Outrage.com: April 2003

What's that saying -- what goes around, comes around? The National Enquirer is threatening to sue a Utah newspaper for - get this - "false and defamatory statements." Have I mentioned that I love a good irony? And it doesn't get much better than this

Once again, we're doing God's work in Iraq thanks to George W. Bush and Grace News Network, a "news" organization “dedicated to transmitting the evidence of God’s presence in the world today.” (thanks Rob for the heads up) It's only slightly more disturbing this time around. Does anyone have a problem with our new theocracy? Go on, raise your hand. It's okay. I vote we keep democracy around a little longer - who's with me?

I don't know if this will stop spam, but it's better than nothing.

Last night's episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was disappointing to say the least. I shouldn't have expected much after UPN started the countdown to the series and aired a repeat last week. A repeat - in the middle of the final countdown! Oh yeah - forgot - too early for sweeps. Okay - I'm calmer now.

And despite the chicanery, I will watch until the bitter end. And I'm not even a little embarrassed. But at least now I feel like the series is ready to be laid to rest. At least for a little while. Did anyone else hear "movie of the week?" I am a little worried about her final epitath, though. Her most recent - (she's died twice already) was "She Saved the World. Alot." Doesn't seem to fit with this last story line. How they'll wrap it up in just three episodes is beyond me.

And don't get me started on what's wrong with the programming folks over at WB. If they yank Angel this year too...it's just too horrible an idea to think about right now. I'll think about that tomorrow.

Okay. I'll admit it. Katie Couric bugs the shit out of me. No one is that perky all the time. And now in another programming genius move, Jay Leno will sit in for Katie (and vice versa) one day in May. So much for journalism at its best.

How does the MTA impose a fare hike with a half million dollar surplus lying around that they tried to hide from the public. Whatever happened to the state's Freedom of Information laws? Oh yeah - that doesn't cover lying by public officials. You have to wait until they get caught.

Now if they could just do something about the potholes by the Whitestone Bridge. That might be worth the extra $1.50 per day. And why am I outraged by this you might wonder? This article's headline sums it up quite nicely.

We just knew this guy wouldn't be out of work for long. But I think to say he had a "cult following" is a bit of a stretch, don't you? Have you seen the website? More like a small group with a great sense of humor, and maybe just a little too much time on their hands. Not quite a cult. But, then again, what do I know.

A reality TV network. There are no words to convey my revulsion over this latest development. The public has an "unquenchable desire" to see Richard Hatch without a shirt on again? Puleeze.

Good god - has it been a week? Seems like a lot longer. I haven't had access to a computer since last Thursday, the day I joined my mom and dad, sisters and brother in a marathon, five-day relocation effort as we moved my 70-something parents into a new house. That's 45-plus years of stuff. My younger sister was amazing and kept everybody going - even when we were all ready to drop. But we got it done and now just have the sore muscles and aching joints left to manage.

Screw the victory declaration. Talk about anticlimatic. Here's what I want to know: how is that there is more than $600 million in mint-condition, uncirculated bills hidden away in Iraq? Is it that easy to obtain uncirculated bills? Just curious.

Just to be fair, I do know that not all murders are solved - this article introduced me to just one of thousands that hasn't been.

So it looks like Jesus had a brother named James. If true, that sort of throws the Mary as Perpetual Virgin right out the window, huh? Leave it to the Discovery Channel.

Apparently truth has put American tobacco company PR folks out of business if this article is to be believed. It appears likely they've moved to Hong Kong, where a frightened population will obviously believe just about anything at this point. Inhaling 4,000 degrees of nicotine into your lungs will help fight against SARS - who but a tobacco company flak could have come up with that one? It's not true of course - don't want to be accused of perpetuating rumors but this one was too outrageous not to share.

So Laci Peterson's husband has been arrested for her murder, and the murder of their eight-month old, unborn baby. I was having breakfast with friends this morning and one of them called him a monster. I'm not so sure - the truly frightening notion is that he is not a monster at all.

When confronted with a choice - leave or kill - why do some people kill. What's so hard about leaving? I'm sure we'll hear it was an accident - that was Matthew Solomon's defense here on Long Island some years back. His wife disappeared on Christmas Eve too.

And while the investigators were right in that real life does not imitate CSI, or any other crime drama on television, don't these people know that they will eventually be caught? What makes them think they will get away with murder? I wish I knew.

Police have arrested a suspect, though everyone keeps talking about the smoking ban as the cause of Guernica bouncer Dana Blake's death. It's obvious it was excessive alcohol consumption. Ever been in a bar in NYC, or New York State for that matter? You can't tell anyone to do anything without getting some pushback. The more alcohol, the worse the response. Not that I've been in a lot of bars...oh never mind.

I've mentioned before my fascination with the power of words. How about the power of blogging? Or as this article may prove, is that Superpower? (Thanks for sending my way Chris.)

A bouncer is stabbed at a New York City nightclub. And the Fourth Estate insists on making it about the smoking ban. Headlines from California to Maine scream out "Bouncer Stabbed in Smoking Ban Brawl" or some variation thereof.

This also happens to be the fault of the syndicator who transmitted such an offensive and inaccurate headline. And I can't forget my local news training - if it bleeds, it leads - so I really shouldn't be surprised or outraged. But I am. If you actually read this story, and I'd love to know how many editors actually did, it seems pretty clear that the stabber didn't want to be told what to do by the stabbee. I'd bet the farm that if the bouncer said "no more rum and coke" - the same thing would have happened. Gotta love New York, right?

The trouble is likely the amount of alcohol consumed. But no one dares go there. Bloomberg may put that "health crisis" next on the list and we'll have Prohibition 2003. History, people. Does anyone pay attention?

UPDATE: Looking back, the victim's family blamed the ban so it's unfair to place this solely on the press' shoulders. But just regurgitating quotes from the victim's family, who are of course angry and upset, is poor journalism. If I was paranoid, the angle was used to sell more newspapers (or ensure a wider syndication.) I can hear the evil laughter of city desk editor's all over the city as this was slugged.

Speaking of lies, apparently CNN has a whole new definition of news. (registration required) (Saw this on Mike Wendland's blog). The way I read this, CNN chose to ignore stories in Iraq, citing the safety of staff and sources. So, you secure your personnel as best you can SOMEWHERE ELSE and then you report the news. This goes beyond outrageous, don't you think? Would things have been different if CNN had simply done its job? We'll never know but that sort of thing can keep a person up nights.

Dishonesty is a major source of outrage for me. I'm not perfect and find that I tell the most lies to myself - another cookie won't matter, I'll call later or I'll exercise tomorrow, that sort of thing. But that's another story. My attitude is: tell the truth - lies are usually discovered and who has time to keep track of what's true and what isn't.

So I came across two things today - one right after the other. First, this article about honesty and then a link to the WeLoveThe IraqiInformationMinister.com website. (thanks for the ref, Lucky). According to USA Today, 82 percent of CEOs have cheated on their golf scores. It's not about what the lie is - it's about the fact that you lie. And then MSS who, like Gary Hart before him, says "We have retaken the airport. There are NO Americans there. I will take you there and show you. IN ONE HOUR!" So my dad isn't so far off. He thinks this guy really might have a PR career in some corporation after all this is over. Stranger things have happened.

For all the buzz generated about his identity, I find it so odd that there hasn't been more coverage of Salam Pax's disappearance. He hasn't posted since March 24 - which is being cited as one of the heaviest bombing days in Baghdad. Maybe there's been news out in the blogosphere but I haven't seen anything. Anyone?

I always thought the idea of cloning was way creepy. Maybe we can move on now and focus on stem cell research or a cure for cancer. And the Raelians can return to their home planet. Sounds like a plan to me.

I was asked by a reporter once what my pet peeve was. Without hesitation, I answered, "Injustice." That amused my friends to no end. Not only because it's true but it puts who I am and what I do and say in perspective. It's also the main source of my outrage. Not sure why this news story caused me to make that connection but it did.

So Internet fraud tripled last year. The Internet Fraud Complaint Center has the details but I have to ask: are cyber criminals getting smarter - or are web site developers and web users getting dumber? Tripled? Jeez the weez.

I found out today that the U.S. military has a title for the people who are sent to deliver bad news to the family of a soldier killed in combat. The official title is "casualty technician." Say it a couple of times - either aloud or silently. The awfulness of it should hit you after the third or fourth time.

I work in web publishing, a world dominated by the technocrat. So almost nothing surprises me. But good gawd, who came up with that for a title?

We were worried about the war on terrorism and civil liberties. Little did we know that it would take a killer cold bug to really do it. And a woman - whom I'd like to meet when she's feeling better - who refused to do the courteous thing and be seen by a doctor. You'd think she'd want to know, huh? But this is America and freedom to do what we want when we want to is what it's all about, right? Isn't that what we're fighting for over in Iraq - or am I missing something? We're not going to follow the path of the Canadians, are we?

I guess I should take some comfort in the fact that our democracy forced our head of state to sign such an order -- but I can't. More people die in this country EVERY year from the flu. Let's hope the scientists who are trying to identify SARS can do so quickly.

(I slept in after working late last night. Note to self: never post without your morning coffee. I'm just too cranky.)

Not that I ever expected anything really from Google's acquisition of Pyra Labs. But loved this "Tidbit" by Amy Gahran at Poynter.

Good to know. ABC.com's The Note is back. Does that mean the war's over?

It never ceases to amaze me how your perception of a word can change based on its use by someone else. The Iraqi government promises "new, creative ways" to create martyrs in this article in the New York Times (registration required.)

And condolences to the family and friends of Michael Kelly, the first American journalist to die in the war.

Weird. Best anti-war song author Edwin Starr dies of a heart attack this week. Timing is a little creepy, don't you think?

Whether Geraldo leaves on his own or because the Pentagon forced him to matters not. What I find amusing is that Google classified this story as "entertainment" news.

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