Where were you when you first heard?

I will never forget where I was when I first heard about the death of Heath Ledger--never!

For someone that complains about the media overfocusing on this event, you seem to be pretty focused on it, too.

Or are you just giving your public what they want...

When your "public" is yourself, it's easy to give 'em what they want.

Guys, I think Keli is having fun with it and a chuckle from your quarters wouldn't kill yas.

The media are, as usual, acting irresponsibly, and a wellplaced bit of satire is entirely appropriate.

As big a tragedy as all of this is, don't decent people die everyday (even people more decent than Mr Leger? (sp)

SheikBen wrote:The media are, as usual, acting irresponsibly, and a wellplaced bit of satire is entirely appropriate.

As big a tragedy as all of this is, don't decent people die everyday (even people more decent than Mr Leger? (sp)

I don't remember Paul Lynde getting so much attention. Now, there was talent worthy of 50% of the news!

SheikBen wrote:Guys, I think Keli is having fun with it and a chuckle from your quarters wouldn't kill yas.

Apparently, in addition to my mind I've lost my sense of humor as well. I just don't find anything about that young man dying funny.

Typically I do find Keli funny, but not this time.

Stephanie wrote:

SheikBen wrote:Guys, I think Keli is having fun with it and a chuckle from your quarters wouldn't kill yas.

Apparently, in addition to my mind I've lost my sense of humor as well. I just don't find anything about that young man dying funny.

Typically I do find Keli funny, but not this time.

Other than one controversial movie, Brokeback Mountain, what in the world merits this man so much news time? Where are our priorities? It is absurd.

I agree it's absurd, but not as absurd as "The Daily Brit". The mainstream news media is pathetic. What's worse, a good portion of the American people trip over themselves to watch the Insider Report and spend big bucks on Star Magazine and others.

It is so seldom I shop in Walmart, but just before Christmas in my Santa Claus quest I stopped at the Walmart in Cross Lanes. I purchased a V-Flash system and I got behind a young woman who purchased a stack of gossip rags. She spent nearly $40 on that crap telling the cashier, "They're the only relaxation I get."

This country is going down the hopper. Making light of that young man's tragedy doesn't help matters. Heath Ledger may or may not be responsible for his own death, but he isn't responsible that the MSM spends more time reporting on his funeral arrangments than they have the murder of a US border patrol agent.

While I do feel for Mr. Ledger's family and friends at his death, I certainly have to agree, that the news media wallowing around about his death is absurd. However, on the other side of the coin, people seem to be more interested in the lives of people like Britney, Miss Lohan, and Paris Hilton than in the real world. Go figure.

Cato

Keli wrote:Other than one controversial movie, Brokeback Mountain, what in the world merits this man so much news time? Where are our priorities? It is absurd.

So then why are you piling on? You are petpetuating the idolization. Ignore it and let this story die a merciful death.

I don't think that Keli is making light of this tragedy but rather the media that pays attention to the worst things. I should really like for the media to be responsible, but since we have a free press, there is no way to mandate that. There are very serious questions relating to media responsibility and I should like better answers than government control.

We need to demand something better from the television, since we are the ones who watch the ads and therefore indirectly pay for television.

There are very serious questions relating to media responsibility and I should like better answers than government control.

The question is, then, "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"

TerryRC,

As usual you are smarter than I am (don't gloat it's easy!) Does that mean "who will police the police?" or something to that effect? Or who will govern the government?

Hey I just googled it and I was right! The blind squirrel finds an acorn!

I think the answer is in organized social responsibility. Perhaps people, acting in concert but not out of coercion, can guide the media to better ends, such that the government needn't get involved. I always prefer personal and cultural action to the actions of the government.

I think the answer is in organized social responsibility. Perhaps people, acting in concert but not out of coercion, can guide the media to better ends, such that the government needn't get involved. I always prefer personal and cultural action to the actions of the government.

I, also.

The problem is, the stockholders don't give a rat's ass as long as the profit margin is secure.

The other problem is that the average American eats this tripe up.

How else to you explain the success of shows like Jerry Springer?

Good show on your Latin. I took a class called "Latin and Greek for Biology Majors". I am highly surprised that some of it stuck...

Thanks! It wasn't so much Latin as deduction--'Quis' I took for Who because of the French Qui and the Spanish Quien, and custodiet I took for custodians so the government or agents of the government (police).

I think that you are quite correct that the Average American is at this moment a consumer of tripe, but maybe they just haven't been exposed to a better and more responsible product. While I have no illusions to Fox News being "fair and balanced," I will say that they found a niche in people who didn't like the leftist bias of the other media outlets. Perhaps a more responsible alternative to Fox News can be created which is not only balanced but also informative. If the above station (which I watch more than the others) can do so well as an alternative, and a far from perfect one at that (see tragedy tv as well as right wing bias), I have every reason to believe that the public could be given an alternative.

For example, let's say a television news program dedicated one hour to informing people on what drives gasoline prices. They could tell us how many gallons of gas come from one barrel of oil, the reasons for divergence within states as well as between state and state, and even within cities, and give a primer on laws against price gouging or proposed laws against price gouging. They could tell us how the profits of oil companies compare to other companies, as well as how the price of gas in the US compares to that of our neighbors as well as the rest of the world.

Such a program I would find fascinating and might watch more than once (and in so doing watch their commercials more than once).

Such a program I would find fascinating and might watch more than once (and in so doing watch their commercials more than once).

Discovery Channel has a show coming out called "Crude". I believe it starts this Sunday.

As to the rest of it, you are assuming too much out of the average American citizen. I have rarely seen a population as blase about their future as this one.

Well, I agree with TH, ....... the notoriety of the “name” has nothing to do with the “media frenzy”.

I suspect it has to do with PC’ing ……. queery and drug use.

I call it the "Inquirer Syndrome" out of memory of the Supermarket Tabloids.

.

TerryRC wrote:I have rarely seen a population as blase about their future as this one.

Just out of curiousity, how many "populations" have you seen?

I posted my views on the media on another thread.

Well, I agree with TH, ....... the notoriety of the “name” has nothing to do with the “media frenzy”.

Internet generation.

Today's youth sensationalized this through their cell phones, laptops and Blackberries on an UNPRECEDENTED scale.

Just out of curiousity, how many "populations" have you seen?

A number, between my travels and the ol' Peace Corps. I have read and heard about past populations in this country, also

Your average French 12-year old is more clued in on their national news and on international news than your average American American 20-year old.

My opinion, but I would be surprised to find it wildly off mark.

TerryRC wrote:Just out of curiousity, how many "populations" have you seen?

A number, between my travels and the ol' Peace Corps. I have read and heard about past populations in this country, also

Your average French 12-year old is more clued in on their national news and on international news than your average American American 20-year old.

My opinion, but I would be surprised to find it wildly off mark.

I think the average kid/young person has just gotten so tired of the partisan politics, investigations, mud slinging and crap that's gone on over the past 25 years or so that they've become imune to it and really don't care. As a result, they leave the politics to individuals like Ted Boettner, which only means it's going to get worse. Much, much worse.

....which only means it's going to get worse. Much, much worse.

Sad, but true.

John Kerry was going to win because was going to muster the young vote and they were going to Carry (pun intended) him to the White House. 7% of elegible voters between 18-29 voted.