Tell me again: Why should I care?

One recurring theme to this blog is my frustration with the entertainmentization of the news by most media—the moving away from relevant news and toward celebrity-focused content. Even though I was too young to appreciate when the news was considered a community service and a public trust, I really miss the concept.

What passes for news these days is not relevant, not news, and not even worth knowing.

Exhibit A: Nonstop coverage of the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, who is accused of causing the singer's death. Even if there were some evil motive behind what happened, as opposed to it being just a tragic mistake, it still wouldn't merit such extreme attention. To whom does this case matter in the real world?

Exhibit B: Breathless coverage of the back entrance to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, because the President of the United States's car would soon be entering. Not newsworthy.

Exhibit C: Top story at noon: famous-for-no-good-reason Kim Kardashian filing for divorce from a white athlete after what must have been a hellish two months of marriage. I'm sick that I even know who this couple is although it gives me an idea for a new policy on giving wedding gifts...

Exhibit D: Allegations that presidential candidate Herman Cain was accused of sexual harassment by two different women 20 years ago. I'm not even going to argue about this story's relevance. My bigger concern is that this story came from one, and only one, source: Politico.com. Yes, the site has a great reputation. But it seems no other media outlets even feel the need to confirm this story with any independent investigations of their own, despite the fact that EVERY ONE OF THEM is retelling this story. That's not reporting, it's repeating. You know, like gossip.

Maybe in addition to having a "Most Popular" category, websites could also introduce a "Most Relevant." Instead of corporate moguls letting individuals decide what is news, howzabout just giving us actual news? And when I want something else, I'll go to TMZ.

Latest Brilliant Idea

Another genius idea for someone else to take and run with:

While a Like button and even a Dislike button are useful, they are not terribly helpful with specifics. How about being able to express different degrees of online Like?

LIKE LIKE - You might want to use this designation when you like a person who perhaps doesn't know your feelings, perhaps because you are in junior high school.

LIKE BUT - From high school on, you will likely find yourself more than once in a situation where you Like someone, but not the way he/she likes you.

LIKE MORE - Your feelings are growing for this person. Perhaps he/she has done something recently to get your attention and interest. This shows it was a success!

LIKE NOT - Someone you definitely liked at another time, but no longer do.

LIKE SO - You like someone who thinks you don't, and you want to set him/her straight.

LIKEWISE - To describe a person with whom you have a lot in common. And people who like us must be wise, right?

Only gardeners and children can "grow"

When I hear someone talk about "growing a business" or "growing the economy," I know they are not sincere.

Grow is not an action verb. It's passive...like the efforts of people who misuse the word. People can't "grow" real entities like money or a fan base. They have to be gone out and gotten.

And while I'm on the subject of The Female Curmudgeon's peeves, the phrase "Having said that" is just an overdone way of saying "But" or "However." If you indeed have "said that," there's no reason to reference it now, is there?

New Drinking Game

Do a shot every time you hear the word "caramelize." You don't even need cable to get sloshed!

When did this cooking term become so omnipresent?

Waiting for the jobs...or Godot?

I hate to get political on the WWW but, C'mon, politicians! The jobs are waiting to be created, and Americans are waiting for you to get off your butts and create them.

Businesses aren't going to hire until they feel confident about the U.S. economy, which nobody does. And tax breaks won't change that. Have the tax breaks of the last several years made anyone feel more secure? Of course not.

That's why it's now up to the government; the infernal institution that got its citizens into this mess is now the only one that can get us out. By creating some frickin' jobs! Lots of them.

It's simple really. The market requires consumers to spend money. Consumers require jobs to have the money to spend. Without employment, there are no consumers. There is no way around that.

So what is everyone waiting for?

Being unemployed is like...

Being forced to play a perpetual game of tag where you are always "it." Not quite as humiliating as your first time at summer camp but also less fun.

Women vs. Men

This is the 21st century, is it not? So, how is it that 95 percent of ladies rooms still do not have a hook for a purse? Handbags have not gone out of style in any place I have been in the last 10 years. C'mon, restroom designers. Get with the program!

The other night I tried "Just for Men" (for blacking out gray hair) just around the crown of my female head. It looked like it really worked before I went to bed. The next morning, the dye job seemed to have evaporated! Could it have figured out overnight that it was on the wrong gender? I guess I'll never know.