Day: April 17, 2006

30 years late

Chi Trib’s Diane Rado’s sidebar to her page-oner on the cost of textbooks — there’s a markup! you save by buying online! — is a cameo study of journalism today.
 
* “Illinois spends taxpayer dollars” on nonpublic schools, she opens.  As opposed to the other kind of dollars Illinois spends.  “Taxpayer” helps get our dander up.
 
* “. . . even as public schools struggle” to buy books.  Dander rising.
 
* It’s $3 million vs. $24 million for publics.  Oh?
 
* “While taxpayers might be surprised . . . ”  While she’s at it, she might try “although,” which has only one meaning, while “while” has two, one of them having to do with time, as in “at the same time,” etc.
 
* The state has been doing this “since the mid-70s,” she says in the fourth paragraph.  Oh?  This sneaked up on her.
 
* Americans United does not like it, never did: “Taxpayers ought to stand up . . .” says their spokesman.
 
* “Not everyone agrees” with him.  Not everyone?  Hardly anyone, to judge by the 30-year standing-up hiatus.  Who’s even been talking about it, with the George Ryan trial and all? 
 
* The Catholic lobbyist who got the money in the first place has the last word, however: “It is in the state’s interest to keep private schools healthy,” he says.  We don’t know what else he said, but anyhow his last comment hangs there: “They save the public school system money.”  I’d say that’s pretty obvious, but does Rado know it?  If nonpublic schools closed tomorrow and sent their kids to public ones, does she realize what it would do to the price of textbooks?  Heck, readers would be asking, “Who’s George Ryan?”

30 years late

Chi Trib’s Diane Rado’s sidebar to her page-oner on the cost of textbooks — there’s a markup! you save by buying online! — is a cameo study of journalism today.
 
* “Illinois spends taxpayer dollars” on nonpublic schools, she opens.  As opposed to the other kind of dollars Illinois spends.  “Taxpayer” helps get our dander up.
 
* “. . . even as public schools struggle” to buy books.  Dander rising.
 
* It’s $3 million vs. $24 million for publics.  Oh?
 
* “While taxpayers might be surprised . . . ”  While she’s at it, she might try “although,” which has only one meaning, while “while” has two, one of them having to do with time, as in “at the same time,” etc.
 
* The state has been doing this “since the mid-70s,” she says in the fourth paragraph.  Oh?  This sneaked up on her.
 
* Americans United does not like it, never did: “Taxpayers ought to stand up . . .” says their spokesman.
 
* “Not everyone agrees” with him.  Not everyone?  Hardly anyone, to judge by the 30-year standing-up hiatus.  Who’s even been talking about it, with the George Ryan trial and all? 
 
* The Catholic lobbyist who got the money in the first place has the last word, however: “It is in the state’s interest to keep private schools healthy,” he says.  We don’t know what else he said, but anyhow his last comment hangs there: “They save the public school system money.”  I’d say that’s pretty obvious, but does Rado know it?  If nonpublic schools closed tomorrow and sent their kids to public ones, does she realize what it would do to the price of textbooks?  Heck, readers would be asking, “Who’s George Ryan?”

Other voices, other channels

There continues to be plenty of good news to be found in Iraq. The Iraqi army continues to take over responsibility for more battle space, al Qaeda continues to take a beating, and rebuilding of the country is progressing. Moreover, the Iraqi economy is improving, and has doubled in the last three years.

says  Bill Crawford at National Review Online.  This in view of the “enormous publicity” given the dissident generals deserves our attention.  Try a colonel for the other side of the issue, woefully missing as usual from MSM.

Colonel William Grimsley commanded the brigade that first took control of Baghdad Airport. Three years on he remains optimistic about the country’s future:

Grimsley, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Combat Brigade Team during the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, said history — not current events — will tell the true story of Iraq’s metamorphosis.

And that story will show how Iraq ultimately emerged from almost 40 years of a regime that ignored the people’s needs and undermined its potential, Grimsley, now a military assistant to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said during an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel.

And a major:

Major Kevin Carter just returned from Iraq, and shares this assessment:

Carter believes not enough attention is being paid to the progress being made by Iraqis in taking control of their country. He said the people of Iraq are grateful Saddam Hussein has been overthrown.

“I was told by an Iraqi that only two things could get rid of Saddam, the United States or Allah. I will never forget that,” Charter said. “An Iraqi officer told me that if we just up and left the country would implode. They are so grateful for us being there and toppling Saddam. Even the Sunnis, who benefited under Saddam, thanked us.”

And  a Marine serving with an Iraqi unit:

“Everybody hears about all the car bombs in Baghdad and how many people got shot. Those things are reality — I don’t want to downplay them. But there’s a lot of good things happening,” he said.

And there’s more more more, for 2,800 words in all, for gosh sake.  But alas, how few people talk this way at Billy Goat’s or at parties?  I swear, they’re Gnostics: They just know how things are, that’s all.

Other voices, other channels

There continues to be plenty of good news to be found in Iraq. The Iraqi army continues to take over responsibility for more battle space, al Qaeda continues to take a beating, and rebuilding of the country is progressing. Moreover, the Iraqi economy is improving, and has doubled in the last three years.

says  Bill Crawford at National Review Online.  This in view of the “enormous publicity” given the dissident generals deserves our attention.  Try a colonel for the other side of the issue, woefully missing as usual from MSM.

Colonel William Grimsley commanded the brigade that first took control of Baghdad Airport. Three years on he remains optimistic about the country’s future:

Grimsley, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Combat Brigade Team during the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, said history — not current events — will tell the true story of Iraq’s metamorphosis.

And that story will show how Iraq ultimately emerged from almost 40 years of a regime that ignored the people’s needs and undermined its potential, Grimsley, now a military assistant to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said during an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel.

And a major:

Major Kevin Carter just returned from Iraq, and shares this assessment:

Carter believes not enough attention is being paid to the progress being made by Iraqis in taking control of their country. He said the people of Iraq are grateful Saddam Hussein has been overthrown.

“I was told by an Iraqi that only two things could get rid of Saddam, the United States or Allah. I will never forget that,” Charter said. “An Iraqi officer told me that if we just up and left the country would implode. They are so grateful for us being there and toppling Saddam. Even the Sunnis, who benefited under Saddam, thanked us.”

And  a Marine serving with an Iraqi unit:

“Everybody hears about all the car bombs in Baghdad and how many people got shot. Those things are reality — I don’t want to downplay them. But there’s a lot of good things happening,” he said.

And there’s more more more, for 2,800 words in all, for gosh sake.  But alas, how few people talk this way at Billy Goat’s or at parties?  I swear, they’re Gnostics: They just know how things are, that’s all.