Tag Archives: New York Times

HELEN THOMAS AND THE NEW YORK TIMES

Posted on June 8, 2010 | Leave a comment

“Only the News We See Fit to Print”

THE GRAY LADY

The New York Times’s masthead logo, “All the News That’s Fit to Print” first appeared on the paper in 1896. It is time that logo was removed.

The “Helen Thomas -Jews go home” affair remained totally unreported by the Times for four days. The idea that the event was not instant news is unthinkable. Then could it be that the paper, for some reason considered it unfit to print? How can that be that possible for editors who deemed the reporting of classified anti-terrorism information as fit to print with coverage in depth. Slavish dedication to ideology is the answer, dedication to a cause to the point of self destruction if need be.

When the NYT was unable to ignore it any longer the headline was

“Reporter Retires After Words About Israel”

Their height of criticism for her anti-semitic remark was

Ms. Thomas’s tone became more opinionated in recent years after she moved from being a news reporter to being a columnist once she joined Hearst.

This is the paper that hired Jayson Bair and made him a star because he was politically correct. This is the paper that was forced to fire him when the peoples press exposed the young black journalist as a total fraud. This is the paper whose Pulitzer Prize winning Moscow bureau chief, Walter Duranty, wrote one glowing article after another declaring the virtues of Joseph Stalin and the success of Socialism in Russia. This is the paper many people the world over, trust more than any other. This is the paper they rely on for all the news they need to know.

Bob B

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CLINTON CALLS FOR MORE TAXES FROM THE RICH

Posted on May 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

Hillary has just piped up with her opinion that the rich still have too much money: “The rich are not paying their fair share. – Wealthy Americans don’t pay enough taxes.”

In support of her argument that income tax rates should be increased on the rich, Hillary cites Brazil, “Brazil has the highest tax-to-GDP rate in the Western Hemisphere and guess what — they’re growing like crazy.” One should never trust a Clinton. Income taxes are lower in Brazil, not higher. The maximum income tax rate in Brazil is 27.5%. In the U.S. it is 35% and going higher when the Bush tax cuts expire.

Random Thots readers will be quick to note that Mrs. C. quoted the “tax to GDP rate”, not an income tax rate. She knows very well that that distinction will be lost among the vast audience of her remark. Those quick enough to catch it will also be astute enough to know it signifies a low GDP, not a high tax rate. Furthermore, in no way is it a measure of relative tax on the wealthy.

There is a faction in this country that longs for America to be more like some other country. Hillary and Gore like Brazil. Tom Friedman at the New York Times has lamented time and again that we should be more like China. The whole Democratic Party seems to prefer we become more like Europe. Perhaps we should set aside a state like Vermont or Minnesota and set up a government with finances like that of Greece, health care like that of England, human rights like China and crime like Brazil then offer it as a refuge for those with such longings.

Bob B

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LAST WEEK

Posted on May 15, 2010 | Leave a comment

Week ending May 14, 2010

Monday
Another flag flap.
One student reprimanded for drawing a picture of the American flag while a classmate is praised for drawing one of Barack Obama.

Detroit News reports that workers prefer unemployment over work.
Correction –
Detroit News reports that people prefer unemployment over work.
Extending unemployment benefits has led to an increase in unemployment.
Read about it here.

Tuesday
We learn of proposal for a medal to be awarded soldiers who exercise “courageous restraint”.
British Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, the NATO commander of troops in southern Afghanistan, proposed the idea of awarding a medal to troop who exercise “courageous restraint”. There must be danger for there to be courage. Therefore I presume this medal will be awarded to soldiers who, facing imminent danger to themselves and their comrades, do nothing.

Wednesday
U.S. Treasury announces April deficit was 4 times larger than last year’s deficit.
Federal spending to stimulate people was held partly to blame. IRS action also contributed to the shortfall as they returned some of the peoples’ money to them as tax refunds.

Thursday
Obama administration authorizes killing of a U.S. citizen.
His name is Anwar al-Awlaki, and he is hiding in Yemen. The NY Times reports, “Congress has protected Awlaki’s cellphone calls,” said Vicki Divoll, a former C.I.A. lawyer who now teaches at the United States Naval Academy. “But it has not provided any protections for his life. That makes no sense.”
I agree. I see no reason why we should be protecting terrorists’ phone calls.

Friday
Detroit starts the process of demolishing 10,000 buildings.
There goes the neighborhood. Read about it here.

Bob B

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GREEK CRISIS, U.S. PARALLELS

Posted on May 12, 2010 | Leave a comment

Regarding the Greek crisis today in the New York Times we read,

“…the basic problem is the same. Both countries have a bigger government than they’re paying for.”
And,

“We have not figured out the kind of government we want. We’re in favor of Medicare, Social Security, good schools, wide highways, a strong military — and low taxes. Dealing with this disconnect will be the central economic issue of the next decade, in Europe, Japan and this country.

Many people, including some who claim to be outraged by the deficit, still haven’t acknowledged the disconnect.”

One begins to wonder if it is really the New York Times one is reading. The paper of record continues, “…politicians, spendthrift as some may be, are not the main source of the problem. We, the people, are.” First mention on the list of those responsible for governmental overspending goes to Tea Party members. All doubts are removed; it is indeed the New York Times.

The article characterizes Obama’s promise of no tax increase for those earning less than 250,000 as unrealistic. That’s kind of them. The Chief Economist at Treasury is quoted, “It’s not a matter of whether we have the resources to solve our problems, it’s a matter of political will.” and the NYT adds their own comment “For now at least, our elected officials are hardly the only ones who lack that will.”

Can’t blame Bush, he’s gone. Can’t blame the current administration, that’s against newspaper policy. Can’t blame politicians while the Democrats are in control. That leaves the public. My fellow American’s, pleased be advised, you and I are the problem, not Washington.

Bob B

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DID GOLDMAN DO IT?

Posted on April 20, 2010 | Leave a comment

It doesn’t matter.

Of course it matters civilly; if wrongs were committed the consequences should be applied. But guilt or innocence doesn’t matter politically because the allegation alone serves the purpose.

In Rules for Radicals Alinsky’s 13th Tactical Rule is “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Goldman has been picked. (If they are guilty, a cynic might say they volunteered.) “Freeze it” means stay on it. Obama is coming to New York Thursday to stay on it. To “personalize it” means getting the community to feel personally harmed by it. You lost your job because of a recession by which Goldman profited. To “polarize it” is to use the target to fan the flames, to agitate. Get the people angry. Get them behind legislation to reform the financial markets. The government needs more power over the financial industry, to keep the cats from getting fat while you are looking for work.

Mayor Bloomberg learned of the intended visit only upon seeing it in the news. He was not amused. But the goals of polarization and agitation were advanced in the process. A good community organizer makes it plain that he is not subservient to the man, not part of the establishment. There is no need to coordinate with the mayor.

Random Thots hopes to publish an analysis of Goldman’s guilt or innocence when more details become available. In the meantime we recommend today’s article in the New York Times. It appears to be a fair and well written analysis.

Bob B

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DISCOVERY – CAPITALISM CAUSES INSANITY

Posted on March 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

The New York Times Online has a regular feature called “The Idea of the Day”. The idea for Feb 17th was that capitalism causes neuroticism. The idea was centered on a study printed in a publication by the name of “Eurozine”, based in Germany. Here are some excerpts.

“There is good reason to assert the existence, […] of a new type of capitalism, neuro-capitalism”

“…what links capitalism with neuroscience is not so much strict regulation as a complex system of systemic flaws. Repressive late nineteenth-century capitalism, with its exploitive moral dictates, proscriptions and social injustices, was a breeding ground for the neurosis diagnosed by scientists in the early twentieth century as a spiritual epidemic.

The article is long and your time is valuable, so I will spare you from the rest of it, except the conclusion. It is too entertaining to miss.

“The psychologically relevant question of how the self will relate to a mood-enhanced, more capable version of itself is rendered irrelevant by the fact that the requirements of the new capitalist reality make an individual improvement of this kind appear a highly desirable option. Indeed, as a consumer and commodity value appropriate to capitalism, it has already been in currency for some time. Alongside globalisation – the capitalist rationalisation of space and time – we are witnessing the epistemic and technical rationalisation of the neural foundations of the self, or what Walker Percy called the abstraction of the self from itself”

Now, dear reader, if you consider yourself a capitalist, and if you understand what the authors have just said in this their summary and conclusion, then I must consider their premise may be valid after all.

Or perhaps you think our nations leading newspaper is just putting us on. It’s true, the item is ridiculous to the point of being funny, but I am afraid they are serious. Lest you doubt me I offer this, another sample from the “Idea of the Day” feature. It was submitted by a reader and published immediately following Obama’s election.

The free market did I embrace,
Derivations and hedges took place,
Now I’m short on my cash
I’m feeling the crash,
The redness, it shows on my face.

— Thank God America is now Socialist.

We have a tough row to hoe to reclaim America. I am writing a blog. It is not much, but it is my best. What are you doing?

Bob B

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OLYMPIC GAMES MUSLIM STYLE

Posted on March 1, 2010 | Leave a comment

This post is about the best and the worst of the New York Times. First the worst, and it is really bad.

MSNBC has Keith Olbermann; the New York Times has Frank Rich. At Power Line the usually soft spoken Hinderaker begins a scathing analysis with “As an op-ed columnist for the Times, his [Frank Rich’s] assignment, apparently, is to write in such a hysterical fashion that Paul Krugman seems rational by comparison”. Click the blue text and link yourself over to what else Hinderaker has to say about Rich’s latest bit of yellow journalism. You will never know how low the Times can go if you don’t read this analysis.

Next, the best. The New York Times was once the most respected Newspaper in the nation, if not the entire world. Thankfully, vestiges of its former greatness remain. The OP-ED piece Muslims Won’t Play Together by Efraim Karsh is a prime example. We have the Olympics. The Islamic world has come up with their version, called the Solidarity Games. Karsh reports that this year the games were canceled due to a lack of …solidarity.

The sports report is interesting and entertaining, however, what makes the Karsh piece a great journalistic work is not the commentary on the games, but his segway into fundamental Pan-Arabic and Israeli-Islamic issues. In the meager space available for an OP-ED piece Karsh covered ground that another could not have covered in less than a book. You will do well to read it.

Bob B

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TIMES PREDICTS END OF AMERICA

Posted on February 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

“We’ve always known that America’s reign as the world’s greatest nation would eventually end.” On that dour note the New York Times begins to tell us why that end may come sooner rather than later. Typically Times.

As they see it, we are at risk of  “re-enacting the dissolution of 18th-century Poland” when “By 1795 Poland had disappeared”…”not to re-emerge for more than a century.” According to the article it took only one objector to block any piece of new legislation at the time and that led to the nations demise.

How is America being put at risk of vanishing like Poland?  It’s the Republicans. Their party is now out of power. So they are doing what Democrats do when Democrats are out of power, namely, use procedural rules to their advantage.  In our republican form of government we not only want our representatives in office to do good, we also expect them to prevent bad. When totally out of power you can’t do much good but you can prevent some bad. That’s what’s happening and the newspaper doesn’t like it.

By the way, New York Times, I trust the “We”  in your opening sentence means – we, the New York Times. It certainly does not include me.

Bob B

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