A Rant: CNN, The WHCD, and the So-Called “Nerd Prom”

Can someone explain to me where CNN came up with the idea that the White House Correspondent Dinner is a “nerd prom?”

Exactly who, pray tell, are the nerds in attendance?

The journalists?

The celebrities?

The politicians?

I’m a card-carrying, banner-waving nerd, and I don’t think I like that CNN is calling the WHCD a “nerd prom.”  A “nerd prom” is something more akin to the “Enchantment Under the Sails” dance at San Diego Comic Con.  Listening to comedians lampoon Washington while celebrities pick at an overpriced dinner?  Not so much.

So come on, CNN, stop trying to create catch-phrases.  Just report the news.

100K Elephants Dead Thanks to the Chinese. Where is the Media Coverage?

100,000 is a big number.  Think of 100,000 toothpicks, or 100,000 cars on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles.

Picture 100,000 elephants.

Now picture those 100,000 elephants dead.  Not for their meat, not due to some cataclysmic environmental catastrophe.

There are 100,000 elephants dead because the Chinese love ivory, and over the past three years elephants have been massacred to satisfy this lust for ivory.

You can see the full story here.

It’s quite possible that unless there is some form of intervention, there will be no wild elephants left in the future.  The only ones that will remain are those in zoos and in private collections.

This seems like a huge issue, and yet there is no media firestorm, no documentaries being aired on CNN, no public outcry…nothing.  These animals are dying for no reason, and yet nothing is happening.

This needs to change.  100,000 elephants have died.  How many more have to die before people do something about it?

CNN Now Calls It “Ebola Hysteria”

If you didn’t think CNN was trying to control what and how you think, check out the latest headline: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/20/health/ebola-overreaction/index.html?c=homepage-t

Apparently the nation’s concern over ebola showing up on home soil is now considered “hysteria” when only a few short weeks ago, CNN published this headline: “Is It Time To Panic?” https://sarabethpollock.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/cnn-totally-irresponsible-media/

Now, I don’t know about you, but running sensational headlines like “Is It Time To Panic” just might incite some panic.  And now that there is a panic, they want us to know that we’re overreacting.

Come on, CNN. Stop creating news for the sake of readings and readership. Start reporting the news responsibly.  Let people form their own opinions based on the facts, and don’t criticize people when they decide that there is cause for concern. 

CNN and Ebola: Totally Irresponsible Media

This is the lead article on the CNN homepage at 12am on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/health/ebola-us-no-reason-to-panic/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

“Is It Time To Panic?”

What?  What the hell is the US media trying to do?  Incite panic by creating buzzworthy news items?  Yes, Ebola is in the US, but it was bound to happen.  Why is it that this is worth sensationalizing while a poor woman in Oklahoma was beheaded by a man because she didn’t share his beliefs.  Oh no, that’s not newsworthy at all.  Besides, we don’t want to offend anyone, right?  With Ebola, there are no parties that could be offended.

I’d love to know who the puppetmaster is at CNN.  Clearly, someone has an agenda.  Keep the news fresh and buzzy, but stay away from offending anyone who might come back at us.  If it’s a slow news day, make shit sound better by blowing it out of proportion.  And let’s not stop there.  Let’s try to control the masses by showing “documentaries” that support our agenda.  We want people to think what we want them to think.  Far be it for Americans to think for themselves.

In retrospect, I believe it is time to panic.  If the media isn’t reined in, we’re going to be shit out of luck very, very soon.

CNN: Reporting News…and Selfies?!

I’m not picking on CNN…. They are making it easy for me.  Tonight the President announced his plan for defeating ISIS, and on CNN’s mobile page that was thr lead story, followed by five stories on Ray Rice, one on Ferguson, and this:
Selfies of the Week

Selfies? Seriously?

How does this belong on what once was a reputable news station? MSNBC airs Lockup all weekend long. HLN is all about Nancy Grace and Dr. Drew.

I guess we have to watch the BBC for our news these days.

More on this media rant tomorrow…

What Would Peter Jennings Say?

I feel the need to rant about the media.  Before I do, I started to wonder tonight what Peter Jennings would say about the media today if he was alive.

The only anchor I trust is Brian Williams.  He is genuine and he seems to care about the profession enough to expect a certain level of quality and professionalism. 

I have always thought that the media needs to remain unbiased. There was a shift after the whole Yellow Journalism deal back at the turn of the 20th century that spawned a war.  The media is supposed to present the facts and allow people to make up their minds based on the information presented.  Now everything is skewed one way or another (more on this in a future post).  Cable news networks all have agendas to push, which impacts the way they report the news. 

I used to respect CNN. Now I am wary of it.  They lost my respect after they aired Blackfish, which is not a documentary but a piece of propaganda, and started a movement that isn’t based on fact. Regardless of how I feel about Blackfish (and let it be known that there are some things I agree with), the problem is that there are far worse things happening to animals regularly and yet CNN doesn’t bother covering any of it.  Instead, they air Anthony Bourdain’s food show.  A 24-hour cable news network should not have shows.  They need to report news. (Same goes to you, other cable news networks)

I don’t think Peter Jennings would approve of the current state of the media.  It would be fascinating to know what he thinks of it. 

This rant will continue tomorrow…

Mayasia Air Flight 370: Some Interesting Links to the Latest Developments and Theories

The story of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is getting stranger and stranger.  Now Reuters is suggesting that the plane might have landed on a remote island.  Instead of terrorism: Piracy.

Well, why not?

Here are a few interesting links:

Clyde Lewis: http://www.groundzeromedia.org/all-right-good-night-its-just-plane-coincidence/

CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/14/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Chazdizzy3’s blog: http://chadizzy3.blogspot.com/2014/03/malaysian-airlines-mh370-modern-day.html

NBC: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/one-u-s-theory-planes-disappearance-act-piracy-n52941

Update on Silver Medalist Gus Kenworthy and his Sochi Strays

Silver medalist Gus Kenworthy was on CNN talking to Anderson Cooper about his Olympic medal and his dogs.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2014/02/22/ac-gus-kenworthy-on-his-sochi-pups.cnn&hpt=hp_c3&from_homepage=yes&video_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F

He is in the process of bringing four puppies and their mother back to the US after falling in love with them.  He found the puppies first, and when he found the mother with them he knew he had to keep them together.  Since dogs were not allowed in the Olympic Village housing, he left them under the building where he found them and visited them several times throughout the day in between practice and competition.

Many Sochi pups have found homes with Olympic athletes and volunteers.  Kenworthy said that American Humane Society reps have said that the Sochi strays and their plight has shed new light on the dogs in US shelters.  This is awesome news.

Kenworthy told Cooper that he plans on keeping the smallest pup, Rosa, and the biggest, Jake.  His brother is taking the others and his mom has claimed the mother dog, Mama.

I love this story.  It just makes me feel happy. Nice work, Gus Kenworthy!