sensationalism? I hope not. . . .

What is it makes someone look at an article? Or a news piece? Or a 'how to avoid common make-up blunders' pictorial?

Yet another Paris Hilton tidbit?

She's suing Hallmark now, apparently. I don't know why. I haven't clicked there yet. But I'm wondering. And I might go there. One day. If it's not too late.

Turns out I was too late for the famous - now INfamous, I guess I should say - no-undies-shot of Britney Spears. When I finally decided "OK. . . . let's see what all the hoopla is about. . . . [said with the proper tone of above-it-all bored disinterest even while noting some level of interest, anyway] - I couldn't find it. There were several places where the picture appeared, with a blurry bit where the fuzzy bit would have been. . . . but that's it.

So here I am, doing my bit of writing, and wondering what would make anyone want to read it. Which leads me to wonder about what I tend to look at; to read; to respond to.

They study this stuff, did ya know? We try not to think about it, but they do. I read somewhere that, although the "GENERAL PUBLIC" claims to want good programming and serious news articles, what they actually spend time with is stuff on Paris, Britney and other serious-news misnomers. AOL, for example, knows this for a fact because I think they see everywhere we go, internet-wise, anyway. Google is probably the same, only "better" - depending on how you define "better" (i.e., "better" at tracking, or "better" at preserving privacy).

Maybe the really interesting bits are the places you decide not to go, once you've figured this out.

I don't like stories or movies about adultery, for example. I hate the impending betrayal and I hate that it can be made out to be "inevitable" or "natural" in any way. I hate the very thought of 'normalizing' adultery. And isn't that what happens when it seems "everyone's doing it"?

Yeah - maybe more years in therapy would help. Clearly, my father never loved me. . . .

Here's some more stuff I don't like:

- stories about how much money somebody made - or makes.
- how so-and-so fell off the stage.
- anything about rappers, their jewelry, women, money, or "cribs" (oh yuck!)
- super expensive cars
- high profile adoptions
- movie actors with agendas
- cat fights between starlets
- potty-mouth tirades against the current political-correctness offender
- stupid polemics
- posturing politicians and other photo ops

Oh - and of course: drunken or drugged stars and starlets in court, in jail, with prostitutes, at parties, at home, or pretty much anywhere, with anyone, doing anything. Although I confess I did wonder about Paris. I had this hope that maybe jail would do her some good. She's been kind of quiet lately, don't you think? I still have high hopes for her. . . .

Meanwhile, the king is preparing dinner and I hope I won't have to confess that I've been thinking about what I really shouldn't want to click on on google, or aol, or yahoo, or any other 'newsy' place. I'm supposed to be wrapping up the final chapter of the dissertation. Hmmm. I wonder if this is relevant in any way? Probably not. I still think it's interesting, though.