Short Cuts

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

Just Stop Now: Heaven knows, all decent people are pro-Mom, Pro-Dad, brother, sister, next-door neighbor, friend - whatever, but enough, already. The cheapest, easiest and most predictable story a journalist can produce is an interview with someone whose loved one has died or is in peril. How much more does it ease the pain to have a microphone shoved in the face or a reporter poking around in the weeping heart. Stop now. We know it hurts. Here's a classic example.

You Are Not Alone: If war time TV watching has become an all absorbing obsession, don't feel guilty about it. Like a big white polar bear in the corner - the glowing screen can't be ignored and millions all over the world have just given in to it. We need to know this stuff. That's why it's there. Here are a few others with the same problem. But, here is a story that shows that occasionally things can get - shall we say - out of hand.

Attack of the Killer Peaceniks: Here's a fairly telling little tidbit to keep your mind off Baghdad, poison gas and beaten POWs, but only for a moment. Lloyd Grove, head disher for the WaPo and Richard Johnson of our beloved Page Six were both assaulted at Oscar parties. Johnson had a glass of vodka splashed in his handsome Nordic face and Grove endured threats of pain production from Tim Robbins for writing about Susan Sarandon's mother. Grove cleverly reports the episode. Peace and love, everybody, peace and love.

Not Scared Enough? We try to be light-hearted here, particularly when the news on the rest of this site is grim, but we feel compelled to point out this terrifying item buried in Greg Pierce's WashTimes column. There's a group with a website and an idea for 2004 that encourages a politically dead man to walk - or run, as the case maybe. It is absolutely chilling. Check it out.

-Your LComStaff...holding on