I suppose MM's new movie is the big news. I admit I was disturbed to learn that grown women and men plunked down something like $22 million dollars to see the fraud this weekend. But then I realized that the Nigerian 419 scam grosses hundred of millions of dollars annually, year after year, despite (because of?) its obvious nature. Of course, the 419 scam appeals to one's greed, while Moore's 911 scam appeals to one's hate, but they're both such obvious fakes it makes you wonder.
I'm sure you've already seen Beautiful Atrocities' reviewer quote roundup comparing what the reviewers said about Fahrenheit 911 compared to The Passion of the Christ. Even movie reviews are tainted by media bias. My own hometown St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a nutty marxist who hasn't met a conspiracy theory he doesn't believe as its lead reviewer. Speaking of Mel Gibson's movie, what happened to all that anti-semitism it was supposed to spark? Why does anybody believe anything the media says?
I like Joe's general movie reviews, but there is a good reason he is a movie reviewer and not a political reporter. Of course, Jo Mannies is pretty bad too...for entirely different reasons.
The Post lacks political diversity, unless you consider going from the left all the way to the extreme left diverse. It's amazing - not just the editorial page and columnists, but the whole staff. Sports writers, movie reviewers, why I'd bet you Chip Tynan leans left too. When Bill McClellan is as far right as anyone goes, it makes you wonder. We don't live in San Fransisco.
When more news gets broken in the local gossip column than by reporters, something is wrong with your reporters. Sometimes you feel like they only talk to the sources they first started with 20 years ago. Does Pat Rice ever do a story that isn't about Catholics or Episcopalians, and where is she on the Burke bruhaha?
I love Harry Levins writing - why doesn't he get to do more than an occasional piece and the stupid national gossip column which is just a cut and paste from other sources anyway. There's a war on, that's his beat, is he in semi-retirement?
The post is such a tired newspaper for tired people - KMOX for the eyes. It's mostly reprints from other papers. The whole staff seems to phone it in these days. Is Jake Wegman the only reporter that gets off his butt and covers anymore?
Funny you said that about Peterson--some of the guys who come into work on campaigns are like "what do you mean the gossip columnist breaks all the stories....?"
Welcome to St. Louis, we do things differently here.