The Virginian Pilot Says "Bye Bye" to Reality. NIE, Friedman and Pat Robertson.

The Virginian Pilot has long ago lost its grip to reality. In the most recent manifestation of this, the Pilot’s cracked staff declared itself to be one of the 18% of Americans who were convinced by the NIE estimate stating that Iran had ended its nuclear weapons program. By the international gasps of incredulity, it appears that an even smaller proportion of foreigners believe that. And when Tom Friedman, the epicenter or conventional Liberalism, mocks their childlike faith in the wisdom of the latest NIE estimates, one would think that one of the remaining adults at the Pilot – say Kerry Dougherty – would take their word processors away lest they injure themselves.

For another example of the crud that oozes from the portals of the Pilot, I took time to read a long and boring “expose” of the goings on at Regent University’s School of Psychology and Counseling by Pilot writer Bill Burke.

Where do I apply to get five minutes of my life back?

As an exercise in “Pat” Robertson bashing, which is what the Pilot does best, it’s probably enough. But if you are reasonably inquisitive, after you read the article, you have to ask yourself the question: “Huh”?

It’s as if the Pilot had written an article about Michael Vick, another local phenomenon who has been in the news, and told you that Vick had been accused of “illegal activities.” Yes, but exactly was Vick accused of?

If Bill Burke had written that story in the style of the Regent article, you would not know. You may know that some police officers were investigating something, but refusing to talk. You would learn that some other people were accusing Vick of all sorts of nefarious acts. But Burke would never come right out and say what, specifically, Vick is accused of doing.

In the end there would be a great deal of smoke, and the fire would be inferred.

Well, to this reader, that is a piss poor way of writing a so-called “news” story. Of course, my experience with the Pilot is that most of their stories are piss poor. But throwing a fog of suspicion at Pat Robertson and all his works is enough to get you on the front page of this example of local monopoly.

It’s a prime example of why monopolies are bad.