you remember when a couple people were attacked by sharks a few years back and suddenly the media was acting like every shark in the world was attacking any person that even thought of going near a beach?

well, lately here around los angeles, the media has been acting like every person who drives on the freeway is getting shot. nevermind that like millions of people drive the freeways around here every day and all but a handful make it home fine. nevermind that the numbers for freeway shootings is down and has been steadily declining in recent years. the media don't care for facts. it's either make up a new epidemic--this time, a good freeway shooting spree (8 in two months getting news coverage)--or cover the war we're losing that has become quite boring...

of course, iraq has a new prime minister now, and insurgents attacked coalition forces tuesday in ramadi, setting off a battle that killed 12 militants, an iraqi soldier and two iraqi civilians, coalition soldiers fought suspected insurgents near a syrian border town of qaim in a battle that killed 12 militants, injured a 6-year-old girl and wounded 6 coalition soldiers. and, as of monday, at least 1581 members of the US military have died since the beginning of the war, at least 1206 from hostile action, 1443 since bush declared the war over

and, even as our president can't pronounce the word*, iran declared tuesday it is "determined" to pursue all legal areas of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment

and, in US news, a 13 year old in florida has gotten judicial approval to get an abortion, and fingers are showing up all over the place in people's food. first, at a wendy's** here in california, now at an ice cream place in north carolina. IT'S AN EPIDEMIC, I TELL YOU!! EVERYONE REMAIN CALM AND LOCK ALL YOUR DOORS!! REMAIN CALM, DAMN IT!!

* nuclear--that is

** not true, it turns out, but that's hardly the point, right?