You are currently browsing the daily archive for March 28th, 2008.
Much is being made of Time magazine international’s piece on Britain’s “out of control” young. However, while it is surprising at least to learn that anyone actually reads Time international (aside from when looking to kill time at Heathrow, that is), no one argues that there is a problem. But Time is far behind the curve, if one considers this other “news report” on crisis management steps already in the pipeline:
World News Network (WNN)
“If those other news providers didn’t get you to throw something through your screen, we will.”
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March 28, 2008 Top Story/ Europe/ United Kingdom
Children increasingly endangered by a 1970s TV documentary, David Niven and sweet shops
(WNN) A new study recommending the banning of historical documentaries has been published.
The new research by “Academics Who Will Research Anything Anyone Will Fund” says that children should be stopped from watching especially “The World at War.”
Their findings point out that the so-called “well-regarded documentary” carries numerous hidden dangers. Its musical score gives children nightmares, and as the lead researcher told WNN, “Sir Laurence Olivier’s voice is so authoritative that children are being misled into believing violence begets good narration.”
There is also a growing consensus on the need to tackle sports hooliganism in film, a previously under-appreciated issue. The research revealed also that the skiing in “The Pink Panther” could create copy-cat recklessness.
“David Niven speeds down a slope in one scene,” the same researcher said, “as part of a scheme to kidnap a canine companion. His crash is then portrayed humorously. Later he is even shown drinking alcohol. What sorts of messages does all that send?”
Other research released this morning also states children should not be allowed to leave their school grounds at lunch time. In this case, researchers see the battle against drugs as providing a model. A spokesman said the Government should set aside “at least a 5 kilometer junk-food exclusion zone” around all schools.
The response to the reports has been favourable. A spokeswoman for the National Union of Teachers (NUTs) went even further, telling WNN: “We suggest the Government need to do far more. Parents should be fined if their children listen to music which encourages them to hum, and they should be allowed to watch only BBC documentaries on melting Antarctic ice.”
When asked what role schools themselves might play to address the crisis, she said, “Schools need to step up too, of course. For example, not only should dangerous Cadbury Cream Eggs be confiscated on sight, even located with the help of specially trained sniffer dogs if need be, but special time should be set aside for in-class Friday prayers.”
c., 2008. Absolutely no rights at all reserved whatsoever.
Humanity spent untold centuries unable to do much to illuminate the darkness and warm the cold. Life was lived mostly sunrise ’till sunset. In colder latitudes especially, most huddled in their huts homes after night settled, trying to stay warm.
Unsurprisingly, leave it to members of our generation to take completely for granted the little more than 100 year old abilities to light and warm a house. Instead, some of us argue that, as Agence France-Presse tells us, sitting in darkness for an hour actually constitutes a profound moral statement:
Twenty-six major cities around the world are expected to turn off the lights on major landmarks, plunging millions of people into darkness to raise awareness about global warming, organisers said.
‘Earth Hour’ founder Andy Ridley said 371 cities, towns or local governments from Australia to Canada and even Fiji had signed up for the 60-minute shutdown at 0900 GMT on March 29….
…Cities officially signed on … will switch off lights on major landmarks and encourage businesses and homeowners to follow suit.
Samantha Burns asks: “Has the world gone mad?” One can only but wonder. Also, notice the major cities listed as officially taking part:
…Aalborg, Aarhus, Adelaide, Atlanta, Bangkok, Brisbane, Canberra, Chicago, Christchurch, Copenhagen, Darwin, Dublin, Hobart, Manila, Melbourne, Montreal, Odense, Ottawa, Perth, Phoenix, San Francisco, Suva, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Toronto and Vancouver…
Interestingly, none are locales known for being places where electricity is available daily often only for an hour.
What’s next on the “moral” agenda? Well, it’s hard to know. Maybe shutting down modern hospitals and bringing back “natural” medicine? . . .
. . . But, presumably, only for an hour, of course.
[*From "Romeo and Juliet".]
The BBC reports:
British Airways has cancelled 34 more flights from Heathrow’s Terminal 5 the day after it opened but says passengers will be able to check in hold luggage.
Hold luggage services were suspended as a result of a baggage backlog and 34 flights were cancelled at the £4.3bn T5 on its first day of operation.
Some stranded travellers spent the night on the floor of the new building.
BA, which has sole use of T5, said: “We sincerely apologise to those customers who have suffered disrupted journeys.”…
I know I’m glad I’m not flying today. Yet most of us adults also suspect the first day (and likely second day) problems at the terminal will undoubtedly be sorted out as staff adapt to what seems a very new routine. We are seeing that what goes on behind the scenes is extremely complicated, and we take it for granted. There is just no substitute for volume of passengers and their myriad of issues; all the practice runs in the world and theoretical understandings as to what goes where, etc., aren’t the same. Which is why they probably opted to open it fully on a Thursday rather than a Friday: they have time to try to sort out troubles before a weekend crush.
What’s far more interesting is watching the media barrage: just how many reporters are currently in Terminal 5?
Especially, it’s fascinating seeing bunches of on air personalities with lit and communications degrees, who themselves daily produce nothing but a steady stream of “blah, blah, blah” while trying to sit up straight on a sofa and look good on camera, sneering at the troubles besetting people who, day in and day out, actually have to work hard for a living. I know I’m very impressed.
Next up, GMTV reports:
Hey, well, and whaddya know? Sometimes they can’t even themselves manage to get their own “blah, blah, blah” working properly. But, then again, Terminal 5 is actually important. In contrast, who cares really if the “GMTV Today” homepage is down at 6:50 AM, right?
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