Casualties

The fact that the American media is beginning to report Iraqi causalities is pretty shocking, it was on the front Google New page today for the first time since I've been reading those headlines.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=anMFwx_d4jwA&refer=germany

Though the #'s reported by American media differ greatly from other sources such as www.IraqBodyCount.org, to me it's still a huge leap in terms of information. It's about flipping time that the American public have some sense of the # of Iraqi deaths compared to American casualties. Our children aren't the only ones dying. I don't think we can even fathom the depths of the violence.

Another rather interesting turn in the American Media machine is Keith Olbermen's rise on the typically right leaning MSNBC cable new station. Sure, his show still reports on Brittany Spears and her new canine or how Angelina Jolie thinks Madonna's adoption is 'risky' (sigh) but that crap still serves as news to the average viewer. Generally those stories have an openly mocking tone and I guess it serves it's purpose, reporting on some bubble head and her Chihuahua compared to the lies spilling forth from Tony Snow's mouth provides a glimpse of the stark contrast in information (and priority) in our media culture today.

My highest hope for openly critical thought of our culture and government on the television we pay insidious amounts of money to watch is Stephen Colbert's secret weapon. Factiness.