Angry Rant #46: "Oh yeah, I wonder how all those people are going..."

Do you remember...

The Christchurch earthquake?
The tsunami in South-East Asia?
The Japanese quake AND Tsunami?

Are you aware that 750,000 people could die from starvation in East Africa in the next two months?

It's easy to forget these disasters that killed and are still killing thousands upon thousands of people, when mainstream media avoids it like the proverbial plague. Journalists sit around in their offices, waiting for the next press release to come in from AAP or Reuters or some other news wire, waiting for something to write about.

They think to themselves - "Should I write about death and destruction in a world full of it or do I report on the birth of a new baby Elephant at Taronga Zoo?" What do they classify as news and how do they find out what people want to read about?

Hmmm...

I know that I regularly hack on the media for a lot of different things - from beefing up news stories, to just plainly making shit up or shameless plugging something. Now, don't think that this is turning into some sappy "I have changed my views on the media" because I haven't - if anything, I'm more disgraced by what they do. I more disgraced by the fact that the media industry is seen as a business, compared to something that actually informs the public - and doesn't try to sell them anything.

Now bear with me here!

Raarr!

I completely understand that the media industry is a business. Journalists write because they enjoy what they do, but also because they need to money to live - even if that means doing something or writing something that don't completely agree with.

Except Peter Overton - he's just a plain ol' fucktard.

I also understand that the media industry believes that for something to be "news" it needs to be "new". But because the media industry has such a large influence over what the people think, I can't help but get worked up when I see "news" programs trying to sell me something or when they misinform people.

You might be wondering why I'm writing this today and honesty, it wasn't because I saw something in the news today that reminded me of those natural disasters, but because the "anniversary" of 9/11 is coming up and I keep hearing it being described as the "World's Greatest Tragedy".

Let's not forget, in a world full of Americanization, the MLB is called the
"World Series".

I very much doubt there will ever be a "10th Anniversary" for the Japanese Tsunami. It's just a thought I've been having, take it as you will.

Don't believe the lies and spin.
JM

Angry Rant #46: AGAIN with the beef.

And....we're rolling.

It's seems mainstream media hasn't changed in my month off. The media still spins things blindly out of proportion in an effort to keep viewers watching and their sponsors happy - not to mention all of the advertising that occurs in their12-hour coverage - think Jessica Watson and her boat.

Channel Nine Reporter: "So...how's the weather?"
Jessica: "It's ok, but let's not rock the boat."... (crickets)

When it comes bomb threats, you know there are going to be helicopters buzzing around the joint all trying to catch a glimpse of that first explosion - trying to get a those perfect pictures. If someone is acting erratically the media feels that it's up to them to try and figure out why - even if that why only comes down to two options:

1. Extremist Muslim
2. Bomb threat.

So when it comes to the crazy guy running around Parramatta acting..well...crazy, you have to wonder why exactly he's doing it. That's the first thing - not, "the guy has a bomb" even when police haven't confirmed that it even was a bomb threat or even if he has someone hostage!! They jump to conclusions, they write provocative headlines and they lie to their readers and viewers.

Meanwhile, fat news directors sitting in their expensive leather arms chairs add fuel to the fire by adding eye witness accounts of people on the street and turning what they think is going on into Fact. They sit there and scream...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJdMjRHRLfg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

More time, more money, more cameras, more people, more viewers, more sponsors, more advertising, more worry, more fear, more hate, more spending, more money.

The media industry in this country needs to be turned up-side down and all the loose change needs to be shaken out.

Don't believe the lies and spin.
JM

Angry Rant #45: Skinny, as she goes.

Alex Perry came out today in quite some style - accusing an 18-year-old girl of being "over-stuffed luggage."

"Whom might this girl be?" I hear you ask. Well, this is a picture of the girl below:

"Over-stuffed luggage"

I've said it before and I'll say it again - ANYONE who works in the industry and is so obsessed with body image is a disgrace. Alex Perry needs to take a very long walk off a very short plank in pit of fire from which he can burn for thinking that he alone can judge what looks good and what doesn't, all the while filing the minds of young women in this country with the idea that being thin isn't thin enough.

I look at the picture of this girl above and I try to understand what he thinks his idea of perfection is. In fact, his idea of perfection DOESN'T exist. He's constructed this idea within his own mind based on years upon years of manipulation by a sexually driven media and advertising industry. What exactly does this Perry filth deem to be attractive? Do women with their bones showing acting like walking clothes hangers do it for him? Women in this day and age are used to sell goods - they are not seen as women, but as tools to line the pockets of rich CEO's and self-obsessed fashion designers.

I say women, not models, because the idea that being skinny and flaunting their sexuality is not just something limited to the catwalk. Young women take on his perceptions of what women should look like and, in turn, try to be like the models portrayed by buying the same expensive clothes and trying emulate everything that they do - including being overtly thin.

Here's one prick I'd be happy to hear that dies a horrible fiery death tomorrow

So how do we change this? Stop buying clothing labelled with his name? Voice our opinion on blogs or his websites? Protest an his fashion shows? He did apparently tweet his apology saying that her "posing skills" where like "over-stuffed luggage" and that his insults had nothing to do with her weight.

Ha.

Nice try.

I guess it's a hard issue to combat when even the leading women's magazines in this country are just as focused on how thin women are and creating perfection where it doesn't exist. It's difficult to combat when the person on the front cover of their magazine is seen as item of clothing.

My thoughts on the issue? Boycott this pathetic excuse for human being and hope his next plane ride has a lot turbulence. Women should be treated like human beings - and not like this.

Don't believe the lies and spin.
JM