The Physics of (Media) Spin
Okay, first I write about turkey hangovers and then I don't post for over a week, not having had any turkey. Brain farts are a common affliction.
Its snowing in most parts of Canada as a result of three weather systems, one on the west coast, one on the east coast, and one somewhere to the right of the middle. Which made the drive home today very interesting. It started snowing in earnest about 10:30 this morning and when the time to drive home rolled around conditions where sufficiently nasty that it took me fully 35 minutes longer than usual to get home. I don't expect the drive in tomorrow to be any better, best case scenario is I'll duck in behind a snow plow and follow it in.
The Globe and Mail really spun the weather today for all it was worth, perhaps trying to prove that weather stories can be exiting. The story was headlined "Wild weather hits coast to coast" and contained words like "blast", "treacherous", and "plunged." Plunged I say!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071203.wcanweath1203/BNStory/National/home
I found the language to be a bit much.
Another odd news item came my way via the CBC who reported on a potential solution to the Alberta housing crisis... shipping containers! Erm, yeah, as in the big corrugated metal boxes that are usually used for oceanic shipping but sometimes by train or truck. It seems all you have to do is put in some windows, a door, insulation, a phone jack and some power outlets and its ready to go. A company in Edmonton is taking orders right now, with the units themselves being made in China.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2007/12/03/container-housing.html
I don't really think I'd be happy living in what is essentially a tricked-out garbage can, but if the housing shortage in Alberta's cities is that bad I suppose everyone will just have to channel their inner Oscar the Grouch.
In some old news, I just have to put in my two cents regarding the Ars Technica story about the Senate going after "the internet" as a breeding ground for terrorists.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071128-congress-to-examine-the-internet-as-a-tool-for-homegrown-terrorism.html
This is about a bunch of rich, middle-age men waking up one morning and discovering that the general public has access to information (gasp!) not provided by their all-knowing government. And they aren't happy about it. Sure, I could go on the internet and learn to make a bomb. I could also look up a recipe for strawberry tarts. That doesn't mean that I'm going to do either of those things. Its called free speech, you old-money pricks, and you better get used to it. I can see the Senators then demanding that the country responsible for this darned internet be bombed only to find out that - wait - the technology underlying the internet is essentially an American invention! D'oh! They will then promptly bomb Iraq for lack of a better idea.
And that's the way I spin it.
Its snowing in most parts of Canada as a result of three weather systems, one on the west coast, one on the east coast, and one somewhere to the right of the middle. Which made the drive home today very interesting. It started snowing in earnest about 10:30 this morning and when the time to drive home rolled around conditions where sufficiently nasty that it took me fully 35 minutes longer than usual to get home. I don't expect the drive in tomorrow to be any better, best case scenario is I'll duck in behind a snow plow and follow it in.
The Globe and Mail really spun the weather today for all it was worth, perhaps trying to prove that weather stories can be exiting. The story was headlined "Wild weather hits coast to coast" and contained words like "blast", "treacherous", and "plunged." Plunged I say!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071203.wcanweath1203/BNStory/National/home
I found the language to be a bit much.
Another odd news item came my way via the CBC who reported on a potential solution to the Alberta housing crisis... shipping containers! Erm, yeah, as in the big corrugated metal boxes that are usually used for oceanic shipping but sometimes by train or truck. It seems all you have to do is put in some windows, a door, insulation, a phone jack and some power outlets and its ready to go. A company in Edmonton is taking orders right now, with the units themselves being made in China.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2007/12/03/container-housing.html
I don't really think I'd be happy living in what is essentially a tricked-out garbage can, but if the housing shortage in Alberta's cities is that bad I suppose everyone will just have to channel their inner Oscar the Grouch.
In some old news, I just have to put in my two cents regarding the Ars Technica story about the Senate going after "the internet" as a breeding ground for terrorists.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071128-congress-to-examine-the-internet-as-a-tool-for-homegrown-terrorism.html
This is about a bunch of rich, middle-age men waking up one morning and discovering that the general public has access to information (gasp!) not provided by their all-knowing government. And they aren't happy about it. Sure, I could go on the internet and learn to make a bomb. I could also look up a recipe for strawberry tarts. That doesn't mean that I'm going to do either of those things. Its called free speech, you old-money pricks, and you better get used to it. I can see the Senators then demanding that the country responsible for this darned internet be bombed only to find out that - wait - the technology underlying the internet is essentially an American invention! D'oh! They will then promptly bomb Iraq for lack of a better idea.
And that's the way I spin it.
posted by Colin at
6:00 p.m.
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