Those of you who have read some of my diaries or comments in my – could it really be? – four years at DKos may remember that I have occasionally been somewhat negative about the traditional media. Hard to believe, I know, but I must confess to a certain tendency to judge them a little harshly.
But I think it is important to always offer ideas for improvement when I offer criticism, and I have finally found something that I think would improve the traditional media immensely. I strongly recommend that they try it immediately.
This solution to the vapid, inane, borderline criminally stupid conduct of the corporate traditional media comes via one of my perennial favorite web sites: BoingBoing. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that if you aren’t regularly checking out the doings over there by Cory and his crew, you are missing something. No, you are missing A LOT.
So today I was over there seeking enlightenment when I ran acrossthis little tidbit:
The Israeli newspaper El Haaretz gave its reporters the day off and asked novelists and poets to report the news for a special edition in honor of Hebrew Book Week. The results were lovely.
So what might those results look like? The stock market summary, by author Avri Herling, went like this:
Everything's okay. Everything's like usual. Yesterday trading ended. Everything's okay. The economists went to their homes, the laundry is drying on the lines, dinners are waiting in place... Dow Jones traded steadily and closed with 8,761 points, Nasdaq added 0.9% to a level of 1,860 points.... The guy from the shakshuka [an Israeli egg-and-tomato dish] shop raised his prices again....
And the Entertainment Section?
The TV review by Eshkol Nevo opened with these words: "I didn't watch TV yesterday."
For reality, there is nothing like weather, written by poet Roni Somek:
The weather report was a poem titled "Summer Sonnet." ("Summer is the pencil/that is least sharp/in the seasons' pencil case.")
All in all, it sound more accurate that most of what we read in the WaPo or hear on the TeeVee. As Cory puts it:
Considering that the stock market won't be soaring anytime soon, and that "hot" is really the only weather forecast there is during Israeli summers, who's to say these articles aren't factual?
Just think how much better it would be if, instead of endless teh stoopid from Hewitt, we could find Maya Angelou gracing the editorial pages of WaPo. What if the eternally idiotic Joe Scarborough could be replaced by the keen insight and interviewing skills of James Lipton? I, for one, would gladly pay to see that show. Hell, I would even take Elton John reporting on the G8 meeting or Malcolm Gladwell covering the White House for the NYT.
For more on the media experiment, check out Literary Lesson: Authors, Poets Write the News – Letter from Jerusalem by Daniel Estrin.
Before we go to tonights nominations, a word from our sponsor....
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries. Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations at made at topcomments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks.
Tonight’s Top Comments are....
From Drewid:
Citizenx broke through the sour mood of the thread to knock me to the floor from laughter with this comment.
From Spathiphyllum:
Great comment by scionkirk in a troll diary. Still LMAO!
Editor’s Note: I don’t often link to troll diaries, but not only was this a great comment, there was also a photo of the diarist posted by citizenx (who also nominated scionkirk's comment) and a delicious recipe by aggregatescience for Jellied Moose Nose.
From me:
Crashing Vor asks a simple question and Scarce provides the simple answer, but cardinal and blue aardvark have the hilarious analysis of the Iranian vote.
ohiolibrarian makes a scary observation in Kos' Hate mail-apalooza: given these "contributors" can read and sorta write and use a computer -- they are the smart ones of that bunch.
In today's WYFP diary, SensibleShoes has one of the funniest problems and an interesting skill: coming nose to nose with a salamander and making it freeze in its tracks.
Today’s Top Mojo....
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and C&J comments:
1 - No he shouldn't.....SneakySnu.....244
2 - actually i have refused to be terrorized......william f harrison.....122
3 - Nikahang Kosar, Iranian cartoonist and blogger.....Kitty.....121
4 - This Shawna Ford woman . . ......Parallax857.....112
5 - ......buhdydharma.....109
6 - Dr. Harrison, thank you......Abe Frohman.....87
7 - These people are terrorists......shpilk.....87
8 - "Official" Results.....JekyllnHyde.....86
9 - How many RW fatal assaults does this make? FOUR.......waiting for lefty.....77
10 - Ok, I'm pissed at those.....gchaucer2.....74
11 - and I vote......darthstar.....70
12 - Dedicating this picture to my friend Richard.....SallyCat.....69
13 - thanks. my family reunions are really fun......william f harrison.....68
14 - Dr. Harrison, I think you are.....Dem in the heart of Texas.....66
15 - Thank you... I'm Chris Matthews. Welcome to.....twohundertseventy.....66
16 - Shorter buhdy.....JekyllnHyde.....64
17 - Dr. Hern, who we hired to run the ........Meteor Blades.....64
18 - Iz baby kitteh caturday?.....LaughingPlanet.....64
19 - More than that.....Fonsia.....62
20 - Any Obama/Administration comments.....PhillyGal.....60
21 - rows like these would be very nice.....truong son traveler.....59
22 - From the MAD website:.....waiting for lefty.....58
23 - Please delete his personal address......ezdidit.....58
24 - THAT is what people with BALLS do.....MrJayTee.....57
25 - 5 young people killed in Miramar Beach, FL.....JesseCW.....56
26 - Godspeed ;) n/t.....Trix.....55
27 - This reminds me of the student demonstrations.....timewarp.....54
28 - Oh, hai, tricia.....gchaucer2.....54
29 - OK, these LOLs might be better than yesterdays!.....grendelsavage.....54
30 - Take a deep breath........Big Tex.....54
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1 - Tip Jar.....m16eib.....496
2 - Tip Jar.....Clifflyon.....459
3 - tip jar: please read and rec......william f harrison.....411
4 - .....Al Rodgers.....330
5 - Tip Jar.....electronicmaji.....273
6 - No he shouldn't.....SneakySnu.....244
7 - Tip Jar.....Nulwee.....223
8 - Tip Jar.....Cenk Uygur.....219
9 - Tip Jar.....David Swanson.....216
10 - Tip Jar.....buhdydharma.....208
11 - Tip Jar.....bonddad.....181
12 - ballot box....nt.....clammyc.....177
13 - Tip Jar.....ndhapple.....175
14 - Tip Jar.....gchaucer2.....154
15 - Tip Jar.....Deep Brain Diarist.....143
16 - Caturday Food Bowl........triciawyse.....129
17 - actually i have refused to be terrorized......william f harrison.....122
18 - Nikahang Kosar, Iranian cartoonist and blogger.....Kitty.....121
19 - I'm a proud "tree-hugging, nigger-loving infidel".....Lefty Coaster.....120
20 - This Shawna Ford woman . . ......Parallax857.....112
21 - ......buhdydharma.....109
22 - Tip Jar.....Setrak.....102
23 - Dr. Harrison, thank you......Abe Frohman.....87
24 - These people are terrorists......shpilk.....87
25 - Tip Jar.....PinHole.....87
26 - "Official" Results.....JekyllnHyde.....86
27 - How many RW fatal assaults does this make? FOUR.......waiting for lefty.....77
28 - So, How is everyone doing this evening?.....billssha.....75
29 - Ok, I'm pissed at those.....gchaucer2.....74
30 - Tip Jar.....Vyan.....73