A Terrible Thing to Say

I don’t know if this is a phenomena that’s affected every city in the country, but we were inundated with “Breaking News” and “Continuing Coverage” Wednesday night concerning the alleged attempted suicide of Terrell Owens. While it is nothing to joke about, I think that many fans in the Dallas- Fort Worth Metroplex may have heaved a huge sigh of relief had he been more successful. (to be continued) http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/6011258
I actually posted the above paragraph when the news broke. I took it down for fairly obvious reasons. The thought was meant to be funny (maybe you had to be there) and a starting point for something else. If there is anything I should have learned over the years its that it is OK to joke yourself, but you shouldn't joke other people.
It wasn't meant to be about T.O.; it was meant to be about the media and us. Last winter we had snow flurries and the temperature dropped to 28 degrees. The networks saw fit to give us 3 hours of continuous coverage of this "Ice Storm". One of the reporters in the field actually demonstrated to the viewers how cold it was by throwing a coke can onto ice that had formed in a roadside ditch.
As the can rattled across the ice, the reporter announces "Frozen solid"!
Thanks for that report.
A few Sundays back there was a hijacked 18 Wheeler that toured through the area. There was 4 hours of continuous coverage on 4 Stations. It was a field day for the news, as people lined the bridges and overpasses to rubberneck the event.
If the Media is bad enough, what does it say about us?

Last year, as you were watching the weather reports which showed this perfectly-formed hurricane gaining strength in the Gulf, you probably felt great concern and anticipation. You watched as the storm became a Cat 5 with 175 mph sustained winds. And when you awoke in the morning and turned on the news, you learned that the storm had been downgraded to a Cat 4 and that the winds had slowed to 140 mph. You also learned that the storm track had veered towards the East slightly so it would not hit directly on New Orleans. Of course you felt great relief that the storm was loosing power, but did you really? Or was there a small sliver, maybe one tenth of one percent of your consciousness, which was disappointed that the perfect storm you had fantasized about may not occur?
Was not a deep and dark part of your psyche thrilled by the beauty of such a perfectly formed atmospheric phenomenon and the danger it posed? Be honest! As for me, well, if I thought of this question, I must have had those feelings myself.

We are all relieved that they found Elizabeth Smart while we wait for the next Jon Benet.
Go ahead and call me a vulture, call me any kind of name.
But nothin' seems to sell in this culture like disaster.
Am I to blame?

But lets go back to Terrell Owens now.
I hope he never thinks about killing himself.
I'd settle for a couple of broken legs.