Current events.
April 21st, 2006 | by john |I read multiple news sources on the net daily; it has almost become an everyday ritual as soon as I wake up. However, it’s not everyday I blog about current events or politics unless there is something I just need to rant about.
It’s official: Distracted drivers are dangerous – Some sources: CNN, Chicago Sun Times
A new study lends scientific credence to what many already suspect: Drivers dabbing on makeup, chatting on cell phones or eating breakfast are three times as likely to be involved in a crash as more attentive motorists.
[sarcasm] Wow, that is a breakthrough scientific study! What the heck?! [/sarcasm] There needed to have been a scientific study to find that out? That is like saying “It’s official: Distracted hair stylists cause bad hair days!” or “Distracted surgeons cause deaths!” or “Distracted police lets loose perpetrators!” or “Distracted students fail tests!” or *ahem* “Distracted test scorers incorrectly grade tests!” or “Distracted American Idol* contestant gets booted!” I can think of hundreds of these “no duh” headlines. The problem I had with this story was that almost every single newspaper, online news site, and other news sources carried this article as one of their top headlines. Either the research group(s) who ‘conducted’ this awesome study thinks the American public is absolutely stupid or the news agencies do; either way, I vote it to give it the ‘No Shit Award of 2006′ where we write that in pencil on a notebook paper and give them a box of crap to go along with it.
Duke Lacrosse Rape Case – Google Aggregated News
Two lacrosse players arrested on rape and kidnapping charges have been suspended by Duke University, a source familiar with the investigation told ESPN on Wednesday.
There has got to be a rape reported somewhere in the United States at least once a week. Why is the Duke case given so much attention by the entire nation? I’m surprised President Bush hasn’t made a comment about this case to the press seeing as how the press is all over this. For example, the Chicago Tribune has an article about this case… why would anyone in Chicago give a crap about this case? Are there no lacrosse teams in Chicago? Are there no rape cases in Chicago? Is the nation a big fan of Duke’s lacrosse team? Honestly, I never even knew Duke had a decently skilled lacrosse team. You know, I’d understand the national attention if Duke’s basketball team was involved in such a controversy because they were one of the top NCAA teams last season; there are fans and haters of Duke basketball alike spread out across the entire nation… but Duke’s lacrosse team? I feel bad for the three students that are involved (the accused and the accuser). Move on and find better things to report on, media.
American Idol* – Google Aggregated News
This season, the singing contest has hit its highest note yet: An average of 31 million Americans are tuning in to watch Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Hicks and the others vie for instant success and celebrity, to follow in the recording contract footsteps of previous Idols Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood.
I hate American Idol. I thought it was dumb the first season, I still think it is absolutely dumb. I don’t understand how so many Americans seem addicted to this glamour-ized version of whatever it was at the Apollo show decades ago. It’s a reality show that is governed by television gimmicks like any other show on 24 hours a day. What? The show gets viewers involved? How do you know? You ever seen a 1994 movie called Quiz Show? It was about a very popular quiz show with contestants that were picked to win prior to the show being taped. Now, I’m not saying American Idol is fixed (although it would be awesome if it was and it causes the downfall of American Idol). In the end though, all those votes that the American public sends in – they are not ever accounted for in their production of the show. There is always news once every season of American Idol where media reports “Favorite American Idol gets booted” – no viewer stops to question how they got booted and why they were labeled as favorites in the first place. People made mistakes grading the SATs. People made mistakes keeping track of Presidential election votes. And at the end of the day, 31 million Americans trust a TV show to keep a record of ~31 million (more or less) votes.
What FOX should do is provide a confirmation ID everytime someone voted and keep a database of their votes and this database should be released to the public. This way you can always go check to make sure they got your vote counted correctly and those interested can actually take the data and make sure it matches with what FOX shows as the results on television. And no, I’ve never voted and never will. This was just a random thought that I had when I was reminded of the Quiz Show movie whenever I saw a news article about American Idol. I wouldn’t think it as the dumbest show on television if they had a way for the public to account for the show’s results since this would actually take some guts to incorporate for a TV show.
* I’m sorry but I think American Idol plainly sucks; I can not believe it is the most watched show. It’s a karaoke show with better lighting and TV cameras. There, I said it.
