Some media-consumption tips about current stories

Jon + Kate (+ 8) - Who? What? This is a show on TLC, for crying out loud. You want to see a real-life BIG family? Find one of us LDS ("Mormon") families in your neighborhood/city. And to everyone who's not the TLC network or trashy tabloids - whether in print or on TV - let's cut all the noise and free advertising for their new season, huh?

The Supreme Court nominee, today announced as federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor - most Dems will like and support her, most Republicans will not; we can't vote on it, and it will likely be weeks before she's confirmed, and months before she might be seated on the court and have any impact. Yes, we can use some bio and background information, but people were stumbling over themselves to be the first to break the news ... why? We hear at 9:15 a.m., we hear at 9:17 a.m. - she's maybe on the Court in October.

The media world seemed to get all hot and bothered about the then-misnamed swine flu, now H1N1 flu - we got heavy reporting before anything had actually happened. Granted, that WHO lady didn't help, announcing that all of humanity was threatened. And maybe they could change their criteria for "pandemic" from just scope to also include fatality rates. So now people are actually dying of the flu here in the U.S. and it gets little mention.

In general, I know I can safely skip over most weather and much other disaster or murder trauma coverage: it was [windy/rainy/muddy, etc.] and destroyed the [houses/church/grocery store, etc.] and the people never thought it would happen to them, but will get through somehow and rebuild.

You want some real, big news? Keep an eye on Mexico, where it seems like the government/society may be battling the gangs/cartels for their very existence. Or the Korean Peninsula, where the UN sanctions and strongly worded statements seem to have little/no impact on North Korea's actions.

I also worry that there's much more heat than light in the same-sex marriage debate and news across the county, and specifically in California with the State Supreme Court, Proposition 8, back to the Court, and the related marches and demonstrations. I've got some sincere, open-ended questions about the issues and principles truly in the balance and at stake, but whom can you actually ask questions and not just be shouted down by either side? More on that later ...