Comments for Wordsmith http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com Talk is cheap. Free speech isn't. Sat, 22 Mar 2008 01:32:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Journalism’s treatment of Obama by Tiffany http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/journalisms-treatment-of-obama/#comment-7 Tiffany Sat, 22 Mar 2008 01:32:40 +0000 http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/?p=11#comment-7 I have to say, I don't think it's really that hard to understand how Obama can say the things he says about Wright. Certainly not if you've been in that situation and aren't the sort of person to get yourself worked up easily, but rather willing to take a bigger picture view and learn from what people say - good and bad, agreed and disagreed - and you search out those of all opinions. There is probably someone in everyone's life whom each of us respects and looks up to, and if we found out something about their true beliefs on some topic, might be shocked or even offended. But that doesn't actually make the other things they have taught us invalid. That doesn't make the other experiences we can share with them and the joy from the other ways in which we know them suddenly wrong or different. It is just evidence that we are all complex, fallible people, who have to use our judgment pretty much at all times. I have to say, I don’t think it’s really that hard to understand how Obama can say the things he says about Wright. Certainly not if you’ve been in that situation and aren’t the sort of person to get yourself worked up easily, but rather willing to take a bigger picture view and learn from what people say – good and bad, agreed and disagreed – and you search out those of all opinions.

There is probably someone in everyone’s life whom each of us respects and looks up to, and if we found out something about their true beliefs on some topic, might be shocked or even offended. But that doesn’t actually make the other things they have taught us invalid. That doesn’t make the other experiences we can share with them and the joy from the other ways in which we know them suddenly wrong or different. It is just evidence that we are all complex, fallible people, who have to use our judgment pretty much at all times.

]]> Comment on a personal note, plus some common sense by tigereyezz http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/a-personal-note-plus-some-common-sense/#comment-6 tigereyezz Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:25:11 +0000 http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/?p=10#comment-6 Hi, I came, I saw, I now know:) Muhahaha Hi, I came, I saw, I now know:) Muhahaha

]]> Comment on The incredible shrinking newspaper by marisa http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/the-incredible-shrinking-newspaper/#comment-5 marisa Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:08:59 +0000 http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/?p=9#comment-5 it's a shame what's happening to small town papers. it seems to be happening everywhere... except in my small town. the summerville journal scene has a very loyal (if at times rabid) following and another little weekly paper just joined the ranks. so far it seems to be doing well. i know i'm no grammar goddess but one thing i find frustrating about our local papers is the lack of editing. the scene is only published twice a week and i think that should be plenty of time to do proper editing of copy. i'm tempted at times to throw myself into the ring and see if i could survive or make a difference. then i remember, i'm no journalist. *grins* i hope the local papers continue to fight. they're worth saving and keeping around. it’s a shame what’s happening to small town papers. it seems to be happening everywhere… except in my small town. the summerville journal scene has a very loyal (if at times rabid) following and another little weekly paper just joined the ranks. so far it seems to be doing well.
i know i’m no grammar goddess but one thing i find frustrating about our local papers is the lack of editing. the scene is only published twice a week and i think that should be plenty of time to do proper editing of copy. i’m tempted at times to throw myself into the ring and see if i could survive or make a difference. then i remember, i’m no journalist. *grins*
i hope the local papers continue to fight. they’re worth saving and keeping around.

]]> Comment on Bias by Tiffany http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/bias/#comment-3 Tiffany Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:35:07 +0000 http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4#comment-3 It reminds me of my science studies. Quantitative over qualitative. When that's not possible, there should be nothing of judgment or valuation in the qualitative descriptions. That is, essentially, an exercise left to the reader. Quite frankly, it pisses me off when a news article has words that imply judgment or value in the content. Half the time I disagree, half the time I think it's overstated. All the time, I also think that this writer should not be assuming to speak for me and everyone else who reads the article without having ever met me and everyone else. It's just plain arrogant. It reminds me of my science studies. Quantitative over qualitative. When that’s not possible, there should be nothing of judgment or valuation in the qualitative descriptions. That is, essentially, an exercise left to the reader.

Quite frankly, it pisses me off when a news article has words that imply judgment or value in the content. Half the time I disagree, half the time I think it’s overstated. All the time, I also think that this writer should not be assuming to speak for me and everyone else who reads the article without having ever met me and everyone else. It’s just plain arrogant.

]]> Comment on Challenging the status quo by Tiffany http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/challenging-the-status-quo/#comment-2 Tiffany Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:26:17 +0000 http://bobthewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3#comment-2 "We report in a world where more people likely care whether Britney Spears went out without panties again last night than how many Americans were killed this month in Iraq and Afghanistan." What about the evidence the contradicts this? There have been reports and studies don't that suggest this isn't the case. Perhaps the media is supplying something not needed or creating a false sense of desire (like many other markets have happening)? “We report in a world where more people likely care whether Britney Spears went out without panties again last night than how many Americans were killed this month in Iraq and Afghanistan.” What about the evidence the contradicts this? There have been reports and studies don’t that suggest this isn’t the case. Perhaps the media is supplying something not needed or creating a false sense of desire (like many other markets have happening)?

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