which at its peak had a more devoted audience than television. Neither are the movies, except among dumb blind teenagers. Neither are books, except among the airplane-imprisoned crowd that reads Danielle King Clancy. Neither is pop music, except among the get-a-life crowd on the Web. And as Brian "Hair Shirt" Lowry argued in a recent column, neither is most of television. Our total culture's problems are just as great as classical music's, only it has an army of news-hack lackeys to disguise them.
Have you ever seen a picture of the young Buddy Ebsen? He was in the Ziegfeld Follies, after the master died (though he got his start with him years earlier as a chorus boy), dancing with his sister Vilma, and boy, if he'd have been ten years younger, he'd be Mark Twain's prototype for good ol' Huck Finn! The rest of his story is ancient history, and though he became famous as star of a very bad sitcom, it's God gift to make people laugh -- especially when accompanied by a laugh track. RIP.
And speaking of commie longhairs, the British spinmeister meets the French schlockmeister.
Cheap Channel's selling blurbs for USC's classical public-radio station.
I can imagine Lowsy's reaction when (if) he heard the news -- "Doggone dagnabbit wha are we sellin' for commie longhairs?" But heck, Lowsy helped destroy good music on the radio, so he has at least a fraction of an obligation to help preserve what little is left. Even the factotum quoted in the article admits as much.
I can imagine Lowsy's reaction when (if) he heard the news -- "Doggone dagnabbit wha are we sellin' for commie longhairs?" But heck, Lowsy helped destroy good music on the radio, so he has at least a fraction of an obligation to help preserve what little is left. Even the factotum quoted in the article admits as much.
A requiem for Hollywood -- from an ad-blurb copywriter, no less:
In the new Dreamworks animated feature Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, the major characters are voiced by movie stars, as is usual lately, and as usual, I couldn’t always tell who the players were without a scorecard.
In the new Dreamworks animated feature Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, the major characters are voiced by movie stars, as is usual lately, and as usual, I couldn’t always tell who the players were without a scorecard.
So -- we should send the marines to Liberia, but let's not bother with Zimbabwe because it's "too controversial"? Hmm, I think we have some major-league ostrich head-burying here.
Palestinian Forces Detain Suicide Bomb Suspect
The first question is, was this done for news hacks? The second question is, did the alleged bomber speak ENGLISH?
The first question is, was this done for news hacks? The second question is, did the alleged bomber speak ENGLISH?
Sunday, July 06, 2003
In Gaza City, Palestinian government workers began whitewashing graffiti that praises Palestinian militants. Israel has demanded the Palestinian Authority act to halt incitement against Israel.
This is doubleplusungood: first, because the Israelis are behind this, and second, because it's graffiti.
Not to worry: this was probably done for the cameraman of Agence France-Presse, and the message should reappear tomorrow.
I was about to say only people with time on their hands would care to see someone win a golf tournament by ten strokes, but I see play's been suspended due to the weather! HA HA Mickey Mouse Michael!
More courage in the news biz: RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, who sells zillions in ad time to companies that SELL SELL SELL snacks and sugary cereals to kids, lets Altria MOtive Foods HAVE IT for its cave-in! SUCH BRAVE, PRINCIPLED EDITORIALIZING FROM RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(But in the end, RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Altria MOtive Foods will remain best friends: he airs dreck, and they sponsor The Osama Channel. Oh, and I just found this story on a Google search claiming that the fight against The Osama Channel is led by evil "ZIONISTS!" Thanks again for taking the right side, Altria MOtive!)
(But in the end, RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Altria MOtive Foods will remain best friends: he airs dreck, and they sponsor The Osama Channel. Oh, and I just found this story on a Google search claiming that the fight against The Osama Channel is led by evil "ZIONISTS!" Thanks again for taking the right side, Altria MOtive!)
The next time The Gliberal celebrates a rapper, or some idiot learned dog with a Nobel pedigree arfs of hip-hop genius, we may want to ponder this line:
As gangsta rap celebrated the "thug life," University of Pennsylvania sociologist Elijah Anderson and others have documented the depressing rise of an "oppositional culture," in which elementary school children are looking up to dope dealers as role models.
This in a story about Oakland, the city run by Fruits-and-Nuts Brown, and with a very high murder rate and lots of repeat crooks.
As gangsta rap celebrated the "thug life," University of Pennsylvania sociologist Elijah Anderson and others have documented the depressing rise of an "oppositional culture," in which elementary school children are looking up to dope dealers as role models.
This in a story about Oakland, the city run by Fruits-and-Nuts Brown, and with a very high murder rate and lots of repeat crooks.
Another fine chapter of the British Vicarage and Tea Time Club appoints a PC post director for its Sunday socials, and the PC part of the globe again fumes in an un-PC way.
We may have to send Pinch on a world tour.
We may have to send Pinch on a world tour.
[T]he Ann Coulters of 2003 look around our nation and see traitors everywhere....
You're pretty good Frank at spotting the evil of Dubya from behind every tree too. Does that make you a left-wing Ann Coulter? Noooooooooo.
You're pretty good Frank at spotting the evil of Dubya from behind every tree too. Does that make you a left-wing Ann Coulter? Noooooooooo.
Saturday, July 05, 2003
Okay Pinch, what do we do about these hard-core reactionary LUNATIC FRINGE -- er, Catholic traditionalists?
Well well well! We think we're being oh so healthy drinking bottled water. So what happens? In being oh so healthy, so environmentally friendly, we leave a trail of gazillions of plastic bottles.
I don't think plain old tap water does that.
I don't think plain old tap water does that.
Yep, Jayson is long gone. Now we can call the executive director of Vancouver's British Vicarage and Tea Time Club "Martin Luther." As I recall, Luther fought corruption in the Catholic Church. This guy's sole purpose is to please Pinch. Just one problem: he seems to have made enemies in "Africa, Asia and Latin America," where the Club is still actually regarded as a church. Ordinarily we might listen to such concerns, as, after all, that part of the world is PC; but our American kind of PC always trumps anyone else's, and thus it is at the normally un-nationalistic Times.
P. S. Here's the weenie who runs the Tea Time Club in Canterbury:
And here's the weenie who runs the Tea Time Club in Vancouver:
I guess there's something about talking to yourself all day that makes you look like an overgrown dork. (I know from experience.)
P. S. Here's the weenie who runs the Tea Time Club in Canterbury:
And here's the weenie who runs the Tea Time Club in Vancouver:
I guess there's something about talking to yourself all day that makes you look like an overgrown dork. (I know from experience.)
OH oh, that far-right reactionary Uncle Tom Ward Connerly wants to end government identification of people by race. What's next? Treating all people the same regardless of skin color?
Our Self-Serving News-Hack Cliche of the Week is that the Web has made Gov. Dean a "contender." There's no denying the power of the Internet in leftist politics. (Of course, the same is true on the other side, but we'll ignore that for now, just as news hacks would.) There's a catch, though: the anti-war movement did some pretty nifty organizing, and it lost. So will Gov. Dean.
Friday, July 04, 2003
Disney's U.S. Theme Parks Pay Coast-to-Coast Tribute To U.S. Troops
WELL, I am SO proud. But isn't this the same company (no it's not; it's MIRAMAX) that may or may not be bankrolling Michael "Fatso" Moore's screed about how Dubya planned 9/11?
I think the mighty Dr. Johnson may have had Mickey Mouse Michael in mind when he said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
WELL, I am SO proud. But isn't this the same company (no it's not; it's MIRAMAX) that may or may not be bankrolling Michael "Fatso" Moore's screed about how Dubya planned 9/11?
I think the mighty Dr. Johnson may have had Mickey Mouse Michael in mind when he said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
It is bad enough in the mind of some "activist" on Long Island that pigs should be raced -- but what takes the prize is, they race for OREOS!!!!!
I wonder if PC would have happened if we'd remained British colonies.
Anyway, I thought it would be cute to include Newsday's photo of racing pigs. Does that mean I'm exploiting them too?
Well, here's my celebration of July 4th. We should always remember this day isn't just about hot-dog-eating contests.
Today some clown on a rooftop has let loose a barrage of noisemakers from the morning on. I don't buy the "it's July the Fourth" biz. If people want fireworks let them see the fireworks shows. Besides, Independence Day fireworks have wreaked havoc elsewhere -- not just this past week, but in history.
I guess I'm a party pooper, but I can't work up an appetite for parades and music and fireworks when the temperature's 95 and the humidity matches. Why couldn't the Founders have given birth to our nation in October, during the football season?
You can't have everything.
You can't have everything.
Thursday, July 03, 2003
A prime minister who may have verged on corruption probably shouldn't have called a German official a Nazi. Then again, given the Germans' recent behavior, what else could he call him?
It appears RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! may be thinking twice about banning Charlie Chan. And it does smell of a publicity stunt, although RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'s "conservative" credential took a deserved hit. Did you ever hear of the Fox Movie Channel?
Andy S.'s "new and comprehensive [and hard to read] summary of fantastic media bias" at the Beeb discloses one worthy defense: an international brodacaster must choose its words carefully. Appellations like terrorist do not merely apply to our war on terrorism or the Arab-Israeli crisis. And too often the Beeb's critics are exceedingly fussy on its diction. That said, the Beeb also owes it to humanity to uphold certain standards, like the inviolability of human life, and given its PC one wonders whether it believes even in that. Still, I'd feel no better (and in some ways worse) if RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! took it over, as his subordinate Andy S. might like; we'd replace one kind of bull with another.
Escalators scare me too.
More news hack excellence: On its front page MESS.com refers to it as an elevator. (These same clowns gave us a link to that STOOOOPID BLUNDER.com article.)
More news hack excellence: On its front page MESS.com refers to it as an elevator. (These same clowns gave us a link to that STOOOOPID BLUNDER.com article.)
Cynicism is so 1990. sincerity [sic] is back in vogue.
From what I've seen on the Web this morning cynicism is stronger with news hacks than ever.
From what I've seen on the Web this morning cynicism is stronger with news hacks than ever.
It is not enough for news hacks to be like the little boy who cried wolf; they must be the little boy who cries, "VOTE DEMOCRATIC!"
And then when someone scolds him the little boy whines, "It came from across the street!"
And after he's spent a long time studying the squashed bird on the pavement the little boy goes home, crying, "CHARLIE'S ANGELS 2! THE MOVIE OF THE CENTURY!!!!!"
And then when someone scolds him the little boy whines, "It came from across the street!"
And after he's spent a long time studying the squashed bird on the pavement the little boy goes home, crying, "CHARLIE'S ANGELS 2! THE MOVIE OF THE CENTURY!!!!!"
Okay, perhaps our president and his crew do go a little overboard on occasion with their bluster, but I'd rather hear this than "malaise" or "COME HOOOOOOME, AMERICA!"
Although I would think Democrats would be happy with more attacks on our soldiers. Then the news hacks would cry QUAGMIRE!!!!! some more, and the Democrats could politic some more, and....
Although I would think Democrats would be happy with more attacks on our soldiers. Then the news hacks would cry QUAGMIRE!!!!! some more, and the Democrats could politic some more, and....
Yes, L'Affaire Blair has definitely passed. A Times campaign manager likens Dubya to Hoobert Heever.
Which reminds me, L'Affaire Blair seems to have passed without further incident, proof of the healing power of big egos and inflated salaries.
Another one of those private tragedies that brings happiness to news hacks. Honest to God, some of these people ought to drink ammonia and drown themselves.
And this goes hand in hand with show-biz PR and QUAGMIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! too.
And this goes hand in hand with show-biz PR and QUAGMIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! too.
Another BLUNDER Devin says hooray for porn.
If it's that good d'you think we could get MR. BUFFETT to run some in the magazine and your Web site?
What news hacks don't spin, they sell. This and QUAGMIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come from the same tenth-rate non-minds.
If it's that good d'you think we could get MR. BUFFETT to run some in the magazine and your Web site?
What news hacks don't spin, they sell. This and QUAGMIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come from the same tenth-rate non-minds.
OOOOOOOOOoooooooooh! The Oscar® people get tough on publicists!
Or as one typically anonymous quote source says, "I think the academy should now go buy some land and build an academy jail."
Or as one typically anonymous quote source says, "I think the academy should now go buy some land and build an academy jail."
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Detroit's homicide rate headed to a 35-year low
But do the Babbitts still stay away because of -- never mind. (Of course it helps too that the town's population's been cut in half.)
But do the Babbitts still stay away because of -- never mind. (Of course it helps too that the town's population's been cut in half.)
One last word on Katharine Hepburn -- hers (via Rex Reed):
It’s a wonderful thing to have a high aim in life, a real ambition. Today all you see is self-pity and "I’m so misunderstood, poor little me, I’m such a failure." No humor in anything. And everyone getting kicked around by society with an excuse. I will not accept excuses and I will never give one. You’re either on time or you’re late. You either remember your lines or you don’t. You either pay your bills or you go to jail. I’m sick and tired of a whole generation of kids who say "I’m tired" or "I’m nervous" or this and that. If you’re tired, give yourself some gas and climb that hill. Why you can’t do something is of practically no interest at all to me, unless you say you’ve got a size-eight foot in a size-five shoe and can’t take another step. To this I say take off your shoes and hop on my back and I’ll carry you the rest of the way. But it’s a poor habit in life to blame anyone but yourself for anything.
I was brought up by two freedom-loving parents, the eldest of six children, and we were taught to express ourselves as long as we were interesting and could hold the floor. But if we were bores and there were other fascinating people in the room, we damned well learned to keep our big mouths shut. My parents were funny, vigorous and right on top of all the new thinking, but I was mightily snubbed as a kid by many, many people, which put a good chip on my shoulder to get ahead and show that I was worth something.
You were worth something. God bless you, Kate -- even if you were an atheist.
It’s a wonderful thing to have a high aim in life, a real ambition. Today all you see is self-pity and "I’m so misunderstood, poor little me, I’m such a failure." No humor in anything. And everyone getting kicked around by society with an excuse. I will not accept excuses and I will never give one. You’re either on time or you’re late. You either remember your lines or you don’t. You either pay your bills or you go to jail. I’m sick and tired of a whole generation of kids who say "I’m tired" or "I’m nervous" or this and that. If you’re tired, give yourself some gas and climb that hill. Why you can’t do something is of practically no interest at all to me, unless you say you’ve got a size-eight foot in a size-five shoe and can’t take another step. To this I say take off your shoes and hop on my back and I’ll carry you the rest of the way. But it’s a poor habit in life to blame anyone but yourself for anything.
I was brought up by two freedom-loving parents, the eldest of six children, and we were taught to express ourselves as long as we were interesting and could hold the floor. But if we were bores and there were other fascinating people in the room, we damned well learned to keep our big mouths shut. My parents were funny, vigorous and right on top of all the new thinking, but I was mightily snubbed as a kid by many, many people, which put a good chip on my shoulder to get ahead and show that I was worth something.
You were worth something. God bless you, Kate -- even if you were an atheist.
A BRILLIANT IDEA: Bring back Howell on 60 Minutes. It would be the personality cult all over again. Besides, how could he work in good conscience at the network that brings us -- AUGUSTA?
Even faced with the possibility that Saddam Hussein killed one million of his fellow Iraqis, the anti-war movement (of which news hacks were an integral part) will never apologize. Why should it? Its leaders effectively rule the world.
Cable stealing is illegal. Perhaps there'd be less of it if the cable behemoths didn't take such a blithe attitude toward their turnips -- er, customers.
Of course, whenever news hacks report on the biz, practically the only words in their stories are "cash flow."
Of course, whenever news hacks report on the biz, practically the only words in their stories are "cash flow."
But for quick thinking by a Viacon Network employee news hacks would probably be front-page mourning the tragic loss of THE ZON, who would have died of a cerebral hemorrhage had he learned his network would air the whole of the 1812 Overture.
With ATWOLA rag never losing a chance to razz its readers, how does it manage to sell four million copies a week?
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
After what Nobel laureates said about the war I think we can pay this medallion bearer no mind.
An Iranian writer named Amir Taheri gives us reasons for optimism about the Arab world. Let's hope Arabs don't give us too many of the usual reasons for pessimism.
Liberia's a nation where we have no real strategic interest, where we probably can't stop 33 1/3 revolutions per minute -- but we may have to go there anyway; it's our not-too-distant cousin. And after all, it's us or the League of Nations, and Kofi's crew guarantees genocide.
Hey GoogleBlogger! WHEN WILL YOU QUIT WITH THE HICCUPS?!?!?
OUR KIND OF FREE ENTERPRISE: A phone company (Verizon) cuts its high-speed-Internet access rates. So what does a cable company (Cablevision) do? It raises them!
And a Wall Street superdupersales -- er, analyst approves (Jessica "Rife" Reif Cohen, another JACK job contender).
And a Wall Street superdupersales -- er, analyst approves (Jessica "Rife" Reif Cohen, another JACK job contender).
Here is why Mark Steyn is a national treasure:
Gypsy would work if it was me directing and Hillary Clinton as Mama Rose.
And heck, Mr. Steyn, ever since you were exiled from oh-so-PC Canada, we've made you our national treasure.
Gypsy would work if it was me directing and Hillary Clinton as Mama Rose.
And heck, Mr. Steyn, ever since you were exiled from oh-so-PC Canada, we've made you our national treasure.
When Dr. Johnson uttered his immortal line,
[N]o government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it. If a sovereign oppresses his people to a great degree, they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny, that will keep us safe under every form of government.
he anticipated protests like the one in Hong Kong. Sadly, he couldn't have anticipated the People's Republic of China.
[N]o government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it. If a sovereign oppresses his people to a great degree, they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny, that will keep us safe under every form of government.
he anticipated protests like the one in Hong Kong. Sadly, he couldn't have anticipated the People's Republic of China.
The Mogul's Friend, who must also be considered in the running for JACK's job, writes a supremely annoying article on his Alphabet Soup. The fact is, everything about it is satisfactory to news hacks because it leaves the media's overweaning power untouched. By moving responsibility for content from the industry to "the parents," JACK committed a masterstroke by vastly increasing their power to dictate the terms of life and vastly reducing their culpability for it. In short, their stainless-steel fist got a titanium glove. It should not surprise us that the alleged board of parents that determines which letters go into the soup is more secretive than the CIA, yet another manifestation of power. So long as the only thing that news hacks want is a version of the late Gene "All-Thumbs" Siskel's "A" rating (that millionaire fraud never read The Scarlet Letter, or anything else), which inspired the NC-17, so long as news hacks endorse the status quo by default, there will be no real change, and the system will remain an artistic and societal injustice. FACE IT, Mogul's Friend: maybe CENSORHIP WAS BETTER. God knows people like PC RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! practice it.
You're right, Peter Carlson, people who read Vanity Fair "have no life."
I see also in this column that Stephen King has called The Corrections "patronizing and self-indulgent." Maybe he isn't that bad.
I see also in this column that Stephen King has called The Corrections "patronizing and self-indulgent." Maybe he isn't that bad.
Also on the PC front, RUPERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, who assaults our senses in thousands of ways, gives in to pressure groups and drops a Charlie Chan film festival.
The ideological pretzel of liberalism acquires new knots.
The ideological pretzel of liberalism acquires new knots.
Altria MOtive Foods gives in to PC nutritionists to avoid lawsuits.
It may reduce fat and sugar, but you can bet it won't reduce dollars to The Osama Channel.
ADDENDUM: Clearly poor diet is linked to disease. I see nothing wrong with food companies subtly reengineering products and widening our choices (although God knows there are already enough line extensions), and they should educate consumers on better eating. And it's understating it that the food companies have played too many marketing tricks with kids: Kellogg's practically invented bad children's television as the patron saint of Hanna-Barbera. What bugs me is this biz will go on a grand PC New Coke campaign and leave us with inferior products and the tantrum throwers unsatisifed. And yes, the PC angle (and Altria MOtive Foods's tobacco connections) makes this one reek.
It may reduce fat and sugar, but you can bet it won't reduce dollars to The Osama Channel.
ADDENDUM: Clearly poor diet is linked to disease. I see nothing wrong with food companies subtly reengineering products and widening our choices (although God knows there are already enough line extensions), and they should educate consumers on better eating. And it's understating it that the food companies have played too many marketing tricks with kids: Kellogg's practically invented bad children's television as the patron saint of Hanna-Barbera. What bugs me is this biz will go on a grand PC New Coke campaign and leave us with inferior products and the tantrum throwers unsatisifed. And yes, the PC angle (and Altria MOtive Foods's tobacco connections) makes this one reek.
When Buddy Hackett was on The Hollywood Squares did he bluff a lot?
P. S. With what he thinks is cleverness, a New York Times scribbler likens Hackett's face to "a plate of mashed potatoes." I'd rather liken the Times' writing to a plate of petrified mashed potatoes.
P.P.S. More on the news hacks' obsession with reliable stats: The Times says he was 78. Reuters says he was 79. How old was he?
P. S. With what he thinks is cleverness, a New York Times scribbler likens Hackett's face to "a plate of mashed potatoes." I'd rather liken the Times' writing to a plate of petrified mashed potatoes.
P.P.S. More on the news hacks' obsession with reliable stats: The Times says he was 78. Reuters says he was 79. How old was he?
QUAGMIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! with the word "retired" five times was rather risible, so today we seek out a staff sergeant. A staff sergeant.
I'll say it again: What drives me bananas about the jaysonists is that they criticize -- usually in the oblique, weasel-worded manner of "objectivity" -- but they don't offer alternatives, perhaps because if they tried it would expose their near total ignorance.
I stand corrected : TWO staff sergeants (the other is cited very briefly, with a neutral quote). That's still three fewer staff sergeants than retired whatisits that appeared in the other piece.
I'll say it again: What drives me bananas about the jaysonists is that they criticize -- usually in the oblique, weasel-worded manner of "objectivity" -- but they don't offer alternatives, perhaps because if they tried it would expose their near total ignorance.
I stand corrected : TWO staff sergeants (the other is cited very briefly, with a neutral quote). That's still three fewer staff sergeants than retired whatisits that appeared in the other piece.