The Complete Dumbing Down Of America

I like the term "homicide bomber" because it correctly reflects the actions and intent of the individual. The fact that the terrorist axxhole committed suicide is really beside the point.

Both. One to put the story in a positive light, one negative light.

Unless your job is to report the news and give someone an indication of what actually happened -- which is that someone committed suicide in order to kill others. What it really reflects is the reporter's strong judgment, and it isn't necessary when reporting news. And it's also redundant and non-descriptive.

But the story is negative -- there was an accident and someone was injured. There's really nothing more I need to know unless there is an investigation pending.

I cannot believe, duck, that you would take exception to that.

You cannot believe that I would take exception to someone feeding me their beliefs cleverly hidden a newscast? I like to make up my own mind.

No, what you are saying is that you feel sorry for the terrorist that committed suicide, instead of the victims of his/her insanity. Sorry, but I'm done talking with you.

Does Murdoch have anything to do with Fox?


It sounds like the same recipe - and his Nine network news is top here - you know - lots of dramatic footage of disasters and such - almost no meat to the stories - much sturm and drang in advertising the stories....

Mind you, to foreign eyes, almost all American TV news looks like infotainment.

Murdoch has about as much to do with Fox as... (searching for metaphors -- white on rice cold is to ice hair is to your head -- give up)...

Murdoch IS Fox.

Aha - you poor bastards!!!!!! The man who out-guttered the British gutter press....who out-stooped British royalty - who out-ruthlesses the bible itself - we know all about his tactics - he is from Adelaide....sigh....

And I'm DONE apologizing, ok?????

None of the networks are doing a good job of reporting news so far as I am concerned. It takes just a few minutes for me to become too aggravated to watch any further. What the hell happened to good reporting and stories in depth with only getting at the truth in mind?

I go to the net and radio for that.

For real news I watch the locals. Homelessness in SF, AIDS, the latest protest in Berkely, weather - 7 days of sunshine coming up, and in sports, Barry smacks another homer after getting walked six times. It's all good.

What on earth gives you the impression that anyone feels sorry for suicide bombers just because of what they are called. As Duck pegged it, the term "homicide bomber" is non descriptive and redundant. Calling it suicide bomber properly identifies it to the fundamentalist islamic fanatic that was duped into thinking the act was serving his god and sending him directly to paradise. That is quite different from one that plants a bomb and leaves. At least with the term suicide bomber we know that he is no longer contributing to the gene pool.

I agree with you here, Edgar. Local news is pathetic with their "if it bleeds it leads" philosophy of news presentation, and the national networks are not far behind with their fixation on the sound bite....

What I am saying is there is nothing wrong with the term 'suicide bomber' if you are reporting the news. If you want to get into an emotional discussion about the whole situation then feel free to make up as many redundant, non-descriptive terms as you want. What I am saying is that I like my news straight with no judgment from the presenter. What you are saying is that you like your news as judgmental as possible -- so that you will know what to think of it.

And if you are indeed done talking to me then you are the only one who is sorry.

Bush started the "homicide bomber" phrase but Fox is the only station that is terming it that.

I think most people would feel the same no matter what it is called so it is a bit silly to call it "homicide bomber" when it does not accurately describe the incident.

And it is to the point if it is a suicide bomber rather than a bomber. Something needs to be done to attempt to undo the thinking of the suicide bombers. Unlike some I really think it is a myth that the suicide bombers think they will go to heaven and get seven virgins or whatever the story goes. Kids don't care if they get virgins or not and neither do most women. I would imagine that Palestinians do it because it is the most efficient method of fighting oppression with the least amount of money to finance it. Iraqi's do it now for the same reason. Whether you agree that they are oppressed or not really is beside the point.

Someone needs to start talking to the issue. Violence only begets violence and that includes both sides. Unless we get to the bottom of the issues violence will just keep continuing when the people that are fighting are willing to die for it. For after you die what else is left to do to them? Unless you can round up every single potential suicide bomber on the face of the planet and their wives so that they can't breed more suicide bombers with other men there will always more suicide bombers. So it is better to find the cause and work a solution. Unlike how some people think they are not just crazy and want to create havoc just for the sake of it.

I know where this leads to, the never ending middle east crisis debate where neither side is willing to give up enough to make it work. The way I see it this will continue forever unless a miracle happens and peace comes for all sides.

(You have a lot to apologize for, dlowan! That guy is eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevilllllllll...)

unbiased Fox?
Another fine example of Fox's lack of bias.
(Fox is bracketed on my TV between CNBC and CNN so I flip through it often. Sometimes I am forced to stop and watch Fox in utter amazement. Such as the time I watched their weatherman GIGGLE about the fact that a hurricane was hitting those "commies in Cuba.")

This morning when they went to their reporter in Baghdad the title below him in bold letters says "The War on Terror".

Is Iraq really the war on terror? Bush claims it is. Many others claim it isn't. But there can be little argument that it is disputed including by some well respected sources. Its no wonder that Fox viewers are the least informed about real facts or that they believe that Saddam was involved in 9/11.

As for the "homicide bomber" argument. Anytime you use words that are LESS descriptive you are doing more harm than good as a news service.