CNN's Campbell Brown offered her usual diatribe about reaction to AIG's bonuses in this report: CNN Campbell Brown - Let cable news bash AIG

One key phrase at the end...
Guys [politicians], get it together please. We don't need you to feel our pain. We need you to fix this problem, minus the histrionics. Leave that to cable news. Instead, how about you focus on what you're going to do when it is time to write AIG yet another check?

Leave the histrionics to cable news?

That's the problem here, actually. Cable "news" stopped being news. It's now cable "opinion". When CNN launched, it used to tell you what was going on and that was it. In his older stand-up routine, comedian Franklin Ajaye used to joke about watching CNN in his hotel room while touring: "The world doesn't change a whole lot in 30 minutes... doesn't change all that much in 2 hours either." CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC are all loaded with opinion shows now... people who somehow thought anchoring was beneath them and that their opinion meant a hill of beans to anyone who was watching.

And the sad truth is, the cable news networks have evolved into this stuff because Americans don't really want the news. They want to be entertained. They want to hear someone yapping like a chihuahua for an hour or so, as if that person is representing their thoughts.

CNN in particular has steadily degraded itself, just to match the competition. In its beginnings, it was James Earl Jones' booming voice "THIS is CNN" and a group of actual reporters and anchors dedicated to delivering the news 24/7/365. Now it's a bunch of people all wanting to be the next great talk-show host.

The sad irony here: the most effective and efficient source for actual news? The 24-hour all-news radio stations. The ones that have been around for decades in most major cities. They were supposed to be hurt the most by cable news stations, but in the reality of it all, they're the ones who stayed true to the calling.

And what's with all the people on these cable "news" channels with last names for first names? Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper... is that supposed to impress me more than "Mary" or "Tom"? Sounds more phony to me, actually.

Tags: campbell brown, cnn, news, opinions
Current Mood: annoyed

So I flew to Los Angeles for the business trip last week. The flight itself was not a big deal, same as I remember from the 70s. Of course I'm somewhat larger than I was 30 years ago and the seats are somewhat smaller. My knees spent 6 hours each way across the country against the seat in front of me. But the "strip to your socks" at the airport will get old fast for me, and I only have to make this trip once a year. And the bratty kid at LAX on the flight home who wandered off and tried to open a secure door to the outside... well, let's just say the gate agent was way too nice to his father about the whole thing.

Current Mood: indifferent

Was hired by one of our competitors, and I even get a little more scratch for my troubles. Only thing that really will be stressful now is the trip... haven't been on a plane in 30 years,but it's just for a week or so in southern Cali, so I will make do. (wheew) is how you spell relief!

Current Mood: relieved

Well, after 19 years at the same company, I'm job hunting. Very strange feeling, and rather stressful too. No one expected TWR to go under, maybe some severe downsizing, but that just spiraled out of control quickly, and poof. Wish me luck...

Current Mood: anxious

1. Leave me a casual comment of no particular significance, like a lyric to your current favorite song, or your favorite kind of sandwich, maybe your favorite game. Any remark, meaningless or not.
2. I will respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.
3. Update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. Include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in your own post.
5. When others respond with a desultory comment, you will ask them five questions.

I was asked:
1. What colour is your home? Do you like it?
2. Have you ever kept pet fish? Why/why not?
3. Would you rather cook for someone or have them cook for you?
4. Do you have a favourite neck tie?
5. Do you speak any language other than English?

My answers:
1. Outside is brick, inside... walls are white, carpet is golden brown. I just renewed my apartment for year #6, so I must like it (that, plus the rent didn't increase).

2. As a kid, we had two goldfish that refused to die. Mom even tried to off them once by not changing the water for almost a month, they lived through it with no ill effects. Finally died of old age.

3. I was a restaurant cook during my college years, so I definitely enjoy cooking.

4. I don't even own a necktie.

5. I took 6 years of Spanish in junior high and high school, but I've forgotten most of it. Mom minored in French in college, so she would occasionally speak to us in French and my sister and I would respond in Spanish :)

2007 is proving to be as strange as 2006... they didn't warn me about this in school...

Anybody got any winning lottery numbers?

Current Mood: annoyed

Ahh yes, the Devils win the opener, the Mets are one win from a sweep, and the Yankees are one loss from elimination - again.

Current Mood: amused

If they don't beat the redskins, I may have to make the early move to the Devils...

Current Mood: disappointed

As you get older, naps ROCK!

Current Mood: sleepy