Most viewed story at QC Times highlights stupidity, superstition
Based on number of visits to their website, the most viewed story of 2005 on the Quad City Times web site was a very weird one.
People moving into a home on Pershing Ave. found a box and opened it. They freaked out and thought it was a bomb. (weird thing #1) They called the bomb squad who came to investigate. The residents had to leave the place while the bomb squad investigated the object. They delicately removed it to the Mt. Joy airport to be x-rayed and examined further.
Somehow or other, the former resident of the house came forward with an explanation of what the object was.
She said her mother had received the thing from a friend in Colorado who was an "astrologist" who believed that Aliens lived under ground. (!) The device was supposed to send out vibrations which would keep the aliens away. (weird thing #2)
The former resident didn't know what it looked like since she'd never even bothered opening the box that contained it. She said she left it behind because it wasn't hers, though that's a strange reason for leaving such a bizarre thing.
A story about a Davenport guy accused of making porno tapes involving women, a dog, and an infant made the list, as did of course stories related to the Kolb trial.
One hopeful note was that one of the stories was one reporting a parent's group who determined the 4 very worst programs for prime-time viewing. Every single one of them was on Rupert Murdoch's arch conservative Fox Network.
Story here.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 1/03/2006
4 comments
4 Comments:
If it wasn't for "The Simpsons", "King of the Hill", and Seinfeld re-runs, Fox would have no redeeming value whatsoever.
It's an utter cess-pool of cultural polution... and I'm one of those "permissive" liberals.
If it wasn't for "The Simpsons", "King of the Hill", and Seinfeld re-runs, Fox would have no redeeming value whatsoever.
It's an utter cess-pool of cultural polution, exceeded in mindless decadence only by MTV... and I'm one of those "permissive" liberals.
Ouch.. Family Guy was one of the shows mentioned in the article... I probably wouldn't want my kids watching it either, but it is a very funny show.
The one thing I will give Fox is that Matt Groening and Seth Macfarlane both seem to have some sort of license to poke fun at things you would think Murdoch would find sacroscant. The Simpsons where they fake Fox News is the best.
About the other stories.. I wonder if a site like fark that specializes in odd news picked up the #1 story and caused all the traffic.
tiz,
You're likely right. Either some sites specializing in weird news picked it up, or people e-mailed it around. These sorts of things can cause instant spikes in the number of viewers.
And yes, the Simpsons have even had old Rupert himself appear on one episode and act like a megalomaniac. But then again, The Simpson's is their crown jewel. He'd better humor them or risk their going to another network.
Rupert may be a fascist, and enemy of democracy, but he's no dummy.
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