All the news that fit to read during your morning grumpy.
1. I rarely watch local TV news. Why? Because it’s almost uniformly uninformative and trite, programmed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I encourage you to stop watching it as well. You’re better off reading the daily newspaper, even though that seems a bit of an informational Sophie’s Choice. Which is why I loved this link and want to share it with you.
Let’s talk news. And where the majority of Americans – as in over 50 percent (by most estimates) – still get their news – from their local nightly news show. Any discussion about how unaware Americans are when it comes to news needs to have its finger pointed at the proper culprit: Your local broadcast.
What are the local broadcasts missing?
The actual local news: Investigative news in the public interest. News about the economy, politics and local issues.
Your local news opts to put a camera in the face of a crime victim and be a staple of “fear porn” rather than ever tackle difficult segments holding the school board/city council/mayor/state legislature/governor accountable for anything.
Now, you might retort with, “Hey, Channel 2 is on OUR side and they even have a segment called ‘Holding People In Power Accountable’!” Well, if you’re honestly arguing that point, come at me, bro. Let’s do this in the comments section.
2. Absolutely fascinating data from a Kaiser Family Foundation poll on attitudes about Obamacare. My favorite part is how the public overwhelmingly supports almost every single individual provision of the healthcare bill, even Republicans favor most of the specific programs. What does that mean? Americans are ignorant and the media does little to explain public policy to them and instead focuses on horserace campaign coverage and other sensational crap. Read the full poll results here.
3. The secret to Newt Gingrich’s surge in the Republican Presidential primary? Old people. Newt resonates with old people and the tail end of the baby boomer generation who most likely just want the government to keep their god-damned hands off their Medicare. This has led to massive surges for Newt in states where old people are the most reliable constituency, like Florida and South Carolina. As long as he doesn’t puke on his shoes and stays competitive in Iowa and NH, he heads into South Carolina and Super Tuesday as the frontrunner and probable nominee. As an aside, that whole baby boomer/love child/60’s hippie thing really shat the bed on America, didn’t it?
4. So, this happened.
Yes, that’s Stanley from “The Office“. It’s at least six kinds of awesome.
Fact Of The Day: On December 1st, 1918, Henry Ford launched the world’s first moving assembly line. In 1955, a humble seamstress named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, was arrested and launched the seminal Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Quote Of The Day: “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” – Henry Ford
Song Of The Day: “The Wait” by The Pretenders
The Buffalo Record 