It’s amazing that as the 20th century escapes from our rear view mirror, some hippie liberals are still recycling their Sixties angst. For God’s sakes, it’s almost 2007. Can’t someone graduate from college without a baby boomer commencement speaker pulling out a handkerchief over the sorry state of the world since the idealists shook their last tambourine on the Ed Sullivan Show?

The guilt-soaked commencement address was a common theme as 58 judges put on their reading glasses to select the Media Research Center’s “Best of Notable Quotables,” the annual compendium of very real press inanities. The “Quote of the Year” was awarded to New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. In a May 21 speech to graduates in New Paltz, New York, Junior poured out his apologies for the sorry state of the world passed on to the new graduates by negligent baby boomers.

As if political tradeoffs and deal-making isn't how politics works every day in the nation's capital, on Wednesday night NBC News Pentagon reporter Jim Miklaszewski delivered a nefarious take on President Bush's willingness to increase the size of the military, at least the Army and Marine Corps. Picking up on Bush's comments during his morning news conference, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams noted how “a lot of Generals have been asking for this for a long time, as recently as last week on Capitol Hill."

Miklaszewski, however, stressed how “some military officials are highly suspicious of the President's sudden turnaround on the issue” since “they believe that he's dangling that offer out there in an effort to buy the military's support for the option to surge additional American troops into Iraq -- as if it's some kind of tradeoff.” Those military leaders “that we're talking to,” Miklaszewski relayed, “still oppose a surge, they still believe it won't work and will put more Americans at risk.” He concluded: “As one senior military official put it today, it'll be like throwing kerosene on a fire." It may be unwise to “surge” troops, but a President giving in one area to get what he wants in another is hardly unusual. Normally the press corps laud such “compromise.”

It goes without saying that if you're the Commander-in-Chief, among the first people whose criticism you'd want to take into account would be . . . Hollywood movie stars. At least, that would seem to be Chris Matthews's opinion.

Have a look at this video clip from this afternoon's Hardball.

The specific object of Chris's ire was the president's suggestion at his press conference today that Americans shop more. Asked Matthews:

"I wonder if he's in touch with the critics out there, like Matt Damon, the actor, who was on this program Monday?"

Just before 4:30pm EST today (December 20), Tim Graham, Senior Editor of NewsBusters and Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center, was a guest on the Fox News Channel's Your World with Neil Cavuto. Topic: Time magazine's "People Who Mattered" in 2006 profiles in the December 25/January 1 issue. Amongst those on the list, Katie Couric and Al Gore, whom Time touted: “For His Second Act, Saving the Planet."

Video clip (4:30): Real (3.4 MB at 100 kbps) or Windows Media (2.9 MB at 81 kbps), plus MP3 audio (1.5 MB)

Now that times are difficult in Iraq, it’s easy for the media to claim they are simply reporting the bad news that is obvious to everyone. But how did networks such as CNN and MSNBC report more positive events? According to a new study by the MRC, overall, Fox News generated the most balanced coverage of news on the ground, while the other two cable networks consistently emphasized negative stories. FNC also displayed the highest enthusiasm on days such as June 8, when U.S. air strikes killed al-Qaeda in Iraq mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Over on MSNBC, while the anchors generally reported the event as good news, the network also chose that day to broadcast four stories on military deserters. On this seemingly happy occasion, CNN aired two reports on the already heavily hyped Haditha case.

Esteemed Professor and Law Expert Warns Of Police State Francis A Boyle says 9/11 was allowed to happen, war on terror is facilitating the downfall of The Republic, concentration camps are in place and US citizens are the targets

Infowars.net | December 19, 2006
Steve Watson

Alex Jones was joined on air this week by a leading American professor, practitioner of and expert on international law to discuss his detailed knowledge of the cover up of the 2001 anthrax attacks, which he is adamant were perpetrated by criminal elements of the US government in an attempt to foment a police state by killing off opposition to hardline post 9/11 legislation.

When Santa came to Wall Street this year, the media cried and pouted.    

With the Dow Jones Industrial Average at an all-time high and commodities markets experiencing one of their best years in decades, Wall Street firms were feeling especially merry this year. The media responded as if they had seen Jacob Marley’s ghost.

NBC’s John Seigenthaler gloomily downplayed Wall Streeters’ good fortunes by stating:

Richard Lowry wrote an article that takes conservatives to task for attacking the mainstream media over its coverage of the war in Iraq. Ed Morrissey over at Captains Quarters agrees with Lowry for the most part, adding some advice for bloggers not to become so paranoid that they fail to discriminate between biased news and good reporting.

I agree with both articles on many points. Not all coverage of the war is biased and the media certainly shouldn't ignore bad news on the war effort for the sake of presenting a picture that isn't true. But there is a difference between reporting the news and being an advocate for a political party that stands to gain if the "opposition party" fails in the effort to win the war. Objectivity is thrown out the window when this happens and good news is simply ignored.

New York Senator Hillary Clinton appeared on Wednesday’s The View to discuss politics and the re-release of her book, It Takes a Village. While there was some cheerleading for the 2008 Democratic presidential frontrunner by co-hosts Joy Behar and Rosie O’Donnell, for the most part, there seemed to be a great deal of restraint on all sides during Clinton’s two segments. Asked about a potential run for the White House, Clinton again said she was thinking about it "trying to sort all this out." On the war in Iraq, Clinton only got one challenging question in regards to her support of a "phased redeployment," from co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck:

Senator Hillary Clinton: "....So, if it's not going to change the mission, if it's not going to be a different strategy, I don't see where putting more troops will make a difference."

Elisabeth Hasselbeck: "Do you think pulling them out too early will–would equate to–sometimes I think of it as, you know, not finishing all of your antibiotics. Okay, there’s a problem there."

Clinton: "Right."

Hasselbeck: "So if you pull out too early, will that create more chaos?"

Demand Joy Behar's resignation for comparing Rumsfield to Hitler.  Go to website below.

The US protects free speach--what we need to do more is fiercly discriminate against ignorant speech. Make a difference, improve the media. improve the US--demand ABC fire Joy.

(Writing investor relations, and selling Disney stock, as well as never renting, buying or viewing another ABC or Disney product again may also work.)

http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html

Only takes 2 minutes.....Get as many friends and family on board as well.

Demand Joy Behar's resignation for comparing Rumsfield to Hitler.

The US protects free speach--what we need to do more is fiercly discriminate against ignorant speech. Make a difference, improve the media. improve the US--demand ABC fire Joy.

(Writing investor relations, and selling Disney stock, as well as never renting, buying or viewing another ABC or Disney product again may also work.)

http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html

The Inventory office – dept.Cultural Property of Diocese of Novara, and HAL9000 Srl from Novara, have produced a digital picture of 8,6 billion pixels showing the “Parete Gaudenziana”, a fresco made by the painter Gaudenzio Ferrari dated 1513, which can be seen in the partition of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in the convent of Varallo Sesia, diocese of Novara and Province of Vercelli.
The image stands at the boundaries of the modern opportunities as for the final dimensions of the digital picture. The picture has been created joining electronically 1145 images, each 12,2 Megapixel and 16 bit per color channel.
The 8,6 Gigapixel digital picture of the Parete Gaudenziana can be explored in detail on the site www.haltadefinizione...

Technical Info

Photo Shots: 1.145

During a presidential news conference on Wednesday, members of the media made it very clear to President Bush that they do not support increasing troop levels in Iraq. Although no such plan has been officially announced, several print and television reporters appeared to be launching a preemptive strike against the idea and in support of a quick withdrawal. During the hour long question and answer session, a "New York Times" reporter made comparisons to Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam. CBS correspondent Jim Axelrod asked how much longer the President will continue to defy the polls, and NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell tried to trap Bush into a game of criticizing Donald Rumsfeld. Early in the news conference, Reuters reporter Caren Bohan commenced the media attack on any plan that would increase troop strength in Iraq:

Caren Bohan: "If you conclude that a surge in troop levels in Iraq is needed, would you overrule your military commanders if they felt it was not a good idea?"

Bush: "That’s a dangerous hypothetical question. I am not condemning you, you are allowed to ask what you want. Let, let me wait and gather all the recommendations from Bob Gates, from our military, from diplomats on the ground. I’m interested in the Iraqis point of view, and then I will report back to you as to whether or not I support a surge or not. Nice try."

As Brent Baker noted on Tuesday, the "CBS Evening News" framed the story of Laura Bush’s skin cancer around how the White House didn’t reveal it rather than the cancer itself, and Wednesday’s "Early Show" continued this theme. CBS News correspondent Joie Chen asserted that Tony Snow got his "Christmas goose cooked" by downplaying the story, and "Early Show" co-host Rene Syler opened the segment by noting the "fallout" from the fact that "the White House felt the need to keep it secret for so long."

This is not the first time the Bush White House has been accused by the media of being "secretive." However, what business is the health status of Laura Bush to the media or anyone else outside the Bush family? Yet, other than clips of White House press secretary Tony Snow insisting during a press briefing that First Lady Laura Bush has privacy rights, and is a private citizen, there was no mention by the reporters that Laura Bush is not a public official. Instead, Ms. Chen used this incident to imply the White House is hiding other health secrets. And later, Chen further asserted that the First Lady could have avoided this whole controversy, if only she had worn pants instead of a skirt:

In keeping with the holiday season, it appears that Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has released a new videotape. In this one (translation altered by ScrappleFace for our amusement), the brains behind al Qaeda has converted to Christianity, and offers a Christmas blessing to Americans, and to his new friends, the Jews (video available here, hat tip to Hot Air).

Pay particular attention as the al Qaeda leader offers “to the people [he] used to call infidels” a blessing that “may come as a surprise.” He tells us that “reading the Koran only kills time.” Alas, he wonders: “If there really is a God, would he use suicide bombers ripping apart women and children to establish His law on earth?”

His marvelous answer:

AT: Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, announced that he would take his Congressional oath using a Koran, rather than a Bible. ...

A link to a response by Dennis Prager is provided, America, Not Keith Ellison, Decides What Book a Congressman Takes His Oath on

The conflict which occurs is how does a man who does not believe in God take an oath to him? How can the Koran support a political system such as ours?

Say what you will about the Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol, but he is certainly a good sport. On Tuesday, the well-known conservative set himself up as a witting punching bag for the liberal comedian Jon Stewart on the “Daily Show,” and in between low-blows and kidney punches, Kristol got some good jabs in of his own (video available here).

Stewart’s focus predictably was how poorly the Iraq war is going in his view, and just how wrong President Bush and folks like Kristol were in their predictions for this incursion. As Kristol sat and took the comedic beating with grace and aplomb, he made a marvelous observation about how much differently he was being treated by Stewart as opposed to liberal guests like Barack Obama, and, just the night before, Iowa Governor and presidential candidate Tom Vilsack. What follows is a rough transcript of Kristol’s views concerning Stewart’s interview biases:

Interviewing Rick Davis, chairman of John McCain's presidential exploratory committee, on MSNBC at about 11:45 AM today, NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell [NB file photo] demanded to know why McCain had hired Terry Nelson as his campaign manager. She described Nelson as "the man who was behind that dreadful commercial against Harold Ford. This is John McCain, the victim of these kinds of attacks in the South Carolina primary and other primaries back in 2000."

"Dreadful"? How about "funny and on the mark"? Who declared the ad "dreadful" other than the DNC and the MSM?

Comment on the issues of the day and anything else.

I know there's only so much space, but today's subscription-only editorial in the Wall Street Journal missed a BIG chance to tell people something that the formerly Mainstream Media never gets around to telling people -- Social Security, contrary to popular belief, is a "progressive" tax system in its own right. Though the payroll tax taken in isolation is "regressive" because it is not assessed above a certain income level (at annual earnings above roughly $90,000), the fact that the more you make, the less you get in retirement benefits (compared to what you earned while you were working) more than offsets any nominal "regressiveness."

You doubt? Though the below from my classroom presentations changes every year, and still needs to be updated for the benefit increase announced in November, it makes the point (Warning: Mood-swing alert for upper-middle and greater income earners -- Ed.):

As noted in a Wednesday subscription-only editorial, Nancy Pelosi already has the steeply progressive tax system Democrats want:

The Top 1% Pay 35%

Maybe our liberal friends are onto something. They keep saying the rich should pay more taxes, and it turns out the rich already are! That's one of the valuable lessons from the IRS's annual study of income tax data, just released for 2004.

Americans who earned more than $1 million in adjusted gross income paid $178 billion, or an average of $740,000 per filer, in income taxes in 2004. That's up about one-third from 2002, the year before the Bush tax cuts in marginal income-tax and dividend and capital gains rates. The wealthiest 1% of tax filers paid a remarkable 35% of all individual income-tax payments that year.

I love the following analogy, but WSJ could have gone further with it:

Somebody needs a hug. Asked by David Gregory on this morning's "Today" whether his dismal poll numbers would deter a presidential run, Kerry responded: "Not in the least. You know, most of those other people haven't had several hundred million dollars worth of negative framing against them."

Aw-w-w. Love Hillary or hate her, but I'd say that over the last 12 years a penny or two's worth of "negative framing" has been laid on her. Yet according to the poll NBC displayed she has a more than 3:1 lead over Kerry.

Kerry did offer a huge ray of hope, informing us that he's "sitting here in Damascus, trying to figure out how we're going to solve the problems of the Middle East."

Be sure to let us know when you have, senator.

President Bush submitted to a 25-minute interview Tuesday with the three Washington Post White House correspondents: Peter Baker, Michael Fletcher, and Michael Abramowitz. The transcript in today's Post leaves the definite impression it was another game of asking "when will you submit to the will of the Democrats, er, the people?" The tone of questioning suggests Bush is denying the reality that America is now in the capable hands of a MoveOn.org majority, and demands that he "listen" to their wish list, since his wishes are no longer viable:

Given the election results, is increasing the troop level in Iraq even a viable possibility or option?

Yes, Mike, all options are viable.

– given the political will out there?