| Page 1 of 2 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look
at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Beats me. Why don't you write to the paper? You'll probably say you don't have the time, but I'll bet you'll spend more time complaining about it here. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Late next summer, NOYB will be touting the increase in gasoline sales. "After all, it's up 33-13% from last year." Do you mean an increase in the number of gallons consumed? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Malls have become a thing of the past. (already) The new trend is streetscape type developments with all stores having a exterior entrance and convenient parking |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Beats me. Why don't you write to the paper? You'll probably say you don't have the time, but I'll bet you'll spend more time complaining about it here. Why would I write to a paper that would simply send the letter to the trash bin? It's much more effective to point out the bias in blogs across the internet. If you haven't noticed, the major news organizations are losing readership, and the internet is taking their place. You can reach more readers tapping away at an internet keyboard, than sending a letter to a newpaper that would probably never even publish the letter. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Beats me. Why don't you write to the paper? You'll probably say you don't have the time, but I'll bet you'll spend more time complaining about it here. Why would I write to a paper that would simply send the letter to the trash bin? It's much more effective to point out the bias in blogs across the internet. If you haven't noticed, the major news organizations are losing readership, and the internet is taking their place. You can reach more readers tapping away at an internet keyboard, than sending a letter to a newpaper that would probably never even publish the letter. Major news organizations are ALL losing ***PRINT*** readership and gaining online readership. I'm not sure where you get your stats from, but I heard this from real source: An interview a month ago with Craig Dubow, president and CEO of Gannett. Do you suppose he has any reliable data on this issue? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? Since the NY Times made sure to publish the gloom and doom headline about this weekend's sales numbers, do you think they'll make an effort to correct the story now that Saturday's numbers are in? Holiday sales dip, then they dazzle Season-opening weekend rises 22% By Lorrie Grant USA TODAY Retailers' hopes for their biggest season were boosted as sales picked up steam on Saturday, after a Friday kickoff that was down slightly from last year. In all, about 145 million shoppers swarmed stores and the Internet over the weekend and spent an estimated $27.8 billion - up 22% from the weekend a year ago - according to a survey of retailers by the National Retail Federation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday and Saturday saw a 22% rise in sales from a year ago! So where is the NY Times on this story? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:TwEif.519 Do you think the NYT invented stories...... They have a record of doing just that. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
Your problem is due to one or more of these three reasons:
1) You read the headline, but not the article. 2) You read the article, but you are the poster boy for reading comprehension problems. 3) Numbers 1 and 2 are false, but you posted your nonsensical message because you're hung over from the weekend and just felt like making waves. The actual article simply says that mall merchants had vastly different experiences than the big discount chains. It discusses trends, and does not suggest that mall sales results are an indication of the retail economy as a whole. The New York Times November 28, 2005 Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data By MICHAEL BARBARO As the nation's retail executives began poring over, and in some cases despairing over, sales receipts from the holiday weekend, one pattern became clearer: consumers mobbed discount chains, with their $398 laptops and 5 a.m. openings, but largely shopped right past other specialty retailers at the mall. The disparity, analysts said, could indicate a tough season ahead for clothing retailers like Gap and Aéropostale and even deeper discounts for shoppers as the chains scramble to build momentum in the crucial approach to Christmas. ShopperTrak, which measures purchases at 45,000 mall-based merchants, found that sales for the day after Thanksgiving fell 0.9 percent from last year, to $8.01 billion, a figure not adjusted for inflation. "The specialty guys just got outgunned this time around," said John D. Morris, a retail analyst at Harris Nesbitt. The winners, he said, were the discount chains with locations outside the malls, apparently the beneficiaries of an 11.4 percent increase in weekend spending among Visa USA cardholders. Wal-Mart reported that a record 10 million shoppers walked through its doors before noon Friday. In a recorded phone call over the weekend, the company said Friday sales "exceeded plans" and that consumers continued to shop after the early discounts expired. One possible explanation for the in-the-mall, outside-the-mall discrepancy: discount chains, led by Wal-Mart, blitzed consumers with advertising well before Thanksgiving, opened their stores even earlier than last year and offered the most talked-about discounts, like a $188 15-inch flat-panel television at Circuit City and a $77 H.P. four-megapixel digital camera at Staples. The mall-based merchants, on the other hand, largely avoided circulars or television advertising. Gap, in a surprising break with tradition, stopped marketing its marquee brand on TV after years of aggressive campaigns with stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Missy Elliott and Joss Stone. (Gap, saying store traffic "deteriorated beyond anticipated levels," is predicting a relatively weak holiday.) It appeared that the Web snatched at least some of the traditional mall business. ComScore Networks, a market research firm, said online purchases rose 22 percent for the day after Thanksgiving, to $305 million. Later mall openings may have also hampered specialty retailers. "If you look at the retailers that went all out on Friday, many of them opened at 5 a.m. You did not see a lot of malls doing that," said Ellen Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, an industry trade group in Washington Karen MacDonald, a spokeswoman for Taubman Centers, said most of the company's 23 shopping centers did not open until 8 a.m., three hours after bargain hunters sprinted into Best Buy, Circuit City and Wal-Mart. Discounting at mall-based stores nevertheless may have lowered their overall sales for Friday, said Bill Martin, one of ShopperTrak's founders. For the day after Thanksgiving, the Gap ran a "buy one, get the second half off" promotion; American Eagle Outfitters offered 15 percent off before noon; and by Saturday Aéropostale marked down much of its inventory 50 percent. At the Aéropostale in Manhattan Mall on Saturday, where striped hooded sweaters and distressed denim appeared thoroughly picked over, Damaris Torres, 23, bought a pair of jeans, regularly $50, for $10. "It's like basically free," she said. The 50 percent off sale "is really, really good" agreed Yomhyra Martinez, a 15-year-old from Boston, who stood in line at Aéropostale to buy two hooded sweaters because "most of my friends own hoodies." Despite a slower-than-expected start at the mall, the National Retail Federation stood by its forecast for the holiday season yesterday. It expects sales to rise 6 percent over 2004, which would make this year's performance good, but by no means great. Since 1999, when sales grew more than 8 percent, merchants have learned to live with more modest gains. In a survey of more than 4,000 consumers over the weekend, the federation found that 61 percent made purchases at discount retailers, 47 percent at department stores and 41 percent at specialty stores. Over all, it estimated that the weekend's spending would rise 22 percent, to $27.8 billion. A handful of department stores proved a bright spot at the mall. J. C. Penney, whose sustained turnaround has surprised analysts who long ago predicted the death of the midtier department store, said Black Friday broke a record for customer traffic and sales. "The day clearly exceeded our expectations," Ken Hicks, the chain's president, said in an interview. But customers showed little interest in paying full price. Inside Macy's flagship store in Manhattan, a whirl of gold ornaments and red carpets, customers waved 20-percent-off coupons at the checkout counters. Marilyn Rivera, a 37-year-old single mother, bought two pairs of cowboys boots: designed by Jessica Simpson, for herself; the other by Nine West, for her daughter, both 50 percent off. "The deals seem to be better than other years," said Ms. Rivera of the Bronx. It was unclear how much of the increase in spending by Visa users was simply a result of more shoppers with new debit and credit cards. The company said purchases of computers and electronics, a category ShopperTrak largely overlooks because the biggest sellers have moved out of the malls, rose 20.6 percent. Spending on home furnishings, meanwhile, jumped 14.1 percent. "You don't make those kinds of purchases if you are not feeling somewhat comfortable with your financial position," said Paul Cohen, a vice president at Visa. On Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, that comfort was apparent. Kathleen McLean, a 41-year-old lawyer from South Dartmouth, Mass., split four bags from American Girl Place with her husband. Neatly packed inside were two pairs of pajamas, one for her niece, the other for her niece's American Girl doll. "I kind of went overboard," Ms. McLean said. * Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"John Gaquin" wrote in message ... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:TwEif.519 Do you think the NYT invented stories...... They have a record of doing just that. Perhaps you should read the article before you continue pulling words out of your ass. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... Your problem is due to one or more of these three reasons: 1) You read the headline, but not the article. 2) You read the article, but you are the poster boy for reading comprehension problems. 3) Numbers 1 and 2 are false, but you posted your nonsensical message because you're hung over from the weekend and just felt like making waves. The actual article simply says that mall merchants had vastly different experiences than the big discount chains. It discusses trends, and does not suggest that mall sales results are an indication of the retail economy as a whole. I read the full article and I'm fully aware of what point the author is trying to make. The article itself is pretty fair and impartial. But true to NY Times form, they run a headline on the one negative that comes out of the weekend's sales data, and completely ignore the fact that retail sales were up 22% for the weekend compared to a year ago. You and I aren't like the average Joe walking down the street, where all he does is glance at a headline and forms an opinion about the general shape of the economy from that headline. Headlines help to shape public opinion and confidence. Bad economic news begets bad economic news. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message ... On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:40:43 GMT, "NOYB" wrote: Friday and Saturday saw a 22% rise in sales from a year ago! So where is the NY Times on this story? I haven't read any of the articles, so I really can't comment on *them,* but from what you have posted, a likely scenario is that, as predicted, a larger percentage of business is being transacted over the Internet and at big-box stores. That would hurt Mall Stores, which is what, from what you have posted, the NYT article was about. That is precisely what this particular NY Times story is about. But if you scan their business section, you will find that they don't make mention of what a great weekend retailers *in general* had. Good news (during a Republican presidency) doesn't make the news if you're the NY Times. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net... Headlines help to shape public opinion and confidence. Bad economic news begets bad economic news. Only if you're a complete idiot who decides not to shop because other people didn't shop as much as they were supposed to. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Headlines help to shape public opinion and confidence. Bad economic news begets bad economic news. Only if you're a complete idiot who decides not to shop because other people didn't shop as much as they were supposed to. So you're under the impression that consumer confidence plays no role in influencing people's spending habits? Then why keep track of consumer confidence? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message nk.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Headlines help to shape public opinion and confidence. Bad economic news begets bad economic news. Only if you're a complete idiot who decides not to shop because other people didn't shop as much as they were supposed to. So you're under the impression that consumer confidence plays no role in influencing people's spending habits? Then why keep track of consumer confidence? Because the numbers are a necessary form of advertising. Much of the country shops because it's expected, not because of real needs. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:KHFif.498 Do you think the NYT invented stories...... They have a record of doing just that. Perhaps you should read the article vulgarity deleted I did, but that changed nothing. The Times still has a record of making stuff up. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"John Gaquin" wrote in message ... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:KHFif.498 Do you think the NYT invented stories...... They have a record of doing just that. Perhaps you should read the article vulgarity deleted I did, but that changed nothing. The Times still has a record of making stuff up. It's shameful to hear you repeating what others have told you to say. What facts are your opinion based on? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 09:46:09 -0500, "P Fritz"
wrote: "NOYB" wrote in message link.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Malls have become a thing of the past. (already) The new trend is streetscape type developments with all stores having a exterior entrance and convenient parking I wish you'd tell that to the folks building the malls around here! One of our biggest, Tyson's Corner, just increased it's size by about a third. The others remain packed! We now have a local LL Bean. Seems like they wouldn't put the money into a thing of the past. -- John H "It's not a *baby* kicking, beautiful bride, it's just a fetus!" [A Self-obsessed Hypocrite] |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"P Fritz" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Malls have become a thing of the past. (already) The new trend is streetscape type developments with all stores having a exterior entrance and convenient parking Yep. Retail, light commercial and residential all mixed into a large park. Here is one in Westlake, Ohio within 15 minutes of us that opened just last year: http://www.crockerpark.com/ Here is one on the east side of Cleveland that opened a couple of years ago. http://www.legacy-village.com Here is one in Columbus, Ohio: http://www.eastontowncenter.com/ |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
" *JimH*" wrote in message . .. "P Fritz" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Malls have become a thing of the past. (already) The new trend is streetscape type developments with all stores having a exterior entrance and convenient parking Yep. Retail, light commercial and residential all mixed into a large park. Here is one in Westlake, Ohio within 15 minutes of us that opened just last year: http://www.crockerpark.com/ Here is one on the east side of Cleveland that opened a couple of years ago. http://www.legacy-village.com Here is one in Columbus, Ohio: http://www.eastontowncenter.com/ The buzzword is "lifestyle centers" http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/lets/03041ltb.pdf |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 19:11:20 -0500, " *JimH*" wrote:
"P Fritz" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... Was Black Friday sales good? Or poor? It depends upon who you ask. Look at the following headlines: AP: 'There was a lot of hype, but results were on lukewarm side'... NYT: Mall Stores See Trouble in Sales Data... Financial Times: Wall Street seen boosted by strong Black Friday... BLOOMBERG: 'It was a very good weekend'... Why are liberals eternal pessimists? NYT story: Who do you suppose they interviewed about sales data? Do you have that information? Do you think the NYT invented stories from non-existent merchants? The NYT chose to focus their headlines on the negative mall store data (down a mere 0.9% if early estimates are accurate) rather than the exceptionally strong data coming from the discount chains outside the mall...which saw an 11.4% increase in spending. Why does a 0.9% decline in sales make their headlines, but an 11.4% increase doesn't get mentioned until halfway down an article about "lukewarm" sales? Malls have become a thing of the past. (already) The new trend is streetscape type developments with all stores having a exterior entrance and convenient parking Yep. Retail, light commercial and residential all mixed into a large park. Here is one in Westlake, Ohio within 15 minutes of us that opened just last year: http://www.crockerpark.com/ Here is one on the east side of Cleveland that opened a couple of years ago. http://www.legacy-village.com Here is one in Columbus, Ohio: http://www.eastontowncenter.com/ They look nice. Reston, VA, has an area much like that. But, when it rains, the malls catch all the folks afraid to get wet. -- John H "It's not a *baby* kicking, beautiful bride, it's just a fetus!" [A Self-obsessed Hypocrite] |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:4LGif.524 It's shameful to hear you repeating what others have told you to say. What facts are your opinion based on? Who? Told me to say what? Does the name Blair mean anything? And that other guy - names eludes me - also gone from NYT over fabrication. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"John Gaquin" wrote in message ... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:4LGif.524 It's shameful to hear you repeating what others have told you to say. What facts are your opinion based on? Who? Told me to say what? Does the name Blair mean anything? And that other guy - names eludes me - also gone from NYT over fabrication. My memory's fuzzy with regard to those incidents. How many occurrences were there? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:24Yif.584. My memory's fuzzy with regard to those incidents. How many occurrences were there? Those and a couple of others, iirc. For a newspaper that wants to preserve the perception that they are the paper of record for the USA, any number greater than zero is disastrous. They also tailor their selective wording for subtle innuendo, as does the Boston Globe (now naught more than a suburban supplement to the Times). All through the last campaign, the intentions were obvious. Whenever Kerry met with some group to ask for support, column heads would be phrased as Kerry meets...., Kerry confers....., Kerry solicits. When GB did the same thing, the wording was more aggressive, more violent: Bush hits......, Bush targets......, Bush chases. Its was never too hard to see what was going on. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"John Gaquin" wrote in message ... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:24Yif.584. My memory's fuzzy with regard to those incidents. How many occurrences were there? Those and a couple of others, iirc. For a newspaper that wants to preserve the perception that they are the paper of record for the USA, any number greater than zero is disastrous. They also tailor their selective wording for subtle innuendo, as does the Boston Globe (now naught more than a suburban supplement to the Times). All through the last campaign, the intentions were obvious. Whenever Kerry met with some group to ask for support, column heads would be phrased as Kerry meets...., Kerry confers....., Kerry solicits. When GB did the same thing, the wording was more aggressive, more violent: Bush hits......, Bush targets......, Bush chases. Its was never too hard to see what was going on. What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. Now, do you ever shop at Home Depot? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " D'oh. You really don't get it. I don't care about the messenger or the message, so long as they contribute even indirectly to crippling Bush even a little so he is less able to destroy America. If the messenger is Jason Leopold, the message has absolutely no affect on Bush. The only people reading his stuff are the DUmmies over at Democratic Underground. Got it now? You should. I have been very consistent on this. I am in favor of anything that harms Bush politically. It's an attribute I learned from the Bush primary campaign of 2000, when the future presidummy's handlers went after John McCain. McCain needed "going after". The man is unstable. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " Oh no...you're repeating your president's worst lines now? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:24:17 -0500, Harry Krause wrote:
NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " D'oh. You really don't get it. I don't care about the messenger or the message, so long as they contribute even indirectly to crippling Bush even a little so he is less able to destroy America. Got it now? You should. I have been very consistent on this. I am in favor of anything that harms Bush politically. It's an attribute I learned from the Bush primary campaign of 2000, when the future presidummy's handlers went after John McCain. What you can't seem to understand is that your attitude does more to help Bush than hinder him. It has become obvious that many Democrat extremists want *only* what's 'bad for Bush', regardless of what it does to this country. -- John H "It's not a *baby* kicking, beautiful bride, it's just a fetus!" [A Self-obsessed Hypocrite] |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:24:17 -0500, Harry Krause wrote: NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " D'oh. You really don't get it. I don't care about the messenger or the message, so long as they contribute even indirectly to crippling Bush even a little so he is less able to destroy America. Got it now? You should. I have been very consistent on this. I am in favor of anything that harms Bush politically. It's an attribute I learned from the Bush primary campaign of 2000, when the future presidummy's handlers went after John McCain. What you can't seem to understand is that your attitude does more to help Bush than hinder him. It has become obvious that many Democrat extremists want *only* what's 'bad for Bush', regardless of what it does to this country. With little exception, what is bad for Bush is good for this country. GI's get killed------bad for the Commander in Chief. Is it good for the country? News about prison abuse used as propaganda-----bad for Bush. Good for the country? 30,000 jobs lost at GM----bad for Bush. Good for the country? I'm wondering what "exceptions" you're talking about? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"NOYB" wrote in message ink.net... "Harry Krause" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:24:17 -0500, Harry Krause wrote: NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " D'oh. You really don't get it. I don't care about the messenger or the message, so long as they contribute even indirectly to crippling Bush even a little so he is less able to destroy America. Got it now? You should. I have been very consistent on this. I am in favor of anything that harms Bush politically. It's an attribute I learned from the Bush primary campaign of 2000, when the future presidummy's handlers went after John McCain. What you can't seem to understand is that your attitude does more to help Bush than hinder him. It has become obvious that many Democrat extremists want *only* what's 'bad for Bush', regardless of what it does to this country. With little exception, what is bad for Bush is good for this country. GI's get killed------bad for the Commander in Chief. Is it good for the country? News about prison abuse used as propaganda-----bad for Bush. Good for the country? 30,000 jobs lost at GM----bad for Bush. Good for the country? I'm wondering what "exceptions" you're talking about? "Narcissists are noted for their negative, pessimistic, cynical, or gloomy outlook on life. Sarcasm seems to be a narcissistic specialty, not to mention spite. Lacking love and pleasure, they don't have a good reason for anything they do and they think everyone else is just like them, except they're honest and the rest of us are hypocrites. Nothing real is ever perfect enough to satisfy them, so are they are constantly complaining and criticizing -- to the point of verbal abuse and insult. " |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... NOYB wrote: "Harry Krause" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:24:17 -0500, Harry Krause wrote: NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " D'oh. You really don't get it. I don't care about the messenger or the message, so long as they contribute even indirectly to crippling Bush even a little so he is less able to destroy America. Got it now? You should. I have been very consistent on this. I am in favor of anything that harms Bush politically. It's an attribute I learned from the Bush primary campaign of 2000, when the future presidummy's handlers went after John McCain. What you can't seem to understand is that your attitude does more to help Bush than hinder him. It has become obvious that many Democrat extremists want *only* what's 'bad for Bush', regardless of what it does to this country. With little exception, what is bad for Bush is good for this country. GI's get killed------bad for the Commander in Chief. Is it good for the country? News about prison abuse used as propaganda-----bad for Bush. Good for the country? 30,000 jobs lost at GM----bad for Bush. Good for the country? I'm wondering what "exceptions" you're talking about? GI's get killed...more evidence of Bush's bad judgment Prison abuses...more evidence of Bush's bad leadership Layoffs...more evidence of Bush's lack of a plan to re-industrialize America. You told me how those things are bad for Bush. You didn't tell me how those things are good for America. So I'll ask again: How is it good for the country if GI's are killed or abuse prisoners? How is it good if GM lays off 30,000 people? |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... wasted lives of US troops coming home in body bags... In the long run, these will help get us out of Iraq. So as we said, your side benefits from a high death count...which is why in some morbid sort of way you delight in the fact that it has gone over 2100. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... NOYB wrote: "Harry Krause" wrote in message ... wasted lives of US troops coming home in body bags... In the long run, these will help get us out of Iraq. So as we said, your side benefits from a high death count...which is why in some morbid sort of way you delight in the fact that it has gone over 2100. My "side" laments these wasted deaths. At the moment, there is nothing we can do about them. But we do see that as the numbers pile up, more and more decent Americans are reaching a state of revulsion over Bush's lies. But go ahead and make something more out my statement than I mean. It's about all you righties have left, eh? Your war against Iraq is an utter failure. Once again, we have shown the world that our mighty military cannot defeat a dedicated insurgency, especially in an artificial country that was only held together by the actions of a brutal dictator. Iraq will disintegrate. Bet on it. I have just returned from my fourth trip to Iraq in the past 17 months and can report real progress there. More work needs to be done, of course, but the Iraqi people are in reach of a watershed transformation from the primitive, killing tyranny of Saddam to modern, self-governing, self-securing nationhood--unless the great American military that has given them and us this unexpected opportunity is prematurely withdrawn. Progress is visible and practical. In the Kurdish North, there is continuing security and growing prosperity. The primarily Shiite South remains largely free of terrorism, receives much more electric power and other public services than it did under Saddam, and is experiencing greater economic activity. The Sunni triangle, geographically defined by Baghdad to the east, Tikrit to the north and Ramadi to the west, is where most of the terrorist enemy attacks occur. And yet here, too, there is progress. There are many more cars on the streets, satellite television dishes on the roofs, and literally millions more cell phones in Iraqi hands than before. All of that says the Iraqi economy is growing. And Sunni candidates are actively campaigning for seats in the National Assembly. People are working their way toward a functioning society and economy in the midst of a very brutal, inhumane, sustained terrorist war against the civilian population and the Iraqi and American military there to protect it. It is a war between 27 million and 10,000; 27 million Iraqis who want to live lives of freedom, opportunity and prosperity and roughly 10,000 terrorists (bush haters and Liberals ) who are either Saddam revanchists, Iraqi Islamic extremists or al Qaeda foreign fighters who know their wretched causes will be set back if Iraq becomes free and modern. The terrorists are intent on stopping this by instigating a civil war to produce the chaos that will allow Iraq to replace Afghanistan as the base for their fanatical war-making. We are fighting on the side of the 27 million because the outcome of this war is critically important to the security and freedom of America. If the terrorists win, they will be emboldened to strike us directly again and to further undermine the growing stability and progress in the Middle East, which has long been a major American national and economic security priority. Before going to Iraq last week, I visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israel has been the only genuine democracy in the region, but it is now getting some welcome company from the Iraqis and Palestinians who are in the midst of robust national legislative election campaigns, the Lebanese who have risen up in proud self-determination after the Hariri assassination to eject their Syrian occupiers (the Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militias should be next), and the Kuwaitis, Egyptians and Saudis who have taken steps to open up their governments more broadly to their people. In my meeting with the thoughtful prime minister of Iraq, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, he declared with justifiable pride that his country now has the most open, democratic political system in the Arab world. He is right. In the face of terrorist threats and escalating violence, eight million Iraqis voted for their interim national government in January, almost 10 million participated in the referendum on their new constitution in October, and even more than that are expected to vote in the elections for a full-term government on Dec. 15. Every time the 27 million Iraqis have been given the chance since Saddam was overthrown, they have voted for self-government and hope over the violence and hatred the 10,000 terrorists offer them. Most encouraging has been the behavior of the Sunni community, which, when disappointed by the proposed constitution, registered to vote and went to the polls instead of taking up arms and going to the streets. Last week, I was thrilled to see a vigorous political campaign, and a large number of independent television stations and newspapers covering it. None of these remarkable changes would have happened without the coalition forces led by the U.S. And, I am convinced, almost all of the progress in Iraq and throughout the Middle East will be lost if those forces are withdrawn faster than the Iraqi military is capable of securing the country. The leaders of Iraq's duly elected government understand this, and they asked me for reassurance about America's commitment. The question is whether the American people and enough of their representatives in Congress from both parties understand this. I am disappointed by Democrats who are more focused on how President Bush took America into the war in Iraq almost three years ago, and by Republicans who are more worried about whether the war will bring them down in next November's elections, than they are concerned about how we continue the progress in Iraq in the months and years ahead. Here is an ironic finding I brought back from Iraq. While U.S. public opinion polls show serious declines in support for the war and increasing pessimism about how it will end, polls conducted by Iraqis for Iraqi universities show increasing optimism. Two-thirds say they are better off than they were under Saddam, and a resounding 82% are confident their lives in Iraq will be better a year from now than they are today. What a colossal mistake it would be for America's bipartisan political leadership to choose this moment in history to lose its will and, in the famous phrase, to seize defeat from the jaws of the coming victory. The leaders of America's military and diplomatic forces in Iraq, Gen. George Casey and Ambassador Zal Khalilzad, have a clear and compelling vision of our mission there. It is to create the environment in which Iraqi democracy, security and prosperity can take hold and the Iraqis themselves can defend their political progress against those 10,000 terrorists who would take it from them. Does America have a good plan for doing this, a strategy for victory in Iraq? Yes we do. And it is important to make it clear to the American people that the plan has not remained stubbornly still but has changed over the years. Mistakes, some of them big, were made after Saddam was removed, and no one who supports the war should hesitate to admit that; but we have learned from those mistakes and, in characteristic American fashion, from what has worked and not worked on the ground. The administration's recent use of the banner "clear, hold and build" accurately describes the strategy as I saw it being implemented last week. We are now embedding a core of coalition forces in every Iraqi fighting unit, which makes each unit more effective and acts as a multiplier of our forces. Progress in "clearing" and "holding" is being made. The Sixth Infantry Division of the Iraqi Security Forces now controls and polices more than one-third of Baghdad on its own. Coalition and Iraqi forces have together cleared the previously terrorist-controlled cities of Fallujah, Mosul and Tal Afar, and most of the border with Syria. Those areas are now being "held" secure by the Iraqi military themselves. Iraqi and coalition forces are jointly carrying out a mission to clear Ramadi, now the most dangerous city in Al-Anbar province at the west end of the Sunni Triangle. Nationwide, American military leaders estimate that about one-third of the approximately 100,000 members of the Iraqi military are able to "lead the fight" themselves with logistical support from the U.S., and that that number should double by next year. If that happens, American military forces could begin a drawdown in numbers proportional to the increasing self-sufficiency of the Iraqi forces in 2006. If all goes well, I believe we can have a much smaller American military presence there by the end of 2006 or in 2007, but it is also likely that our presence will need to be significant in Iraq or nearby for years to come. The economic reconstruction of Iraq has gone slower than it should have, and too much money has been wasted or stolen. Ambassador Khalilzad is now implementing reform that has worked in Afghanistan--Provincial Reconstruction Teams, composed of American economic and political experts, working in partnership in each of Iraq's 18 provinces with its elected leadership, civil service and the private sector. That is the "build" part of the "clear, hold and build" strategy, and so is the work American and international teams are doing to professionalize national and provincial governmental agencies in Iraq. These are new ideas that are working and changing the reality on the ground, which is undoubtedly why the Iraqi people are optimistic about their future--and why the American people should be, too. I cannot say enough about the U.S. Army and Marines who are carrying most of the fight for us in Iraq. They are courageous, smart, effective, innovative, very honorable and very proud. After a Thanksgiving meal with a great group of Marines at Camp Fallujah in western Iraq, I asked their commander whether the morale of his troops had been hurt by the growing public dissent in America over the war in Iraq. His answer was insightful, instructive and inspirational: "I would guess that if the opposition and division at home go on a lot longer and get a lot deeper it might have some effect, but, Senator, my Marines are motivated by their devotion to each other and the cause, not by political debates." Thank you, General. That is a powerful, needed message for the rest of America and its political leadership at this critical moment in our nation's history. Semper Fi. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
"Harry Krause" wrote in message ... *JimH* wrote: "Harry Krause" wrote in message ... NOYB wrote: "Harry Krause" wrote in message ... wasted lives of US troops coming home in body bags... In the long run, these will help get us out of Iraq. So as we said, your side benefits from a high death count...which is why in some morbid sort of way you delight in the fact that it has gone over 2100. My "side" laments these wasted deaths. At the moment, there is nothing we can do about them. But we do see that as the numbers pile up, more and more decent Americans are reaching a state of revulsion over Bush's lies. But go ahead and make something more out my statement than I mean. It's about all you righties have left, eh? Your war against Iraq is an utter failure. Once again, we have shown the world that our mighty military cannot defeat a dedicated insurgency, especially in an artificial country that was only held together by the actions of a brutal dictator. Iraq will disintegrate. Bet on it. I have just returned Is there some reason why you keep projectile vomiting that "speech"? I have just returned from my fourth trip to Iraq in the past 17 months and can report real progress there. More work needs to be done, of course, but the Iraqi people are in reach of a watershed transformation from the primitive, killing tyranny of Saddam to modern, self-governing, self-securing nationhood--unless the great American military that has given them and us this unexpected opportunity is prematurely withdrawn. Progress is visible and practical. In the Kurdish North, there is continuing security and growing prosperity. The primarily Shiite South remains largely free of terrorism, receives much more electric power and other public services than it did under Saddam, and is experiencing greater economic activity. The Sunni triangle, geographically defined by Baghdad to the east, Tikrit to the north and Ramadi to the west, is where most of the terrorist enemy attacks occur. And yet here, too, there is progress. There are many more cars on the streets, satellite television dishes on the roofs, and literally millions more cell phones in Iraqi hands than before. All of that says the Iraqi economy is growing. And Sunni candidates are actively campaigning for seats in the National Assembly. People are working their way toward a functioning society and economy in the midst of a very brutal, inhumane, sustained terrorist war against the civilian population and the Iraqi and American military there to protect it. It is a war between 27 million and 10,000; 27 million Iraqis who want to live lives of freedom, opportunity and prosperity and roughly 10,000 terrorists (bush haters and Liberals ) who are either Saddam revanchists, Iraqi Islamic extremists or al Qaeda foreign fighters who know their wretched causes will be set back if Iraq becomes free and modern. The terrorists are intent on stopping this by instigating a civil war to produce the chaos that will allow Iraq to replace Afghanistan as the base for their fanatical war-making. We are fighting on the side of the 27 million because the outcome of this war is critically important to the security and freedom of America. If the terrorists win, they will be emboldened to strike us directly again and to further undermine the growing stability and progress in the Middle East, which has long been a major American national and economic security priority. Before going to Iraq last week, I visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israel has been the only genuine democracy in the region, but it is now getting some welcome company from the Iraqis and Palestinians who are in the midst of robust national legislative election campaigns, the Lebanese who have risen up in proud self-determination after the Hariri assassination to eject their Syrian occupiers (the Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militias should be next), and the Kuwaitis, Egyptians and Saudis who have taken steps to open up their governments more broadly to their people. In my meeting with the thoughtful prime minister of Iraq, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, he declared with justifiable pride that his country now has the most open, democratic political system in the Arab world. He is right. In the face of terrorist threats and escalating violence, eight million Iraqis voted for their interim national government in January, almost 10 million participated in the referendum on their new constitution in October, and even more than that are expected to vote in the elections for a full-term government on Dec. 15. Every time the 27 million Iraqis have been given the chance since Saddam was overthrown, they have voted for self-government and hope over the violence and hatred the 10,000 terrorists offer them. Most encouraging has been the behavior of the Sunni community, which, when disappointed by the proposed constitution, registered to vote and went to the polls instead of taking up arms and going to the streets. Last week, I was thrilled to see a vigorous political campaign, and a large number of independent television stations and newspapers covering it. None of these remarkable changes would have happened without the coalition forces led by the U.S. And, I am convinced, almost all of the progress in Iraq and throughout the Middle East will be lost if those forces are withdrawn faster than the Iraqi military is capable of securing the country. The leaders of Iraq's duly elected government understand this, and they asked me for reassurance about America's commitment. The question is whether the American people and enough of their representatives in Congress from both parties understand this. I am disappointed by Democrats who are more focused on how President Bush took America into the war in Iraq almost three years ago, and by Republicans who are more worried about whether the war will bring them down in next November's elections, than they are concerned about how we continue the progress in Iraq in the months and years ahead. Here is an ironic finding I brought back from Iraq. While U.S. public opinion polls show serious declines in support for the war and increasing pessimism about how it will end, polls conducted by Iraqis for Iraqi universities show increasing optimism. Two-thirds say they are better off than they were under Saddam, and a resounding 82% are confident their lives in Iraq will be better a year from now than they are today. What a colossal mistake it would be for America's bipartisan political leadership to choose this moment in history to lose its will and, in the famous phrase, to seize defeat from the jaws of the coming victory. The leaders of America's military and diplomatic forces in Iraq, Gen. George Casey and Ambassador Zal Khalilzad, have a clear and compelling vision of our mission there. It is to create the environment in which Iraqi democracy, security and prosperity can take hold and the Iraqis themselves can defend their political progress against those 10,000 terrorists who would take it from them. Does America have a good plan for doing this, a strategy for victory in Iraq? Yes we do. And it is important to make it clear to the American people that the plan has not remained stubbornly still but has changed over the years. Mistakes, some of them big, were made after Saddam was removed, and no one who supports the war should hesitate to admit that; but we have learned from those mistakes and, in characteristic American fashion, from what has worked and not worked on the ground. The administration's recent use of the banner "clear, hold and build" accurately describes the strategy as I saw it being implemented last week. We are now embedding a core of coalition forces in every Iraqi fighting unit, which makes each unit more effective and acts as a multiplier of our forces. Progress in "clearing" and "holding" is being made. The Sixth Infantry Division of the Iraqi Security Forces now controls and polices more than one-third of Baghdad on its own. Coalition and Iraqi forces have together cleared the previously terrorist-controlled cities of Fallujah, Mosul and Tal Afar, and most of the border with Syria. Those areas are now being "held" secure by the Iraqi military themselves. Iraqi and coalition forces are jointly carrying out a mission to clear Ramadi, now the most dangerous city in Al-Anbar province at the west end of the Sunni Triangle. Nationwide, American military leaders estimate that about one-third of the approximately 100,000 members of the Iraqi military are able to "lead the fight" themselves with logistical support from the U.S., and that that number should double by next year. If that happens, American military forces could begin a drawdown in numbers proportional to the increasing self-sufficiency of the Iraqi forces in 2006. If all goes well, I believe we can have a much smaller American military presence there by the end of 2006 or in 2007, but it is also likely that our presence will need to be significant in Iraq or nearby for years to come. The economic reconstruction of Iraq has gone slower than it should have, and too much money has been wasted or stolen. Ambassador Khalilzad is now implementing reform that has worked in Afghanistan--Provincial Reconstruction Teams, composed of American economic and political experts, working in partnership in each of Iraq's 18 provinces with its elected leadership, civil service and the private sector. That is the "build" part of the "clear, hold and build" strategy, and so is the work American and international teams are doing to professionalize national and provincial governmental agencies in Iraq. These are new ideas that are working and changing the reality on the ground, which is undoubtedly why the Iraqi people are optimistic about their future--and why the American people should be, too. I cannot say enough about the U.S. Army and Marines who are carrying most of the fight for us in Iraq. They are courageous, smart, effective, innovative, very honorable and very proud. After a Thanksgiving meal with a great group of Marines at Camp Fallujah in western Iraq, I asked their commander whether the morale of his troops had been hurt by the growing public dissent in America over the war in Iraq. His answer was insightful, instructive and inspirational: "I would guess that if the opposition and division at home go on a lot longer and get a lot deeper it might have some effect, but, Senator, my Marines are motivated by their devotion to each other and the cause, not by political debates." Thank you, General. That is a powerful, needed message for the rest of America and its political leadership at this critical moment in our nation's history. Semper Fi. |
OT--More bias in the press...especially from those liberal news organizations
On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 11:28:59 -0500, Harry Krause wrote:
John H. wrote: On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:24:17 -0500, Harry Krause wrote: NOYB wrote: "Doug Kanter" wrote in message ... "John Gaquin" wrote in message . .. "Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:zz0jf.616 What did the NYT do with the reporters who faked their stories? They have fired the ones who have been caught at it, as they had no choice. Thanks for the information. To summarize, a few reporters did this, and they were fired. But folks like Jason Leopold continue to spread misinformation through other sources. For instance, both jps and Harry jumped on a Leopold story about the Plame investigation. I guess some folks never learn. " Fool me once, shameon - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. " D'oh. You really don't get it. I don't care about the messenger or the message, so long as they contribute even indirectly to crippling Bush even a little so he is less able to destroy America. Got it now? You should. I have been very consistent on this. I am in favor of anything that harms Bush politically. It's an attribute I learned from the Bush primary campaign of 2000, when the future presidummy's handlers went after John McCain. What you can't seem to understand is that your attitude does more to help Bush than hinder him. It has become obvious that many Democrat extremists want *only* what's 'bad for Bush', regardless of what it does to this country. With little exception, what is bad for Bush is good for this country. Again, that statement is the height of stupidity. -- John H "It's not a *baby* kicking, beautiful bride, it's just a fetus!" [A Self-obsessed Hypocrite] |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:45 AM. |
|
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 BoatBanter.com