Stupid Media and their overarching narrative

Stories are powerful. Our human minds need stories to make sense of things.

However, sometimes we cling to a good story even though it isn't true. And even when it matters. And unfortunately, that's often done by journalists.

Take the idea that
Clinton supporters will vote for McCain. Turns out, according to that article I linked to, that Obama is polling way, way better than McCain with women. Far better than Gore or Kerry. And yet the media have a few old polls, and a few people willing to appear on TV, who were Clinton supporters who are voting for McCain.

Those few individuals may be completely truthful, but that doesn't a trend make.

Like the media's bias for conflict, the bias for narrative is dangerous. It means that Bush is president, because they freaked out when their standard election night narrative was disrupted in 2000. It means we're at war, because the Bush administration did a very skilled job of playing into the media's standard storyline about a nation going to war.

I wish there were an example I could think of where the story tendency cravenly advanced an agenda I agreed with, but I have a blind spot towards what I consider success.

No Country for Old Men

I had some thoughts about this movie, but now all I can think of is the Ninja's observation.

Which totally gives away the end of the movie. But let it be said the title is really misleading.

Damn, that is one scary, scary movie. Very excellent. And just a few moments of Coen brothers wackiness. Although it does seem to have a lot of the violence of their early work.

The Second Coming!

I think the Messiah has been born on Earth.

This child being born is a miracle. The mother was on The Pill. And after she got pregnant, because the embryo very likely had (in fact does have) a genetic kidney disease, she had an abortion.

But the fetus survived the abortion procedure, not to mention ovulated right through the pill's hormonal restrictions. And now has been born, and is relatively healthy. (Apart from only having one working kidney.)

I think they should have named him Jesus. What kind of name is Finley for a Messiah?

See! I wasn't the one downloading movies!

Researchers at University of Washington framed a printer for a crime. The crime of copyright violation.

At least, they signed the printer up for participation in Bit Torrent downloading, which caused the MPAA or whoever to send them a letter suing them. Despite the fact that IT'S A PRINTER, and can't possibly be downloading movies.

Makes for nice evidence if they sue you, pointing out that while my computer may participate in the completely legal Bit Torrent network, they don't actually have proof I downloaded the movie.

Ironically, the only way I can think of for movie studios to collect evidence of people stealing movies is for the studios to themselves participate in the illegal distribution of movies...

McCain would wiretap warrantlessly

I don't know the most grammatical or the most poetic way to describe it, but the fact remains that John McCain says he would continue spying on US Citizens if elected president.

It's not weak to protect freedom. Finding criminals, protecting public safety, etc. are good things, but the Constitution requires checks and balances and getting a warrant from a judge before spying and searching.

At least he's slightly less insane than President Bush when it comes to torture.

Gross

This is a dust mite. I'm pretty sure.

Dust mites live in pillows and matresses, feasting on flakes of dead skin that we throw off. This dust mite is sitting on one tiny, tiny thread of insulation material from a pillow.

My pillow. Fun.

Security verification

This column contemplates why we use faxed signatures for stuff. Why do we use something so easy to forge? Because we usually only accept them in a context where there are ways to make sure it's real.

Unless you're a lazy jail guard, and release a prisoner based on a fax sent from McDonald's. (McDonald's has a fax machine?)

And I learned that banks don't bother to verify check signatures unless the amount is over $30,000. Because it's cheaper to clean up the mess later on the tiny percentage of fake checks, than it is to verify all the legit ones.