Turkey Wrap

Flirtatious: "I wanted to buy you that tennis bracelet you love so much, but I couldn't get on line today. Something about Cyber Monday?"

Real Mood: Feisty

Prediction: Cyber Monday will not be the busiest online shopping day of the year.

On CBS Sunday morning Bill Giest starts his piece with, "Thanksgiving is the busiest travel time of the year." Do your homework Bill. 

Someone on CNN used "gone missing" three times in a short story. I'll tell you what "went missing!" What went missing was the use of the word "disappeared!"

CNN has been good about dropping the use of the myth about the day after Thanksgiving being the busiest shopping day of the year. However, they have replaced it with the Saturday before Christmas being the busiest shopping day of the year.  Yes, in some years.  But that can't be consistent. I won't insult anybody with an explanation.  We seem to thrive on labels, I guess.

And the myths just keep comin'.  Now we've got "CYBER MONDAY," the Monday after Thanksgiving,  the busiest online shopping day of the year. Let's all clear our throats in unison.

In TV video rules. National coverage of a total of 40 lbs of the supreme court facade falling down and maybe in the middle of the night injuring a bat?  Well, they had pictures and easy access to those pictures.

An accident in California with two fatalities? My apologies to those directly involved. I'm not unmoved. I do care.  But how many two fatality accidents do you think took place across the country yesterday? Ah, but this one came with pictures, including the Greyhound logo dog on it's side. 

One more knit picking gripe and I'll adjust my attitude.  Miles O'Brien , morning CNN anchor is openly being Scroogian because, and I paraphrase, " I'm grumpy 'cause I just got back from  vacation." Why did he get vacation during the rating period? Nobody else did. He ought to be dancing in the aisles because Ted and company gave him a little time off.  Or, then again, maybe he should be a little worried he was given that time off.  I'm sure there's a lot I don't know.  Just thought I'd "stir up the ashes" a bit.

Back to pictures making the difference. Like all available tools in electronic journalism, pictures can be good or bad or anything in between. But they are a must. And they make the difference. And your work will always be different and/or better if you are taking a look around you to see what's there.  Take a look at the picture above. Where is that anyway? Out in some rugged open space in Florida? It's actually in Colorado about 100 feet off a deserted east-west runway at an abandoned airport. Stare at the picture a minute and imagine writing to the picture. How could you use it in stories on abandoned airports, urban wildlife areas, decision making, environmental  impact statement, harshness of winter, building urban bike paths, or just today's weather?

Every once in a while I'm going to get pedantic just because I can. You can't be very good at this broadcast journalism thing unless you are really aware of what's going on around you. You don't have to be born knowing that.  You've just got to do it.

Is it true or myth that the Pilgrims wanted roasted Eagle as the main entree in that  first Thanksgiving meal with Native Americans?

Turkeys in this country can come out of hiding for a while.  But our friend Cheri in Ireland says turkey doesn't go over big for Thanksgiving, but look out for Christmas and other religious festivities coming up.

I'm just adding all this turkey conversation so I can add my own little cliche for the day.  Here is comes.  It's been nice we could get together like this and "talk turkey."

Okay, that's a wrap. I really did order the "turkey wrap" last night.

My cyber friend sighlemaccaba has some further thoughts for those of you employed writing or on air in the media. Visit her annoyances. I think you'll enjoy them.