Media Just Don't Understand

Will Smith rulez. Props and homage to Will. If you can't quite catch my meaning, just ask.

Down to business: my browser's(go Firefox!) home page is MyWay.com. When I opened it today, one of the "Top News" headlines was "Storm continues to Last Mexican Coastline". This, of course, set my right eyebrow raising in the sarcastic way that it often does when I see the media goof something up. I think I'm a bit OC about this, too. (No, I don't mean to imply that I'm like Peter Gallagher's character on a certain TV show. I mean OC as in OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.) I don't quite understand why I'm this way about goofs from the media. Maybe it's the way that they present themselves sometimes, omniscient lords gracing the lower masses with their wisdom and wit.

Anyway, below is the beginning of the page which appeared when I followed the link (http://apnews.myway.com//article/20051023/D8DDOL8G2.html):

"Storm Continues to Last Mexican Coastline

Oct 23, 9:05 AM (ET)

By WILL WEISSERT

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) - Hurricane Wilma drifted northward away from the Yucatan peninsula Sunday, but furious winds and rain were still punishing Mexico's Caribbean coastline, where the storm killed...."

Now, I was certain that the headline was meant to read: "Storm continues to LASH Mexican Coastline", and I wanted to immediately send a message to Mr. Weissert and ridicule him for mixing his words up in that headline. For a number of reasons I didn't do this. One is that there's no "Send a scathing e-mail to author" button on most news web pages. Another reason is that many headlines are not written by the author of the article, but rather another staffer at the outlet. (At my local paper they are masters of all that is CORNY. To wit: "U-M uncovers field of gleams" and "MSU heads south, losing to Northwestern". Need I say more?) Finally, being quite a self-doubter at times, I decided to look up the definition of "last" at yourDictionary.com and one definition gave me pause, at least for a little bit. It was a verb meaning to continue on, or to survive.

When you look at it one way it could have been meant to say that the hurricane is "surviving" its brush with the Yucatan peninsula, which- since it is still a hurricane- it is. On the other hand, it would mean that it continues to continue, which seems a bit deliberate, even for the media. Especially when you consider the opening sentence where the wind and rain were still "punishing" the coastline, it's pretty apparent that "lash" was the intended word. So, AP, congratulations. You've got a dolt on staff who's succeeded in feeding many of your subscribers (including ABC News) your mistakes.

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20051023/D8DDOL8G2.html
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1241616


On a completely separate note, here's one for the folks at Parents behaving badly. Oh, wait! They're on the case already! What WILL we think of next? And here I was worrying about my 8 year old daughter's attire (she's real skinny, so she rolls her sweat-pant waistband down. It's just that you can see her bloomers when she's got them rolled down far enough to hold the pants up.) Or am I being obtuse?

A quick poll & some great news

Good News: Results are negative! Whattarelief! Long recovery ahead while her leg heals where things were removed, and the poor girl has 3 scars on her leg from the surgery. I just hope that's the only scars that result from this. I truly want to thank all of you for keeping fingers crossed and warm thoughts pointed her way. That fabled "kindness of strangers" is a great thing.

Poll:
Okay, I'm spoiled by a broadband connection and I know it. When traveling for work, I have to check e-mail and do my work duties through a dial-up connection and I grit my teeth the whole time. But this made me think (I know, a RARE occurrence!) What percentage of the visitors to my world here are coming via dial-up connections? I'm wondering if the hotcodez videos are annoying to you dial-uppers? If not a dial-upper, do they bother you anyway? Is there a cooler way to refer to the dial-uppers? I need some new slang.

Next question: How many of you are blogging while at work? Be honest, I promise not to tell!

Just checking in/News/Tagged!

In the midst of my Not-in-my-bed-for-3-consecutive-Saturdays weeks of business travels and family commitments, I wanted to check in with alls y'all on the list shown on the right. My second stop was Randi (the list order is randomized, so you're EACH at the top of my speed-dial) and wouldn't you know it, the filly tagged me. Now I've got homework!

But before I get into that, I'm yankin' on the prayer chain for those of you who partake in such an activity for a couple of reasons: #1) I lost another Auntie M, actually my Grand Aunt on my father's side. She was a strong woman of great stature who raised my father's cousin on her own as her husband died very early-on. (I was not aware of that fact until the memorial service!) Your thoughts will help her family as they work through the grieving process. Thanks-

#2 is a bit more serious. (Ironic, I know. How much more serious is there than the death of a loved one? My view is that the death can't be undone, so focus your strength and energy on healing and helping.) My step-niece, a beautiful girl all of 10 years old, knows how to sew, takes violin lessons, extremely compassionate. . . one of those souls that you get the feeling has walked this earth before. Last weekend she was at a skate park celebrating her birthday and broke her femur (that's the largest bone in your body, located in your upper leg. It doesn't break all that often.) X-rays showed a tumorous growth, so they operated Monday morning to remove the tumor and found a cyst along the way. The jackass doctor had the balls to discuss options-- should the biopsy show a malignancy-- while in front of the young girl. You know, the comforting words like "chemo", "radiation therapy", and "additional surgery". If that wasn't enough, he threw in "amputation" for good measure.

Are. You. FUCKING! Kidding. Me?

So, things around this large family are quite a bit edgy right now. Although the surgeon did say that the material removed did not appear malignant, it will take 10 days for the results of the biopsy. I just hate the big C, for I've only known 2 to survive brushes with it. It took a wonderful neighbor in less than 8 weeks, and my beloved Aunt M after just 4 months. One angel was already called back this year, they don't need another one. Not THIS one.


Back to Randi's assignment:

The Rules:
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same.

The sentence: -S'mores.

The meaning: One of the many things from our vacation this summer.


My victims: Mike the Hick, Shandi, The Amateur Dad (cuz he doesn't have enough on his hands), Jaime (cuz she doesn't have enough on her hands, YET!), and finally, Funny Mike (who doesn't do tags but I'm givin' him the shout out b/c he's just danged funny. And because my paperperson won't deliver the Conschohocken Recorder, so I've no way to support Mike financially [but his friends keep calling and asking anyway])

Gotta run. You be good!