KatieNews

Hello? anybody here...

Katie's debut was an unmitigated disaster. Howie Kurtz is too kind and Tom Shales hits home with his hammer analysis.

I have the six-month dental visit this morning, so shall be extremely brief. "What were Katie and CBS thinking?"

The long shot of Katie's gams at show's end was the last nail in the coffin's lid. Yes, her pair of legs are famous. But if the evening news format stoops to body parts as its raison d'etre, then why not have two guys from Chippendales take over Charlie Gibson and Brian Williams' anchor chairs? Throw in a litle sign-off boody-shake. If Katie or viewers can't come up with a memorable sign-off line for program's end, why not cross your legs every night and flaunt them, Katie sweets? At the same time, be sure to blow an adios kiss to news as we knew it.

Everyone's busy composing brilliant comments.

I did sense that Shales was trying hard to be nice.

How about some color correction on the lights or just a little less make-up. She was as orange as an Oompa Loompa.

She also had some annoying head tilts and seemed to be thrusting her head into the camera to avoid any turkey waddles from showing on her neck.

I know these nit-picks are shallow and superficial, but that seems to be the level of commentary they are inviting.

Repeat from end of last Kit:

Hey 'Mudge, you didn't tell us you were being syndicated!! *L*

http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/06/technology/bc.media.google.history.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

I guess you'll be picking up the BPH tabs from now on...

:-)

________________________

As for Katie, she won't go anywhere until the crew installs the machine that goes "PING!"

:-)

Beach pictures! (I couldn't resist):

http://share.dell.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaNWLZs5atWJu

I missed Katie last night, we were too busy watching Sesame Street (or as my little one likes to call it, Elmo Street).

Hah.

I caught part of it during dinner at a friend's house and I *thought* I saw a closing credit that said something like: "Ms. Couric's Digital Enhancement - Pixar".

Hopefully, someone saved the DVR or tape on this, 'cause if her ratings tank she may progressively digimorph into Angelina Jolie by the February sweeps (trying to get that done by the Nov. sweeps would be pushing it).

On a related note, they should run a disclaimer under Kornheiser on MNF saying "In the Interest of Full Disclosure, Mr. Tony's Image Has NOT Been Digitally Enhanced."

bc

pls, what a cutie. My favourite is picture 6, should I run to it or should I run from it?

The news coverage of the news coverage has a little of the feel of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, 'lets put on a show'. Its not a 'show', its news. Let it be what it is, let her simply read, and forget all the cutesy standing-sitting stuff, and just tell us the news and I am sure Ms. Couric will do fine.

I missed it all last night--had to work and didn't get home till after 10. Well, sooner or later I guess I'll see what's what with KC in CBS-land. Wonder how Schieffer "really" feels?? Maybe Imus can get it out of him in a few weeks.

Loomis writes: "If Katie or viewers can't come up with a memorable sign-off line for program's end, why not cross your legs every night and flaunt them, Katie sweets?"

Linda, gotta confess I'm surprised you'd suggest the "Basic Instinct" ploy.

Ok, kidding, but I'll be surprised if KC and her SunnyShine Band of Newsy Reporters and SURPRISE!!! GUESTS!!! really changes CBS evening news ratings long term (as in this time next year).

bc

Sorry to whichever network Katie works for, but they irretrievably lost me as part their audience long ago. I get all my news off web sites and NPR now. The last time I watched a news broadcast on TV was Sept. 11, 2001 on CNN--only because their website was bogged down. I would guess that I haven't watched a network or cable news broadcast (national or local) in at least 10-15 years (except for The Daily Show, of course). It just seems to me that for all TV news shows, the ratio of news to chaff is so low that I can get news at a faster rate doing almost anything else.

The movie "The Chase" sums up my view of TV news.

Good morning, friends. The television was on Katie, but I did not watch Katie, so can't really give an assessment of her debut. I think it's great that Katie is doing what she's doing. If she were a man we would not have all this bad-mouthing or gender related vomit.

Mudge, glad you're enjoying your vacation in South Carolina. Perhaps you will be back by the time Florence gets there.

Good morning, Nani and Error.

Pat, this morning the sky looked like cake batter with all the swirls of gray and light. There was blue gray, ash gray, and even a yellow kind of gray against a backdrop of green trees and mirrored lake. And there were small drops of rain falling as I stood on the side and looked, thinking I'm going to get wet. But stayed awhile and just enjoyed that beautiful scene, and thanked God in my heart.

Have a good day, folks, and try real hard to enjoy whatever you're doing this day. And know that God loves you so much more than you can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

I'm with you, Cassandra. I may never see Katie, and I don't think much of the network news broadcasts anyway, but I'm glad she's up there. I hope she gets a chance, like most male anchors, to grow into her own delivery style. All this hype has been because she's a woman, and I think it is time to get over it. Women are in virtually every high-profile profession -- in other countries, they are even prime ministers and presidents -- so why not the nightly news? If you'd let a woman do surgery on your body, or handle your legal affairs, or manage your money, what's the big deal about watching her at 5 pm (central time) on TV?

I'm sorry I missed the shark tank, though. That would bring me back to network news.

I think the lack of interest in the blog is because of a lack of interest in television news - with or without Ms. Couric.
We be internet folk.

There was no croc-wrestling? Then i won't watch. I'm like Dooley, I get my news off the 'net those days.

Don't tell the administration about male fish eggs. They're already trying so hard to make up for the supposed emasculation of the Washington male, this might send them over the edge.

Pat, no clouds today, just a beautiful bowl of big blue sky. It is pale around the edges, then deep and clear up top.

The article about the egg-bearing male Bass (insert bad Lance pun here) does have me concerned. That frogs are responding poorly to environmental pollutants is worrisome enough, but fish are a step closer to us. I'm not sure what it would mean to become an egg-bearing male, but it doesn't sound fun. Time to buy more stock in water filters.

Ms. Couric could just begun masturbating on the set and it would have been more informative and entertaining.

The whole episode was beyond bad.

God save the Queen.

Be careful not to knock yourself up, RD, that's what it means. Who wants a c-section and a castration at the same time?

That aside, I was reading this site just now about religious freedom (as well as freedom FROM religion).

http://www.thisistrue.com/rfree.html

Actually, I did watch, because I was curious. But, Linda, news as we know it has not been news as we *knew* it for ages. I remember Cronkite and even Murrow, and that, my friends, was both news and courage, which has been more than considerably lacking on the air and in print. So long as there is corporate ownership of "the news" there will be corporate control of "the news" -- just a mere breath's away from government control of "the news". Oh, wait. . . .

I thought Katie was fine with what she had. It was damned if she did, and damned if she didn't. Sort of a BFD moment (is that the handle of a new blogger, I wonder???).

Trailer Troll, that's really insightful.

Via Kurtz, i see that there is a Couric & Co. blog. It needs comments.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/couricandco/main500803.shtml

Here's Kurtz:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html

My guess is that after a few days, the CBS news broadcast will have more hard news. They were obviously going to lead with the Logan extravaganza from Afghanistan no matter what. NBC led with the oil discovery in the Gulf -- which was barely referred to in a set-piece on CBS.

If you think Sumner Redstone is on the rampage now... just wait.

Tom Cruise: fired.
Tom Freston: fired.
Les Moonves: ?????

Memo to CBS News: No one gives a flying frick about TomKat and their off-spring.

Proposed sign-off:

"Thank you for joining us this evening - even though it may appear that
the news was an afterthought. I'm Katie Couric. Good Night."

Time for some actual chuckles in the boodle. Check out www. jumbojoke. com.

Wilbrod,
That freedom from religion article reminded me of that old joke, "in God we trust, all others pay cash."

The hermaphroditic (what's up with "intersex"?) Bass (forget about Lance, isn't someone going to make some ill-informed and tasteless joke about Jamie Lee Curits here? Oh, wait...) is another in a long list of regionalized abnormalities in animal polulations attributable to man-made pollutants or toxins in the environment.

When we're gone, and three-headed, six-legged hermaphroditic fish roam Trashcan Earth, that'll be our legacy, our calling card, if you will.

"Sorry we missed you, but we left a little gift."

Sorry, I've been drinking DysPepsi this AM, and I'm feeling a little fiesty.

bc

About that Couric & Co blog: They're deleting almost all the negative comments under the guise of violating the forum rules.

I guess that isn't much of a leap when you consider CBS News was willing to doctor photos of the Queen for public consumption.

Brain damage is running rampant at that news division.

SCC: "populations", among other errors.

Bleah.

bc

bc;

Switch to Diet DysPepsi, I hear the regular stuff gives ya goiters the size of bass eggs... No, wait...

:-)

Beautiful photos, PLS. As PLS will probably agree, "set-time" tv is somewhat difficult to keep up with.

As well, a confession: I was watching Supernova last night.

Spare a thought for Private Mark Graham, who died in Afganistan on Monday. Graham was in Canada's 4x100 Olympic relay team at the Barcelona Olympics. All the deaths there are tragedies, but this is especially poignant due to his history, and the fact that it was a friendly fire death.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060904.wgraham0905/BNStory

Hope you didn't take DysPepsi with vitamin C, or you're brewing up some benzene in your stomach.

About that Couric & Co blog: They're deleting almost all the negative comments under the guise of violating the forum rules.

I guess that isn't much of a leap when you consider CBS News was willing to doctor photos of the Queen for public consumption.

Brain damage is running rampant at that news division.

Blog is glitchy. Sorry. Women news anchors, male fish with eggs, glitchy blogs, trolls everywhere...jeepers we live in crazy times.

Sorry about the "vomit" reference. Was looking for a word that more suitable like "dribble".

The day just started off rough. I'm sure all of you have lived through those. My neighbor this morning decided to sit on her back porch (stoop) and put a twenty-two to her temple and pull the trigger. We've had a mass of rescue and police vehicles everywhere. Just feel really bad. I am so sorry that she felt no one cared about whatever was bothering her. We're a bunch of seniors and disable folks living together, and someteimes it's just hard. I can testify to that. Pray for us, and I will certainly keep you in my prayers.

I had already requested the use of the center for a Bible study on Wednesday afternoon for those that can't get to church. We start next Wednesday. Obviously not in time for my neighbor.

Sorry to kill the boodle.

Scotty, please forgive me for not wishing you a happy birthday. I kept seeing the references to your special day, but just forgot. Hope you enjoyed it a lot.

Ivansmom, you are so on target about women and our advances in this country. You for one, show that excellently.

Cassandra, I had a wonderful time, and thank you -- you DID remember, just at a different time.

:-)

Cassandra, I'm so sorry to hear about your neighbor. It's a sad thing to feel so lonely. Stay alert, and stay involved. Friends are what keep us going.

Cassandra, that is so sad. This world can be so brutal at times. I hope you take comfort from your virtual friends here at Achenblog, and that you and your real-life neighbors will pull together to comfort each other.

You're in my prayers, as always.

Cassandra, I'm sorry to hear of your neighbor.

To Tim's and your point, if you help at all, you're making a positive impact. Sadly, you can't help that lady, but there are plenty of others to help out there.

bc

That's an awful morning. I guess she didn't want to wait to be found, which is good... too bad she wasn't found before she did do it.

I'm still thinking of the croc hunter so I found this joke:
http://www.jumbojoke.com/travel_to_australia_777.html

Cassandra, very sorry to hear about your neighbor.

Wilbrod, your joke reminded me of this--I have a friend who used to be a park ranger at the Grand Canyon. She had a visitor furious with her (he reported her to her supervisor) because she wouldn't tell him which hiking trail he had to use to get to "The Faces" (i.e., Mount Rushmore).

Speaking of news...

Richard Morin reports on some amazing news in this morning's WP.

It seems that a comprehensive study of veracity in congressional debates has been completed that shows that the speakers lie only 75 percent of the time.

I don't know about you, but I'm mighty impressed, and ready to recant many of the nasty things I've said about Congress lately.

If C-SPAN could figure out how to flash a "true" or "false" indicator in real time we'd be getting somewhere.

Good afternoon, Cassandra et al. That is heartbreaking about your neighbor. I know your faith will see you through, but what a tragedy.

You are in my thoughts and prayers, as is your late neighbor and her family and other friends.

Puts all this Katie Couric ruckus in perspective.

Ah, Mount Rushmore. We were on at the viewing platform, and a little boy was complaining to his mom that he wanted to go all the way up to 'Rount Mushmore'. Rount Mushmore it has been ever since.

Cassandra, I'm sorry to hear about your neighbor. A rough start for a day, indeed. When public safety shows up, it can be a real circus; I hope everything has calmed down. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Cassandra, you're in my thoughts as well. *hug*

Cassandra, that is so sad about your neighbour. Its so unutterably sad when people lose hope.

As SofC notes, it was a tough weekend for friendly fire. It is the nature of what is happening in Afghanistan. There has to be a people commiitted to a peace, all people, before a peace can flourish. To be there when there is an enemy who still is fighting, no matter what we call it, is still a battle, still a war. We either abandon the people who do want peace, or we stay and fight and sadly die in that war.

JAG, I heard about that this AM, and found it to be more of "whatever it is they're saying, they're provably correct about 25% of the time".

Why they're wrong - lying, relaying bad info, unsupportable extrapolation, faulty logic, etc. - is debateable in many cases.

Still, count me as one of those who's surprised they get it right even as often as that. I'll take one of the on-camera chairs in WaPo TV's spinoff, "PTC" (Pardon the Cynicism).

bc

Cassandra, I'm so sorry to hear about your neighbor. It's very sad when someone can't see any light at the end.

You have lots of contacts and are very involved in the community; it seems as if your neighbor didn't.

I loved your desciption of the sky for Pat. It was really lovely. Beauty and despair exist side by side . . .

Wilbrod, I howled reading the travel to australia comments. Very funny stuff. Sadly, I bet a lot of it is on the mark.

As for Katie Couric -- a few thoughts: I'm guessing that CBS is aware that most people *don't* get the "what-happened-today" news from the nightly news anymore.

Instead of competing with the Internet and the other top ranked shows, they're willing to try something that's different.

It may work. I don't watch the news on TV either (I don't really watch the TV).

Every once in a while I'll turn on NBC -- the stories are so segmented and shallow that I really don't learn much. Most of what I see is something I already know about, in much greater depth than what the newscast gives. The world today is too complex to be covered in 22 (or less) minutes.

Ann Althouse was really rude, I think, in her acid description of the shot of Couric's legs during her interview with Tom Friedman. I admit I did not see it --but a shot of a man's trousered legs, which I've often seen during these cozy, chair-to-chair interviews, certainly wouldn't ruffle any feathers. Same shot, different set of legs. And Althouse cries foul play.

So, CBS is tinkering with the idea of what nightly news really means. They may actually be on to something.

PLS -- you're little girl is absolutely adorable. Thanks so much for sharing the photos.

It is *not* raining today. It may not even rain tomorrow. The sky here is a patch of soft, robin's egg blue and light grey hunks of clouds -- still unwilling to let much sunlight through.

Success at NASA! Or at least, a picture of success, so we know what it looks like. Sorta fuzzy, really.

http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2006/09/03/

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-TV-Couric-Debut.html?hp&ex=1157601600&en=b0329a6502441e11&ei=5094&partner=homepage

This from the NYT -- strong ratings for Couric's debut.

I assert that most people view the news as a form of entertainment. Even intellectual types who actually follow things like the Tamil insurgency in Sri Lanka usually do so not to shape their political beliefs, or to function better in their jobs or families, but because they find such things interesting and enjoy talking about them. So I don't get all bent out of shape if somebody claims that Ms. Couric is blurring the boundary between News and Entertainment. For the vast majority of people I reject he notion that such a boundary even exists.

Wow, that's really cool, Tim.

I kinda wish my Grandfather were around to see that, since he worked on the Viking program.

On the other hand, I wish he would have been around for the Viking's landings, as he passed before even seeing *that*.

Hmmm. Come to think of it, he'd have been disappointed to not see Dejah Thoris smiling and waving into the Viking's camera.

bc

bc;

If you look at the third pixel from the left in the close-up, you can just make out one of the pyramid-builders ducking into Viking's shadow.

:-)

Ve-arr-vrrends! Ouch!

Indeed, Scotty.

And Kaor, y'all.

I think the dorkfest call to yellojkt has gone out over the red bakelite phone.

bc

So, I saw a few references to Ron Burgundy in the reportage about Katie Couric. I'm assuming that this is Will Ferrell's character in whatever-the-heck movie that was. Is this character really an integral part of the national consciousness in the same way as Walter Cronkite (great serious man) and Ted Baxter (great funny man)? I have always found Will Ferrell to be really, really boring. He just isn't funny to me. Yet, he seems to be tremendously funny to the unfunny people who report about funny movies. His movies seem to draw adequate gross receipts, but no out-and-out smashing successes. Is he funny? Am I missing something? It seems like he is expected to be funny, but doesn't really deliver. The best things in "Elf" (which I saw on DVD) were Zooey Deschanel and Bob Newhart, both of whom I like. Will Ferrell? Feh.

SciTim - that's great. Now we just need to use some of those hi-tech image-processing CSI-like algorithms to "enhance" it.
You know like they did with that face thingie.

bc, we all were disappointed not to see Dejah Thoris, for so many reasons.

I am a great admirer of both Zooey Deschanel and Bob Newhart. Although in somewhat different ways.

Storyteller Tim, I do tend to agree with you on Will Ferrell, although since I have seen some glimpses of real humor. Just not in "Elf". Although I really liked it when that guy did a karate throw on him when he called him an "elf".

Gotta love seeing a 3 1/2 foot guy beat up a 6 foot-plus guy. I would tape that and play it back again and again everytime I get sick of him.

I heard that there were also recently some photos taken of the Apollo landing sites, but that they were unfortunately misplaced.

Sorry to hear about your neighbor, Cassandra.

I have had a few occasions to see things reported on television news about which I know the "true" story. In most cases the news gets the main gist of the story correct, but they frequently omit a lot of the crucial details. Further, in order to create a more coherent narrative they usually greatly over-simplify things. It's as if the news is a made-for-television movie "inspired" by true events.

re: Will Farrell. Hit and miss for me. I thought Elf was great, especially Farrell. The soccer movie Kicking and Screaming was pretty mediocre.

Saw Talladega Nights on the weekend, and that one is funny (including Farrell). Also Sacha Baron Cohen as Farrell's French arch-nemesis is priceless.

My uncle worked in TV and radio news and he'd always watch all the different news programs to see how slanted they were. He said the same thing as you just did, RD-- that to fit the TV news format, they really have to omit a lot of detail and just try and show it if they can. He was a little obsessed with seeing which station came the closest.

I just thought he needed a healthier hobby, frankly.

It may be that I'm not prepared to see a guy as physically big as Will Ferrell be funny in the way that he goes for. I perceive him as physically overbearing, and indifferent to the people around him -- it seems he would act the same way whether there were any other actors with him or not. I don't feel any reason to become involved in his internal world. An isolated strange person is not funny to me. A person who is trying to interact with others, and profoundly fails, but who remains concerned about what the others perceive: that has the potential to be funny. It could also be very, very sad and cruel. The line between humor and pathos is narrow.

Ted Baxter was an enormously funny character because Ted was not indifferent to others. He was enormously concerned with others' perception of him, and tried to create a good perception, but in the most superficial and ridiculous manner possible. Ted Baxter was a creation of genius.

A fuzzy picture of success is better than none at all. My grandad still would not believe it though. He thought all those moon and space things were just movies done by tricky people.

Tim, did you ever work on any of the Mars stuff or is it a case of Titan all the way. How come Titan? Or is it more correctly moons of Saturn, or indeed just moons over planets? How does one choose an area of study from so many objects to study?

Cool pictures, ScienceTim.

And now, since we haven't done global warming in a while, this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Warming-Permafrost.html

I find this one especially interesting, because it's pretty well documented that through the Pleistocene, when the Earth has gotten warmer, it has done so very rapidly. I wonder if this might be the reason. Note that this mechanism could cause the Earth to get rapidly warmer, regardless of whether the initial warming is due to natural or artifical causes, or a combination of the two.

RD, the hi-tech image enhancement thingie's over at the CBS News studios right now.

*Tim, 1:54 PM, DT is part of today's theme, isn't she? Who'd rather see Bob Schaefer (aka Tars Tarkas)?

Jeez, only on the A-blog would a respected newsman be compared to a 4-armed 12-foot tall fanged green Martian...

Point for Joel (who shall take the blame for this Digression to Dorkitude (HA! Another excellent chapter name for my autobiography!) due to the 4th pgph of the Kit) with the Captain Kate reference (see ST Voyager).

bc

RD -- I agree. I've had similar experiences.

I don't know how many Americans actually *get* their news from the TV shows. If it's a majority, then most folks, if they don't seek out other outlets for events, have only a surface understanding, if any real understanding at all, of what actually happened.

I opine that the incredible number of Americans who still think Saddam was behind 9/11 - and that he had WMD is a reflection of the media being the message.

They hear W and his chums expound on these false claims on TV -- with no clear context provided by the "anchor."

Political speeches are presented as "fact" and misinformation ensues.

Not that print media is guiltless. But a quick video clip of Cheney saying untrue things will stick with folks.

Just MHO.

Sounds like a good analysis to me, Tim. Unfortunately as an isolated strange person myself, I'm ready to go cry in my cupboard over your remarks,

As Lieutenant Steve Hauk said once, "Sir, in my heart, I know I'm funny."

Yah, big guys can be funny. Look at Jay Leno.

But you're correct, physical comedy and minimizing the size issue is not his forte, he just looms too much like he's channeling Vincent D'Ofrinzo at times, it does blow it for many people who just plug into the body language instead of the scene's intent.

The thing I noticed about Tom Friedman on Katie's CBS Evening News debut last night was how the chairs on the set didn't seem to accommodate Friedman at all. He didn't look particularly relaxed and seem bunched over and scrunched up while talking to Katie. If Katie's going to do a taped Q's & A's with an opinionater, why not sit in a more comfortable and less fashionable pair of chairs? Friedman appeared both uncomfortable and awkward. I didn't think Ann Althouse in her review of Katie's kick-off was at all rude, contrary to nelson's opinion, to Couric--just calling out the physical dynamics of the duo--interviewer and interviewee.

Did anyone channel surf? Brian Williams seemed to be in spiffier sartorial splendor than unusual, but he also looked like he was wearing three-inch shoulder pads. Last night his neck got lost in his costume--reminded me more of a linebacker than a lines reader. When was the last time a male Boodler or Achenbach wore shoulder pads, I wonder? Hmmm?

And just for grins, this is what Maureen Dowd said about Couric this morning:

Actually, the minute Katie Couric was given a $15 million paycheck to read from a teleprompter for 15 or 20 minutes a night, women won. Women have been doing that at the BBC and on American cable stations for years, and for a lot less dough. Jackie Robinson represented a revolution; Katie Couric represented a promotion.

The sad truth is, women only get to the top of places like the network evening news and Hollywood after those places are devalued.

He's [GWB] got ratings and she's got ratings. His party's voters; her network's viewers. So we're talking about the personal fulfillment of two people -- W. and Katie -- disguised and peddled as the fulfillment of a higher ideal. It's marketing tricked out as ideology.

Cassandra I am sorry about your neighbour.

SciTim, I am with you on Will Farrell, people kept suggesting we rent "Elf" for the kids that is was really funny and we all would enjoy it. I really did not enjoy it. As for Bob Newhart just looking at him makes me laugh, I was so glad he was part of the Emmy's (sp?), it made the show for me along with Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.

I saw that Ron Burgundy film and didn't like it either.

Pat, I am still trying to catch up on the outside world and the boodle and have a long way to go but saw references to your request for descriptions of the sky, its been pretty grey here lately so not much to describe but I will retell a funny descriptive event that happened on the weekend.

Where I live we have a fairly large waterfront park, the City holds quite a number of festivals at this park in the summer and have spent millions improving it. There is a lovely walkway along the lake breakwall, they just completed a new playground for children with playground equipment and a splash pad with concrete boats acting as the splash pad. There is also a small restaurant, discovery centre, merchant marine monument and a walking path to the beach.

Labour Day weekend is ribfest, it is marketed as Canada's largest with expected crowds usually around 250,000. However, this year we received the remnants of Ernesto and Saturday was miserable, cool, rainy and windy. After unpacking all day my husband got it into his head we had to have ribs for supper, so despite the weather we went out. Parking close to the event is not easy, but we managed to get within 500 yards and equipped with umbrellas we made out way. The youngest and I had to take refuge in the discovery centre as the wind kept turning my umbrella inside out and the little one was soaked. From the discovery centre we looked out on the lake with six to eight foot breakers smashing against the breakwall sending plumes of water up fifteen to twenty feet high, as long as I can remember I have never seen waves like that on the lake where we live. Out the other side we could view my husband and my daughter braving the wind and rain to get to the tents lined up in the park that sold ribs from various restaurants in the US and Canada. However when they got to the entrance they quickly turned around and headed back in our direction. We met them a few minutes later and found out that the festival was closed for the day, we had no ribs, we were all wet and cold, but we had seen the incredible waves and had a story to tell of what we would go through to get some ribs.

As for Katie Couric, I haven't seen her yet, but unless she changes a lot I would have a hard time as I don't like it when the anchors are perky. I still have a hard time watching John Roberts (CNN now?) as I still remember him as a long haired VJ on MuchMusic in the eighties and even though he was quite serious for a VJ by todays standards its still just a difficult leap for me to hear serious news from him.

Whatever makes people watch, Loomis. How are your eyes doing, have you ever been tested for Lyme disease? That can cause eye problems, and it is often misdiagnosed as many things.

Dooley, I can't see the NY Times article ('cause I'm cheap and dislike unnecessarily registering for stuff), but I have read about the farting permafrost before. It's a worry.

For those here who are wondering: environmental scientists speculate that there are vast supplies of methane frozen into a water ice/methane mixture called a clathrate, buried in the Arctic permafrost. Rather, it's known to be there, the speculation concerns the abundance, and its net effect if released into the atmosphere. A modest temperature increase, such as we already can measure, may cause the widespread melting of the permafrost -- as already has been observed. The melting releases the methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas, and the temperature is increased more dramatically, melting more premafrost, etc. Fortunately, there is a limiting factor on this cycle, which is the finite (but possibly large) abundance of trapped methane in permafrost.

I won't comment on KC and her Spotlight Band, as I haven't seen her. Like most boodlers apparently, I never watch the network news. Occasionally I will watch one of the news channels, usually CBC or its French equivalent RDI and BBC on occasion as well. Lindaloo, I think you are wrong to think that a women got the job because the network night news are becoming increasingly irrelevant, she got the job because the network wants to do something different as no male anchor could possibly stop the slip in ratings anyway. And the last time I wore shoulder pad was at my last game of lacrosse, sometimes in the 70's.

SciTim, here's a free link on the perma frost article.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060906.wpermaf0906/BNStory/Science/home

dr, I am promiscuous -- I am willing to work on anything with an atmosphere. I have done work on Venus, Earth (well, I contributed), Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Titan. I have proposed for Uranus, but no data yet, variously due to bad weather or mean Telescope Allocation Committees, same for Neptune. I am interestd in brown dwarf stars and extrasolar plents. I have some data on red giant stars. I have some plans for asteroids and for Europa.

I get around.

Maureen Dowd could have summarized her opinion this way and saved us from all those wasted words: The Ho with the Mo

Science Tim, so we'll be done in by dinosaur farts then. Sheesh, what a way to end. I can't think of an epitaph for our civilization right now but it will come.

Trailer Trash, I am beginning to discern that you don't care for Katie Couric. I hope that I am not misinterpreting. In fact, I get the impression that you genuinely, truly, really deeply hate and despise her, personally. I'm wondering, is there any way in which she could have conducted the nightly news program last night of which you would have approved, and which would have induced you to tune in on subsequent nights? Because unless you are prepared to join her regular audience -- or would have done so, if you liked her work -- then your opinion actually carries no weight whatsoever. Unless you decide to become a crazed stalker -- I'd have to admit, that would bring a little more attention to your views. Then again, that would definitely fall into the category of joining her regular audience.

Jeez, *Tim, don't mention your plans for Europa on here!

Gets the monolith alien guys all jumpy, and they start writing those dour-yet-perky all caps messages.

Additonal methane may not be a problem, but an opportunity to use it as an additonal source of energy, if there's enough. I need to read that article, don't I?

bc

can we have a link other than the NY times? I don't want to register with them too but I don't like global warming either....

No, no, Shrieking Denizen, not dinosaur farts. Ancient swamp gas.

Harlan Ellison's anthology "Again, Dangerous Visions" included a story with the line "Does it amuse you, the thought of a world destroyed by herds of farting cows?" I can't remember the story, but I remember the line. The author may have been R. A. Lafferty.

Well, I will take umbrage on your behalf, Tim. If its those mean Telescope Allocation Committees, I will take some serious umbrage.

Do they really do this by committee? I suppose they have too, no favourites and all, but jeez.

nevermind dmd took care of it in the time it took me to read the whole boodle...excellent work

SciTim, you might be promiscuous and you might get around, but you are never easy.

I have to go blush in the corner now, but I could not help it.

bc;

I actually covered a mini-conference that discussed clathrates years ago. Many of the participants were actually worried that attempting to "harvest" the stuff could lead to climate-changing farts, continental shelf collapses, that sorta thing.

:-)

I wouldn't admit too freely to working with other planets, SciTim. You might get sued. See below:

http://www.thisistrue.com/knock_before_entering_5543.html

Ha! Scotty, wouldn't a *real* attempt to harvest methane as it percolates out of the permafrost look like a something by Christo; basically acres of plastic bag on the ground with vacuum cleaners, compressors (and distillation if you want it in liquid form), and storage tanks?

bc

re: Will Farrell. Never thought of him as the lead in a movie (I'll have to rent the T'Nights when it comes out, maybe I'll change my mind). But I thought he was perfect and very funny as Franz Liebkind in the recent remake of The Producers.

"Ha! Scotty, wouldn't a *real* attempt to harvest methane as it percolates out of the permafrost look like a something by Christo; basically acres of plastic bag on the ground with vacuum cleaners, compressors (and distillation if you want it in liquid form), and storage tanks?"

But they already do this with old landfills, right?

Bermuda, oh, Bermuda,
will Michael Douglas hide 'neath his scoota?
As Florence scatters Elbow Beach with English tudors,
oh Bermuder....

Wilbrod, that's hilarious. Publicity-seeking? What a concept!

bc;

That could work, they just worry about destabilizing the formations in which the clathrates lie. Slow and easy seemed to be the basic operating principle they adhered to.

Oh, I dunno about that, Wilbrod.

My big question comes when the Chinese land on the Moon, do we get all huffy about the fact that America planted six flags there over thirty years ago?

Would *they* be trespassing on *our* dwarf-planet-satellite-thingy mineral-rich territory?

(Note to Danny Snyder: "Six Flags over Pax Americana" would make a dandy name for the first lunar amusement park. You can pay me later for that one. See Richard Branson if you need help making travel arrangments.)

bc

ebtnut, I think you're correct on that, only I'm thinking of bagging on a larger scale, like all of Siberia or the Yukon. Or both.

Scottynuke, I'm for slow and easy. If we simply wait for it to percolate out, we shouldn't destabilize the ground too much, though putting the plastic bags over it might accelerate the thaw.

Sheesh, we're d@mned if we do, and d@mned if we don't.

bc

Everybody missed the big joke on the Katie Couric tagline search. She starts with a montage of previous broadcasters and goes through them in order of declining gravitas with her at the tail end. Classic false modesty and lowering of expectations.

We should be familar with that m.o. around here by now.

Will Farrell did a great "W" impression, slitted eyes, etc., and on another SNL episode an especially memorable Janet Reno in a blue dress crashing through a partition to get into the room. Liked the cheerleader gigs, too.

bc, about two years ago I co-authored a high school-level classroom lesson on the Outer Space Treaty. I believe that China is a signatory; I know that we are. The Moon treaty followed a few years later. Any Earth nation's facilities are open to any other nation for inspection. Surely that would include the Apollo sites.

The Moon and Outer Space treaties boil down to saying that nobody owns anything in space, except for their own assets launched from Earth. This was an easy treaty to sign when exploitation of space resources was not practicable. It will get more interesting in the next century.

One is allowed to modify the terrain for technical/scientific/survival purposes. We can build a moonbase out of lunar materials; that's acceptable within the treaty. We are allowed to return scientific samples. But how big may a sample be? What, exactly, are scientific purposes? "We wanted to see if nickel and iron from asteroids could be used to build an aircraft carrier. Yup." Are we allowed to manufacture things out of lunar regolith, if we do it on the Moon itself? Like, say, a Mars-bound spacecraft? Do we own it, if we built it out of lunar materials? If we can own an object made out of lunar materials, just how modified must the object be, in order to become something that we own?

I think there's no question that a rock that lands on Earth is owned by the nation in which it lands. If rocks are unowned and unownable in space, but they can be property on the ground, doesn't that create an incentive for piracy of materials harvested by someone else for semi-legal return to Earth? Some asteroids, by the way, are essentially pure nickel-iron. It is not inconceivable that it could be economically viable to return a mountain-sized chunk of nickel-iron to Earth if you can engineer a relatively gentle impact that puts it into an uninhabited portion of your own territory. Equatorial countries with large desert regions could become new economic powerhouses (sound familiar?).

Oh, look, The New York Times has published some hard news about Katie Couric's debut!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/06/arts/television/06cnd-ratings.html?ex=1157601600

I wish The Washington Post could do that.

I can't believe all the mindless comments posted here.

If we had minds, Ross, we might mind your comment.

:-)

Actually, Ross, I now realize I could have used a "Barbarians at the Gate" quote, but you wouldn't have gotten that joke, either.

:-)

Folks, I think I have another Achenmotto.

"Mindless is what we do best."

Who is keeping the master list?

Ross,

Our mindless-ness is a meta-critique of the overall tenor of the level of discussion about KC and CBS. By being shallow and superficial, we are actually pointedly satirizing the rest of society that is also shallow and superficial, but not ironically and self-conciously. We are the ouroboros of vapidity.

We should also appropriate the WaPo marketing slogan:

The Achenboodle: If you don't get it, you don't get it.

Speaking for all Luxembourgians, and in taking umbrage, WE aren't mindless. Impatient, and prone to double posting but not mndless.

I can't believe it's not butter.

SCC: except when trying to type mindless twice in the same post.

For people in a meta-mindframe, here is another cautionary tale of a journalist/blogger that got carried away with the pseudo-anonymity of the blogosphere.

http://www.observer.com/20060911/20060911_Sheelah_Kolhatkar_pageone_offtherec.asp

I am still working on my thesis that Joel is really The Lone Mule.

It feels good to be the ouroboros of vapidity. If that stuff in the Potomac watershed and the things it's doing to the bass is any indicator, I might expect the VP to spontaneoulsy develop ovaries such that he gets more in touch with his feminine side.

ScienceTim,

You filled me with hope when you said, "It will get more interesting in the next century."

All along I had thought the next century was cancelled because of an expected lack of oil and fresh water, and because of an expected absence of arable land.

I said "interesting." I didn't say "pleasant."

Ouroboros: serpent consuming its own tail

vapid: tasteless

How Kekule can you get?

SciTim, I am somewhat familiar with the Outer Space Treaty, and didn't think that the US or any of the space-capable countries specifically ratified Article 11 (aka the Moon Treaty), so the legal status is a bit iffy IMO.

Oh, here it is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Treaty

I didn't think the Bush Adminstration had read (or cared much about) the OST, and could conceiveably view the fact that the US did not specifically ratify the Moon Treaty as a significant legal loophole to claiming Luna as the 51st state (DC Residents, take note).

Why do you think GWB is in such a hurry to get back to the Moon and to get to Mars? And why are the Chinese in such a hurry to get out there?

I think they see things the way I do, but are trying to keep everything on the QT.

Also noted: last week, NASA selected Lockeed Martin to develop and build Orion. That got pretty quickly from RFP to contract, didn't it?

bc

Jack, I'd used the term "Ouroborosian" in the Boodle with regards to the Blogosphere at some point in the summer of '05.

bc

I'm on Sudafed watch tonight - so I might not be able to join Katie the Ho show.

Lockheed-Martin was aided by the fact that there is almost no one left in the aerospace industry who can compete. They all have eaten each other up. I have my complaints about Mike Griffin as NASA administrator, but he sure doesn't dilly-dally.

I paid more attention to the Outer Space Treaty than to the Moon Treaty. The U.S. signed and ratified the Outer Space Treaty (I read it on the OST pages at the United Nations web site). The OST did not exclude the Moon, and its stated area of application certainly includes the Moon, except under the most tortured of interpretations. Still, those treaties were created when the concept of owning an object created entirely in space was silly. Now, it's very reasonable. I assume that the OST will be blatantly ignored as soon as it becomes inconvenient.

See, Ross? Not everything we have to say is mindless. Of course, we're not talking about Katie Couric's fabulous legs anymore, either.

Some of the stuff on the Wikipedia entry on the Moon Treaty is looking familiar, now, especially the stuff about the L5 society. I suspect that it heavily exaggerates the political power of any dork in the L5 society.

Just for the record: The reason Lockheed-Martin captured the "coming full circle and heading back to the moon " contract from "the space agency seeking a mission rather than a mandate" is first and foremost their lobbyists provide superior hand holding sessions with congressional reps - and not for their technical expertise.

Trailer Trash, for $15 million, I suspect that there are all kinds of embarrassing things that you or I would be willing to do on national TV. As I have said before, in another context, it's easier to be a pious purist when the temptation is offered to someone else. Katie Couric didn't sink so low as I know that I would be willing to go for $15 mil. How about giving her a chance to get a stable gig going before we decide whether it's fundamentally a failure? Ultimately, there is only one barometer of success or failure that will influence Katie Couric's tenure on the CBS Evening News: will people watch?

I have had a comment held for review. I must go do penance now.

The whole program is sort of pie-in-the-sky anyway. If we fall into a long and protracted economic recession, that program will be the first to hit the guillotine - unless the DOD can justify it for some reason which seems highly unlikely. That's the only reason the Space Shuttle program lasted as long as it did, which in my view, has been an unmitigated disaster notwithstanding the two shuttle accidents. NASA is literally lost in space.

Wrong question ScienceTim.

Correct question: Will people watch a year from now?

TV ratings are won and lost at the margin. It is the marginal viewers like me that defect to NBC or ABC that will doom the program.

I originally predicted KC would be gone within the year. Now I'm thinking more like six months is the best she can hope for at this point.

She'll still get her full 60 mil paycheck and both KC and Les Moonves will be without gainful employment.

And shareholders get to pay the bill.

That's showbiz!

Oh... and another thing ScienceTim, you're quite naive about the news business. Emotional characterizations which you eminently confer get short shrift when it comes to the bottom line.

And Cronkite needs to redo the opening VO: "The CBS Evening Ho-News with Katie Couric."

Can you explain why you have such strong negative views on Ms. Couric, Trailer Trash? Or is it the Sudafed watch talking?

Mine is more of a management critique than anything against KC. I never - literally never - watched the Today show. Same goes for all early morning programs - just not a morning person. Les Moonves had an obsession (and I would go as far as saying an unhealthy obsession) in attempting to lure KC to the evening news. Do you know the bottom line reason she accepted the offer excluding the obvious reasons of money and prestige?

She was sick and tired of getting up at 2 in the morning to show up for the Today broadcast.

Doesn't sound like the best reason to take on a new job does it? Although I can certainly understand her logic.

Do you really think KC could give a rats arse about the legacy implications of her success or failure considering the ethically challenged schmucks that hired her?

I don't doubt my naiveté. I cultivate naiveté. Expect the worst, and invariably you will get it (or think that is what you have gotten). A little naiveté can leave us with a little hope. Naiveté is a principled position for me.

However, I'm still trying to deduce the meaning of the line "Emotional characterizations which you eminently confer...". What the heck are you saying?

"Naiveté is a principled position for me." And I would add equally so for the Bush administration. And look where that got us.

So then your aim is not to discredit the new reader, but rather the system in which they function? If its a systemic, and ethical complaint then why the personal attack? Surely the rational choice was to take the job which offered 15 million, a more normal workday, and a really plumb position ofr any new media person. I can't fault her choice.

The legacy implications, are you talking about the legacy implications for a respected news program or the legacy of the broadcasters?

I always kind of thought the cult of personality that American newreaders had, and more recently Canadian newreaders, have was slightly unhealthy for real news.

Oh for crying out loud, SCC ad nauseum in my last.

Preview post, preview post she mumbles to herself.

"What the heck are you saying?"

Please ignore that sentence - that's just the pseudoefedrin kicking in me thinks.

Re: 1967 Outer Space Treaty. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty_of_1967#The_Outer_Space_Treaty_of_1967

"Ownership" is a layman's description for a bundle of rights, which can vary from circumstance to circumstance. When we think of home ownership, the main right we are usually talking about is the exclusion of others, and to use and enjoy our homes without significant interference from others.

The main thing I find significant is the phrase "exploration and use". Now for starters, "use" is different in the Treaty's language from "exploration". So the big question is whether "use" includes possible strip mining or giant 8+'s across the Moon or some other place.

If I was pro-strip mining of Ceres, I would argue that the first paragraph of Article I means that strip mining of Ceres benefit and interests of all countries in that it increases the total amount of materials available for use, and decreases the amount that must be obtained here on Earth.

I note that the second para states that Outer Space "shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality...". This is the language of equal access, not equal profit sharing. Think early oil exploration.

However, the 1979 Moon Treaty gets more specific. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Moon_Treaty

I note Article 11(3):
"Neither the surface nor the subsurface of the moon, nor any part thereof or natural resources in place, shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non-governmental entity or of any natural person."

Also, Article I provides that this Treaty applies to other "celestial bodies within the solar system".

Question: If someone purported to "buy" a right to strip mine the Sea of Tranquility between 1967 and 1979, would your nation ratifying this Treaty, that does not have retrospective language, have to compensate the purchaser as having expropriated their "ownership" right?

I'm just dabbling in this and probably out to lunch. I'm just trying to do my bit to show Ross we're not completely mindless.

Trailer Trash says: "Do you really think KC could give a rats arse about the legacy implications of her success or failure considering the ethically challenged schmucks that hired her?"

Does it matter? She has established a market value of $15,000,000 for a woman with news credentials and sufficient experience to be the face and voice of a network's premier news broadcast, which also is their premier in-house production. Katie Couric's personal motivations and the personal motivations of the powers-that-be at CBS are irrelevant. They would happily air a half hour of the Care Bears News Time if they thought that the FCC and the viewers would stand for it -- and if the viewers liked it and the FCC didn't, then the rules would get changed.

Frankly, though, I think your reading of KC's motivations are way off. She's cute, she's good in front of a camera, and she has great legs. If she were the empty-headed greed-monster you describe, those qualifications would make more money for her, with vastly less work, by anchoring Entertainment Tonight. You may not care for her style, you may disagree with the direction she is taking the Evening News, etc., but your personal vindictiveness and vituperation are unwarranted. Were you up for that job, but she got it instead? If your comments on her blog were anything like your comments here, no wonder they deleted them. The WaPo is willing to let you make a fool of yourself by spewing venom, so long as it isn't too excessively vulgar. It's unlikely that CBS would allow commentary in which you describe their principal on-air personality as a prostitute, and recommend that she would be more informative by masturbating on camera. That is not a carefully reasoned and cogently-argued critique. If it is supposed to be shorthand for a more coherent argument, then you might do better to actually post the carefully-considered argument. Ad hominem attacks and insults are not terribly persuasive.

bc: Thanks for enlightening me. I now have a new word added to my lexicon and a refresher on a word I seldom use, but will, when the opportunity presents itself. I wonder why Kekule dreamed in Egyptian?

Trailer Trash:

"The CBS Evening Ho-News with Katie Couric."

"Mine is more of a management critique than anything against KC."

With respect, these are completely inconsistent.

SonofCarl, I cleverly wrote my classroom activity to encourage students to debate issues of ownership, etc., so I am neatly absolved of saying anything dated or unprofessional about the the OST. Your post makes it clear that there are lots of loopholes available, if one is in a position to use them.

I will note that there is a distinction between naiveté (actually, isn't that naïveté? And isn't it wonderful how easy these accents are on a Mac? Don't you wish YOU had one?) and willful stupidity. Naïveté is a principled position when one's decisions are of limited effect. A little more realism is appropriate when one's decisions affect other persons' survival.

I recalled bc's post linking the ratification info about the Moon Treaty and went back to that. I note that the more restrictive language of the Moon Treaty has not been incorporated into most nations' law by signing and ratification, so it's still the Wild West out there.

SoC;

Not just the Wild Out There??

I think that's the show with Tara Reid, isn't it?

Maybe Wild Dark Yonder?

Trailer Trash, do you have any famous ancestors?

I don't have ANY ancestors, technically. I come from an endless line of "intersex" clones.

Judging from your comments, TrailerTrash, you aren't in the news biz either. (And yes, I'm in a position to know.)

If you enjoy trolling for flame bait, you should try the MommyBlog ("On Balance") in which almost any remark you make will be taken as a slur on somebody's lifestyle. You'd enjoy it.

Bob S., welcome to the the blog from the bog! You're our first protist to join us from the protozoan kingdom.

We here won't ask you the embarrassing questions like do you do binary fission, or whether you stick with the budding. However, I do want to ask you how your Aunt Amoeba is doing.

HEY, BC, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THOSE PESKY DOUR-BUT-PERKY ALIENS WHO TYPE IN ALL CAPS, I HOPE YOU WEREN'T REFERRING TO ME.

(Oops, hold on a minute...I'm getting a transmission...ask ScienceTim...OK, got it, chief. Keep it casual, gotcha. OK...Over and out.)

Hey, ScienceTim, how'd NASA get those cool photos of my latest spackle-and-drywall repair project you referenced in your 1:29? The one on the left looks like the patch I did in my utility room when the clothes washer hose leak ruined the back wall.

I went to my first Nationals game today. First baseball game I've seen in Washington since the Senators left and only the second I have seen since they left. It was a fun game. A pitcher's duel at first with Washington going up by a run and then it turned into a last-man-standing type of thing. The Cards took the lead from the Nats but the Nats came right back. The Cards took the lead again off Cordero in the top of the ninth with a smoking homer from Preston Wilson - a liner into the top deck in left. Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, and Vidro knocks the ball over first base. It bounces a couple of times and rolls all the way into the corner in right field. I don't think the Cards even tried to pick the ball up. They knew the game was over.

I want to go back to RFK to see another game.

Yeah, pj, I've been to half a dozen or so the Nats games at RFK. I'm sorry I couldn't make it out today (four tickets were up for grabs, but I wasn't gonna be able to make it), it was a fun one, obviously. I suspect that I'm gonna miss RFK when it's gone.

Naw, Mudge, *these* aliens:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010:_The_Year_We_Make_Contact

or, if you prefer the book version (which does differ significantly)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010:_Odyssey_Two

They both use all caps. Even when they taunt me from the wormhole in my laundry chute.

"TWO GO IN, ONE COMES OUT"

D@mn their monolithic hearts.

Gads, I am *so* in touch with my Inner Dork.

bc

Thanks for being here, everyone. Good night, sweet dreams.

Hi, Cassandra.

pj, sounds like you got your Nats mojo workin'.

*Tim, while I was brushing my teeth before bed, I remembered the rationale that the GWB might use to get back to the Moon (other than to claim it as US Territory), triggered by your 4:18 PM comment.

They've obviously been reading Heinlein at the WH again (alternating with Camus and Archie comix, natch) and resurrected RAH's idea that we've tossed around here before (from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress): that it wouldn't take much of a change from equipment for mining the Moon (such as those areas of nickel-iron in and around craters/impact sites) and dropping the material to Earth, to using that same equipment for dropping big nickel-iron rocks on people's heads. From 240,000 miles away.

That's right: the Moon is a big WMD, and we need to reestablish a presence there protect America from a Lunatic Terror attack.

bc

We'll be getting more in the morning about the mutant fish, right? If the researchers' worries about the water's effect on humans are well-founded, then this is the Washington story that could explain a lot of other Washington stories. Get on it, Achenbach.

Completely off topic of anything, I see that a Marlins rookie pitched a no-hitter this evening.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/06/AR2006090601986.html

Whatever Mr. Sanchez has to say about the rest of his MLB career (and based on his rookie season stats, he's headed for a good one), he can always say he pitched a no-hitter. How great is that?

bc

Re: Posted by: dr | September 6, 2006 06:57 PM

I guess I didn't do the best job articulating my criticisms - so let me elaborate in the most succinct way I'm able to: Network news broadcasts are ratings driven - it's not a secret that Couric was hired mostly on the basis of her "personality and looks" whatever the frick that means to the pencil necks at the news division. And that CBS would pay her 15 mil per year to do so speaks volumes about their commitment to the news. As I mentioned before, I don't like or dislike Couric, the bottom line is does the program provide the news it has promised? And I suspect the real argument is what is the definition of news versus entertainment. Would you consider PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer a news program? I do, but then again, it's not the ratings that make or break it. Either Couric turns the expected profit or she doesn't - which has absolutely nothing to do with news collection and reporting.

Re: Posted by: Just Thinking | September 6, 2006 08:06 PM

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do so indeed.

Since we're still on Katie, I just finished watching the CBS News hour special in observance of next Monday's 9/11 five-year anniversary.

Katie seemed in a stupor in her interview with President Bush, except for the one comeback in which she pointed out that the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis, not Iraqis. Her non-follow-ups showed Katie staring blankly into space. And Bush's non-answers should have given her plenty of material from which to work.

Most disappointing was the show's conclusion in which Couric talked about the "new normal." This is former CNN anchor Aaron's Brown's old catch phrase--stolen or borrowed hook, line, and sinker (the phrase one that I gritted and ground my teeth over at the time). Is there no novelty or original thinking in television news any more?

Better this past week was an hour NPR show that asked "What would your life be like if 9/11 never happened?" Blogger Andrew Sullivan; Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor and legal correspondent for Slate; and Ron Suskind, author of the "One Percent Doctrine"; along with regular citizens who called in, were some of the people the guest host had on the phone, weighing in.

How will the Washington Post treat the subject this weekend or Monday, I wonder?

Bad day today.

Dad had a major stroke. He was visiting Baltimore on a day trip with his friends from his retirement home. He was lucky enough to get not only to the hospital quickly, but to one of the Johns Hopkins campuses.

Lucky, too, that one sister lives here in Baltimore and we are staying with her at least for tonight.

I'm hoping the luck doesn't end there.

They tell us the next 72 hours are crucial. He has survived so far, but there are no guarantees. This is his second stroke, but the first (6 years ago) was a bleeding stroke on the left side of his brain, so it pretty much just affected his speech.

This is a very large clot in the right side which has left his left pretty much useless for now. He is kind of awake and somewhat with it (he asks us questions about things going on in our lives these days).

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

My own personal memory of 9/11: Senior year in college (west coast) living in a studio apartment with no TV or radio except for my PC. That morning - like every morning - I checked Yahoo News before heading off to classes where I learned of the attacks. The campus parking lot was empty upon arrival and I could only assume classes had been cancelled. After a brief discussion with my professor in his office, I headed home, then walked to the local market. Several hours had now passed since the attacks and when I arrived at the market, people were walking around aimlessly in complete silence - no one was waiting at any of the check-out lines - no talking or interaction of any kind. No eye contact either. It was so strange I was even beginning to question my own lucidity. What I had witnessed that day was the complete and utter power of television images to transform lives. I think it was several months (maybe 6 or more) until I had seen the honorific acts on TV, after which I had some perspective reading articles in the New York Times online and other major news publications like this one. Looking back, I was fortunate to have missed the live TV coverage of that day and the weeks to come. I'm now certain it would have crushed my spirit as it did to so many others, instead I sought the print media to serve as my information link. The next day classes were conducted, and in one, our economics professor asked, maybe rhetorically but I'm still not certain to this day, why the TV media kept showing the two planes flying into the buildings over and over and over again. The class fell silent. No one dared answer his question. But I think he already knew the answer, but was unwilling to accept it. None of us could.

TBG,
Hope your father gets well - sounds like he's getting good care. We'll be thinking of you.

Cassandra, you're in our thoughts as well.

On Sep 11, 2001, my husband and I were headed on a group tour to Canada. We left our house at about 5:30 am (Pacific time), got on a bus and into the traffic, picking up other folks. At about 7 am the bus driver got a phone call - he told us about an attack on the World Trade Center, and a bomb at the Pentagon. He tried to get the radio on the bus to work, but all he could get tuned in was an alternative rock music station - which had some sort of strange live feed, describing the scene in Washington. It was surreal. By the time we got to the train station, we decided we'd forget about going to Canada (wasn't sure what the border crossing would be like, or if we could get back into the US in a couple of days). We took a taxi home, vacation plans ruined - not that it mattered much. I remember lying on my bed crying, listening to the report on NPR about a 4th plane crash somewhere in PA.

The weather in Seattle was picture perfect that week. I spent a lot of it in the backyard, away from the news, because I couldn't bear to watch it. I remember how odd it was for planes not to be flying - I live near 3 airports, and this is Boeing's home. I'll probably avoid most of the "anniversary" stuff on TV too - just too sad.

tbg and cassandra, my thoughts are with you.

like many here, i don't watch network news; don't even have tv reception hooked up. for tv news, i can only stomach bbc and jim lehrer.

as a west-coaster, 9/11 had already happened before i found out. i saw some of the news coverage on tv later, but got most news through the internet. coincidentally, i had been in lower manhattan the labor day weekend before, had had a view of the wtc where i stayed, and had walked through its base a couple of times. my parents had also just sold the house in nj where i grew up (it was literally in escrow), so that visit was also my last time at the house where i grew up and, as of now, my last visit to my hometown. because these events are associated in my mind, it feels like i left a whole world behind.

Cassandra, I'm sorry about your neighbor, real sorry.

TBG, prayers for you too.

I can't remember last time I heard the evening news. I quit listening to it because it makes me grumpy. garenteed! And that's not easy to do.

Now I'm getting the sky report from the boodle, and that makes me happy. Thanks!

TBG, my thoughts are with you and your father.

TBG, he's in very good hands, and I'm thinking about you. *hugs*

Pat, the sky here is a very bland bowl of smooth oatmeal this morning. Fog, of course.

:-)

Good morning, friends. TBG, so sorry about your dad, I do hope he'll be okay. I will say a prayer for him. Thanks everyone for your concern and for your kind words. Still feeling the impact, just really weepy. Did go to church, and taught the Bible study, so God is good.

Pat, going out now for the walk. Going to see what the sky and the lake look like this morning. Will tune in when I get back.

Hope everyone has a good day, and maybe we can talk about a new kit today, and give Katie a break. Some folks have been real hard on her. Personally, I like PBS evening news. Just seems to have more information and not all that hype. And I like the fact that they list the soldiers that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. In our busy lives we tend to forget that our young men and women are dying in these wars while we're out chasing Katie and Paris.

Again, I thank you for your kinds words and good thoughts. May God's blessings fill your lives, and each and everyone come to know that God loves you so much more than you can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

TBG - My wife's grandfather had a massive stroke in 1991. He had a rought time of it for a while, but came back and lived another decade. The brain is an amazing thing. Please don't lose hope even if things look bad at first.

TBG -- My thoughts are with you, as well. Hang in there.

TBG: My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Things that happen to our parents are most difficult to deal with. Peace be with you.

Cassandra: My thoughts and prayers are with you , too. Suicide took my Mom and one of my student/soccer players, in 1975 and 2002, respectively. The former loss left me reeling for years, the latter for relatively small amount of time, maybe because I'd been there, done that. I like to think I'm a little better equipped in an emotional sense to deal with such tragic things. Take peace in the fact that they have a new life, and are unfettered by thet worries of our own day to day existence. Bless you for all that you do for the children in your community and for your family.

9/11 was a bizarre day. Our Assistant principal come down the hall in disbelief, saying that a plane had flown into the WTC. I thought it to be a Piper or something. Turned on the telly to see replay of the second impact,and to later see the first tower fall. At that point the telly went dark, until news came of the second collapse. The set went back only to see replays of what happened (that sounds so trite; desensitisation, I guess). One of my college classmates was a Captain in the NYFD and perished in the first collapse. Then came the news from DC and from Shanksville. Disbelief in what had happened is an understatement. To hear survivor's stories and that of the air traffic controllers in DC was horrifying. I keep Billy's (the NYFD Captain) obit in one of my paper piles and look at every so often. Another person passionate about his work.

Pat, this morning a part of the lake look like a mirror that reflected that one bright orange streak of sun trying to shine through. And in the reflection of the lake it look like fire shooting out from the lake. The sky was a mixture of many grays and streaks of yellow and white. And a fine mist or fog hoovered over the back part of the lake. All of this is surrounded by trees on the shore of every imaginable color of green and yellow green. It is breath taking beautiful, and as Maya Angelou says in her poem, "and still I rise".

Joel, I know sometimes you wish I would get covered up with whatever hole I'm crawling out of some days. This is a humorous blog, and somehow I always find a way to bring it to a different venue. My sincere apologies to you.

Cassandra - Anybody who puts words out there who doesn't occasionally feel like crawling into a hole is clearly not doing it right.

Pat,
This is your international sky report from North-Eastern Haute-Maine: temperature was a nippy 44º this morning here. The Ottawa River and valley was covered in thick fog because of the temperature difference between air and water. Driving up the ridge that goes along the river I suddenly emerged out of the pea soup into blinding sunlight under a bright, deep blue sky. It was the first real fall sky of the year. Couple that with the pair of trumpet swans I saw yesterday migrating back from the North we could say that, unfortunately, fall is upon us here in Haute Maine. I ignored KC and her Spotlight band yesterday as well.

Pat.. the sky in Baltimore really is blue today. Carolina Blue, as Slyness would say. It's kind of darker in one part and gets a little lighter in some parts but no clouds that I can see. My sister's view of the harbor is nice and the sun rose this morning over it, turning the water a bright gold--just like jewelry.

Thanks for you kind words folks. No change in Dad today so far, but I think it'll take a big man and a huge club to take the guy down.

Aww, thanks for the compliments about my cutie-pie daughter, everyone. :-) Of course, she wasn't so cute this morning when she was whining for the entire drive to school because the sun was in her eyes. She kept asking me to turn the "liiiiight off!" I tried explaining that the sun was in the sky and Mommy can't turn off the sun, it's too far away. I think that went a little over her head. (And yes, we do have sunshades, but it was coming in the front window.)

TBG, so sorry to hear about your father, I'm praying for the best.

I worked in WTC 2 the summer before 9/11, and on 9/11, was living quite close to the Pentagon in Crystal City. It was a very bad day, one that I'm not too apt to recap in great detail.

TBG, hang in there. We're all thinking about your Dad and your family.

I'm going to hold my recollections regarding 9/11 until Monday, but I will say that I was sitting right where I am right now when I realized what was going on. The memories are very strong in the familiar surroundings.

bc

TBG just got to work and read about your Dad, my best wishes, thoughts and prayers for your family. My father also had a stroke and I remember how frightening is was at the time. It sounds like he got quick and excellent care which is so important.

Pat lovely late summer morning here in the Banana belt of Haute Maine, blue skies have returned, brilliant blue that lasts through November, it is such a nice change from the washed out, smoggy blue we get in the middle of summer.

Shrieking are the leaves changing yet in Ottawa? I went to University in Ottawa and still remember the spectacular fall folliage, had a picnic one time in the Gatineaus in early October on a beautiful fall day - images are still etched in my mind.

Big news from across the pond:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090700361.html

Tony Blair is forced to resign as PM, effective next year.

That sound you hear is the sound of portions of Republican canidates (and their supporters and staffs) lower anatomies slamming shut tight, while whispering to themselves, "Oh, s#!+."

This should make the November elections even more interesting.

bc

TBG,
My prayers and wishes are with your father. My 90+ year old grandmother has had a series of strokes over the past few years and it can be very difficult to adjust to. I hope he makes a quick and full recovery.

FYI, I'll post a kit later in the day (yeah, right), on science news and other stuff going on in the world.

It's a beautiful day in Washington. Not the ideal day for typing. I really wish I could work on my mancave, my garage, I need to get it in shape for football season. Tonight there's a paleontology lecture at another mancave in the neighborhood and I may write that up at some point. The paleontology lecture conflicts with the football game a little bit. I have to decide: Indian arrowheads vs. establishing the running game.

Cassandra, I'm glad you're here, and that must have been a terrible shock yesterday.

TBG, so sorry to hear about your Dad and I hope he makes a quick recovery.

FYI, I am very excited about the arrival in the mail of Rajiv Chandrasekaran's "Imperial Life in the Emerald City." It's going to be a blockbuster. Really vivid look at life in the Green Zone in Baghdad.

SCC: "candidates". I was typing quickly.

bc

Tough piece from the Economist.

America's longest war: A nation once joined together in shock and vulnerability is now riven by failure and recrimination

http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7854412 (registration not required)

The only thing I would ask should you read it is if you think the article was fair and objective.

This message is to advise fellow Boodlers that I have not died or joined the ranks of Nani, irregardless, kawasauguy, and occasionally Error Flynn. As if anyone cared. TBG - my thoughts are with you. Strokes are scary, not only for the patient, but for the family. My dad had one doozy and recovered very well and lived several more years with few after affects - it can happen.

This news from the Midwest: SOME LEAVE ARE CHANGING COLOR. NO NO NO NO NO. NOT YET!

You know you live in a tony part of town when there's a palentology lecture at a Mancave down the street, conflicting whatsoever with the first game of the NFL season.

No bloody chance of that happening in my neighborhood. Not to say that I haven't gone over to a neighbor's house to check out his stonework on the new fireplace (all fossils in stone he's been collecting for 30 years - *really* cool Mancave stuff), and having a paleontological discussion, but we have our butts in the chairs by kickoff.

bc

dmd, some maples have started to look "different". Some distressed trees have reddened but it's not a general situation yet. So there is no real fall colors yet but we feel that it is coming soon. I live just below the Eardley escarpment that is the boundary of the Gatineau park. I have full view of the fall foliage, including the trees on my lot, while avoinding the Sunday traffic jams in the park. We have deers in the yard quite often and that is a good thing but we also have bears and coyotes which is not such a good thing.
Paleontology Thursday point: a neighbour has spent years collecting large flat shale pieces containing fossils in the nearby Ottawa river. So now his patio and walkway from the street to the house is a pretty good display of the fossils you can find in the rivière des Outaouais Outaouais is the original French name based on the name the Wendakes or hurons had for the Algonquin indians living along the river.

Thanks for the link, Trailer Trash. The Economist has long been known as a thoughful magazine with a slight conservative bent. I remember when it endorsed Ronald Regan in 1980, with some reservations. It was the most intelligent (and non-political) piece I'd read on the subject. I've regarded The Economist as one of the best sources of international news as well.

Its a balmy day here in northern HauteMaine, 39.2 F. Expected high temp today 80.6 F. It the time of year where coats, gloves and scarves are needed to go to work in the morning, and shorts when you leave work.

My husband and i have been having Mancave disscussions lately. The disscussions go from cleaning out the garage, to building a new garage with an upper level Mancave to building a new house with Mancave attachments. The first is a must. He can't see the old tv over the boats, the second is a possible future dream, and the third is a pie in the sky dream. Right now the budget says cleaning out the garage is it.

The brightside is that if the garage is cleaned out, he ought to have enough cash from can recycling for a new remote for that old tv. Its such a hassle when you have to walk over to the tv to change those channels.

dr, your Mr. sounds like a good guy.

Most men would rather build a Mancave with house attachments.

bc

Our new house has a garage, up until now we only had a shed we had built. I am not familiar with the Mancave concept are there special rules of etiquette for the garage I should be aware of so as not to offend my husbands space?

Alberta sky report: a dab of cobalt blue mixed liberally with aquamarine. Dissipating altostratus to the east. The leaves on the aspens are starting to turn yellow, even though it's been quite warm.

TBG, best wishes for your dad.

The Economist tends to fit my philosophy so I always find it fair and balanced.

He is bc, he is. It is entirely possible that I was hearing house/mancave attachments, but that he was saying mancave/house attachments.

TBG, your dad is in my thoughts and prayers.

Dunkin Donuts is taking on Starbucks. Just so long as they leave Carbucks alone.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/06/AR2006090601992.html

I've just caught up with the boodle, having been distracted by the start of my kitchen destruction.
Cassandra, how awful about your neighbor, I am sorry.
TBG, my best wishes to your dad.
Used to like Katie before she went blond. Haven't watched her, not that interested.
I like the mancave thing. "S" is establishing his in the cellar. But he lets me use his tools, so I can't complain. Of course I try to be careful to put everything back where I found it. I know how I'd feel if he started mucking about in my kitchen (once I have one again).

I have always liked DD coffee better than Starbucks. But that might just be the glazed donuts talking.

The sky here is obscured by fog (which will burn off by 10 if it sticks to the usual script). It's 50 degrees and feels fall-like. Later it will be sunny and 80 degrees, so we have to dress in layers here, too. I saw a pyrocanthus with yellowing berries yesterday so fall is slowly making its way into the area.

TBG, I'll be thinking of you and your Dad and hoping for the best.

Cassandra, thinking of you, too.

I'm going to Italy tomorrow to spend a couple of weeks, (whee!) mostly Tuscany but with a side trip to Pompeii, so I'll have to do some speed reading to catch up when I return. Be well, Boodlers, see you later.

ac in sj, that sounds like one way-cool trip. Enjoy Pompeii! Pliny did.

I have a distributed mancave. Small discrete portions of our home are devoted to my hobbies. I have thought about condensing them into a single location, but I am concerned that such a concentration of eccentricity might achieve critical mass and explode. This could contaminate the entire neighborhood with poorly-constructed wooden art boxes, psychotic rabbits, science toys, succulant plants and really bad novels.
It's not a risk I want to take.

I may be beginning to understand this Mancave concept. I thought is was strictly a garage thing. When we were looking for a new house my husband kept bringing up that he needed an office, I kept pointing out various areas where he could work (he has a laptop - I couldn't understand the reason an entire room was required). I now see its not about room but about space.

Doing damage assessment this morning. The great news is that the very last tatters and moisture from Mexico's Hurricane John got pushed our way by a front from Canada (thanks, dr) and Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend were a dry, hot and humid milky gray. But the sky was quite black-dark all of Tuesday and let loose with constant, gentle, soaking rains (Navajo "she" rains), so we got .9 inches in our rain gauge. The plants are standing tall and greener--in quite a celebratory mood.

Not all of them however. I'm out pruning out what's dead and will head back outdoors, where it's barely cool enough, to continue the grim task. I have stripped one plant of all its fan-like, dessicated, leathery leaves, leaving only naked stalks, another I have cut back to the ground, hoping they both will come back from their roots next spring. A number of Japanese boxwoods will have to be pulled up by the roots.

Wilbrod, since you asked about my eye, you probably didn't see my post about how my newest eye problem morphed into macular edema and the difficult decision I must make about whether to enroll in Allergan's Dexamethasone Posterior Segment Drug Delivery System (DEX PS DDS, for short). Today is the cutoff day for the decision, since I must give up eyedrops 30 days before the procedure. I put an eye drop in at 8 a.m. this morning. After reviewing the 15-page information and consent form, I have decided against being a drug company guinea pig.

Rajiv Chandrasekaran has done some great Washington Post chats from Baghdad, so I'll second Joel's endorsement--or hope or anticipation, that a book by one of his co-workers, who has feet on the ground in Iraq's capital city, ought to be good.

Steve Hodel, author of "Black Dahlia Avenger," told me in an e-mail this week that he has been contacted by a Washington Post reporter with a request for an interview. Film critic Desson Thomas or celebrity bogger Liz Kelley? Some young-gun, hot-shot feature writer? (Who writes the national cop shop beat?) Our own Joel?

RD writes: "I have thought about condensing them into a single location, but I am concerned that such a concentration of eccentricity might achieve critical mass and explode. This could contaminate the entire neighborhood with poorly-constructed wooden art boxes, psychotic rabbits, science toys, succulant plants and really bad novels."

RD, you should see my office. It's like an Eccentric Manhood bomb went off in there.

Loomis, given your condition I think your rationale for not wanting to be a guinea pig is sound.

bc

ok - finally caught up in the boodle...

*big bear hugs* to TBG and cassandra - hang in there my sweets!

i'm still reeling from the crocodile hunter's death! unreal!

i'm beginning to doubt my baseball mojo - i made the yankees/twins game for my bday (after battling ernesto the WHOLE drive up to nyc) and thought "whew, the rain stopped" so happy i went to the game and settled in my awesome seats - ernesto peeked over the top of the ball park, laffed in my face and proceeded to unleash a torrent of rain and wind causing the game to go into a rain delay (the yankees were down 6 to 1) at the bottom of the 8th - 45 min later, the game was cancelled. of course SUNDAY the weather was beautiful (if still a little windy) and the yankees won 10-1... at a game that i was not at... it's ok, though, i had a SUPER DUPER time in nyc and a great bday...

i can't comment on katie cuz her head tilt thing just bugs me too much...

and can't comment on 9/11 - still too raw a memory...

I'm glad you got some rain Loomis. We kept the hot and dry up here, but hopefully that will drift off into the wet and clammy soon. The whole western part of this continent has been so dry this summer. I think you have made a good choice for your eyes. I would not have gone guinea pig route either.

I just got a call from my educator-persona boss. Please be so kind as to examine the following article from the Saturday WaPo Style section: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090101793.html

and also this web site:

http://voyagesolarsystem.org/

If you know anyone who has $150,000 to spare and is looking for something to buy, this just might be the thing! For that price, we'll throw in a day's worth of ... me! (I hope I got the price right. It may be more expensive. I'm not in the loop on the business side of things.)

I... I... I KILLED IT!

Or, maybe everybody is just enjoying a nice picnic lunch outside.

Yep, ScienceTime, we're just having lunch.
.
Mo! Happy BD, you young kid, you!

I wonder if you could sell the Pluto marker on ebay? To raise funds for further research of course.

dr says: "I wonder if you could sell the Pluto marker on ebay? To raise funds for further research of course."

Nah. It wouldn't work. (a) I believe that the Park Service technically owns the physical artifact, or maybe the Smithsonian. (b) We're going to re-work it to be 'Welcome to the Kuiper Belt!' (c) It wouldn't pull all that much money, anyway. Plus, the cost of shipping would be a major sales-killer.

Tim, for that much money ($160k), I'd hope they could have a bigger slice of you (or a functional equivalent) for an entire year.

An Earth year, not a Plutonian year.

As far as the 9th planet's status goes, let me quote Sentator Pluto Plutarsky and friends from the film "Astronomer House":

Sidereal-Day: War's over, man. Dr. Ekers dropped the big one in Prague on his way out the door.
Pluto: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until WE decide it is! Was it over when the French IUD bombed Pluto? Hell no!
[aside]Charon: French IUD?
[aside]Moon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Pluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...
[thinks hard]
Pluto: the tough get goin' and publish! Who's with me? Let's go!
[runs out, yelling, alone; then returns]
Pluto: What the f*** happened to the Astronomers I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go into a crazy orbit with you Pluto, we might get in trouble, or made into a 'dwarf planet'." Well, just kiss the seat of my astronomical observations from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Dr. Wormer, he's a dead man! Dr. Marmalard, dead! Dr. Niedermeyer...
Charon: Dead! Pluto's right. Psychotic and an unreliable observer, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional press and science that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Pluto: We're just the scientists to do it.
SI-Day: Let's do it.
Pluto: LET'S DO IT!

[All, running to the bar] YAAAAAAAAA!

bc

New Kit!

bc

Comic of different sign-off suggestions for Couric

http://www.azstarnet.com/ss/2006/09/08/145613.png (registration not required)