The "News"

Rollie woke up early this morning, and then proceeded to go into Matilda's room, waking her about an hour and a half earlier than she usually rises. (We woke to her screaming bloody murder and Rollie yelling, "Tilda's crying!!! Mama, Dada, Tilda's crying!" Gee, wonder why she's crying.) So, all four of us were up bright and early, just after six. Todd changed Rollie upstairs, and I took Matilda downstairs to feed her and watch the news before the toddler onslaught of "Me watch Dora. Me watch Miffy. Me. Me. Me!" began.

When I watch the news in the morning, (usually i just read the New York Times online instead), I turn on the local ABC news affiliate, and then check out what's on CNN's American Morning. I then flip back and forth between the two during commercials. I must admit here and now that I am a news independent - I am not married to CNN, or to Fox News. In fact, I watch both about equally, depending on which annoying hosts and shows are on at the time, and sometimes forego both in favor of BBC America. So, in the mornings, I much prefer to watch CNN over the annoying Fox and Friends. I am thinking, though, that maybe many more Americans are watching Fox and Friends, because the very things that annoy me about it (inane chitchat, silly stories, smug commentators, etc.) are starting to infiltrate CNN. Miles O'Brien might as well dress up in a tuxedo, tophat, and tap shoes and do a rendition of The Andrews Sisters "Hello My Baby" ("Hello, my baby. Hello, my honey. Hello, my ragtime gal.")

News stories that I actually consider worthy of air time on CNN this morning? Well, seems Bill Gates is stepping down from Microsoft to invest more time in his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. That? I think that is news. This affects the economy and the technology industry in a big way. Not to mention that I highly respect the work his foundation is doing. In particular, the foundation's support of the School Matters initiative (for more info, see this.) Any other items of actual news interest to me were scrolling in the ticker at the bottom of the page, including the fact that things in The Sudan are deteriorating quickly into "chaos and warlordism if the U.N. does not give them support soon, says Mia Farrow." Because God knows, if a celebrity doesn't bring newsworthy items to my attention, then they just aren't newsworthy.

Why on earth are the deaths in Darfur relegated to the scrolling ticker, while I am forced to watch the following "news" stories?

• Paul McCartney turns 64 this weekend during a messy divorce. (Oh, the irony! Now that's news!)
• Motorcycle helmet safety and awareness. (Sure, this is news, but the only reason they gave it any airtime is because some dumbass football star wasn't wearing a helmet when he crashed his motorcycle.)
• Britney Spears broke down in tears on national television while being interviewed by Matt Lauer (who must be really proud of landing the "big" interview.)

Wow. Sure am glad that CNN is keeping me in touch with what's really going on in the world. Phew!