The Insipid MSNBC

When MSNBC first arrived on the scene in 1997 (?), I loved it (okay, loved Soledad O'Brien). I watched her entire shift as I worked from home as a freelancer. I got over my three-month crush quickly when I took a job where TVs weren't ideal. The news wasn't any better than CNN but did have a fresh look, which appealed to my twentysomething eyes, and went on to become the staple look for movie sets requiring high tech information bunkers.

Seven years later I find myself "watching" MSNBC again. I can't tell you anything about the news anchors or the set. I use TV more as radio these days since news radio seems to have abandoned the airwaves. My watching lately is due to NBC's Olympic coverage bouncing around six or seven channels. However, with MSNBC I have noticed I don't turn it off when they abandoned Olympic coverage. So, I watched attentively for five minutes. Then either turned on CBC for their fine Olympic coverage or turned off the TV.

Today, I set my alarm for 8:30 to remind myself to turn on MSNBC for the U.S. women's soccer game against the Matildas, as Australia's womens team is called. Problem no. 1 was that the game started at 8 am. Thanks MSNBC partner, NBC, for the faulty info.

The game was uneventful and was a 1-1 final after the U.S. gave up a late goal in the 75th minute.

Immediately following the game, the newsbreak from MSNBC leads with "Unmanned Predator spydrone crashed in Iraq" and finishes with "No further news."

God damn it, George Bush. This war is costing us hardware. Oh, the mechanicality!

Nothing like creating news. Where is Soledad O'Brien these days? I'd have excused her. ;)

[ed. Nothing like burying your lede.]