London Calling: A Media Rant

Well, this Thursday was a rather sobering one, as I watched the news on and off most of the day about the bombings in London. It really made me think about how ridiculous some of our media coverage is. Like many previous major tragic events the networks interrupt regularly scheduled programming to bring us live news coverage as it happens. Unfortunately, the reality is very little happens and next to nothing is known, at least initially. So we get force fed the same pabulum every ten to fifteen minutes, with the complimentary loop of video footage with the some of the most dramatic images. The whole thing serves to do little other than serve up a whole lot of noise, with very little information, and induces a kind of aimless panic.

What has always most amazed me during these kind of news events is how routinely the media, in an effort to be the first or exclusive, gets things wrong. I can’t count how many times the television news media has made statements or claims that were proven to be false, once someone actually does know something. Occasionally, we get that weak qualifier from the anchor about what is confirmed. Even worse is when we get some face on the television saying, “We don’t yet know…” or “officials have not yet released…” It’s all rather absurd. Yet, every time some significant event happens this same beast rears its ugly head and must be fed.

What I have found most interesting is that here in Boston at least one local anchor had to fly to London to “cover” the story. So there he was, live in the middle of the night with Big Ben in the background, with generally not a mush to say in his less than two minutes of air time. Wait, he did offer up the same sound-bite banter that reduces and stereotypes nearly all British people to their stiff upper lips. Even more interesting is how quickly the London bombings have been finding there way further down the headline lineup. It is already old news, in a way. In fact, we have got a hurricane about to rip through the Southeastern Gulf states. So there was all kinds of attention paid to an event about which we know very little, while all kinds of assumptions and “expert” analysis is proffered. The cameras roll and audiences are treated to a kind of grand violent tease. Then it is time to move on, because there are new stories to “cover.” All the while, the massive amount of misguided assumptions and misinformation are rarely rectified. When something more is known it will be old news and probably used as a footnote to get to the weather, because “all new is local.”

The whole thing made me understand why some of my friends don’t own a television, for anything other than a monitor for videos and games. More than that, it made me think what a disservice the news media is to most of us, generally. I think nearly sane individual saw the images coming from London and immediately felt sympathy and grief. In lieu of nothing to say, why can’t the news media be more of a reflection of that, rather than a voyeuristic, violent peep show with a predatory taste for blood and drama. What’s more do it without reducing all involved. The sight of the same bloody young Londoner, head wrapped, dressed in the remnants of his finely tailored suit, being helped to his feet, while he briefly stared into the lens of an on looking news camera, as if to say, “What are you doing?” grew grotesque, to say the least. Finally, how about keeping the reports simple and short, until someone knows something. That way people aren’t left to create their understanding on a bunch of half-truths and idle speculations. People don’t need any help in that area.

Just some random thoughts, prompted by a truly horrific incident, which I fear will become more the norm, even on our side of the pond. And as cliché as it may be, may all of our thoughts and prayers be with those victims and their loved ones. It is a wonder and a miracle more were not killed or maimed. To London.

Food Fests: Fabulous and Farce

Not that long ago, I headed into Boston’s Government Center, for one of the annual events to which I had been looking forward ever since I moved here. The Scooper Bowl is a benefit for the Jimmy Fund, but more than that it is a festival of ice cream. Now anyone that knows me well knows that ice cream is far and away my favorite food. So from the moment Ali had mentioned this phenomenon, I have been waiting anxiously to attend.

Here are some pictures of one of the finest event I have attended since living in the Boston area. Featured prominently is the gate to get in and enjoy the dairy deliciousness and a shot from the belly of the beast.

Photo: Ice Cream Cone Gateway to Scooper Bowl Photo: Inside the Row of Ice Cream Tents

With well over a dozen vendors, all handing out heaping cups of savory ice cream flavors in a myriad of fabulous flavors, as well as standby chocolate and vanilla, this was a magnificent occasion. Better still it lasts nearly a week. For a mere $7, you are let inside the gate and it is all you can eat. For me heading to the Scooper Bowl was a sprint, from the moment I raced from the high school onto the train, to entering the gate and commencing with the consumption. For those concerned among you, I knocked down eleven scoops inside a half hour, before deciding that it would not be wise to continue. Unfortunately I was solo for this because of the timing. Since I was still in school and had to wait until the later afternoon and Ali made it a work outing with her staff earlier in the day, we missed one another by a couple of hours. Next year we’ll have to coincide. Plus I will be experienced and better able to pace myself.

Photo: Ben and Jerry’s Tent

I wanted to rave about the Scooper bowl for a couple of reasons. One because it was one of the best fests of its kind I have attended here or anywhere; but two, because it serves as such a shocking contrast to the other equally awaited food event, Boston’s annual Chowderfest. Again, even before I lived here I had heard tale of the Chowderfest and how magnificent it was supposed to be. Travel television shows had regaled it as one of Boston’s best, saluting hall of fame winners of this distinctly New England fare. As soon as I found out that it was going to be Fourth of July weekend, the third, it was penciled in for a must attend. Neither Ali nor Keri had ever been there, so the three of us piled on the train and headed to Government Center.

Photo: The Line to Get into Chowderfest

Simply put, the Chowderfest was the worst travesty ever perpetrated on an unknowing public in search of either festival or food. The three of us arrived to join thousands of others, all of us gift wrapped in cellophane, suckers waiting to be bilked. After waiting in line for well over forty-five minutes, just to get into the farce-fest we walked through the gates to find yet even more lines for the equivalent of six tablespoons of less than stellah chowdah. A mere three, that’s right three, chowder vendors, two of which were not even from Boston, were there ladling out miniscule sample cups of their ware. Better still while we there the lone Boston contingent and past winner, Ned Devine’s, even pulled up stakes and knocked down their booth, apparently having been drained. Mind you this was at 2:30 PM and the event was supposed to go ‘til 6:00 PM. It was a complete joke. Even better was the local news, later that evening, celebrating the event with very tight shots of the event so you couldn’t really see the complete paucity of chowder. It was made even more complete with a Mayor Menino sound bite, “It was great. We had some of Boston’s best restaurants…” Are you kidding me?! I still don’t have enough literary control to exercise all the venom I still harbor for this outrageous Harborfest experience.

In spite of the soup sham, I still always manage to find a way to enjoy myself downtown. It was packed from Faneuil Hall al the way down Washington street and all along the Freedom Trail. Plus it is not everyday that you see Red Coats in the street marching.

Here’s hoping everyone had an Independence Day that exceeded our chowder experience. In spite of the horror show we still managed to have a quality weekend. More on that, perhaps, later.