And they call it News...

There came a point, about 15 years ago, when I gave up on corporate, TV news. (There are plenty of very good books you can read on why TV new sucks, so let's move on...) But there are still times when I'm trapped in front of the crap, which has only become steamier and scentier over the years, such as this morning.

I was on the treadmill. I was trapped.

The first story was just stupid. The second was downright unbelievable.

A "consumer reporter" (HA) was talking about cars that get great gas mileage and how to get even better mileage out of them. That's what the banner at the top of the screen (because there have to be lots of pretty graphics for us stupid consumers) said: Great Gas Mileage Cars - How to Make Them Better.

It wasn't the tips I found so ludicrous; it was the cars! These "great gas mileage" cars were a Mercedez, two SUVs, and a Corvette... the fuck? Call me jaded but it dog forbid they actually talk about cars that get great gas mileage. My Honda Civic, for example, got 44 mpg (highway) when I drove it off the lot and, thanks to a new muffler and regular upkeep, probably gets at least that today. Something tells me that's better than the Excursion they showed on the news.

But before I could get my ire up about that, they topped it. They fucking topped it.

Have you heard about the Zarqawi blooper reel?

Yes. I'll repeat it.

The US, corporate news media is showing a video that is supposed to be an Al-Zarqawi blooper video. Yes, that's right. Al-Zarqawi, the alleged head of Al-Queda... blooper reel.

Think about that for a minute.

Let's say you're the head of an international terrorist organization that has the world in a grip of fear. (We're imagining here.) What would be the first thing you would do? Bomb something? Fight for a cause?

Or release a blooper reel?

That's what I thought.

It seems the US, corporate media has mistaken us for fools - oh wait! We are fools if we believe this! Personally, I think this goes back to the whole damn "terrorist" thing being just another weapon used to keep us in line, afraid, and allowing the oligarchy to step all over us.

I could be wrong, of course. It's happened before.

But give me a fucking break - a blooper reel?