and makes further points about this quote that I find telling.

Ophi, I have to ask, do you really find ALL accusations of media bias from the left to be trumped up? Somehow I doubt that.

I’m probably in the minority here in that I find CNN coverage to be fairly decent, though I do detect a liberal bias.

MSNBC has become unwatchable. When I was Joe Scarborough change over a period of a couple of months, I was shocked. I thought he had integrity, and he ended up being nothing but a shill for a new point of view. It was shocking. And it had nothing to do with my own internal bias.

What I was WATCHING suddenly changed, in so dramatic a fashion that you couldn’t pretend it wasn’t happening right in front of your eyes.

It had NOTHING to do with my own bias.

Tiger comes from a military family. His father served in the Special Forces (Army). Retired rank was LTC (Lieutenant Colonel).

Perhaps it all comes down to the family. Tiger Woods came from a loving family with two parents that placed a value in spending quality time with their son and ensuring that he grew up straight and true. Tiger’s father Earl Woods is a retired Lieutenant Coronel in the U.S. Army Special Forces and served two tours of combat in Vietnam where he befriended a South Vietnamese soldier named “Tiger” Nguyen Phong who proved the inspiration for his son’s nickname and where he met his wife Kultida who worked as a secretary in a U.S. army office. Tiger’s father always stressed excellence and achievement in the family, although not at any price and only according to the rules.

In other news, how about them Marine bastos raping Iraqi girls?

Welcome to Fox News.

People like Op, who don’t study propaganda look at Fox News with a negative reaction and believe that it is false. That is not very sophisticated.

Sophisticated students of propaganda can easily look at Fox News Morning hosts, such as the many attractive ladies speaking there, and recognize their positive reaction to them while remaining skeptical of the accuracy of the reports.

Op hasn’t graduated to that level, yet. To respect an enemy’s skill and character, while still trying to kill him, is the height of honorable conduct. Honorable conduct in propaganda? Indeed.

Not very funny, is it?

It is not even well done satire.

Bookworm, my whole point is that what seems funny to you strikes me as ugly.

The fact that people disagree with you, Op, strikes you as ugly. The fact that they also find things funny which you do not, is just icing on the cake.

that Mike’s is stupid and mine is hilarious

Since you, a member in good standing in the Left, just stated that position, what exactly is the point of restating the obvious, Op?

What kind of cognitive dissonance is this? Mike, some help here?

It seems to me that when Op said this,

“Every time I have examined a particular accusation of media bias, whether it be from right or left, I have come away with the impression that the accusation is trumped up and based only on the fact that the media don’t present the news from the accuser’s point of view.”

He was trying to disassociate himself from Leftist or conservative groups in the reaction to the media. So why does Op adopt the same reaction to your satire, Mike, as would a Leftist?

The media themselves, Bill Keller of the New York Times for example, uses the claim that both the left and the right accuse the Times of being biased against them as proof that the New York Times is “straight down the middle”. This is simply delusion, to be frank.

There is nothing supporting Op’s claims other than that Op claims that both the left and right are wrong. That isn’t all that strong a claim.

Learn philosophy and you will know what in blazes this talk about morality means.

And the fact that people have a bottom line doesn’t mean they make intelligent decisions. Hollywood has come out with film after film in which they criticize America’s conduct vis a vis the way. The films tank, and Hollywood keeps making them. Either they don’t care about the market at all, or they no longer care about the American market and have hopes for the European market. I haven’t heard about the European market being a great boon yet, so it sounds as if they’ve got nothing except a “principled” decision to show for themselves.

I don’t mind it striking you as ugly, I can even agree. It was intended as broad satire - overly broad! - to make a point.

Actually I believe WW II coverage was biased to not cover the deaths of soldiers and the sorrow of their bereaved. (Kind of like hiding the fact that FDR was in a wheelchair.)

I reject your claim of cruelty. Cruelty towards whom? The “weeping fiance” that I deliberately put there to highlight the way the media will blatantly use emotion in support of propaganda? By proxy am I then being cruel to everyone who’s lost a loved one in any war? Or anyone who’s lost anyone for any reason?

That would be the death of all humor.

By the way, I consider satire to be one of our biggest assets in the “war on terror” or against any fanatic. We’re underusing satire. Google “Achmed” “The Dead Terrorist” for a fantastic YouTube example of it.

the Press (a) gives moral equivalence to Israelis and Palestinians

What in blazes does that mean? Do you expect the press to word its reports along these lines:

“Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, the saintly Israeli Prime Minister met with the dastardly Palestinian President…”

Or how about this:

“In other news, an Israeli missile on a peaceful mission over Gaza was attacked by a howling mob of youthful Palestinian terrorists. No Israelis were hurt but the missile was a complete loss.”

Is this the kind of thing you would prefer? What exactly do you mean by this “moral equivalence” stuff? Shouldn’t reporters just report the news without making moral judgements? You know, like: “We report. You decide.”

Every time I have examined a particular accusation of media bias, whether it be from right or left, I have come away with the impression that the accusation is trumped up and based only on the fact that the media don’t present the news from the accuser’s point of view.

Never forget: the media don’t exist to sell any particular political position. They exist to sell themselves — which they do very well. Ergo, the best strategy for any individual citizen to pursue is to avail themselves of lots of news sources.

Welcome to Fox News. Today will go down in history as another triumph of American military might. The invading American forces triumphantly swept into Baghdad to the joyous celebrations of Iraqi citizens. Amid cheering crowds, American soldiers drove through a rain of flowers. Girls leapt up onto American vehicles to kiss the embarrassed American boys. Everywhere people waved little American flags, chanting “Bush! Bush! Bush!” One pregnant Iraqi mother told us she intended to name her son “George”. It is a glorious ending to a glorious war; with peace firmly established, Iraq will soon join the community of democracies. We’re told that some Iraqis are already ordering hats, horns, and balloons for the political conventions sure to take place within weeks. And one Iraqi lad told me, “I can’t wait for a McDonald’s in my neighborhood. I’m tired of this stupid Arabic food; gimme a burger, a shake, and fries any day!” Tonight, the American flag waves beneficently over Baghdad. Hooray for America! Oh, say can you see…”

Not very funny, is it? It’s rude and cruel. And it’s a mirror image of your piece.