What passes for news... [Archive]

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 04:50

This was the first headline on the national news section of my Earthlink home page. First of all, is this the most important thing in our nation right now?!? Secondly, [sarcastic] Ooh the police are really narrowing this case down now [/end sarcasm].

rm'

17th June 2002, 04:52

meh... if you don't like the news, don't watch it. I know I don't. There are always alternatives available.

Bop

17th June 2002, 04:56

Take a history book, tear out the pages, and throw them in a hat. Everyday pick out a page and read it. You will learn more about today's world this way than from a newspaper.

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 05:05

Originally posted by rm'
meh... if you don't like the news, don't watch it. I know I don't. There are always alternatives available.

I usually get my news from NPR. Also, I don't even own a television as TV news is the worst, even the so-called "quality" news. I was just bitchin'. Probably shoulda posted this in the Bitchlist. BTW, bonus points for the proper usage and spelling of "meh." :)

Aeroe

17th June 2002, 05:10

but how does that kidnapped girl get headlines in the first place? was it since she's rich and white or that it actually Matters to every damn soul on this planet?

and i did chuckle about the cap too... gee what leads we'd have if he decided to take it off.

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 05:17

Originally posted by Sawg 2.0
I get a lot of my news from the Dauly Show, seriously. With the set-ups for the jokes and the news types guests they have I think sometimes they do a better job then these 24hr News Networks.

I like The Daily Show a lot. Like some other shows, you have to be pretty well-informed to get the jokes. If I had a TV I'd watch it...

Aeroe

17th June 2002, 05:19

Originally posted by Sandman2012

If I had a TV I'd watch it...

um i got like a dozen, in both my home, other garages and stuff. want one fedex'ed?

i ruled out british and amish though.

Jon Deaux

17th June 2002, 05:25

It used to be
All the news that's fit to print.
Now it's
All the news that fits we print.
Pablum for the public.
And
When we want your opinion, we'll tell you what it is.
Orwell was right.

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 05:32

Thanks Aeroe, but I don't have a TV by choice (and I'm not Amish :p ).

Jon, you, like Orwell, are right. The conspiracy part of my brain often wonders if stories like this are printed because:

1 - they keep public attention away from the real issues.

2 - (and this one's my favorite) stories about kidnappings, abductions, etc. hit parents where it hurts, and they are more likely to vote away their civil liberties and freedoms if they think they are doing it for the safety of their children ("Sure I'll let you put a microchip in my newborn...").

Jon Deaux

17th June 2002, 05:37

Yep.
The game is afoot!

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 05:39

Mr. Deaux, are you familiar with a certain Sir Miles Delacourt?

rm'

17th June 2002, 06:19

I choose number 2. People are willing to throw all their rights out the window for children. Although that's a bit of a stretch... the media itself is not intent on limiting people's rights. They are in the business to make money. Stories about puppy dogs and lost children grab more attention then a half century long struggle for freedom against an autocracy in a land half way across the world. It's merely a side effect that due to natural parental instinct, we end up losing our freedoms more and more each year.

The news media gives the people what they want.

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 06:53

I agree with you rm'. Conspiracy theories are interesting, and there certainly are some power mongers out there that want to manipulate and control society, but a lot of stuff in our society is a result of the "lowest common denominator" group-think psychology to which our culture is a victim.

Jon Deaux

17th June 2002, 07:07

"Mr. Deaux, are you familiar with a certain Sir Miles Delacourt?"

The dreams of Grant Morrison?

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 07:32

Awesome. I've been looking for another Morrison fan here for a while.

steak

17th June 2002, 07:59

I’ve been saying this for yonks, the media is corrupt, no one seems to listen to me. They think I’m insane.

If it weren’t for star trek I’d get rid of my TV as well. (all right and the occasional episode of buffy) :D

But I personally know that BBC news is the only news not to censor its broadcasts, so if I want the closest to real news that I can get I tune into the internet stream of BBC world or News24

It’s interesting I actually just wrote an issue of my e-zine on how corrupt the news and media is, isn’t it a small world

Jon Deaux

17th June 2002, 15:03

"Awesome. I've been looking for another Morrison fan here for a while."

I believe Grant Morrison to be one of the most talented writers there are, he knows how to put a twist in the tale.
If more people were familiar with his work there would surely be more fans.

"I’ve been saying this for yonks, the media is corrupt, no one seems to listen to me. They think I’m insane."

I know exactly what you mean. It's like people want you to leave their heads in the sand where they belong.
I've pointed out the circling and crosses of chemtrails to similarly blind individuals only to be told that those were just normal contrails.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I'm winging my way to Tokyo I do not want the pilot going off course for a game of arial tic tac toe!

rm'

17th June 2002, 15:07

Originally posted by Sandman2012
I usually get my news from NPR.

I get my news from Google (http://www.google.com/news/). The cover all sources, from far-out lefty conspiracist liberal fascists to hardassed right winged church boys. BBC, by the way, is just as bad, if not worse, then everyone else.

papadoc

17th June 2002, 15:23

Here's what I find funny about Sandman2012's post.
The headline says:
"Police Say Utah Girl's Abductor Wore Tan Cap"

This says to me their looking for the Tan Cap.
What if he threw the Tan Cap away?
They may find the Tan Cap somewhere,
but since he's not wearing the Tan Cap anymore,
they'll never find him.
And what if some homeless guy found the Tan Cap and put it on.
Then they'll get the homeless guy.
:D

rm'

17th June 2002, 15:29

NEWS ITEM: Abductor was a two-legged mammal!

Investigators are closing in on the tracks of the Utah kidnapper, after discovering footprints which have led the investigators to believe that the kidnapper is a bipedal fur bearing creature.

NEWS ITEM: Hair found at the crime scene!

This latest piece of evidence has further cemented the theory that the kidnapper is a mammal. The hair strand will undergo further analysis to help reveal which of the 5.9 billion humans with hair is the kidnapper.

Jon Deaux

17th June 2002, 15:30

"Police Say Utah Girl's Abductor Wore Tan Cap"

Uh, oh.
I have a tan cap...shudder.
They didn't specify chamois, and mine is made of chamois, so maybe I'm safe for now.
Maybe I should go bury it in the yard before they come rounding up all owners of tan caps.
Just because yer paranoid don't mean they aint out to get ya!

rm'

17th June 2002, 15:32

delete me. I FUBARd that one up...

Sandman2012

17th June 2002, 20:30

"First they came for the people with tan caps, but I didn't speak up because I didn't have a tan cap..."

rm': interesting aside about using Google for info. Don't know if you have seen this but the Church of Scientology put pressure on Google and they removed links to anti-Scientology web-sites from their search engine. Read about it at infoAnarchy.org. (http://www.infoanarchy.org/story/2002/3/20/2037/19185)

papadoc: thanks for addressing my second point. Tan cap...he'll never get away now.

Jon: Did you see the thing Grant wrote about Kylie Minogue on his site? It's hysterical. I started a thread about it here (http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=90908) but it didn't go far. Check it.

deadrabbit

17th June 2002, 21:30

I read the world section of the Guardian, and listen to NPR. The Guardian is great for world news, you don't hear about any significant world news from US news services.

Jon Deaux

17th June 2002, 22:27

ROTFLMAO!!!!!
@Kylie Minogue.sexhazard
Must be them there phemerones I been hearin about.
Or is that pheremones?
Oh well, ya heard one of em moan ya heard em all.

& Scientology, the only place you feel pressured to give thousands of dollars to sit holding orange juice cans telling some idiot who thinks he's a psychologist all your troubles in order to clear your ingrams.
Oh yeah, makes perfect sense to me.
None of those people could have been ElRon fans, or they'd have known it was his plan all along to create a totaly bogus religion.
Being the plagiarist he was his karma worked against his attempt at ripping off the Sub Genius.
HAIL BOB!
By the way, these guys take 3 days to deliver my pizza.
http://www.hotweb.or.jp/pizza104/english/welcome.html
But say they are lots faster when they don't have to be searched at Tokyo airport.

g3cko

18th June 2002, 04:20

Originally posted by Aeroe
and i did chuckle about the cap too... gee what leads we'd have if he decided to take it off.

i can see the headlines already
"abductor takes off cap and foils police"