- Came through the gallbladder surgery okay. Took a little longer to recover than I thought it would. All those folks who told me about going on cross-country trips two days after their surgeries and stuff like that were full of it. It was not easy; and surprise surprise, your body does miss the gallbladder. In fact, it spent a good three weeks thinking it still had one, which was not a lot of fun (I'll spare the details.) But all is well now, and my resolution for the rest of the year is to keep the rest of my internal organs, at least until I finish paying the bills for that one. And big props to my employer for not only being great about the whole thing, but sending me TWO big flower bouquets while I was recuperating. I almost think they like me.
- Kinda OT, but not - Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina has done a wonderful thing. They have made all generic drugs free for subscribers until the end of July. It was only a $10 copay before, but when I add up all the stuff I had to take pre- and post-surgery and how much $10 a pop would've cost, I count my blessings. I think this is a great program that should be extended, and it would be nice if the nice folks in Tennessee who have lost their TennCare could get some sort of deal like that from the state. I know it would make a big difference in the long run.
- Integrative medicine (a traditional doctor who uses holistic methods) rocks. I have had only one migraine in the two weeks since I've started taking doctor-recommended magnesium and a new method of thyroid replacement. This is a big thing for me.
- Work has been crazy. There's been this little controversy at Duke about some party and a couple of strippers. Seriously, it's been huge for us. Not even going to get into the controversy, because opinions are like belly-buttons...we all have one. Suffice it to say that I have my own theory and it's somewhere in the middle. And you know all the press about Durham being a poor urban city with this rich arrogant university in the middle? That's not quite right -- there are a lot of wealthy peope in the city, and a lot of them aren't white. There's not a huge middle-class there -- like in Chapel Hill, a lot of those folks have moved to neighboring counties to find lower taxes. And yeah, the crime rate is pretty bad there. But Durham's a nice place, and has a damn fine baseball park. It deserves better than it's getting from the national media.
- I will be visiting Middle Tennessee for Hypericon and some time with my family at the end of June. If anyone in Nashville is still reading this thing, lemme know if you want to do dinner sometime that weekend.
- The new Doctor Who (with Tennant) is terrific. I am enjoying Big Love on HBO (sometime I should write a post about polygamy, Mormonism, and that show.) Not really digging The Sopranos as much as I should. House is still ruling my world, and I've been acquiring the new series of Green Wing from the UK. And since they're closing all the Suncoasts in Raleigh (and Suncoast is great with stocking British stuff) I am now permanently broke.
- Heard about Bill Hobbs. In the interest of not pissing off the people in Nashville who actually still read this, I will stay silent on the matter.
- My great-great-great grandfather was an illegal immigrant and didn't speak English (most likely he spoke Gaelic.) Look at your geneology -- your ancestors probably were the same. What's wrong with letting people actually pay taxes to stay? I'm not really getting why that's such a bad thing, or why people are getting so damn offensive about this.
- Really don't know what else to say. If you've got a subject you'd like for me to post about, leave it in comments. I'll be happy to oblige.
5.01.2006
3.29.2006
Update
Due to some complications, my gallbladder surgery has been pushed up to tomorrow. If you could spare some thoughts or prayers for me, I would appreciate it. Thanks.
3.24.2006
An Update Of Sorts
Yes, it's been a very long time since I've actually posted anything. Sorry about that. Those of you who have actually missed me -- I appreciate it. It's nice to know when people actually miss your thoughts.
A lot has happened since I left Nashville...most of it overwhelmingly for the better. I've been consumed with the new job in a great way. Love the job, love my coworkers, the station and the market. It's a great place to be if you're in the media. And we've had a lot going on. You might have heard of a little thing called March Madness? In this state, it's February, March and April Madness, and it's hard to describe how huge it is here. And I love it! Nothing is better than being a former UNC student who's doing the coverage of their defeat of Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. However, that same week was when the alumnus drove an SUV into The Pit on-campus, hurting a bunch of people. That's probably the biggest story I've ever worked on, and while it was a horrible thing to have to cover, it's also been one of the most intriguing stories I've ever seen, and the work that I've been proudest of.
(BTW, I say that the guy who drove into the Pit was a nutjob, not a terrorist. However, I also classify suicide bombers and most extremists in general as nutjobs. I read an editorial from a Florida paper that said we need to change our language in referring to acts of violence, and I agree. When you commit unspeakably stupid and horrific acts and then throw in a political or religious excuse, it doesn't change the sheer stupidity or horror of it.)
On the personal side, things have been mixed, but generally better. My sister decided to get a divorce right after New Year's, and that's had a huge effect on our whole family. I've developed friendships here and actually do more outside of work than I did in Nashville, but my career still eats up most of my life. And I have some great coworkers who keep me very entertained. :)
However, the main reason that I even have time to update now is a bit of a downer. I've had stomach pain for a long time now, and in the weeks before moving here, I was pretty sick, but I attributed that to stress. However, about a week ago I became really ill, and found out a couple of days ago that my gallbladder's malfunctioning. No gallstones -- it's basically going haywire. So I'll be having it removed in a few weeks. Really annoying timing-wise, but I'll be glad to have it done and hopefully feel a lot better by summer. In the meantime, I'm learning that I don't like painkillers quite as much as Dr. House.
I'll post more later, including some TV stuff and anything else I can think of (I'll happily take requests.) Hope everyone in Nashville Blogger-land is doing well. I do miss you guys (as well as my former coworkers) a lot.
A lot has happened since I left Nashville...most of it overwhelmingly for the better. I've been consumed with the new job in a great way. Love the job, love my coworkers, the station and the market. It's a great place to be if you're in the media. And we've had a lot going on. You might have heard of a little thing called March Madness? In this state, it's February, March and April Madness, and it's hard to describe how huge it is here. And I love it! Nothing is better than being a former UNC student who's doing the coverage of their defeat of Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. However, that same week was when the alumnus drove an SUV into The Pit on-campus, hurting a bunch of people. That's probably the biggest story I've ever worked on, and while it was a horrible thing to have to cover, it's also been one of the most intriguing stories I've ever seen, and the work that I've been proudest of.
(BTW, I say that the guy who drove into the Pit was a nutjob, not a terrorist. However, I also classify suicide bombers and most extremists in general as nutjobs. I read an editorial from a Florida paper that said we need to change our language in referring to acts of violence, and I agree. When you commit unspeakably stupid and horrific acts and then throw in a political or religious excuse, it doesn't change the sheer stupidity or horror of it.)
On the personal side, things have been mixed, but generally better. My sister decided to get a divorce right after New Year's, and that's had a huge effect on our whole family. I've developed friendships here and actually do more outside of work than I did in Nashville, but my career still eats up most of my life. And I have some great coworkers who keep me very entertained. :)
However, the main reason that I even have time to update now is a bit of a downer. I've had stomach pain for a long time now, and in the weeks before moving here, I was pretty sick, but I attributed that to stress. However, about a week ago I became really ill, and found out a couple of days ago that my gallbladder's malfunctioning. No gallstones -- it's basically going haywire. So I'll be having it removed in a few weeks. Really annoying timing-wise, but I'll be glad to have it done and hopefully feel a lot better by summer. In the meantime, I'm learning that I don't like painkillers quite as much as Dr. House.
I'll post more later, including some TV stuff and anything else I can think of (I'll happily take requests.) Hope everyone in Nashville Blogger-land is doing well. I do miss you guys (as well as my former coworkers) a lot.
2.08.2006
When Words And Actions Decide To Compete
Okay, I think I am possibly the last blogger in existence not to comment on the Muhammad cartoons. Blame it on news fatigue, or the fact that it's the middle of the ACC season (incidentally, if anyone doesn't know this yet, Duke sucks.)
I've felt more torn than usual on this one. I have my own political code of sorts, and one of the central tenants of this is freedom of speech. It doesn't matter how much I personally detest something -- I respect the right of the person to say it. No matter how much trash comes out of Fred Phelps' mouth, he shouldn't be barred from funerals or churches in saying it. Kept at a distance, yes. But he should be heard. Growing up, the KKK and various white-supremacist groups marched through my hometown (which is one county over from the birthplace of the Klan.) No one tried to keep them from marching, but no one paid any attention to them. They usually marched through an empty square full of state troopers. Angry words feed hate, but silence quells it.
On the other hand, there is something else that I very strongly believe in -- respect, particularly for religion. People have their own assorted beliefs and Gods and traditions, and those need to take a priority in others' interactions with them. For instance, the Amish don't believe in having photographs taken of their faces, for various reasons. If you go to an Amish town, you'll find a lot of baby dolls dressed in black and dark blue and bonnets and hats. But they have no faces stitched on their cloth heads. Does this mean that people respect their wishes? No, because I've seen photo books about the Amish. However, those who understand and respect their beliefs often take rear-view pictures of them. And if you do take a picture of an Amish family head-on, they're not going to run after you and yank the film out of your camera or write nasty letters to the papers or anything. That's because they believe in peace above all else, and that's probably more effective for them than raising a ruckus.
I think that the caricaturists were making a point about Islamic radicals, and unfortunately their point was made even clearer by the violence that ensued. And no, Christians can't feel any better about themselves because they haven't burnt any buildings or killed any people who dared to offend them in the last, um, 150 years. Even if we haven't committed physical violence, we are spreading our hate and ignorance about other faiths and lifestyle through our words and deeds. But as people, we have to learn how to respect others before we respect ourselves. So if I defend the right of these journalists to have artistic and vocal freedom, I do not agree that being blasphemous to Muslims was a good ethical decision, and I'm not going to let my support of free speech override my objection to bad judgement. Sure, you think that a segment of their population is dangerous and hurtful. But does offending the whole group make that any better?
(I will also say, in case this is all very holier-than-thou, that I have not always practiced what I preach here. I've had my own experiences with certain segments of Christianity that lead me to disrespect them. And I know that's wrong and poisons myself as well as others, so it's something I'll keep working on, in my hippie-dippy, UU and Buddhist-exploring way.)
I've felt more torn than usual on this one. I have my own political code of sorts, and one of the central tenants of this is freedom of speech. It doesn't matter how much I personally detest something -- I respect the right of the person to say it. No matter how much trash comes out of Fred Phelps' mouth, he shouldn't be barred from funerals or churches in saying it. Kept at a distance, yes. But he should be heard. Growing up, the KKK and various white-supremacist groups marched through my hometown (which is one county over from the birthplace of the Klan.) No one tried to keep them from marching, but no one paid any attention to them. They usually marched through an empty square full of state troopers. Angry words feed hate, but silence quells it.
On the other hand, there is something else that I very strongly believe in -- respect, particularly for religion. People have their own assorted beliefs and Gods and traditions, and those need to take a priority in others' interactions with them. For instance, the Amish don't believe in having photographs taken of their faces, for various reasons. If you go to an Amish town, you'll find a lot of baby dolls dressed in black and dark blue and bonnets and hats. But they have no faces stitched on their cloth heads. Does this mean that people respect their wishes? No, because I've seen photo books about the Amish. However, those who understand and respect their beliefs often take rear-view pictures of them. And if you do take a picture of an Amish family head-on, they're not going to run after you and yank the film out of your camera or write nasty letters to the papers or anything. That's because they believe in peace above all else, and that's probably more effective for them than raising a ruckus.
I think that the caricaturists were making a point about Islamic radicals, and unfortunately their point was made even clearer by the violence that ensued. And no, Christians can't feel any better about themselves because they haven't burnt any buildings or killed any people who dared to offend them in the last, um, 150 years. Even if we haven't committed physical violence, we are spreading our hate and ignorance about other faiths and lifestyle through our words and deeds. But as people, we have to learn how to respect others before we respect ourselves. So if I defend the right of these journalists to have artistic and vocal freedom, I do not agree that being blasphemous to Muslims was a good ethical decision, and I'm not going to let my support of free speech override my objection to bad judgement. Sure, you think that a segment of their population is dangerous and hurtful. But does offending the whole group make that any better?
(I will also say, in case this is all very holier-than-thou, that I have not always practiced what I preach here. I've had my own experiences with certain segments of Christianity that lead me to disrespect them. And I know that's wrong and poisons myself as well as others, so it's something I'll keep working on, in my hippie-dippy, UU and Buddhist-exploring way.)
1.15.2006
Reaction To Today's Game
Must...not...mock...Peyton. Must...not...imitate...choking-chicken. Not...succeeding..........
I'm not entirely happy, because I hate the Broncs and would've loved another Pitt-Pats matchup next weekend. But boy, today's game had the most entertaining 4th-quarter since, well, some of the Titans upsets of old.
I'm not entirely happy, because I hate the Broncs and would've loved another Pitt-Pats matchup next weekend. But boy, today's game had the most entertaining 4th-quarter since, well, some of the Titans upsets of old.
1.13.2006
This Is Complete BS
Boy, it's a good thing that I've already left Nashville, because this might've had me packing my bags. WSMV is pulling "The Book of Daniel", deciding for all of the one million residents of the city and thousands more in the viewing area that the show "is not appropriate for broadcast television in this community."
Y'know, if someone doesn't want to watch a show for any reason, there's a wonderful invention called a remote control that allows you to change the channel in less than 30 seconds. If you don't want your kids watching something, there's a slightly more high-tech gizmo called a V-Chip. Moreover, cable companies like Comcast have very user-friendly ways to choose programming for kids. None of this stuff is very hard to do.
I've already said my piece about the show, but I'll once again reiterate that I don't see what the fuss is about. Okay, the priest is a pill-popper and has a gay son and a lot of other drama in his life. This happens in real life. If you don't believe me, try attending a fundamentalist church for a couple of years and you'll start seeing all the skeletons in the closet. Moreover, the fact that the priest accepts and loves all of this family members, despite what they do or whom they love, is indicitive of the "Love one another" commandment that Jesus gave. Remember the "Judge not, lest ye shall be judged" verse? I think a lot of people have. And if WSMV thinks that the people of Nashville are so much better than that, then they must be a part of a different community than I lived in.
Moreover, we've already got the FCC making sure that no one accidentally sees a real live nipple or actuallly hears a curse word. I don't need my local TV station making my TV-viewing decisions for me. Before you know it, "House" will get booted from Ch. 17 because it dares to show a functioning drug addict practicing medicine. Or those "Sex and the City" reruns on WKRN will be cut because they show single women having intercourse outside of marriage. See what I mean? Where do you draw a line? I can draw my own lines and make my own decisions, and shame on WSMV for trying to say I'm not moral enough to do it myself.
Y'know, if someone doesn't want to watch a show for any reason, there's a wonderful invention called a remote control that allows you to change the channel in less than 30 seconds. If you don't want your kids watching something, there's a slightly more high-tech gizmo called a V-Chip. Moreover, cable companies like Comcast have very user-friendly ways to choose programming for kids. None of this stuff is very hard to do.
I've already said my piece about the show, but I'll once again reiterate that I don't see what the fuss is about. Okay, the priest is a pill-popper and has a gay son and a lot of other drama in his life. This happens in real life. If you don't believe me, try attending a fundamentalist church for a couple of years and you'll start seeing all the skeletons in the closet. Moreover, the fact that the priest accepts and loves all of this family members, despite what they do or whom they love, is indicitive of the "Love one another" commandment that Jesus gave. Remember the "Judge not, lest ye shall be judged" verse? I think a lot of people have. And if WSMV thinks that the people of Nashville are so much better than that, then they must be a part of a different community than I lived in.
Moreover, we've already got the FCC making sure that no one accidentally sees a real live nipple or actuallly hears a curse word. I don't need my local TV station making my TV-viewing decisions for me. Before you know it, "House" will get booted from Ch. 17 because it dares to show a functioning drug addict practicing medicine. Or those "Sex and the City" reruns on WKRN will be cut because they show single women having intercourse outside of marriage. See what I mean? Where do you draw a line? I can draw my own lines and make my own decisions, and shame on WSMV for trying to say I'm not moral enough to do it myself.
1.07.2006
Some Must-See TV, Along With Must-Snooze
Since NBC rolled out their revamped comedy schedule this week, I felt compelled to check it out. Except for "Scrubs", which is now scheduled against "House" and will now be relegated to a future Netflix queue.
(Note: Spoilers there be in these parts. Stop reading if you're waiting to watch these, particularly "The Book of Daniel", which is apparently reairing on Sunday.)
Thursday
Will & Grace: Could someone please tell me why this show is still on? I feel very certain that watching The Weather Channel for 30 minutes would generate more laughs. It's just painful. The only thing that I found entertaining about this show was finding out that Debra Messing apparently can sing. And she also looks really stupid in a "Sound of Music" costume.
Four Kings: This was a very pleasant surprise, because I fully expected this show to suck, as most shows that are hyped as the ______ version of "Sex and the City" usually do (BTW, the true male version of SATC is called "Manchild", and it regularly reairs on BBC America, so don't bother trying this again, networks.) It has a few typical startup flaws. The flashbacks for the guys to childhood are understandable, but shouldn't be relied upon. Seth Green's character could use a little more likeability and a little less whininess (although his reaction to another character's girlfriend's ultimatium was really cool, and kinda redeemed himself.) But overall, the tone was good and realistic. The guys acted like, well, guys, and it reminded me why I prefer hanging out with men (and whatever that dish was that one of them cooked at the end, I want the recipe.) The girls didn't come off so hot, but it was also true to life. In any case, this show earned a TiVo Season Pass.
My Name Is Earl: I can't slurp on this show much more than I have in the past. It continues to be excellent. One suggestion, NBC - have a weekend marathon of the first half of the season, or at least reair the pilot one night. I have a feeling that people may have seen this show for the first time this week, and have no clue what the premise is.
The Office: I really have no clue why I hate this show so much. Maybe it just boils down to preferring Ricky Gervalis any day of the week over Steve Carrell. Maybe it's the "Coupling" syndrome, where they recreate plotlines from the UK version and they just don't hit it as well. Maybe it's because the boss is so much like past management I've worked with that it's too close to home, whereas David Brent was just a funny character. In any case, I give up. Even Rainn Wilson can't help.
Friday
The Book of Daniel: This was an amazingly entertaining, provocative show. I've heard enough about the Episcopalian Church from close friends that I'm fairly sure it's somewhat accurate on how things work, although I'm not so sure that a priest whose family is so scandalous would ever manage to hang onto his parish. But Daniel is the kind of guy who would convince me join the Church, so any Episcopals who are upset with the storyline need to keep that in mind. And I really don't understand why people are so upset about Jesus' role in this. I'll admit that I'm a liberal Christian, but he seemed to be written just like I would think he would be if he did show up today on earth. I've pretty much read every part of the Bible that tells his story, and nothing seemed to go against canon for me. So I'm to assume that the protesters think that Jesus wouldn't talk to a guy who has a gay son, a drug-dealing daughter and has a bit of a pill-popping problem himself? Does anyone remember that Jesus was friends with Barnabas, and Mary Magdalene, and all sorts of folks who didn't have the most pristine backgrounds?
Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members
of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:35, 37, 40
Get over yourselves, people.
Anyway, as a bonus, I'll remind everyone that "House" is now airing on Friday nights at 11 EST on the USA Network. If you're not a junkie like me and have the DVD set, here's a good way to watch Season 1 and get hooked. This show deserved a lot more Golden Globe and Emmy nominations than it got.
(Note: Spoilers there be in these parts. Stop reading if you're waiting to watch these, particularly "The Book of Daniel", which is apparently reairing on Sunday.)
Thursday
Will & Grace: Could someone please tell me why this show is still on? I feel very certain that watching The Weather Channel for 30 minutes would generate more laughs. It's just painful. The only thing that I found entertaining about this show was finding out that Debra Messing apparently can sing. And she also looks really stupid in a "Sound of Music" costume.
Four Kings: This was a very pleasant surprise, because I fully expected this show to suck, as most shows that are hyped as the ______ version of "Sex and the City" usually do (BTW, the true male version of SATC is called "Manchild", and it regularly reairs on BBC America, so don't bother trying this again, networks.) It has a few typical startup flaws. The flashbacks for the guys to childhood are understandable, but shouldn't be relied upon. Seth Green's character could use a little more likeability and a little less whininess (although his reaction to another character's girlfriend's ultimatium was really cool, and kinda redeemed himself.) But overall, the tone was good and realistic. The guys acted like, well, guys, and it reminded me why I prefer hanging out with men (and whatever that dish was that one of them cooked at the end, I want the recipe.) The girls didn't come off so hot, but it was also true to life. In any case, this show earned a TiVo Season Pass.
My Name Is Earl: I can't slurp on this show much more than I have in the past. It continues to be excellent. One suggestion, NBC - have a weekend marathon of the first half of the season, or at least reair the pilot one night. I have a feeling that people may have seen this show for the first time this week, and have no clue what the premise is.
The Office: I really have no clue why I hate this show so much. Maybe it just boils down to preferring Ricky Gervalis any day of the week over Steve Carrell. Maybe it's the "Coupling" syndrome, where they recreate plotlines from the UK version and they just don't hit it as well. Maybe it's because the boss is so much like past management I've worked with that it's too close to home, whereas David Brent was just a funny character. In any case, I give up. Even Rainn Wilson can't help.
Friday
The Book of Daniel: This was an amazingly entertaining, provocative show. I've heard enough about the Episcopalian Church from close friends that I'm fairly sure it's somewhat accurate on how things work, although I'm not so sure that a priest whose family is so scandalous would ever manage to hang onto his parish. But Daniel is the kind of guy who would convince me join the Church, so any Episcopals who are upset with the storyline need to keep that in mind. And I really don't understand why people are so upset about Jesus' role in this. I'll admit that I'm a liberal Christian, but he seemed to be written just like I would think he would be if he did show up today on earth. I've pretty much read every part of the Bible that tells his story, and nothing seemed to go against canon for me. So I'm to assume that the protesters think that Jesus wouldn't talk to a guy who has a gay son, a drug-dealing daughter and has a bit of a pill-popping problem himself? Does anyone remember that Jesus was friends with Barnabas, and Mary Magdalene, and all sorts of folks who didn't have the most pristine backgrounds?
Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members
of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:35, 37, 40
Get over yourselves, people.
Anyway, as a bonus, I'll remind everyone that "House" is now airing on Friday nights at 11 EST on the USA Network. If you're not a junkie like me and have the DVD set, here's a good way to watch Season 1 and get hooked. This show deserved a lot more Golden Globe and Emmy nominations than it got.
1.04.2006
Anyone Hear Anything About A Mine Explosion?
As we all know, I'm the Queen of Breaking News. So you know that I was parked in front of CNN until the wee hours, watching coverage of the W. Virginia miners. Unfortunately, I fell asleep shortly before what media folks call "the money shot" but I call the "balloon pop". So I fell asleep around 1:30, blissfully listening to people cheering and awoke at 5 to hear people sobbing to Miles O'Brien. Ugh.
But there are a few things that have struck me about this whole thing, other than how absolutely horrifying the whole thing had to be, and how many lawsuits that the company owning the mine will now be facing...
(Warning: my language here isn't terribly polite, but f*&^ that s%#$. This isn't a Charlie Brown Christmas Special.)
1) Okay, this one goes back to Iraq, Katrina, and even some of my own personal experiences - how f*&^ing hard is it to tell people the TRUTH about something before they find out in the worst way possible? In last night's case, the mining company had a decent idea within 20 minutes of the false report that there were going to be more deaths. All that CEO of the company had to do was walk over to where Anderson Cooper was doing his live shot and basically tell the world to hold its horses. He wouldn't have had to say they were probably all dead (or almost dead) or anything - just that the reports out of the mine were inconclusive and that people needed to hold off on the celebrating until they had the final word. THAT would have been fair to the families. THAT might have prevented the clusterf*&^ that happened over two hours later when he dropped the bomb in the church. And news flash -- deflecting the blame onto others during and after the fact (i.e. calling a news conference the next day to explain how this is really not all your fault) doesn't fix anything, and usually makes the people who are actually dealing with this feel even worse. It's all well and good to feel bad in retrospect when you see the footage of people cussing you out on CNN after you kept your mouth shut, or when actually get around to seeing the people starving on the streets of New Orleans that you didn't/couldn't help, or whatever actually happens when people find out the real truth of a situation and end up really hurting. And believe me, they always do. And even if you're not around to see how much it screws up the people, there's no way that you'll end up better. If nothing else, give the media some credit for their ability to dig and just own up to your mistakes sooner than later. You might even come out looking better than a dickless weasel in the end.
2) Speaking of the media, some people think that CNN has some apologizing to do. Once again, I cry BS. Anderson was anchoring live from the scene, not working as a field reporter or producer. How in the bloody hell is he supposed to go verify the things that people are coming up and telling him in the middle of a live shot? Was he supposed to sneak down to that mine and check it out himself? And of course he was calling it "a miracle." What else do you call something like that? And did anyone who watched him in action during Katrina honestly expect him to show no emotion? And how much more verification do you need during a breaking news situation than church bells ringing, people dancing around in celebration and EMS workers driving by giving the live team thumbs-up signs? It's not the media's fault that #1 happened, and they shouldn't get the misplaced blame for it, just because no one bothered to pass the truth along. Having worked in a newsroom and working in conjunction with one now, I can tell you that when something's aired that's dicey in the factual department, you usually get a phone call within about two minutes of it airing. Those live guys were there reporting and reacting to what was going on around them. It's easy to say in retrospect that they should have waited, but if you were actually watching and seeing the commotion, there was no way. It would've been like waiting to air footage of the NOLA mess until FEMA confirmed that it had actually happened. In any case, I'm now looking very forward to seeing Anderson giving Mr. CEO the Landrieu treatment in the very near future.
3) I would like to give the people of West Virginia credit for coming off as intelligent, respectful people. They managed to do it in a way that some of the reporters noted with such increduality that you'd think that they were expecting characters from "My Name Is Earl." I think they were much more relatable than anyone else in the country has ever given them credit for being. As far as their "we're gonna kick someone's ass" reaction to the bad news this morning, I think that's pretty damn understandable under the circumstances. In fact, I would daresay that if you've ever had a drop of true redneck blood in your veins, you would react in a similar way. And rednecks (I'm using the politically-correct definition of this, since I don't believe they all have a chaw and look like Kid Rock) are all over this nation, and I daresay we've all got it in us. So no one needs to get all holier-than-thou on this.
But there are a few things that have struck me about this whole thing, other than how absolutely horrifying the whole thing had to be, and how many lawsuits that the company owning the mine will now be facing...
(Warning: my language here isn't terribly polite, but f*&^ that s%#$. This isn't a Charlie Brown Christmas Special.)
1) Okay, this one goes back to Iraq, Katrina, and even some of my own personal experiences - how f*&^ing hard is it to tell people the TRUTH about something before they find out in the worst way possible? In last night's case, the mining company had a decent idea within 20 minutes of the false report that there were going to be more deaths. All that CEO of the company had to do was walk over to where Anderson Cooper was doing his live shot and basically tell the world to hold its horses. He wouldn't have had to say they were probably all dead (or almost dead) or anything - just that the reports out of the mine were inconclusive and that people needed to hold off on the celebrating until they had the final word. THAT would have been fair to the families. THAT might have prevented the clusterf*&^ that happened over two hours later when he dropped the bomb in the church. And news flash -- deflecting the blame onto others during and after the fact (i.e. calling a news conference the next day to explain how this is really not all your fault) doesn't fix anything, and usually makes the people who are actually dealing with this feel even worse. It's all well and good to feel bad in retrospect when you see the footage of people cussing you out on CNN after you kept your mouth shut, or when actually get around to seeing the people starving on the streets of New Orleans that you didn't/couldn't help, or whatever actually happens when people find out the real truth of a situation and end up really hurting. And believe me, they always do. And even if you're not around to see how much it screws up the people, there's no way that you'll end up better. If nothing else, give the media some credit for their ability to dig and just own up to your mistakes sooner than later. You might even come out looking better than a dickless weasel in the end.
2) Speaking of the media, some people think that CNN has some apologizing to do. Once again, I cry BS. Anderson was anchoring live from the scene, not working as a field reporter or producer. How in the bloody hell is he supposed to go verify the things that people are coming up and telling him in the middle of a live shot? Was he supposed to sneak down to that mine and check it out himself? And of course he was calling it "a miracle." What else do you call something like that? And did anyone who watched him in action during Katrina honestly expect him to show no emotion? And how much more verification do you need during a breaking news situation than church bells ringing, people dancing around in celebration and EMS workers driving by giving the live team thumbs-up signs? It's not the media's fault that #1 happened, and they shouldn't get the misplaced blame for it, just because no one bothered to pass the truth along. Having worked in a newsroom and working in conjunction with one now, I can tell you that when something's aired that's dicey in the factual department, you usually get a phone call within about two minutes of it airing. Those live guys were there reporting and reacting to what was going on around them. It's easy to say in retrospect that they should have waited, but if you were actually watching and seeing the commotion, there was no way. It would've been like waiting to air footage of the NOLA mess until FEMA confirmed that it had actually happened. In any case, I'm now looking very forward to seeing Anderson giving Mr. CEO the Landrieu treatment in the very near future.
3) I would like to give the people of West Virginia credit for coming off as intelligent, respectful people. They managed to do it in a way that some of the reporters noted with such increduality that you'd think that they were expecting characters from "My Name Is Earl." I think they were much more relatable than anyone else in the country has ever given them credit for being. As far as their "we're gonna kick someone's ass" reaction to the bad news this morning, I think that's pretty damn understandable under the circumstances. In fact, I would daresay that if you've ever had a drop of true redneck blood in your veins, you would react in a similar way. And rednecks (I'm using the politically-correct definition of this, since I don't believe they all have a chaw and look like Kid Rock) are all over this nation, and I daresay we've all got it in us. So no one needs to get all holier-than-thou on this.
1.02.2006
Starting the New Year off right
Okay, so I realize that I haven't updated in a really long time. So here's a summary of the highs and lows of the past month or so.
- Actually managed to get all my stuff moved to N.C. in less than two weeks, at Christmas, which is NOT something I highly recommend. I also do not recommend using World Moving Services to manage your move, because despite their high ratings online, they are about as helpful as my cats at making sure things go smoothly. /end rant.
- I now live in a lovely house in North Raleigh that's really close to a lot of stuff that I knew from my previous time here, about eight years ago. For instance, the mall where I worked for Hecht's is right up the road. The Wal-Mart where me and my ex used to spend a lot of time is less than a mile away. But while there's so much that's somewhat familiar, there's so much new stuff that it's really disconcerting.
- My roommate's cool, and as much of a workaholic as I am. Unfortunately, her brother got really sick between Christmas and New Year's and ended up in the hospital, making things tough on her. But that did have the side effect of letting me babysit his two huge dogs, who were sweet enough to (almost) get me over my fear of canines.
- My job is amazing. I've never talked about work before, so I'm not going to start now. But so far it's been really great here.
- I spent Christmas Eve unpacking, Christmas working from home remotely, and New Year's unpacking and nursing a cold. Exciting stuff, I know.
- I attended the service at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh yesterday, where they were celebrating the New Year in the traditional Japanese way, including the listing of the 108 Buddhist weaknesses that we could renounce for the year, the throwing of coins and tacking up a special card with your resolution on it. It was a gorgeous ceremony, and actually helped me feel like I really can make a fresh start for 2006. However, the church itself seemed to have a more sedate feel to it than the one I attended in Nashville, and I'm not sure it's where I'll end up. Next week I'm actually dragging my butt to Chapel Hill to give their UU congregation a try.
- Speaking of Buddhist things, I'm going to my first meditation group, based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn, who's been very influential to me in the past. Kinda interested in how this turns out. The idea of a quiet mind appeals to me.
- I have found a Japanese fast-food place with decent sushi, a place with the best cheesesteak I've had outside of Philly, and a Caribou Coffee that opened last week a couple of miles from my place (soooo much better than Starbucks.) Once I find a good Indian place, I'll be set. Of course, this would be when I'm starting Jenny Craig.
- And there's a Whole Foods here! It was like entering a shrine or something. Sorry Wild Oats, but you do not even come close to Whole Foods (or as some friends say, Whole Paycheck.) I can't wait to have enough money to dabble in the attached Whole Body store, which has every organic and herbal body product and vitamin known to man in it. I'll have to stay out of the food part of the store, lest I be permanently broke.
- Speaking of groceries, N.C. is cool enough to actually sell wine in their grocery stores. Hell, they even have wine at Target! That means the prices are excellent and the selection is primo. Too bad the liquor stores are state-owned and seem to be hidden in weird places.
- Something that's not related to N.C. - I got two great presents for Christmas - a Mac Mini and an XM Radio. The Mini is teeny-tiny and looks great. However, it turned out that my existing keyboards and mice don't work with it (damn PS/2s) so I'm currently awaiting a shipment from NewEgg so I can actually use it. Same goes for the AirPort card that I need to connect to the wireless. And I won't even go into the hoops I have to go through to get wireless for my PC. On the other hand, my XM works perfectly, and ESPN and Fox Sports Radio made my trip across the looooooong Carolinas much more entertaining.
- Oh, have I mentioned how nice it is to see the Tar Heels on a basic channel?
- "House" is coming to the USA Network on Friday nights starting this week. Nevermind I have the Season 1 DVDs - I can never get enough.
- Adult Swim has become the highlight of my week. "Huey Freeman's Christmas Play" on "The Boondocks" was so kickass that I'm shocked that it ever made it on the air.
- So the Titans managed to get third-place in the Reggie Bush Bowl. I predict either Cutler or Leinart will be suiting up in Tennessee colors next season, and either would make a nice pick. I would personally prefer Cutler, but Norm Chow might get a lot outta Leinart, despite the snarking about his weak arm. Poor Volek.
So that's it. Hope that the holidays treated you and yours well, and stay outta trouble.
- Actually managed to get all my stuff moved to N.C. in less than two weeks, at Christmas, which is NOT something I highly recommend. I also do not recommend using World Moving Services to manage your move, because despite their high ratings online, they are about as helpful as my cats at making sure things go smoothly. /end rant.
- I now live in a lovely house in North Raleigh that's really close to a lot of stuff that I knew from my previous time here, about eight years ago. For instance, the mall where I worked for Hecht's is right up the road. The Wal-Mart where me and my ex used to spend a lot of time is less than a mile away. But while there's so much that's somewhat familiar, there's so much new stuff that it's really disconcerting.
- My roommate's cool, and as much of a workaholic as I am. Unfortunately, her brother got really sick between Christmas and New Year's and ended up in the hospital, making things tough on her. But that did have the side effect of letting me babysit his two huge dogs, who were sweet enough to (almost) get me over my fear of canines.
- My job is amazing. I've never talked about work before, so I'm not going to start now. But so far it's been really great here.
- I spent Christmas Eve unpacking, Christmas working from home remotely, and New Year's unpacking and nursing a cold. Exciting stuff, I know.
- I attended the service at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh yesterday, where they were celebrating the New Year in the traditional Japanese way, including the listing of the 108 Buddhist weaknesses that we could renounce for the year, the throwing of coins and tacking up a special card with your resolution on it. It was a gorgeous ceremony, and actually helped me feel like I really can make a fresh start for 2006. However, the church itself seemed to have a more sedate feel to it than the one I attended in Nashville, and I'm not sure it's where I'll end up. Next week I'm actually dragging my butt to Chapel Hill to give their UU congregation a try.
- Speaking of Buddhist things, I'm going to my first meditation group, based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn, who's been very influential to me in the past. Kinda interested in how this turns out. The idea of a quiet mind appeals to me.
- I have found a Japanese fast-food place with decent sushi, a place with the best cheesesteak I've had outside of Philly, and a Caribou Coffee that opened last week a couple of miles from my place (soooo much better than Starbucks.) Once I find a good Indian place, I'll be set. Of course, this would be when I'm starting Jenny Craig.
- And there's a Whole Foods here! It was like entering a shrine or something. Sorry Wild Oats, but you do not even come close to Whole Foods (or as some friends say, Whole Paycheck.) I can't wait to have enough money to dabble in the attached Whole Body store, which has every organic and herbal body product and vitamin known to man in it. I'll have to stay out of the food part of the store, lest I be permanently broke.
- Speaking of groceries, N.C. is cool enough to actually sell wine in their grocery stores. Hell, they even have wine at Target! That means the prices are excellent and the selection is primo. Too bad the liquor stores are state-owned and seem to be hidden in weird places.
- Something that's not related to N.C. - I got two great presents for Christmas - a Mac Mini and an XM Radio. The Mini is teeny-tiny and looks great. However, it turned out that my existing keyboards and mice don't work with it (damn PS/2s) so I'm currently awaiting a shipment from NewEgg so I can actually use it. Same goes for the AirPort card that I need to connect to the wireless. And I won't even go into the hoops I have to go through to get wireless for my PC. On the other hand, my XM works perfectly, and ESPN and Fox Sports Radio made my trip across the looooooong Carolinas much more entertaining.
- Oh, have I mentioned how nice it is to see the Tar Heels on a basic channel?
- "House" is coming to the USA Network on Friday nights starting this week. Nevermind I have the Season 1 DVDs - I can never get enough.
- Adult Swim has become the highlight of my week. "Huey Freeman's Christmas Play" on "The Boondocks" was so kickass that I'm shocked that it ever made it on the air.
- So the Titans managed to get third-place in the Reggie Bush Bowl. I predict either Cutler or Leinart will be suiting up in Tennessee colors next season, and either would make a nice pick. I would personally prefer Cutler, but Norm Chow might get a lot outta Leinart, despite the snarking about his weak arm. Poor Volek.
So that's it. Hope that the holidays treated you and yours well, and stay outta trouble.
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