Emmett, you know I love ya, but I got to say this. If this is "top notch" as you say, then I only have to imagine the standards that you set for conversation.
I'll give you this. I interview PEOPLE everyday. I interview people on sales endeavors, I interview from personal interest, I interview people as an educational interest, I interview people from political aspiration. Heck, Emmett, I just like people and differing or not, I truly do love point for point debate. I have made a pretty good living in those interests and I am now retired and living comfortably yet continuing the lessons and debates at my own leisure. If you ain't learning, You ain't living is my motto. I think you share that motto.
As a politico for many years, I'm not afraid of getting my teeth knocked out. My front teeth were knocked out when I was only 12 over a billiard (pool) disagreement. It didn't hurt then, it don't hurt now.
Actually, Emmett, I reference a lot. Due to the antagonism and propensities for personal violence (even though I think most of it fairly chickenshit rhetoric) that is demonstrated here I tend to limit my references. For Chrissakes, Emmett, this is an internet message board. Nothing less and nothing more. Considering the very evil nature of many of the blind faith posters here, I think my precautions to be well advised. BOOOO, yes, I'm pretty evil too.
So you think the press over reports the negatives? About the WAR? I really did and do care about Natalie Holloway, the run-a-way bride, the shark attacks in Florida, and about a hundred other distractions that the media has seen fit to overwhelm us with while our soldiers have been about killing and getting killed. I just watched a documentary today about a school the Americans were operating in Iraq. How sweet!!!! They just barely mentioned that the Americans had previously blown up the only school that existed there. I just watched today the Senate confirmation hearing for the US UN ambassador, John Bolton. What a piece of work!!!!!! Getting my drift?
Actually, the goody goody stuff sells very well, Emmett. Think about all your favorite movies. Most if not all of them are happy ones with happy endings. The news cannot subscribe to this Hollywoodesque standard. The news is here to report the truth and unfortunately most truth is as Clint Eastwood said, "You can't handle the truth". But, we do see the watered down versions of some of it and the politically and corporately cleared versions of most of it. I don't have the time to explain that to you.
Psychoblues