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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
June 15, 2007
/ 29 Sivan, 5767
The liberal media's misguided hero-worship
By
Jonah Goldberg
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In an age when Fox News is a ratings juggernaut and Katie Couric is ratings roadkill, it seems almost antique to talk about liberal media bias. But it's still out there, my friends. Just look at the hilarious press release masquerading as a news story in Time magazine. With a picture of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg looking like henchmen from Murder Inc., Time proclaims these politicians "The New Action Heroes."
And why are the Munchkin Mayor and the glandular Governator so heroic? Because they're taking care of business in a flash, as Elvis used to say (and probably still does on that Pacific island where he lives with Bruce Lee). Time's Michael Grunwald comes close to sounding like a teenage girl talking about Justin Timberlake. Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger are doing "big things," he tells us. "Specifically, they're doing big things that Washington has failed to do." Unlike politicians in the nation's capital, where "partisanship-on-crack has made compromise almost impossible," Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg have "got better things to do than bicker and posture."
And what are these better things? Well, they're both fighting global warming, natch. And Arnold's fighting for embryo-destroying stem cell research while Bloomberg, Grunwald gushes, has implemented "America's most draconian smoking ban and the first big-city trans-fat ban."
Heroes indeed!
It's a bit reminiscent of that "Simpsons" episode where Homer wants to sue an all-you-can-eat restaurant for cutting him off before he was full. His grasping trial lawyer, Lionel Hutz, tells him, "Mr. Simpson, this is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my suit against the film 'The Never-Ending Story.'"
"Do you think I have a case?" Homer asks hopefully.
"Now, Homer," Hutz replies, "I don't use the term 'hero' very often. But you are the greatest hero in American history."
The false advertising here is the never-ending story of elite journalism's bias toward "heroes" who expand government (which is why FDR remains the greatest hero in American history to so many Washington scribes). According to the daft formulas governing elite journalism, Grunwald can't be biased because he's saying nice things about (nominal) Republicans. But "balance" between Republicans and Democrats was never the crux of the question when it came to media bias.
Yes, of course, elite journalists are lopsidedly liberal according to pretty much every survey done over the last 30 years. Just for a moment imagine if instead of fighting global warming, advancing embryonic stem cell research and imposing smoking bans, Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg were delivering one victory after another for conservatives and pro-lifers. Is there anyone who thinks Time magazine would hail them as "heroes"?
But, again, that misses an important point. Political journalists at major media outlets are biased in favor of a narrowly defined "progress." They think the government's job is to advance the great wheel of history forward. They're like business reporters covering any other company. Businesses need to put out products. Companies have Tickle Me Elmos and G.I. Joes with the kung fu grip. Government has legislation and regulation, and when government fails to deliver its products, elite journalists claim "the system is broken."
Even the vocabulary of media coverage is biased. Whenever government passes new legislation, we are told that America has taken a major step "forward." When it repeals legislation, we moved "backward." And when Washington doesn't churn out the latest "reform," it fails to make "progress." Indeed, the word "reform" is itself loaded, because it means both to change shape and to improve. But the press doesn't bother with these distinctions, so every "reform" is portrayed as an improvement.
Consider the recent failure to pass "comprehensive immigration reform." The bill's collapse, in the words of the Washington Post's Dan Balz, "represents a scathing indictment of the political culture of Washington" and "another example of a polarized political system in which the center could not hold." Fox's Chris Wallace, in an unusual panic, asked why Washington could get the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s passed but couldn't get this done.
According to conventional analysis, such lamentations are entirely unbiased because they fret the failure of both Republicans and Democrats to get things done. But those aren't the relevant parties. The real parties in question are those who think passing a bill, any bill, is its own reward and those who do not.
For those of us who think the government that governs least, governs best, times are pretty good in Washington. For those who think the best politicians are the ones who most successfully impose their will on American society, times are depressing. Which is why reporters have to go on the road to find their "action heroes" these days.
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