Continuing Coverage Of The BP-Created Environmental Disaster

Hi everyone. Eventually I will make my way back to full reviews. As for 360 Friday, I said my piece here. I'm just not feeling it and barring anything amazing/news-worthy happening, I don't expect to be doing any further posts on the topic. Let's get on with the bullet points, shall we?:

• This oil disaster just keeps becoming more horrific. It's heartbreaking to see the dead animals. Click here for more devastating pictures you should check out.

• I love that they're still keeping the live-feed up.
  

• Tell me again why I should care about James Carville's opinion on this subject. Oooh, a "staunch Democrat" is criticizing Obama! Play that sound-byte!

• On the other hand, Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser was a perfect guest for the situation. He's on the ground and knows the real story. Sounds like a big red tape mess. (Also? Bugs!)

• Wow, how depressing was it to learn from Tom Foreman that a government takeover of the disaster response could actually make it worse? Our anchor had an excellent follow up: "Couldn't the government or some agency take lead role and simply use BP and all of its experts as tools?" Unfortunately, that idea also ended in a bummer because doing so might actually help BP shirk responsibility. We are truly at their mercy.

• I'm getting a little wary because I can feel the media narrative changing to "blame the government," which might take some heat off BP and ultimately lead us nowhere. Obviously the government needs to be held accountable as well, but questions must be focused and the situation kept in context. And that is SO not how media narratives work. Basically, it's just like, "Grrrrr! We hate BP! Grrrr! Now we hate the government!"

• That being said, for the most part, 360's coverage of this story has been quite good so far. I just know that Anderson Cooper has a tendency to get stuck on one variable of a story and hammer it over and over. Most of the time I think he's right to do so (stupid deaths in Haiti, for example). But on this one I might want to shake him and press reset. We'll see.
  

• Our anchor will be reporting from the gulf tomorrow, so yay for that. (Although, he kinda sounded a little sick tonight--quick, someone dunk him in Vitamin C before he leaves!)

• Good piece from Ed Lavandera on the dispersants.
  

• Anybody else getting the feeling that even with hard-working people with good intentions, our government is just completely impotent when it comes to going up against Big Business?

• It was good to hear about the 'don't ask, don't tell' compromise. I think? Maybe? It sounded a little watered-down.

• Drew Griffin's report was a bit of a bummer. In Captain Richard Phillips' defense, the media did sell him as a hero (oh how they love their hero narrative!). But...meh. Just nobody touch my idea of Sully, okay?

• As for the Sarah Ferguson story, when I first read a tweet about "Fergie," I swear to God I thought they were talking about the singer from the Black Eyed Peas. Once I realized who it was really about...I still didn't care.

• For the "shot" tonight we learned that hey Class of 2010, Anderson Cooper wants you to have lots of sex, like, tonight! Yes, we were played the portion of the Silver Fox's commencement address that the 360 kids found most amusing. It's the part that Gawker found most amusing as well. Funny that.

• Our anchor's not lying about the not remembering thing. I don't remember my university speaker at all--like, not even who she/he was. I didn't even do anything naughty to point to as an explanation for said amnesia. But anyway, how cute was Randi Kaye getting her fangirl on to talk about our anchor's commencement robe? "Green is your color. It brought out your blue eyes."
  

• If you want to watch the whole speech to Tulane, it's on the 360 blog. I took a pass. I'm assuming it contained the staples: follow your bliss, vertical stripes are slimming, liberal arts majors have no skill. That last one stings, by the way.

• The show wasn't bad. First half stronger than second.
  

• This bullet point contains a delicious cherry snow cone. Unless you're BP; then it's oil flavored.