Monday, September 11, 2006
Joining the Flock: Commenting On 5 Years Back
It seems everyone on the Internet is posting thier memories, thier views, thier feelings about 9/11. It's cathartic, I suppose, to verbally express our personal experiences and read of others' in order to deal with what was (and still is) an earth-shattering tragedy; the single greatest human disaster of our generation.
I'm searching for words to accurately describe my mindset here, but I feel that everything that can possibly be said about this horrorshow has already been said.
On 9/11/01, I was in my sophomore year of college. I woke up to get ready for my morning classes and, as I almost always did, turned on CNN. And, within about 15 minutes of turning on the television, I watched as an airplane (turned out to be the second plane) crashed into the World Trade Center. I was a little shaken up.
Maybe that sounds a little insensitive, but what exactly are you supposed to say when you watch, on live TV, the instantaneous death of hundreds of people?
I went to class (honestly can't even remember which class it was) came out, went to have some lunch at the cafeteria and came out to the news that the Pentagon was hit and, more shockingly (to me, anyways), classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. I learned through talking with other people that the towers collapsed, and spent the rest of the day on the Internet, with CNN on in the background.
But you know what? As a student that was studying media at the time, those 5 or 6 months right after September 11th were some of the most exciting and refreshing , from a newsperson's point of view, in years. It is my opinion that the quality of broadcast news is very much a supply-and-demand business. If the majority of the people in the United States have a thirst for quality news about world events, if television watchers genuinely want in-depth analysis of national interests, then that is what is going to be provided to them. And that's exactly what happened after September 11th, 2001. The problem in America recently is that, more often than not, most of the television watching public does not want analysis. They don't want all the information available, they don't want to know. We, in America, want to be entertained above all else; and this, I believe, is one of the reasons that broadcast news has been in a steep downward spiral for years now. From the very ionvention of television until the late 1980's, broadcast news (and newspapers) were America's bastions of truth. We had no other methods of obtaining information about the state of the nation and, therefore, were limited to the amount of places to turn to for info. The Internet, as we know it, has single-handedly destroyed broadcast news while, at the same time, revolutionizing how we obtain news today. The people who genuinely want to be informed in America, I've found, turn to the Internet for thier information, for thier news. Television news, the newspapers, have been rendered all but obsolete to true newshounds in America.
That's not to say that I think broadcast news should be eliminated. Far from it. I just believe that there has to be, just as in the case of the Internet, a giant revolution in broadcast news very soon. 24 hour news channels, I think, need to be completely eliminated. I've never liked the idea that Americans need 24 hours of news every day, because that allows for harsh and instant judgement without getting all the facts. All these channels: CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc., the phrase you'll see as a graphic more often than not will be "BREAKING NEWS"; because that's what counts to them. Who gets to the scene first? Who's reporting on-the-spot? How fast can we get this story on the air, no matter how much information we actually have? I believe it takes time, time to gather facts and to develop a full news story. This, I feel, is the only way to truly make broadcast news watchable again.
I'm not sure how this 9/11 remembrance post got me involved into a rant about broadcast news, but there you go. I guess remembering such an incredible tragedy just brings out passions in people, and this is what I'm passionate about.
But how am I spending this September 11th, a full 5 years after the initial attacks? I'm spending it the way I've spent it the past 2 years:
I'm watching "Fahrenheit 9/11", and I'm getting outraged all over again.
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It seems everyone on the Internet is posting thier memories, thier views, thier feelings about 9/11. It's cathartic, I suppose, to verbally express our personal experiences and read of others' in order to deal with what was (and still is) an earth-shattering tragedy; the single greatest human disaster of our generation.
I'm searching for words to accurately describe my mindset here, but I feel that everything that can possibly be said about this horrorshow has already been said.
On 9/11/01, I was in my sophomore year of college. I woke up to get ready for my morning classes and, as I almost always did, turned on CNN. And, within about 15 minutes of turning on the television, I watched as an airplane (turned out to be the second plane) crashed into the World Trade Center. I was a little shaken up.
Maybe that sounds a little insensitive, but what exactly are you supposed to say when you watch, on live TV, the instantaneous death of hundreds of people?
I went to class (honestly can't even remember which class it was) came out, went to have some lunch at the cafeteria and came out to the news that the Pentagon was hit and, more shockingly (to me, anyways), classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. I learned through talking with other people that the towers collapsed, and spent the rest of the day on the Internet, with CNN on in the background.
But you know what? As a student that was studying media at the time, those 5 or 6 months right after September 11th were some of the most exciting and refreshing , from a newsperson's point of view, in years. It is my opinion that the quality of broadcast news is very much a supply-and-demand business. If the majority of the people in the United States have a thirst for quality news about world events, if television watchers genuinely want in-depth analysis of national interests, then that is what is going to be provided to them. And that's exactly what happened after September 11th, 2001. The problem in America recently is that, more often than not, most of the television watching public does not want analysis. They don't want all the information available, they don't want to know. We, in America, want to be entertained above all else; and this, I believe, is one of the reasons that broadcast news has been in a steep downward spiral for years now. From the very ionvention of television until the late 1980's, broadcast news (and newspapers) were America's bastions of truth. We had no other methods of obtaining information about the state of the nation and, therefore, were limited to the amount of places to turn to for info. The Internet, as we know it, has single-handedly destroyed broadcast news while, at the same time, revolutionizing how we obtain news today. The people who genuinely want to be informed in America, I've found, turn to the Internet for thier information, for thier news. Television news, the newspapers, have been rendered all but obsolete to true newshounds in America.
That's not to say that I think broadcast news should be eliminated. Far from it. I just believe that there has to be, just as in the case of the Internet, a giant revolution in broadcast news very soon. 24 hour news channels, I think, need to be completely eliminated. I've never liked the idea that Americans need 24 hours of news every day, because that allows for harsh and instant judgement without getting all the facts. All these channels: CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc., the phrase you'll see as a graphic more often than not will be "BREAKING NEWS"; because that's what counts to them. Who gets to the scene first? Who's reporting on-the-spot? How fast can we get this story on the air, no matter how much information we actually have? I believe it takes time, time to gather facts and to develop a full news story. This, I feel, is the only way to truly make broadcast news watchable again.
I'm not sure how this 9/11 remembrance post got me involved into a rant about broadcast news, but there you go. I guess remembering such an incredible tragedy just brings out passions in people, and this is what I'm passionate about.
But how am I spending this September 11th, a full 5 years after the initial attacks? I'm spending it the way I've spent it the past 2 years:
I'm watching "Fahrenheit 9/11", and I'm getting outraged all over again.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
SOMEone in Ohio Has Some Common Sense
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Work Is Hell and other observations
I am the worst blogger in the world. In the past 9 months, I've posted what, 4 or 5 times?? That's horseshit. And half of those weren't even real posts; just youtube links.
So much shit has happened this past summer in the life of Evil Brian, I barely even know when to start. Let's just go from the major stuff and trickle all the way down to movie and music reviews.
Me and my esteemed roommate Art got evicted by our old landlord. Well, sort of but not really. Our landlord; an off-the-boat Italian chef that lives in Yonkers, NY and doesn't quite understand how things work in Connecticut (when we moved in, his lawyer demanded we get renter's insurance with $1,000,000 coverage. Renter's insurance in Connecticut doesn't go higher than, I believe, $100,000.) So, after inadvertently trashing the condo trying to move out as fast as possible (which cost us quite the pretty penny indeed), we ended up moving to a MUCH nicer and cheaper (albeit smaller) place in Middletown, CT. Air conditioning that WORKS, some nice carpeting, a landlord that speaks English and DOES SHIT and, most importantly, my own goddamn bathroom (now with new pirate theme!) Even though it's an extra 15 minutes from work than our old place, it's so much more comfortable than our last place and such a friendly neighborhood that it makes it totally worth it.
The only downside to moving is that, between the new security deposit and paying off my old landlord to not sue us, I didn't have the money I needed to enorll in Master's courses. You see, my graduating GPA from Utica College was too low to matriculate to a Master's program, thereby making me ineligible for student loans. However, I could enroll as a non-matriculated student in a state institution; the only drawback being I would have to front ALL the money for classes by myself. I don't have that kind of money, so my reeducation will have to wait for now.
The diet has been going awesomely. Since beginning my weight loss program (a combination of a low-fat, low-calorie, high-protein diet and a steady exercise regimen) I've lost 30 pounds, putting me down around 185. The original goal I had for myself was 180, but I thought it was gonna take almost 6 months just for THAT. Since it's been coming off so fast, I've decided to lower the goal to 160. Let me put it this way: I have to go to a wedding in two weeks. I've had a dress suit for about 2 years, but I have to get a new one, because everything-the shirt, jacket, pants-are all too big. I don't own a pair of pants that I can wear without a belt. It's the best feeling in the world.
My job sucks. It always has sucked, and it always will suck as far as I'm concerned. But it just got REALLY bad on two levels. First, stores are starting to receive thier Christmas shipments now. Well, actually, the first of the Christmas stuff went out in May/June; but a lot of stores are really ramping it up lately, giving me a lot more shit to wade through. Secondly, FedEx's corporate office has decided to change the work schedule for everyone in the Northeast. Instead of a semi-normal Monday-Friday work schedule, they've made the decision to switch to a Tuesday - Saturday workweek. Do you know when the bars close in CT on Sunday nights?? TEN THIRTY. TEN THIRTY AT NIGHT. I mean, it's hard enough to get people to come into work at 2:30 in the morning, how hard do you think it is to get people to come into work at 2:30 on a SATURDAY morning?? I already had 3 people missing on our first Saturday and, when you only have 10 people that work in your group, that HURTS.
Snakes On A Plane, while not the best movie of the year by a LOOOOOOONG shot, is the single most entertaining movie I've seen in the theater since Star Wars Episode III. I recommend everyone watch it at least once.
Since I don't watch TV (I'm always asleep when all the goos shows are on) am perpetually behind the times when it comes to being up with the television cultural zeitgeist. Lost Season 2 just came out on Tuesday, and I finished the whole season yesterday. Seriously, the best television I've ever watched in my entire life. There's so many twists, turns, and out-and-out WEIRDNESS, it's almost hypnotic. I get all my TV from DVDs nowadays, and I can't WAIT for My Name Is Earl to come out this Tuesday.
I preordered Final Fantasy XII over a month ago, and I still cannot wait for it to come out. I actually have that whole week off from work (I always take the week of Halloween off from work. It's my Christmas) Now all I need is a PS2. I've always lived with other people who own PS2's, so I never got around to buying one myself, despite the fact that I own 5 games for the system (Katamari Damacy, We (heart) Katamari, Kingdom Hearts, Shadow of the Colossus, Rugby 2005).
Speaking of which, whenever I do get a PS2, I'm gonna have to pick up Guitar Hero and, by that time, probably Guitar Hero II as well. I've already downloaded all the songs that'll be on GHII, and some of them are just goddamn scary. Seriously, Lamb of God's "Laid To Rest"? Misirlou?? Psychobilly Freakout?!? People might break fingers on some of these songs. It's insane!
2006, thus far, has been turning out to be a great year for metal. Slayer's "Christ Illusion" has captured the evil black magic of "Reign In Blood" with scathing and hateful songs about war, politics and religion. Iron Maiden's "A Matter of Life and Death" contains some of the best Maiden songs since thier 80's heyday. Between the Buried & Me put out an entire album of covers featuring the single best Metallica cover I've ever heard (seriously, I didn't think anyone could make "Blackened" even LOUDER than it already was, but they found a way). Lamb Of God cuts down on the politics for once and succeeds in making one of the better albums of thier careers (better than As the Palaces Burn, not quite as good as New American Gospel. And not containing any songs as good as 'Now You've Got Something To Die For' but, then again, what album DOES?). And Dragonforce managed to do things to a guitar that I never even dreamed could be possible. I can't wait to see what comes out in the next 3 months.
Hopefully, I'll post some time before the new year; I may since now I have Sundays and MONDAYS as a weekend instead of Saturdays and Sundays.
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I am the worst blogger in the world. In the past 9 months, I've posted what, 4 or 5 times?? That's horseshit. And half of those weren't even real posts; just youtube links.
So much shit has happened this past summer in the life of Evil Brian, I barely even know when to start. Let's just go from the major stuff and trickle all the way down to movie and music reviews.
Me and my esteemed roommate Art got evicted by our old landlord. Well, sort of but not really. Our landlord; an off-the-boat Italian chef that lives in Yonkers, NY and doesn't quite understand how things work in Connecticut (when we moved in, his lawyer demanded we get renter's insurance with $1,000,000 coverage. Renter's insurance in Connecticut doesn't go higher than, I believe, $100,000.) So, after inadvertently trashing the condo trying to move out as fast as possible (which cost us quite the pretty penny indeed), we ended up moving to a MUCH nicer and cheaper (albeit smaller) place in Middletown, CT. Air conditioning that WORKS, some nice carpeting, a landlord that speaks English and DOES SHIT and, most importantly, my own goddamn bathroom (now with new pirate theme!) Even though it's an extra 15 minutes from work than our old place, it's so much more comfortable than our last place and such a friendly neighborhood that it makes it totally worth it.
The only downside to moving is that, between the new security deposit and paying off my old landlord to not sue us, I didn't have the money I needed to enorll in Master's courses. You see, my graduating GPA from Utica College was too low to matriculate to a Master's program, thereby making me ineligible for student loans. However, I could enroll as a non-matriculated student in a state institution; the only drawback being I would have to front ALL the money for classes by myself. I don't have that kind of money, so my reeducation will have to wait for now.
The diet has been going awesomely. Since beginning my weight loss program (a combination of a low-fat, low-calorie, high-protein diet and a steady exercise regimen) I've lost 30 pounds, putting me down around 185. The original goal I had for myself was 180, but I thought it was gonna take almost 6 months just for THAT. Since it's been coming off so fast, I've decided to lower the goal to 160. Let me put it this way: I have to go to a wedding in two weeks. I've had a dress suit for about 2 years, but I have to get a new one, because everything-the shirt, jacket, pants-are all too big. I don't own a pair of pants that I can wear without a belt. It's the best feeling in the world.
My job sucks. It always has sucked, and it always will suck as far as I'm concerned. But it just got REALLY bad on two levels. First, stores are starting to receive thier Christmas shipments now. Well, actually, the first of the Christmas stuff went out in May/June; but a lot of stores are really ramping it up lately, giving me a lot more shit to wade through. Secondly, FedEx's corporate office has decided to change the work schedule for everyone in the Northeast. Instead of a semi-normal Monday-Friday work schedule, they've made the decision to switch to a Tuesday - Saturday workweek. Do you know when the bars close in CT on Sunday nights?? TEN THIRTY. TEN THIRTY AT NIGHT. I mean, it's hard enough to get people to come into work at 2:30 in the morning, how hard do you think it is to get people to come into work at 2:30 on a SATURDAY morning?? I already had 3 people missing on our first Saturday and, when you only have 10 people that work in your group, that HURTS.
Snakes On A Plane, while not the best movie of the year by a LOOOOOOONG shot, is the single most entertaining movie I've seen in the theater since Star Wars Episode III. I recommend everyone watch it at least once.
Since I don't watch TV (I'm always asleep when all the goos shows are on) am perpetually behind the times when it comes to being up with the television cultural zeitgeist. Lost Season 2 just came out on Tuesday, and I finished the whole season yesterday. Seriously, the best television I've ever watched in my entire life. There's so many twists, turns, and out-and-out WEIRDNESS, it's almost hypnotic. I get all my TV from DVDs nowadays, and I can't WAIT for My Name Is Earl to come out this Tuesday.
I preordered Final Fantasy XII over a month ago, and I still cannot wait for it to come out. I actually have that whole week off from work (I always take the week of Halloween off from work. It's my Christmas) Now all I need is a PS2. I've always lived with other people who own PS2's, so I never got around to buying one myself, despite the fact that I own 5 games for the system (Katamari Damacy, We (heart) Katamari, Kingdom Hearts, Shadow of the Colossus, Rugby 2005).
Speaking of which, whenever I do get a PS2, I'm gonna have to pick up Guitar Hero and, by that time, probably Guitar Hero II as well. I've already downloaded all the songs that'll be on GHII, and some of them are just goddamn scary. Seriously, Lamb of God's "Laid To Rest"? Misirlou?? Psychobilly Freakout?!? People might break fingers on some of these songs. It's insane!
2006, thus far, has been turning out to be a great year for metal. Slayer's "Christ Illusion" has captured the evil black magic of "Reign In Blood" with scathing and hateful songs about war, politics and religion. Iron Maiden's "A Matter of Life and Death" contains some of the best Maiden songs since thier 80's heyday. Between the Buried & Me put out an entire album of covers featuring the single best Metallica cover I've ever heard (seriously, I didn't think anyone could make "Blackened" even LOUDER than it already was, but they found a way). Lamb Of God cuts down on the politics for once and succeeds in making one of the better albums of thier careers (better than As the Palaces Burn, not quite as good as New American Gospel. And not containing any songs as good as 'Now You've Got Something To Die For' but, then again, what album DOES?). And Dragonforce managed to do things to a guitar that I never even dreamed could be possible. I can't wait to see what comes out in the next 3 months.
Hopefully, I'll post some time before the new year; I may since now I have Sundays and MONDAYS as a weekend instead of Saturdays and Sundays.
