Everyone’s saying that we’re approaching the end of the decade, so it must be true. Me, I find it hard to think of the Aughts as a discrete collection of years – aren’t those zeroes just place holders of some sort?
So yes, tongues are wagging and ink is spilling (figuratively in most cases) over 9/11 and Iraq, over real estate and recession, over disputed elections and political defections, over W and O and who gets blamed for what. But when you get down to it, it’s nothing but an excuse to fill time and space in what has become our wretchedly depraved 24-hour news cycle.
Having just returned from a holiday trip, I’m especially unnerved by the brouhaha over the latest attempt to bring down a plane. So the guy was attempting to mix something up out of chemicals taped to his legs in baggies? Swell. The failed shoe bomber led to our having to shed our footwear for security (and we should all be grateful he didn’t hide the explosive in his jockstrap); now I suppose we’ll need to prove there’s nothing up our sleeves or pant legs. The day will come when we’ll have to disrobe completely, hand our garments over for return after the flight, and don paper suits for the plane.
It’s not that this event made me apprehensive about my return flight, it’s the fact that it was on the tube all the time! Although I considered it not worth worrying that such an incident would befall my own flight, one doubt nagged at me. I didn’t fear another jihadist attempting the same action; I was more concerned that some nutcase would attempt a copycat move. And the reason that might happen is that said nutcase would have seen it on the TV news nonstop. If the media would stop acting like a dog with a bone, we’d all be better off. And probably a lot safer.
If the end is near, you’ll find out from CNN or FOX or MSNBC – and they’ll be bringing it to you live, right up to the bitter end. Whether anyone is left to watch or not.
So yes, tongues are wagging and ink is spilling (figuratively in most cases) over 9/11 and Iraq, over real estate and recession, over disputed elections and political defections, over W and O and who gets blamed for what. But when you get down to it, it’s nothing but an excuse to fill time and space in what has become our wretchedly depraved 24-hour news cycle.
Having just returned from a holiday trip, I’m especially unnerved by the brouhaha over the latest attempt to bring down a plane. So the guy was attempting to mix something up out of chemicals taped to his legs in baggies? Swell. The failed shoe bomber led to our having to shed our footwear for security (and we should all be grateful he didn’t hide the explosive in his jockstrap); now I suppose we’ll need to prove there’s nothing up our sleeves or pant legs. The day will come when we’ll have to disrobe completely, hand our garments over for return after the flight, and don paper suits for the plane.
It’s not that this event made me apprehensive about my return flight, it’s the fact that it was on the tube all the time! Although I considered it not worth worrying that such an incident would befall my own flight, one doubt nagged at me. I didn’t fear another jihadist attempting the same action; I was more concerned that some nutcase would attempt a copycat move. And the reason that might happen is that said nutcase would have seen it on the TV news nonstop. If the media would stop acting like a dog with a bone, we’d all be better off. And probably a lot safer.
If the end is near, you’ll find out from CNN or FOX or MSNBC – and they’ll be bringing it to you live, right up to the bitter end. Whether anyone is left to watch or not.
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