- Murder and Mayhem
I have been so busy with Other Things that I have neglected reading/watching the news. Now and again, I initiate a Media Fast. It’s an idea I stole from a former friend. I’m not sure what his rationale was, but after a steady diet of news, I get jaded, cranky, pessimistic, and overwhelmed.
During the presidential campaign, I overdosed. I watched the mainstream news, I read the blogs, I devoured the debates, and I engaged in endless conversations. It was impossible to avoid the tales of murders, fraud, abused children, arson, robberies, and other travesties of a stressed society while tracking Obama’s poll numbers and Palin’s latest stupidity.
About midway through Obama’s first 100 days, I decided to undergo a Media Fast. I was on overload. Unfortunately, the Horrific Winter of 2009 required (yes, required) vigils of the weather news where, once again, I couldn’t escape the tales of a stressed society.
Azrienoch, a fine story teller, tells a tale of a jaded princess and the more news I watch, the more like the princess I become.
Once Again, I vowed a lengthy media fast.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that West Virginia Supreme Court Judge Brent Benjamin’s failure to recuse himself from Massey Coal related litigation was a no-no. Since Don Blankenship of Massey Coal is a thoroughly despiscable human and dick of the highest order and hellbent on destroying the mountains I love, I had to check out the details.
This morning I was assaulted with stories about a woman who cut the fetus out of a woman’s body, murdered pre-teens, animal abuse, and brawling drunks – all within the first minute.
After a couple months of a Media Fast, all this murder and mayhem was Too Much. I’m fair twitching.
I cancelled the satellite service more than a year ago. Both the Charleston and Huntington papers refuse to deliver to me. Consequently, I get my news from the internet. It’s easy enough to avoid. I’m in active avoiding mode again. Once again.
In just a few minutes of news cruising this morning, I began to feel powerless. Such a feeling, I think, leads to a “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mentality. While I consider myself a queen-in-exile, I don’t want to become like Azrienoch’s princess. I may even make it a permanent media fast.
W. Va. Fur and Root 
It is beyond depressing. I despair, in fact. I too am a news hound, and now I long for the days when I really didn’t give a shit. In fact, the week-and-a-half my internet was down, I was both frustrated and relieved.
The cant of the tv talking head is to be avoided for the most part because of teaser-creep and sensationalism. But I find my circuit (538-Daily Dish-HuffPo-dailykos-talkingpointsmemo-yglesias-thinkprogress-‘flats-Balloon Juice-etc) to be kinda soothing, mostly.
Although it don’t add minutes to the day.
Ah, owhle1 reminds me of another rant. I DO NOT WANT TO BE FECKING ENTERTAINED. I want to bitchslap Robin Meade — just as an example. I actually prefer to watch the Spanish-language news because their reportage is far more professional and dare I say, balanced.
And I really want to duct-tape that bitch Nancy Grace and her protege Whats-her-name Vega.
::breathe:: BP going up as I write this.
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