Friday, September 23, 2005

National Geographic, how could you?

we expect the MSM to slant their articles, covering tiny PC demonstrations with headlines (while ignoring stuff like the half million strong prolife marches) LINK

But an Anchorage newspaper notes that outsiders covering Alaska seem to make up stories
First, grab your August issue of National Geographic Adventure:

"Alaska outside of Anchorage was a joy, one of those rare places that delivers what it promises. We began our trip with a rainbow arcing across the sky, sunlight breaking through the clouds and setting the wet tundra bushes and fir trees gleaming."

Wet tundra bushes? Fir trees?

Where Are We Now?

Wrong! We're on the Glenn Highway, pedaling our bicycle for Palmer and points beyond.

Tundra, taiga, tapioca? Who cares. Fir trees, pine trees, spruce trees? Big deal.

If you're a reporter, writer, blogger, stenographer or simple hack on sojourn in the North, don't sweat the details. It's all about capturing the color. And, of course, that fabled Alaska wilderness that's closer than we Alaskans might think.

"White-topped peaks rose in the distance, over land that showed no sign of human habitation beyond the highway and its 'espresso exits.' It didn't take long to find wilderness in Alaska; less than 1 percent of the land is privately owned, civilization quickly becoming a novelty.''

No sign of human habitation? What about all those homes along the highway?

Am I being overly sensitive here? Probably.

But then journalism is my profession. Sometimes, obviously, even journalists have to wonder. Journalism has been called many things by other people, and given some of the garbage that gets into print it's easy to see why.

Yeah, well try reading about the Philippines...all stories are about manila, or about "poverty", or about disasters...

The last story I read about how the country is changing with globalization was an article in the 1990's about Ramos....

And, of course, even when asia is "chic" the Philippines, like the reliable older brother, tends to get ignored...