Short Cuts

Monday, March 31, 2003

Nice Try: Harlan Ullman, the author of the much touted Shock and Awe concept of war is pouting. During the first week of the war he was able to dine out (after appearing on TV, of course) on his parentage. After four days of bombing, the coalition had dropped 2,000 PGMs on Baghdad, averaging 500 every 24 hours but that wasn't shocking or awesome enough. Of course, the media loved the concept. It fit neatly into a headline and was fun to say, "shock and awe," "shock and awe," - oh, well.

Fighting Back: As the couch potato criticism of the war reaches critical mass, those who are actually doing the heavy lifting are speaking out. The White House and Pentagon say the overpaid analysts who interpret what we've already seen on TV are ten years out of date and only muddy the waters. Embedded journalists who have been eating sand and getting shot at are not taking well to criticism that they are "too soft" on the guys who keep them from getting killed. And, Fox News, the only television network with a sense of humor, changed the copy on its outdoor news zipper at their New York headquarters to taunt airhead demonstrators who threatened their plate glass windows.

Three Strikes, He's Out: If you are waking up to the news that Peter Arnett, the war correspondent for the National Geographic (that still sounds hilarious to us) has done something deeply stupid you can catch up fast here with the transcript of his interview for Iraqi TV and here from Howie Kurtz, the first one on the web with commentary. As Arnett's been filing reports for NBC as well, his performance must have given NBC suits the shivering fits on a quiet Sunday night. Let's see how they squirm out of not firing his traitorous rear before nightfall.

It's Only A Drill: We occasionally like to test the good taste and restraint that Ldotters are so famous for. Therefore we direct you this piece on Monica Lewinsky's new television show. See if you can say what we are all thinking without getting yourself deleted and this thread closed. Good luck.

-Your Monday Alert LComStaff