(from Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary)

spin (DECEIVING) noun [S][U] INFORMAL

when an idea or situation is expressed or described in a clever way that makes it seem better than it really is, especially in politics:

For those of you who don’t know, the quotes in the heading are a wordplay on some of the most famous words printed each day on a newspaper that been around for about 130 years.

The New York Times, my most beloved daily, has had its day.

I don’t know if many of you have heard about Jayson Blair and his uncanny ability to write vast amount of column space from his Brooklyn flat while supposedly out in the field, but he has has ruined the love affair I’ve had for years with the NY Times. In owning up to its erroneous ways, the NY Times printed a 17,000 word story which highlighted every single one of his made up stories as well as the embellishments to real tags. Since that public display of apology (PDA), two editors have resigned, the right and the left openly call the NY Times a piece of shite, and readers have wondered away in droves.

All this comes from a paper I used to read during my sophomore year of high school while sitting on the radiator with my best pal Brian Schneider. Lucky or not so lucy for me, our teacher had the foresight to get us involved with reading the paper every single day and openly discussing the content. Since that class, I have read the NY Times in America, Scandinavia and Europe on a daily basis. In fact, I can’t recall not reading the NY Times for over 15 years (I am only 30). I have even gone so far to have the Sunday NY Times delivered to my house on Tuesdays in Britain just to get my fix! Well. Well.

The affair is over, but like any good relationship, I am on the rebound. With the NY Times trying every single day not to be a newspaper associated with bullshit; it becomes more and more congenial to the American way of spin and doesn’t ask important questions anymore lest there might be accusations of impropriety. Where can I turn for American news that isn’t tainted by Mr. Murdoch or so obviously on the left, like Washington Post, but really delivers American news in a concise objective manner? Sadly, the answer is nowhere.

During my long love affair I used the NY Times to balance my left with the right, mainly reading the The Washington Times and other conservative newspapers to come up with a proportion of the real truth, but that isn’t possible anymore. My mantra has change completely. I am starting to believe all the news I read is spin or favouritism so why even bother reading it anymore? It is one thing to be well informed, but it is another to be a sheep believing what the news tells us must be true. At this rate, I don’t think I will ever believe anything in the media again. Bring on Fark, at least it highlights the stupidity of man and newsprint

I would personally like to say F*CK YOU TO THE NEW YORK TIMES as they are bunch of asshats who put the need for diversity above the lofty ideals of journalism!!