that is not news
for years i've been like a broken record (you can ask my kids--they are full sick of it) on "news" stories that chase around private citizens (even if you have a public-facing job like acting in movies you are, in fact, a private citizen) and publicize life details that, for you or me, would be nothing more than a (possibly) shameful private embarrassment. (i got pulled over for speeding the other day--you didn't need to know about that did you?) i ask you: are jennifer aniston's dating habits really relevant to anyone other than jennifer aniston and her dates?
such stories are ENTERTAINMENT. i personally don't give a rats ass who jennifer aniston dates, and i ignore the tabloid photo stories entirely, but, sure, have at it if it floats your boat while standing in the supermarket checkout line. it's certainly not getting better since "reality tv" has taken over, but the urge for gossip has bedeviled the human race since antony dated cleopatra and far far beyond. fair enough.
but that is not news.
neither is, i am reminded today, a state official complimenting a federal official for doing a good job. our government OUGHT to do a good job. it's the least they can do with all the money we pay them. perhaps if someone has some information on a job not being done well by a government official, we'd all benefit to know so as to demand some improvement. yeah, yeah, perhaps a job SO well done deserves note so that we can reinforce the behavior via praise and exhort other government officials to copy the behavior, but, see, i'm figuring we should at least be waiting until the job is done before we conclude about its relative quality.
so why is it that the "news" headlines this morning include a "story" about chris christie, governor of new jersey, saying nice things about barack obama, president of the united states? is it because federal fuck ups related to katrina were so bad, that an absence of "so bad" becomes newsworthy? hardly. it's because chris christie is a republicrat, and barry obama is a demican. or, is it that chris cristie is a demican, and barry o is a republicrat? i really have trouble telling the difference...
that is not news. over 100 homes are burning in queens. the nyc subway may not become operational again for a week. certain coastal airports the same. millions are without power. and some state civil servant says that some federal civil servant has been really good on the phone? really?
prove it.
put out the fires. re-open the transportation hubs. restore power to those without. and mourn the dead, of which there have been far too many.
but spare me the stupid public interest pieces about cats laying down with dogs. that is not news.
such stories are ENTERTAINMENT. i personally don't give a rats ass who jennifer aniston dates, and i ignore the tabloid photo stories entirely, but, sure, have at it if it floats your boat while standing in the supermarket checkout line. it's certainly not getting better since "reality tv" has taken over, but the urge for gossip has bedeviled the human race since antony dated cleopatra and far far beyond. fair enough.
but that is not news.
neither is, i am reminded today, a state official complimenting a federal official for doing a good job. our government OUGHT to do a good job. it's the least they can do with all the money we pay them. perhaps if someone has some information on a job not being done well by a government official, we'd all benefit to know so as to demand some improvement. yeah, yeah, perhaps a job SO well done deserves note so that we can reinforce the behavior via praise and exhort other government officials to copy the behavior, but, see, i'm figuring we should at least be waiting until the job is done before we conclude about its relative quality.
so why is it that the "news" headlines this morning include a "story" about chris christie, governor of new jersey, saying nice things about barack obama, president of the united states? is it because federal fuck ups related to katrina were so bad, that an absence of "so bad" becomes newsworthy? hardly. it's because chris christie is a republicrat, and barry obama is a demican. or, is it that chris cristie is a demican, and barry o is a republicrat? i really have trouble telling the difference...
that is not news. over 100 homes are burning in queens. the nyc subway may not become operational again for a week. certain coastal airports the same. millions are without power. and some state civil servant says that some federal civil servant has been really good on the phone? really?
prove it.
put out the fires. re-open the transportation hubs. restore power to those without. and mourn the dead, of which there have been far too many.
but spare me the stupid public interest pieces about cats laying down with dogs. that is not news.
posted by kad barma at 10:04 AM
3 Comments:
Actually, at a time like this a little civility is a nice thing.
Does the press need to make a big deal of it? Only if it is something otherwise missing.
Regards — Cliff
If only it could be left at "a little civility". Christie will be pilloried behind closed Republican doors for "aiding and abetting", and you KNOW the lefties are all forwarding the story around today as so much grist for their "elect Barry" mill. Bush's old FEMA director that fucked Katrina up beyond all recognition is in the news braying that Obama's response to Sandy is "too soon" and there's some necessary connection to Benghazi that invalidates it all. The politicization of catastrophe is reprehensible in all its forms, even contributing "a little civility" to divert focus from real news.
People need help right now. Let's be civil and civilized and report on it.
I keep getting confused about Katrina. Wasn't that the one were the Governor, who was in charge, was reluctant to ask for Federal Assistance?
Regards — Cliff
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