Everyone Loves a List

Newsweek ^ | 07/31/05 | Carl Sullivan

[Pikamax]

WEB EXCLUSIVE By Carl Sullivan Newsweek Updated: 12:26 p.m. ET July 30, 2005 July 30 - Everyone loves lists. They certainly sell magazines. (Think “The 10 Hottest Stocks” or “5 Easy Ways to Please Your Man.”) They apparently sell books, too. Bernard Goldberg’s “100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken Is #37)” is No. 6 on The New York Times Best-Sellers list.

A former CBS News reporter, Goldberg became a lightning rod in the debate over the news media’s alliances when he published “Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News” in 2001 and “Arrogance: Rescuing America From the Media Elite” in 2003. His new book, published this month by HarperCollins, takes aim not only at the media, but also Hollywood, TV executives and liberal academics. NEWSWEEK’s Carl Sullivan recently spoke with Goldberg about his book and his politics. Excerpts:

[seadevil]

He should follow up that book with one titled "The 100 Best Americans".

[Newtoidaho]

I'm reading this book now, it's very good; He has Michael Savage on the list. I've been wondering for a couple of years now if Savage is a deep cover left-wing plant on talk radio, put in place to foster distrust of the Republican party, generally bashing them, especially Pres. Bush, and serving as a lightning rod to make conservatives look bad. Think about it:

Born and raised in NYC
College at UC Berkely
Multiple academic degrees
Environmentalist background
Lives in San Francisco

Savage, left wing loonie?

[Prime Choice]

And the Top Ten reasons everyone loves a list are...

(*drumroll*)

[Valin]

I HATE lists!

[johnny7]

I've often thought that also.

I only listen to Laura Ingraham and Rush... once in a while, Howie Carr. IF... he's talking politics.

[Artemis Webb]

I know this is veering off topic...but since you brought it up:

1. Neil Boortz
2. Sean Hannity
3. Rush Limbaugh

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

"They never will be missed, they never will be missed!"

[pax_et_bonum]

Me, too.

With a passion.

[Future Snake Eater]

I HATE lists!

Me too! For the following reasons:

1. They treat the reader like an idiot
2. They're usually in the wrong order
3. They never pick things that I would pick
4. They're more marketing gimmicks than anything else...

[BibChr]

LOL! (I get it! I was going to ask the original poster for his ten main objections about lists, but first checked to see if anyone else had already gone that way.)

Dan

[pax_et_bonum]

Oh, wait.

I have to amend my statement:

I do like lists of funny things.

[Future Snake Eater]

Heh heh...my wife swore that no one would get it...so little faith, that one!

[Artemis Webb]

First of all...I really like your screen name.

I can't imagine how any book in this vein can be anything but subjective. I don't think that makes the opinions lack legitimacy.

People do love list though. Mostly because they like to say "This person shouldn't be on there" or, "This person was only number 83??" It's fun stuff.

Heck...I still have ancient copies of "The Book of List" around my house.

[BibChr]

Wives never properly appreciate our sparkling sense of humor, do they?

Dan

[CIB-173RDABN]

I listen to Michael Savage when he first began at KSFO in San Francisco. There was always something odd about him. In one way, he attempts to copy the boastfulness of Rush, but without the flair. I finally decided (and this is just my opinion) he is a Carol O'connor playing a conservative.

By that, he appears to me to be the lefts idea of what a conservative is. He has a following, and that is ok. I just don't bother listening anymore.

[citizencon]

Excellent point. And a very interesting bio-data.
Defintely a wolf in sheep's clothing. Savage should be outed.

[Artemis Webb]

OK. I mentioned having "The Book of List" (copyright 1977) in the house so I got to flipping through it...here is something I found interesting from: WORLD MILITARY EXPENDITURES AND ARMS TRANSFERS 1966 - 1975

10 BIGGEST ARMS IMPORTERS

1. Iran (under The Shaw) $1,110,000 US major supplier
2. Vietnam $1,061,000 US major supplier
3. Israel $711,000 US major supplier
4. W.Germany $483,000 US major supplier
5. Iraq $451,000 USSR major supplier
6. E.Germany $370,000 USSR major supplier
7. Libya $361,000 USSR major supplier
8. Poland $275,000 USSR major supplier
9. Saudi Arabia $245,000 US major supplier
10. Egypt $231,000 USSR major supplier

It is kind of amazing how things have changed and yet have not.