Dude. Just when I think I'm getting too cynical, I realise I still harbour odd notions regarding journalistic impartiality.

Leigh, just to add to your cynicism ... As evidence of the hegemonic influence of the 'hyper-liberal, economic rationalist, global free-trade, possessive individualist, consumerist' ideology on the dissemination of information from a 'news' perspective, here's an example from the British news.

When ITN broadcast a 4 minute feature a couple of years ago on their main national news flagship News at Ten about the launch of a new vaccuum cleaner (Dyson), these were the AP and Reuters news feeds for the same day that ITN ignored:

• World Bank grants Uganda 85% relief on its national debt
• Italy's most senior police official jailed for corruption
• First US McDonalds staff walkout over working conditions
• Cot death in the Irish republic increasses by 70% since 1997
• Neath Council found guilty of killing 2 workmen following chemical leakage into sewers
• Children protest throughout Asia to end child labour
• British tourist attacked and blinded by British trropops based in Cyprus
• Air traffic controllers in Britain claim that near misses have doubled

You might be interested to read Jake Lynch's What Are Journalist's For?

That [the list, not the article] is the most depressing thing I've read in a while. I can't even feel morally superior as an Aussie because I'm sure our media has done similar and worse.

Rugby is funny because it's true. I notice the Welsh are getting let off the hook though? Poor bastards can't even rate as a team in a satirical e-mail anymore. It's very sad.

Moonlit -- extremely funny rugby list. And yeah, where were the Welsh? They win games every now and then. They were particularly good for a while when they had a Kiwi coach.

Thank God for tape fairies.

Hee. Do I get to wear a tiara? And sparkly shoes? (Never let it be said that I will pass up the chance to wear something shiny and dance around like a fool.)

I got upset (and by 'got upset' I mean 'went fairly hysterical'), pissed off my mum with my ranting and ruined the episode for myself because I kept brooding

That sucks, Emlah. But if it's any consolation, I've done the exact same thing myself (well 'exact same' apart from the bit where my angst was completely self-inflicted). I have a stupid capricious VCR which one night decided to start recording when I told it too, but then stop mysteriously five minutes into an episode of Angel. Panic and gnashing of the teeth ensued, because it wouldn't start recording again--it didn't matter whether I pressed record softly or hard, or danced in a tutu with a duck on my head before using my pinkie-toe to press said o-so-precious button. Now, I could have just taken the tape out and walked the five or so metres into the other room, with to the other television and the other VCR , but nooooooo, I had waste time getting all upset and threatening an inanimate object with dismemberment. And then I had to ruin the episode by sulking about the five minutes I missed recording because of my own stupidity.

You might be interested to read Jake Lynch's What Are Journalist's For?

Looks interesting, moonlit. I think I'll bookmark it for the weekend, when in theory my parents will be packed and gone. They're moving to the coast on Thursday and packing the crap they've accumulated over the past 21 years has been quite an experience. We're currently engaged in a lively 'discussion' about who gets the kitchen table.

But if it's any consolation, I've done the exact same thing myself...

Hee! Your story does make me feel better. I feel wonderfully validated.

Ha, turns out Channel 7 are having a "special encore screening" tomorrow (translation: an "OK, we fucked up, please stop sending as death threats screening") of the ep. of Angel they screened an hour early, so I didn't need your tape after all Leigh! Oh well, thanks a million anyway, it will be on its way back to you soon.

Re: Buffy tonight--I don't think I need to whitefont this but I'm a bit confused about where everyone is so... Xander's eye! Did that just happen? Of course I don't care about those dead potential slayers, it's Xander's eye that's freaking me out! Caleb is a great character though, and that guy should have played Riley.

Angus... yeah, that was *Xander's eye*. It happened. High HSQ, huh? And yes, Caleb is great. Nat Fillion is wonderful. I like Caleb. They could have done more with him, it could have been better, but I like him anyway. A lot.

Oh, forgot because I was traumatised, but Andrew's Faith backstory monologue/montage was SO GREAT!

Remember what Xander said Angus,

Go for the center— (points to each) brains, heart, eyes. Everything's got eyes.