On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 9:43 AM, Pranesh Prakash
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thursday 13 May 2010 09:43 PM, Thaths wrote:
>> http://beta.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article428165.ece
>> Would you call that a fair/unbiased review of a restaurant? I can list
>> many such infractions in reviews of shopping malls, theaters,
>> restaurants, jewelery stores, etc.
>
> A fair/unbiased review of that restaurant?  Why not?  Not every beat
> reporter has high standards and a press release forming the major part
> of a report is not unheard of.
> 1. What makes you suspect unfairness/bias?

Because, according to the review, there was not one thing that the
reviewer did not like about the restaurant.

> 2. Point out *any* newspaper *anywhere* in the world with a
> city-focussed supplement, and I will point out at least one such article
> in that supplement.

I was tempted to pull a couple of reviews from the NYT. But knowing
that that would open me up for allegations of elitism and "yes... but
what about *ordinary* newspapers", I picked

http://www.mountainview.net/dining/petit.html

"The wine list is one sticking point: The bistro could use a better
selection, with a couple of more moderately priced California
vintages."

...

"The latter, a hefty slab of smooth and musky pâté, was haloed in
crushed pistachios and napped on a bed of butter lettuce among cabbage
pillows and crunchy gherkins. It was good, but, alas, pistachio proved
to be a two-edged blade: A little is divine, a lot is disastrous.
Needless to say, the pistachio oil overpowered the duck liver."

> It is not 'biased' but (perhaps) shoddy.  There is a world of a
> difference.  And why would you expect though-provoking food criticism
> from any city supplement?

Perhaps it is shoddy rather than biased. My problem is that there is
not even a semblance of objectivity.

Thaths
-- 
   "Lisa, Vampires are make-believe, like elves, gremlins, and Eskimos."
                          -- Homer J. Simpson
Sudhakar Chandra                                    Slacker Without Borders

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