I really enjoy when the media create their own cliches. My favorite is, "The announcement came on the heels of..." Broadcast and print can't live without it; I did a "google" search for the phrase and it confirmed by intuition: it's everywhere and, truthfully, quite embarrassing. I don't think your ilk is even aware of it. Makes you feel sorry for the much neglected "after." Why fall back on this cliche? It's a journalist who doesn't have enough confidence in his own writing, senses that the words themselves are not adequate to the job. He's selling his writing, creating artificial drama. Sad.--
And of the resignation at the NY Times? Even sadder, because it's driven by ego and ambition. Can't let the poor intern or stringer have a byline, because it's all about my brand. Got to keep the illusion going. What makes me sick is that reporters--and, by the looks of your website, you guys are no exception--are mostly motivated by an inflated sense of self. And, I have to tell you, self-importance is just not a super attractive quality. Oh, I'm sorry, you guys are really guardians of democracy. I almost forgot.
I think of my brother and, even with his ph.d and m.d., he's as modest and unassuming as they come. There's something nice about that. Or my dad, a literary critic and retired professor, who's not trying so hard to show the world how smart he is.
>From today's New York Times (Joel Brinkley):
"...an important step along the path toward the envisioned "road map" peace agreement that calls for establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005."
Critique: don't adopt the administration's PR language. Call it what it is: a plan.
"Hamas's leaders still had to work to come to agreement among themselves before they could make an deal with Mr. Abbas."
Critique: Brinkley needs an editor or a better ghost-writer. don't need among themselves, since it's clear that the agreement refers to Hamas leaders.: "Hamas' leaders still had to come to agreement before they could make a deal with Mr. Abbas."
"In any case, Hamas has agreed to cease-fires more than once before since the latest uprising began in the fall of 2000. But they have always quickly broken down, with each side accusing the other for rekindling the violence."
Critique: Why "for rekindling" Better: "In any case, Hamas has agreed to cease-fires since the latest uprising began in fall 2000. But they have always quickly broken down, with each side accusing the other of rekindling the violence."
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ed note: Solid points all around. Extra credit for slipping in a little PR on behalf of overachieving family members.
