NBC Nightly News lead with 5 minutes of "America on Alert" last night

[underpants]

I usually watch ABC but for some reason I flipped over to see what GE thought was important for the people to know the last full day of the year (many people will be heading out/ entertaining tonight and will not watch the news).

Rarely on American network television does a story get more than 1 1/2 - 2 minutes of coverage save for the health reports that mostly affect the elderly. NBC had reports from Times Square, the Vegas strip, and helicopter shots of nuclear plants.

Meanwhile ABC lead with Ashcroft having to duck out of the Plame investigation signaling that it will reach levels at which he would have a conflict of interest, mad cow disease, the earthquake aftermath in Iran, and something else (I was flipping).

NBC repeated the "all is well remain calm because super George will protect you" mantra. Oh and they mentioned Ashcroft and the cows later in the half hour.

[mike_c]

1. amerika on alert....

We have always been at war with Oceana. They hate us for our freedom. More to the point: have you shopped today?

[underpants]

2. I uh I got breakfast from McDonald's

What a good little soldier I am...er well maybe not MRs. Kroc gave $20 Million to liberal 'Merka hatin' NPR.

[G_j]

3. getting us used to a police state

increment by increment, and the people won't notice the jaws closing.

[RBHam]

4. You are being conditioned...

"we knew it was coming, we just never expected ..."
(a) a dirty nuke on a North Korean freighter...
(b) a co-ordinated Islamic suicide-bombing campaign...
(c) a biological agent in the water supply traced to Syria through the confession of the alleged terrorist who was discovered hiding in a cellar on Gore Vidals' Hollywood estate...

[underpants]

5. Gore Vidal or Streisand?

Very funny.