I am following President Obama’s European visit this week on C-Span 3 television and their on-line videos.
I watched the meeting with the Queen, the reception at Buckingham Palace with all the G20 leaders, the press conferences of Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of Great Britain, and before turning the light out last night, I clicked on the 53 minute video of President Obama’s press conference as well.
I have no need to listen to the mass of media’s talking heads yammer on and on these days about anything. I literally do not turn on the TV to watch news. Weather, as in big storms, is the only “story” that brings me to live news coverage. No matter how they package it, I don’t want it.
It was pure bliss just watching the video of some of the events yesterday with simple ambient noises in the background, a bit of informal chatter between the Queen and the Obamas. It was revelatory to listen to Gordon Brown speak about the summit without having someone’s voice at the end sum it all up and point out strengths and weaknesses.
I just was left with my thoughts.
One thought was of how so very tired I am of television news, cable and standard channels all together. They all appear to me to one big infomercial.
Enervated is probably the best way to describe my disconnect. Run down by their self-importance yet unbelievable ability to miss huge, huge stories like the inconsistencies in the data in the run up to the Iraq war and the collapse of the economy world wide despite large red blinking lights to folks supposedly watching the shop 24/7.
Nope, I’m done with them. They can all go live in a swamp for all I care… except for Brian Lamb.
He can come over to dinner and we’ll sit in silence, listening to spring outside my door.
©Pat Coakley 2009
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Oh please, don’t send them to this swamp! It’s beautiful, and they’d ruin the silence of it. That hint of color along the far shore is lovely.
I agree, the talking heads have an incredible talent for missing the point — and for yammering incessantly to make sure we miss it, too.
Wonderful post and photo. I read it with the news on in the background.
Don, I’m not kidding…this place is one big eyesore except in fog!
Dave, It would have been an even better post read in silence!
You remind me that I need to get out of the car sometimes.