BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?

Subject: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,The New Year Baby
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 06:19 PM

OK--my vote goes hands down to (drum roll, please!)

Where in the world is Osama Bin Laden?

Now hear this NBCCBSABCCNNFOXNEWSTIMENEWSWEEK&WORLDREPORT

I DON'T CARE WHERE HE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone else have one?

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 06:37 PM

9/11 - The day that changed the world, or didn't very much actually..

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Amos
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 06:49 PM

Oh, what short memories. At east the Bin Laden and 9-11 were genuine, history-changing news. The worst for 01 was Gary Condit and his sex life. First runner up was pregnant chads.

A

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 06:50 PM

nawwww...Gary Condit...hands down

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: marty D
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 06:58 PM

An obvious personal and nasty attack on a Mudcatter whose music I've come to love gets blown up into a "who's packin' heat" thread. Yechhhhh!

Oh, you mean a NATIONAL story?

Sadly it is that creep Bin Lauden. With another creep, Condit second. John Walker, a close third, and it looks like Geraldo Rivera may jump from nowhere into fourth place.

marty

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,The New Year Baby
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 08:07 PM

I'm not sure now, but I don't think pregnant chads would qualify for a 2001 story?

As to my pick, I even heard a quote from Rumsfeld joked that when he woke up this morning, his wife turned to him and said:

"So Don, do you know where Bin Laden is?"

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 08:34 PM

Gary Condit- most overblown non-story that could be. Did we really think the idiot's that much different from a hundred others? And who cares? If the day arrives that Ms. Levy is found dead, that is the day that we know a crime was committed.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 08:46 PM

Marty, I assumed the meaning was international rather than national... Wasn't the US election fiasco this year? Gave us over in the UK something to chuckle about though!

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: NicoleC
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 10:00 PM

I vote for the silly coverage about the "rash" of shark attacks in the southeast US this year... when there were about the exact same number as LAST year, and the year before, and the year before...

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Devilmaster
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 10:54 PM

I almost have to agree with Nicole..... Natural Selection

But the election results(or lack thereof) was the biggest non newsstory.
Side Note - Congress just this week passed a bill that barrs the use of punch-type voting machines and cards.

I guess that can finally be the last straw. Hopefully. Except doesn't the prelims for 2004 start soon?

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,The New Year Baby
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 11:14 PM

I had totally forgotten the shark attack stories! You are right Nicole, that was a case of the dramatically overblown, although the stories of the attacks themselves were very sad.

I disagree with the Condit story being an overdone story. An intern having an affair with a Congressman disappearing without a trace is very newsworthy IMO.

I'm surprised no one else agrees with the "hunt for Bin Laden" madness, though. Can someone please point out the newsworthiness of not knowing where Bin Laden is, day after day after day after day...

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: marty D
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 11:29 PM

Jon, you got me! Believe me I know how "Yankee-centric" that looks, but it was really just me being dumb!

I thought of another story tho'. That day to day situation for a lot of people waiting for Dubya to intellectually self-destruct. I know they're not putting three sylable words into his speeches anymore, but I think he's shown class and competence thru a difficult time, and I'll give him credit for it.

marty

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 12:03 AM

Most overdone, Gary Condit without a doubt

More far reaching implications: Human Cloning

Undiscovered story: The fact that the Anthrax letters are from Ultra conservative anti choice American militia types who are covering there sorry asses by benefit of Bin Laden and his YoYos.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 01:19 AM

Well said, Don! Am I losing track or was Elian not this past year, too? It's all becoming one big blur....LOL

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Leigha
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 02:55 AM

My immediate reaction when I saw the subject heading was "SHARKS". Same numbers as years before, if not fewer. The only thing that made this news was that this summer, they couldn't find anything else to talk about. So sensationalized, destructive headlines of man battling the furious beasts it was! leigh

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Gary T
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 09:46 AM

I must confess that I found hearing that no one knew where Chandra Levy was, day after day, much more tiresome than hearing that no one knows where Osama bin Laden is, day after day.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 11:16 AM

I think those two stories are, in a way, one in the same--the fact that you don't know where someone is not a news headline after about two days--

We have not known where Osama Bin Laden is since the end of the Russian-Afghani War(we never knew where Chandra Levy was)--The real story is that it took so many bombings and deaths for us to figure out that we really need know where he is--

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Hollowfox
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 12:06 PM

It's USA-centric, but you might want to try out http://www.boringinstitute.com. They just published their 18th annual list of the Most Boring Celebrity of the Year, and the Most Boring Films list should be coming up soon. Surely *something* overdone happened in the world that doesn't have the USA as part of the story?

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,Desdemona
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 02:01 PM

Definitely Gary Condit; what's so funny (both ha-ha and peculiar) is that I hadn't thought of him in months; I even wondered if he'd had something to do with the whole 9-11 thing, just to create a diversion, y'know?

Chandra WHO?

On t'other side of the pond, there was the infamous & sordid Neil Hamilton sex scandal, apparently the only news in the world worth writing about this past August!

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 01:15 AM

John Profumo and Christine Keeler......ok, I'm completely out of date but at least that isn't a USA-centric story. *BG*

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,The New Year Baby
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 08:23 AM

I am presuming something perhaps, which is that the story of Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden is a story getting at least some coverage in the UK?

Would someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the very vast majority of posters to Mudcat either from US, Canada, UK or Ireland?

Also, there was no disclaimer written in my original post about "most overdone US story" so why complaints about USAcentrism here? If you want to include an overdone UK story, why not just add your tuppence worth, and stop yer bloody whinging?

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 08:53 AM

I'll tell you one that seemed to me to have gotten beat to death here that spans the Atlantic. Tony Blair goes all out to support the US.

Well duh.

I mean he gave a well received speech and all but for the love of gawd, that whole story ran for weeks after 911. Were we supposed to be surprised somehow? These two countries have been tightly linked in wartime for the entire century and in recent times the support of the UK has been immediate and unqualified. So why not run the story and spend a few days saying thanks and all and drop it? A month or more afterwards, Blair was still at the top of the news, or at least on page 2! If China had jumped in with the same thing, now THAT would have remained news.

Outside of that, I agree with Chandra and the sharks......Sounds like a musical number from West Side Story........Maybe Chandra went swimming........

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,The New Year Baby
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 08:56 AM

Just went to the Boring Institute website. Two things struck me: 1) I was really glad to see Bill Maher on the most boring celeb list, and 2) the year 2000 was a very bad year in film.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Peter T.
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 09:54 AM

Lists! The proliferation of Lists, and "MostX", "BestX", etc. Most overdone everywhere.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 10:13 AM

I have to give it to another missing person,

1. Jon Benet Ramsey, To make the headlines YEARS after you go missing. That's an overrated News Story.

2. The "Stem cell research" thing was non news. If the fuss was about whether it was legal, I could see it being big news. But the president wasn't making much of a statement by saying in effect, "OK, we'll fund you, and reward what may or not have been bad behavior in the past as long as you don't do it again."

3. All of the news coverage from celebrities saying how Sept. 11 affected them. After a while it is just not news.

4. Song catcher

5. O Brother Where Art Thow?

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 12:31 PM

As for Bill Maher, I don't think it's essential to like a newsperson or TV host in order to enjoy a show. For instance, I rarely ever agreed with William F. Buckley (an abrasive right-wing conservative from a generation ago) but I listened to him frequently. I always had the feeling that someday I might agree with him. Seldom did, though.

Maher, on the other hand, on occasion brings some interesting people together. His own contribution, to my mind, is usually the least of the mix. I don't require anything different than that.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Amergin
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 07:58 PM

jack the sailor....Jon Benet Ramsey did not go missing...she was murdered...

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Robin2
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 08:49 PM

My favorite overblown headline was seen on a tabloid newspaper last week;

"BEN LADEN KILLED PRINCESS DIANA!"

Talk about trying to cash in past headlines...

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 22 Dec 01 - 02:09 PM

From www.theonion.com:

Report: U.S. Must Reduce Dependence On Foreign Turmoil

WASHINGTON, DC—According to a Cato Institute report released Monday, the U.S. has become overly dependent on foreign turmoil for its conversations and media coverage. "The American people consume as many as 60 million barrels of crude speculation every day, using it for everything from driving discussions to heating up political debates," the report stated. "Unless we can dredge up domestic sources of turmoil, we may end up utterly dependent on the Middle East for conversational fuel."

Or Afghanistan.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 22 Dec 01 - 02:29 PM

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001? From: Amergin Date: 21-Dec-01 - 07:58 PM

jack the sailor....Jon Benet Ramsey did not go missing...she was murdered...

Sorry, That makes it even more overrated though. plenty of people get murdered. Sometimes importatnt people get assisinated. Let the police figure it out as best they can. The interest in the Ramsey case for anyone not immediately involved is just gossip mongering.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: DougR
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 12:47 AM

The Gary Condit reporting.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 10:35 AM

All I can say is, don't read the articles or listen to the newscasts about him then.

For me personally, when I compare the amount of time the death of Princess Diana, or John Kennedy Jr. got when they died, I'd say that the hunt for Osama bin Laden is a lot more newsworthy.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 10:55 AM

Mrs Jones at number 37 having her garden gnome pinched, is the most overdone news story.I am fed up of hearing about it.john

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Dec 01 - 01:05 PM

Then put it back, John.
My vote goes to Elian Gonzales complete with wienie watching grandmothers, mystical life saving dolphins, Fidel, Bubba, the uncle, the whole population of Miami,and Barbara Walters. Made the OJ trial look almost interesting.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: hesperis
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 11:58 AM

Orange juice was on trial??? For what??!!! Healing ability?

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 12:17 PM

Gary "Is that your last answere?" Condid, hands down...

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Greg F.
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 01:07 PM

Don mentions thetypes who are covering there sorry asses by benefit of Bin Laden and his YoYos.

Don't forget to include Juliani and Dumbya & Co. in that number- both are indebted to Bin Ladin ZAND the gutter press for shifting attention from any number of domestic and foreign policy issues that, if unaddressed, will have much more profound negative effects on the US and the world than the events of September 11th and the subsequent US-led circus.

Best, Greg

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,Desdemona
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 01:15 PM

Too true! Soon after 9/11 happened, I found my cynical side thinking, "hmmmm, nothing like a war against an Evil Empire to boost El Presidente's popularity rating & deflect attention from other matters; hell, it worked for Daddy!"

The fact that Dubyah's an illiterate moron incapable of anything more than mouthing catch-phrases like "evil doers" and "innocent folks" is apparently irrelevant as long as we can all band together and hate someone; anyone! Not that Osama & all his ilk are unworthy of hatred--personally they deserve whatever they get, IF they eventually get what's coming to them--it's just the swiftness with which patriotism devolves into knee-jerk jingoism that gives me the willies, and it makes me sick that there are people who are capitalising on it.

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: GUEST,Bright Angel
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 09:18 AM

Happy Christmas All! I have to agree that the most overdone news story is the so-called "war" and the hunt for bin Laden. That the US unilaterally abrograted the SALT treaties with no public debate is bound to have a chilling effect on people around the world.

So now we get to return to the past reign of nuclear terror. What an improvement eh?

Have a safe holiday!

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Amos
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 10:23 AM

Bright:

I don't think that's the real implication of the SALT withdrawal.

The scary part about it is that it clears the way for Bush-head to spend billions on a Tom Swift scenario of shooting down missiles (which as far as I know no-one has ever sent our way) using high-powered lasers (which is awfully expensive and technically problematic in the extreme).

Ya know the problem I have with that is that it is investing in failure -- the scenario in which such a weapon would be critical would be one in which all intelligence and all diplomacy and all PR and all SOF had just failed critically in a long cascade of fucked up....Oh!! that's the way it is now!!...I get it!! :>))

A

Subject: RE: BS: POLL: Most Overdone News Story of 2001?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 01:11 PM

Weather. Any weather. Our weather here. Your weather there. Over done in adverts, over done in anticipatory teasers. Over done done done done. Weather, like S--- happens!

But it is focused on, seriously discussed, analyzed, examined, given way too much TV time, displaces REAL news constantly.

And seems to be the only aspect of the nightly snooze that individual stations know how to "deal with".

I used to live in San Francisco and they even had weather there! Imagine!

(I possibly may have overindulged last night, Nancy's blue cheese stuffed mushrooms are incredible and them water chestnuts wrapped in bacon....)

So

Another silly (but oddly engaging) thread.

A very merry Christmas to all.

LOL

CB

PS oh yeah, and Gary Conduit, uh Condit. And possibly the dismal deterioration of the Good Friday Agreement, but I might just be confusing news I wish I hadn't heard with news I don't want to hear again.

cb