From today’s edition of the Los Angeles Times (December 29, 2004):
“Tsunami Death Toll Hits 60,000”,
by Richard C. Paddock and Mark Magnier
Tragic news, indeed. But the disaster’s influence is also spreading throughout the realm of international news reporting. To wit, there’s this example of borderline-tasteless syntax from the very same paper:
“28 Die in Wave of Insurgent Attacks in Iraq”,
by Edmund Sanders
Author: jp
How you, too, can earn a paltry $15 million




RELATED: “US to Pledge $15 Million for Tsunami Aid”, and “Powell: U.S. is not ‘stingy’ when it comes to aid”
ALSO RELATED: The Cost of the War in Iraq, currently hovering around $200 BILLION FUCKING DOLLARS
ALSO, ALSO RELATED: “Julia Roberts: $20 Million Woman?”
ALSO, ALSO, ALSO RELATED: Fuck you, America.

ANSWER: Act of God, as evidenced by the Indonesian survivors’ wearing shorts, which implies some sort of divine justice wreaked upon those enjoying good weather right now

ANSWER: Trick question! Act of God, though manifested in that “terrorists seeking spiritual redemption and/or the annihilation of the West” manner
RELATED: Human tragedy unfolds even further as Czech Supermodel Injured in Tidal Wave, and swimsuit-issue fans collectively wail louder than the deaths of 40,000 people could have ever caused
EARLIER: Super Fun “Military-Incursion Home Destruction” Quiz: Iraq or Palestine? and Super Fun “Ski-Mask-Wearing Iraqis” Quiz: Insurgent or Police Officer?
Does Music Piracy Aid Terrorists?

Yes. Yes, it does.
OK, OK…you’re right. Sorry about that bit of woefully-miscontextualized usage of news photography. If you’re a stickler for accuracy in reporting, here’s the AP’s actual take on the events depicted in the above image:
“An Iraqi policeman checks for compact discs made by terrorist groups with instructions on how to make improvised explosive devices in Baghdad Tuesday Dec. 21 2004.In continuing violence, five American soldiers and an Iraqi civilian were wounded when the Humvee they were traveling in was hit by a car bomb near Hawija, some 240 kilometers (150 miles) north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said Tuesday.The bloodshed came a day after Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi blamed the upsurge of violence on a campaign by insurgents to foment sectarian civil war as well as derail the legislative elections set for Jan. 30 (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)”
Why is the Times so obsessed with autism? It’s like they’re in their own little world, not looking out, just focusing inward.
Battling Insurers Over Autism Treatment, December 21, 2004, by MILT FREUDENHEIM, appearing in the Business section
How About Not ‘Curing’ Us, Some Autistics Are Pleading, December 20, 2004, by AMY HARMON, appearing in the Health section
In Autism, New Goal Is Finding It Soon Enough to Fight It, December 14, 2004, by ANAHAD O’CONNOR, appearing in the Health section
For Siblings of the Autistic, a Burdened Youth, December 10, 2004, by JANE GROSS, appearing in the National Desk section
One subject matter. One human interest. Three different sections. Three different weeks. Four different dates. Four different writers.

More proof that wire-service photo editors have a top-notch sense of humor, at least when it comes to fetuses and acts of depravity: The above image was attached to the latest A.P. wire story about that whole “I killed a woman and cut her unborn baby from her mangled womb” news item from last week.
Seriously. That image right there. Of the suspect maternally holding a fucking chihuahua or some other hirsute little newborn.
Thankfully, they clarify the presence of the dog with their accompanying caption:
This is an undated photo showing Lisa M. Montgomery, a resident of Melvern, Kan. Montgomery was arrested late Friday, Dec. 17, 2004, and charged with kidnapping resulting in death in a case of a woman being murdered and her 8-month-old fetus cut out of her womb. The baby of Bobbie Jo Stinnett was recovered and was reported in good condition on Saturday. (AP Photo/Maryville Daily Forum)
See? Embedded somewhere within those clauses is a full and rational explanation for using this particular photo of the woman. You just have to be one of those university-trained “close readers”, perhaps.
Me? I’m just a loving asshole who adores puppy portraits, and fuck if I don’t get angry when such cute photos are tainted with the Anne Geddes-esque stigma of dead mothers and shortened pregnancies.

From “Grieving Families Outraged over Rumsfeld Condolence Letters“, The Christian Broadcasting Network, December 20, 2004:
A deadly weekend in Iraq could spell more trouble ahead for next month’s elections. And the President’s defense chief is at the center of controversy, this time over condolence letters to families of military soldiers killed in action.
[…]
But relatives of the deceased soldiers, and even some congressional leaders, are outraged that Rumsfeld used a machine to stamp his signature on more than 1,000 letters that have already been mailed.
And now for the completely unanticipated A.P. followup: “Bush Comes to Rumsfeld’s Defense”
You need to set your away message right now because it’s almost 8 o’clock and you have to watch The O.C. because it’s Thursday and it’s on right now. Kelsey says she’ll text you later, and next thing you know, you’re down in the den, sprawled out alone on the couch, your eyes glued religiously to the sights of Seth Cohen and Marissa Cooper being introduced onscreen as you strain to hear the sounds of Phantom Planet singing plaintively about what is totally your favorite state, and you totally said that to Mr. Roberts last week when he was running through the geography prep quiz in fourth period, and he chuckled because he’s so old and doesn’t even watch TV, probably.
Whatever, because when they show Summer Roberts on the TV you always cringe! She looks just like your sister Justine, who graduated from law school at Berkeley two years ago, and it was called Boalt, and anyway she is so much older than you, and Mom always rubs that in, because Mom is 57, and Justine is 27, and you were Mom’s “surprise” 12 years ago and so you’re totally able to stay up later than both Mom and Dad because they go to bed so early. Like, they’ll probably be asleep by the time The O.C.‘s over. Justine’s almost like your Mom anyway, because she always talks about how she was the one who changed your diapers and babysat you when you were a crying infant, and she totally wrote about that in her law school applications, about how that early responsibility had made her a strong leader, and you’re so sick of hearing it, but you still love her because she’s your sister.
Also Mom keeps saying to be nice to her, too, because Justine is sterile and her uterus doesn’t work properly and she can’t have children of her own, so raising you comes a close second in her book, that’s what Mom says, and you also overheard Justine talking about it with her last year when she visited over Christmas. And that’s why Justine has a job at this place called UNICEF where she says they help kids in other countries. Maybe even Mr. Roberts would know where they are? Whatever! You’re all about Newport Beach.
Ryan is being such a jerk this week.
The Summer Roberts girl’s sweet like your sister too, but Kelsey always tells you every single Friday before homeroom how much she likes Summer on the show, and you’re tired of your sister, and also Summer, too. Maybe Summer can’t have kids too? Anyway she’s too young and she’s not going to have babies yet anyway. You hope you can have kids someday, unlike Justine, and you’re going to rub it in her face when you do, and she’s an old lady. You get bored when they cut to the stories about Sandy and Kirsten, though they seem like a cool Mom and Dad. Marissa is totally your favorite one on The O.C., because she tries so hard, you know? That’s really important, you think. And you forgot to put your away message on, and you’re still signed on, because you can hear IM’s coming in on the computer in the hallway. It’s probably just Grant, and you don’t even like him anymore anyway. You totally never did, and that was all a big mistake anyway, he doesn’t even watch The O.C.
Actually, I’ve never seen The O.C.: I’m sure it’s pretty good.
The O.C. airs at 8PM EST on FOX.
Earlier: Additional OC-centric material…

In the White House’s Roosevelt Room earlier this morning, President Bush announced Jim Nicholson, current U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, as his nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs. This is the ninth cabinet replacement since Bush’s re-election, and as each new cabinet member has been introduced to the media, the announcement game plan’s been identical in each instance, as the President peers studiously at his newly-nominated staff members (examined earlier in “Didn’t America Vote Against the Gaze?”).
Of course, it turns out this “game plan” has been part of a larger “master plan” carefully choreographed by Dan Bartlett and his staff…Here’s an exclusive “floor plan” slipped to low culture by a White House operative.

RELATED: White House Roosevelt Room



