Thursday, August 14, 2008

I should just stop reading today

You know, I didn't wake up cranky this morning. I woke up cold, because the wind shifted over night, the temperature dropped about 10 C and I had some windows open. But that's about it. Still, it seems every news story I read today is designed to annoy me in some way.

Take this one from VOCM where Education Minister Joan Burke says she's willing to meet with the university anytime over the search for a new president. I think the think that annoys me the most about this story isn't so much Burke, as what passes for news on VOCM. There's one real obvious question to be asked here and either they didn't ask it or didn't think it was important enough to put in the story. That being "Ms. Burke, do you still think you have a veto in anyone the university chooses to bring forward as the next president?" Kind of obvious, really. Not answered, however. Which is frustraing.

Then if we take a quick swing in the world of entertainment, you get this story, where New Line cinemas claims that the reasons the Tolkien family have not received any money from the Lord of the Rings movies is that they haven't made any money. The movie made more than $6 billion worldwide, when you take in box office, DVDs and other merchandise. But New Line is looking people right in the face and saying "Nope, we didn't make any money off these movies."

There's a line in the story that the most creative people in Hollywood are the accountants. No kidding.

And then there's this story, where I had to actually get up from my computer and walk away for a few minutes, I was that upset. The US Department of Homeland Security grabbed Hiu Ng when he went to get a green card matter taken care of. He died more than a year later from untreated cancer because his jailers thought he was faking it. He was frequently denied access to his family or his laywer. He couldn't eat or use the toilet without assistance from fellow inmates. He had problems getting his medication because he couldn't walk to where it was located. They put him in the top bunk. Staff frequently yelled at him to "stop faking!"

Honestly, if you read that story and don't want to punch something when you've finished, then you're not human.

I don't know. I think this is one of these days where I'm just better off not looking at a computer. It seems like a safer bet. At this rate I'm going to start looking for tall buildings in Iqaluit to jump off of. And really, there are limited options around here.

Last Five
1. Narc - Interpol
2. Missing you - Bob Mould
3. Cryer's paradise - Ron Hynes*
4. Yankee skipper - Figgy Duff
5. Cruel April - Sean Panting

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

My wife doesn't let me listen to VOCM anymore since she found me smashing my head against the wall one afternoon screaming "F----ING MORONS, F----MORONS!!!!...."

Therapy was expensive but I've been on the wagon for a year now.

Yours in mental health

Greg

towniebastard said...

Considering their website makes me want to do that, I can understand how a concentrated dose might break you. Glad to hear the therapy is working.

I mean, between the call-in shows being assine and rigged with government cronies, their news stories being mostly superficial and half the copy on their website appears to have been edited by someone still in junior high, I'm assuming the station has its positives. I just can't think of what it might be right now.

Anyone?

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm does VOCM stream Craig? Might need to prep myself for the big move. Sounds right up my alley! ;-)

towniebastard said...

I was going to suggest you not inflict that upon yourself. But if the AM dial in Nebraska is anything like what I encounted in Alberta a few years ago, then VOCM is going to seem....quaint.