Friday, January 13, 2006

Most E-Mailed! Most Viewed! Most Banal!

America is certainly obsessed with "Mosts". On any day, on any news webpage, a cross-cultural index of sorts is created by simply counting which stories that day that provoked the viewer into action by forwarding and sending the story along to a friend, associate, relative or whatever.

On January 11th for example, a cursory scan of Yahoo News showed a disturbing slant towards fluff over substance among the populace. While reports on the Ukrainian gas crisis spreading to Europe, National Security Agency domestic spying allegations, Avian Influenza spreading to humans in Turkey (Turkey, get it!?) and the looming spectre of Iranian nukes growing like mushrooms, there were the real tales of our times wafting their way in packets across the cybersphere...

#1 Most Viewed and Emailed...
One Eyed Cat Medical Mystery, AP
# 2 Most Viewed and Emailed...
Angelina Jolie Expecting Baby, AP
#7 Most Viewed and #9 Most Emailed...
Brad and Angelina Reproduce, E-Online
# 10 Most Viewed and #13 Most Emailed...
Jolie Pregnant with Brad Pitt's Child, Reuters
#20 Most Viewed = Hollywood's Style Guru Savages Britney Spears
#21 Most Viewed = Britney Spears Tops Hollywood's Worst Dressed List

Ah, young love through the lens of the paparazzi and Daisy Duke's lasting legacy. That, and a one-eyed cat will get you famous in people's in-boxes - for a little while at least.

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