AS, 9/5

First thing every morning I log onto CNN.com to see if the world ended while I slept. Yesterday was no different. A bright yellow NEWS ALERT banner caught my eye and caused my stomach to sink. I expected news of another senseless terrorist attack, another body count from a roadside bombing, even a report of a plane crash, something catastrophic anyway, something relevant. Instead, the alert declared that Police in Los Angeles had arrested Paris Hilton for driving under the influence (influence of what – stupidity?). This is news??? This is breaking news that requires a NEWS ALERT? Beneath this groundbreaking information was a link to a little story regarding the planned resignation of Tony Blair (yeah the guy who talks funny and is buddies with our president – he also happens to run Britain for the time being). Goodbye sense, hello anarchy. Is there really greater interest (NEWS ALERT people, dear God) in some vapid blond twit driving recklessly then there is in the ousting of the British PM? Talk about a schizophrenic postmodern culture – Paris Hilton as a freaking news alert. That’s right up there with the image of a camel drinking a coke: disparate, inane, and shamefully entertaining. Here we are in a hand basket, wonder where we’re headed?

Jameson was right to be pessimistic. When someone can be no one and do nothing and brand herself (yes P.H., I’m talking about you) and SELL HERSELF to an audience hungry for more, well, there’s not much we won’t buy just to have it is there?

On a lighter, less blood-curdling note, loved the field trip. For me, the tour of downtown Orlando created a bridge between PoMo theory and PoMo reality. The feel it, taste it, smell it, see it reality of architecture helped bring the previously meaningless concepts of multivalence, radical eclecticism, tradition reinterpreted and new rhetorical figures to life.

Speaking of radical eclecticism – Paris Hilton as a top-breaking story from a respected news outlet. It’s a stretch, I know, but NEWS ALERT my ass.

So not news...
Decent news...
Rest my case.