fair and balanced my ass

I'm reading the Columbia Journalism Review this semester as part of my newspaper management class. At first glance, I thought this would be a refreshing look at journalism, and some of the articles were good, but I was very disappointed by an article on milblogs by Daniel Schulman.

The article was a good introduction to milblogs for those who had no idea what they were, which is a great service to the reader. But the approach taken by the author showed a liberal slant, whether intentional or not, which I best describe as blatant agenda setting and poor journalism due to the out right lack of objectivity and omitting one of the main points of milblogs.

Since combat began in Iraq in March 2003, “milblogs,” as they’re called, have been cropping up in increasing numbers. Some are sophomoric and laced with obscenities, while others offer frank and poignant accounts of what it’s like to fight this war. Their popularity has drawn the interest of book publishers, along with the scrutiny of military higher-ups concerned that milblogs could breach operational security. For the Pentagon there is also something else at play here: how to manage the flow of information from the field — especially when the military’s official version of events is contradicted by blogging soldiers.
[emphasis added, be sure to read the entire article]

Not once does Schulman mention the coverage milblogs provide to directly contradict the mainstream media. He does acknowledge the coverage they provide which the MSM woefully lacks:

The best of these blogs offer Americans back home a chance to connect with soldiers in ways that today’s media coverage does not.

But the omission of the fact that many milblogs aim to counter the deluge of negative news on the war that the MSM seems infatuated with.

I've almost stopped watching cable news because of the blatant slant against the Bush administration and its attempts to do the right thing to handle situations. And no, I am not including Fow News as a "news" channel; watching Fox News to counter the liberalism of the rest of the MSM is like setting your head on fire to get rid of lice.

The delivery of such biased messages under the guise of "objective" journalism is nothing more than delivery of intellectual poison. What ever happened to variety of viewpoints in the media?

-the Progressive Conservative

Read the full CJR article

Technorati tags: milblogs, Columbia Journalism Review, media bias

finally

I've been needing some good news to cheer me up, and here it is courtesy of sitemeter:



These stats are as of 1:35am CT 9/14/2005.

-the Progressive Conservative

On God and today's believers: the lukewarm Christian

During the college program at church last night, we watched a lesson by Louie Giglio in which he pointed out a passage from Revelations:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
-Revelations 3:20 (NJKV)

The lesson was about the invitation to have a personal relationship with God that is extended to each and everyone of us individually. But during the lesson, Louie brought out a fantastic point, citing an earlier verse:

"“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
-Revelations 3:15-16 (NKJV)

The lukewarm attitude is something that most American Christians are guilty of, mainly due to the absence of great hardships in our faiths for the most part. But it is still a great failing, as sighted by the scripture... of course, anything that would make Christ vomit would have to be pretty fierce. But it makes sense. You would rather have someone be "all in" or "all out", to use Giglio's poker example. This is because it makes a clear definition on where they stand.

So then, why do some many self-proclaimed Christians live the lukewarm faith by choice. It is one thing to slide into it, but to choose to remain in such a faith is baffling. The best I can figure is that convenience comes into play; the easy road is the greastest tempation for those who live easy lives.

But the warning for those in teh easy life is between the lines, so to speak:

"15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
-Revelations 3:15-20 (NKJV)

At the core of this is complacency, which is a terrible state of mind for the modern day Christian. We forget we live in a spiritual warzone, especially here in the Rome of our times.

Look for more posts on this and related reflections in the future.

-the Progressive Conservative

Technorati tags: Christianity, lukewarm faith, Revelations, Louie Giglio

Gas price update, prices settling

Well, the gas prices seem to be settling back down to where they were before Katrina, though many stations are still only offering regular unleaded. It has become clear when stations receive another shipment of fuel as the price drops the each one they recieve. The stations near my home have both reached $2.95 per gallon for regular unleaded, and I have seen as low as $2.91 and $2.89, so I think the fuel crisis is over for now.

-the Progressive Conservative

Technorati tags: Katrina, Katrina aftermath

gas update

I was suprised this morning to see that the two gas stations near my house were still only charging $2.89 per gallon, but a quickly found out why: both are completely out of gas. I stopped in to one of them and askedif they knew when they might receive any resupply. The attendent said possibly tomorrow, but also let me know that one or two other stations in town had received gas shipments today.

While this is not as bad as originally predicted, I get the feeling we may have to deal with shortages for quite sometime.

-the Progressive Conservative

Technorati tags: gas shortage, Katrina

Auburn University looks to assist Katrina relief efforts

From today's AU Daily:

LATEST HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF INFORMATION
As the clean up from Hurricane Katrina continues along the Gulf Coast, a number of AU departments are looking for ways to assist. The University is encouraging campus units to work with agencies such as the American Red Cross. Because of security issues, there will be no authorized collection of money at this weekend's football game. There will likely be an opportunity to donate at the Sept. 10 game; details are still being worked out and will be announced at the Ga. Tech game Saturday. The University is currently organizing a coordinated relief effort for storm victims. More information on how Auburn is responding and how you can help will be available early this afternoon at http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/katrina . One way departments are being called upon for assistance is through surplus furnishings, which will be used by Alabama schools affected by Katrina. Surplus property delivered to or picked up by AU's Surplus Property unit of Property Services on or after Tuesday, Sept. 6, will be targeted for transfer to public schools and school districts directly impacted by Hurricane Katrina in south Alabama. Surplus computer equipment, monitors in particular, should prove useful to the schools. Additionally, surplus furnishings including chairs, tables, and desks will be made available for transfer to the schools. AU departments requiring assistance with surplus property delivery to the Property Services Building on Pumphrey Avenue or departments seeking additional information should call Property Services at 844-5937.

-the Progressive Conservative

Technorati tags: Katrina, disaster relief

Aftermath

I've just been reading Robert's post over on InfOpinions about the aftermath of Katrina. It doesn't take much to watch CNN or Fox News to see how bad it really is in Louisiana or Mississippi.

Though the hurricane had relatively little affect on us here in Auburn, the aftermath is going to be huge. Yesterday, my father called to be sure I had heard about the potential gas shortage and to make I did fill-up my truck in case this area ran out; no more gas is expected to be delivered to the area before Monday. The price of gas had already reached $2.99 a gallon here in Lee County, Alabama, and I heard from a cousin in Monroe County, a little ways north of Mobile, that gas stations there were expecting to run out and will not received more for some time. She didn't say how high the price had gotten yet, but she had to wait over 30 minutes just to get to the pump at the station. And my roommate is hearing from friends in Louisville, Kentucky, that gas has already reached $3.14 a gallon up there.

This shortage is because Katrina plowed right through the middle of the oil platforms along the gulf coast and the refineries on the coast. Damage to these facilities as well as the infastructure leading to them is catastrophic, just like the rest of the affected areas.

GulfCoastNews.com has set up a web page for people to list those who are missing and possibly update information on them as it becomes known. At, 6:30am this morning, there were over 6,200 listing of those dead, alive, or missing.

Of course, the Red Cross is in need of donations in the wake of this catastrophy. You can give online or by calling 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669).


Please keep those affected by the storm in your thoughts and prayers.

-the Progressive Conservative

Technorati tags: Katrina, gas shortage, disaster relief