..And then there's the NBC affiliate in Saint Louis

While flipping channels this evening I stumbled on the local NBC affiliates latest attempt at a newscast.

For starters the anchors appeared poorly informed about the St. Louis area. I would like to think the producer of the "newscast" is arrogant, but in reality the individual is probably just stupid or influenced by consultants. The lead story showed several different angles of a tear gas canister being fired into a rural residence. In reality, it was one shot. A little misleading for the viewers.

Later in the "newscast" a reporter had an interview with a former Iraqi resident working in a pizza parlor. The footage of Saddam having a noose slipped around his neck had been on the internet since very early this morning but snooze channel five claimed that it was viewed on a BBC web page. Yeah, right. A BBC web page and about 10 other domestic and international news outlets. Also, the fade to black as the noose was placed around Saddam's neck was a little dramatic. In reality the video distribution to media outlets stopped at that point and no other internet or network outlet I saw today used the "fade to black" to make the event appear dramatic.

And finally the sports anchor, Rene Knott (knot head?), ran a division three woman's basketball game story prior to a St. Louis Blues win over a very good Colorado Avalanche team. The Blues are playing their best hockey of the season, but Rene apparently is clueless or not very knowledgeable about hockey. That's okay if you want to work in the small markets, but St. Louis is home to a major league hockey franchise.

This miserable excuse for a newscast gets a big fat "F".

Apparently CBS is just arrogant

I wrote yesterday that CBS was guilty of pack journalism. Apparently I was wrong. After getting some feedback today, I learned neither ABC or NBC interrupted their afternoon programming for the beginning of President Ford's mourning period. Nope, CBS just decided the football game was not important to football fans in 50 states, and that it's talking heads repeating themselves was more important. Oh yeah, and nothing in the "live coverage" really had any motion. Just stills of the church in California and pretty little Katie repeating herself at the anchor desk. Way to go CBS "news".

I stand corrected.

What was CBS thinking?

I didn't put this in my post about the Tigers losing, but we missed the last six minutes of the first half because CBS decided to pre-empt it for "breaking" news coverage.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for late president Gerald Ford, but why did CBS decide to stop showing the game while it was very close and the two teams were slugging it out? The footage that was being shown could very easily have waited until the evening news. In fact nothing happened for about the 20 minutes of coverage with the exception of a coffin being lifted out of a hearse by an honor guard.

My theory is CBS decided it had to break into the game coverage because ABC and NBC had also done the same thing. This is a classic example of pack journalism. Shame on the news producer who pulled the plug on Mizzou and OSU!

Tough Afternoon for the Tigers

I am bummed out tonight. My beloved Missouri Tigers lost to Oregon State this afternoon in the Sun Bowl. The Tigers led the game by 14 points with six minutes to go and didn't finish off the Beavers. The most stunning play of the day was Oregon State going for two points and making it with 17 seconds left. In effect, they delivered the knockout punch the Tigers couldn't.

The Tigers were up 38-24 and had the ball against a tired OSU team, but just didn't move the ball anymore the rest of the game. You have to give credit to Oregon State. They came through when they had to, and beat the Tigers.

Mizzou ends the season 8-5 and could conceivably have had two more wins. Aaaaargh!! Oh well, as I have been saying since 1970..."There's always next year".

Still I have to give coach Gary Pinkel and his staff credit for turning around an all but dead program. Hopefully, today's performance will help them recruit some of the better players out of Texas, where they seem to focus a lot of attention.

No one said it's easy being a Tiger fan. I have followed this team for 33 years and they have broken my heart more times than I can remember in both football and basketball. But, they will always be my favorite and I will continue to give them my money and loyalty. MIZ ZOU RAH!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to you and to yours! Our whole family got together last night at my youngest sister and brother in law's home. There were 18 of us including a five year old, two three year olds and a six month old. As you would expect the place was a madhouse. But, in a fun way. The most popular toys of the evening seemed to be a remote controlled car for the five year old, and a pair of twin baby dollars for one of the three year olds. It's great to have family. Sometimes they drive me crazy, but I love them all!

I hope that you and your family have a great Christmas and remember Jesus' birth is the reason for the season. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

I am officially done working for the year and home for the holidays! I started PTO today and don't have to go back to work until January 2nd. Woo-Hoo!

I went Christmas shopping for the little ones today and have everything bought that I wanted to get. But, I got to tell you after working my way through the store to find what I wanted, there are a lot of rude and inconsiderate people out there. And what is with all of the cell phones everyone has? Every woman in the store seemed to be talking to someone else on the darn phone. And they don't just talk in a normal voice they seem to be shouting into the phone. Yep, that sure made it feel real Christmas like.

But, the toys and clothes are all bought and now I get to wrap it up. I am not very good at it but will get through it ok. Besides the little ones, N, G & I, don't really care because they will rip it off in about five nanoseconds once they get them! Happy Holidays!

Strange Day

Well, it's just about bed time and I have seen a strange day today.

I went to work this morning and it was 60 degrees at ten to seven. 60 degrees on the 17th of December in St. Louis. Unbelievable!

Then when I was ready to write off the Rams football team for the season, they go out to Oakland and beat the snot out of the Raiders 20-0. It's the first time the Rams have posted a shut out since 1993. They played well, but then again the Raiders are one of the worst football teams I have ever seen...period.

I hope the weather holds, but I know it won't. In fact, it is supposed to get much colder by later this week. Actually I am glad it is supposed to cool down. It will seem like Christmas the colder it becomes.

Finally...The lights are up!

I had given up on getting the external Christmas lights put up this weekend, but about three this afternoon I went outside and it wasn't too bad. Not only that, but the ice in the gutters (it was still present from last week's ice storm) had pretty much melted off. So, I went for it and it worked out okay, after I broke up what ice was left in the gutters. It did not take too long either, maybe an hour and 15 minutes total.

I was finally done with the installation and went to plug them into the timer I use to turn them off and on. And guess what? They were all shining and about 30 seconds later, some of them started blinking. At first I thought what the heck??? But, as I watched them they were kind of cool looking.

Besides, after taking the time to put them up they are in place for this holiday season and now they aren't going anywhere.

This Blog is Worthless

Sometimes I think I should just delete everything I have posted here for the past year and a half and move onto something else. But, then I change my mind and feel the need to express myself with what should appear to be obvious to the rest of society. But, maybe isn't and is just my disgust with the local news media and stupid and rude people.

Since I last posted things have not gotten any better at work. In fact, they have gotten worse as I was chewed out by one of our executives for something that I was only partially responsible for completing. The guy is arrogant and earning the reputation of being a prick too. But, since he is very high on the corporate ladder you know who's going to win if push comes to shove. I have started searching the net for job opportunities, but at my age they really aren't there. I am only 53, but when a recruiter reads your resume, they can tell your age by what year you earned your first degree and your job history with previous employers. I know age discrimination is illegal, but there are numerous ways around it. And if a company can save 15 to 20k per year in salary they certainly will do so.

But, enough about poor old me. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I am not going to let work bring me down. I have just six more work days left in 2006, so maybe things aren't all that bad.