What Passes for News These Days
October 15, 2008It’s amazing really what qualifies as news in turbulent times. Obviously, you have the whole ‘world in financial crisis’ headline. But after the soul-destroying first half hour of news each day you get the fluff stories. Not just the usual fluff stories, but the kind of random fluff that is the least likely thing ever to make you feel good in a financial crisis.
Example one: Ringo Starr has stopped answering his fan mail. After the 20th October he will no longer respond to fan mail or sign any memorabilia. He’s too busy.
Example two: We’re all screwed except for cobblers and pizza take aways. apparently people are getting their shoes repaired rather than replace them and staying in is the new eating out.
Where do they get this stuff? Supposing we do care that one of the remaining two Beatles is a cranky old ass or that the ones on the up during the global crisis are cobbler and pizza boys, is it not the saddest thing in the world that this is the good news? A few weeks back the Guardian were running random photos of baby pandas on the inside of the cover. Now THAT is good fluff.
