Ya know - Ive been kinda following this whole thing and so far I have yet to hear one person give proof one way or the other as to whether the documents are real or not - there has been loads of speculation - mostly by other media "correspondents and advisors" that have said matterly of factly that the documents are faked - but they have yet to prove it - other than a few comments by some people on a blog that say they can prove it - but have yet to. Seems the other media outlets are using this as a good dissing of CBS - and so far the only theory I can find that makes any sense having lived through the Watergate years - is that that group of right-wingers that have been paying for all of the TV ads against Kerry, set up CBS - sounds like the most likely theory.
On the one of the other points about the quality of education in the US - it seems that for the last 30 years the quality has taken a nose-dive, along with the advent of less parental control and involvement with schoolwork other than soccer and bumper stickers - add to that the fact that I have listened to teachers in this area talk and seen their writing at our store - and they can't even use proper grammer or write proper English.

Funniest example I can remember lately - a teacher with her two kids walked into the locl pet store while I was there - the store has a beautiful Macaw sitting on a pole - the kids are all excited - and then I hear from the mothers mouth "Do He Talk?" - I yelled over "Yes he does, Do you?" :)

I was thinking more of the provenence of the documents, Burkett admitted he lied about who he got them from, in order to give a favorable reponse to CBS pressure for their source.

It's sloppy journalism, at the very least. I see Rather as being more a talking head for CBS execs than a decisionmaker in his own right. But the execs never fall on the sword... so maybe poor Dan will have to do the belly-cutting.

Interesting thread! If you are interested in the workings of the media, or always had the feeling you are being lied to - set aside an hour for this - there are some keen insites here into how the media operates:

http://sf.indymedia.org/uploads/myth...eral_media.ram

You will need real player to watch it.

Cheers!

Since this is about the media I think I would like to voice what I think I would like to see.
Fox News admit that they are Ultra Conservative this fair and balanced BS just has to go. The only people who think they are fair and balanced are the ones who wholeheartedly agree with them. O'Reilly being the biggest hypocrite of them all
CBS, NBC, ABC and CNN admit that they are seriously left leaning

And for M Moore to admit he is a professional shit stirrer and nothing more. He is a journalist like i am a nutritionist (those that know me will get that). The man lives for controversy and thats all

and finally, for the American public em masse to pay the fuck attention to the issues, and what the politicos stands on the issues are (from day to day) and make their own decisions based on their OWN thought processes.........no matter how weak or enfeebled those processes are.

Oh and world peace, and end of world hunger, a much bigger penis, a smaller waist and for every fucking super model in the world to want to have sex on camera with me!

is THAT too much to ask???
LOL


spaz

I take issue with these two points:
first as A retired vetran I can tell you that concurrent reciept was passed by the democrates. Bush refused to fund it untill last year when the dems attached the funding to other spending that Bush didnt want to cut. That said, Bush still made it a 10 year phase in so a large % of Vietnam vetrans will never live to see the full amount that they have deserved. Kerry has publicly stated he will make full payments if elected with no phase in.
also worth noting the largest pay raise in the history of the us forces was given by Carter A democrate. Daddy Bush trimmed the army not the dems. Down sizing and the base closure list was drawn up way before Clinton got elected. It happened during his term but was set in motion way before than

As far as crime and justice go Clinton put together a program to put more cops on the streets. Bush is now trying to pull the funding for that.

Its popular to call the media liberal biased now a days, but to me it seems the exact oppisite. The media had big fun with Carters brother billy (for those of us old enough to remember Billy Beer) and had no problem labeling Clinton "Slick Willy" But rarley is mentioned the antics of The Bush Daughters Known for Drunken Partying and Bush himself having the dubious distinction of being the first Elected US president to be convicted of DWI. Doesnt really fit in with his all american god fearing image does it?