I’ve long-held that the only bias in commercial news media is toward money. Money comes from viewers, listeners, readers… brainwashed entertainment consumers. As Stephenson says, you can sell two things: Products and Entertainment. It’s pretty obvious which things are products, and everything else is entertainment. This includes all TV news and newspapers. The media conglomerates are not interested in any sort of theoretical duty to the public, and all of them, with the obvious exception of Murdoch’s holdings, don’t have any biased agenda. All they want to do is make money, and they primarily do that by selling fear, but…
The important thing to remember is that they’ve only furloughed a portion of those they intend to furlough. If I get furloughed, I’ll be one of the last ones to go because I’m at the top of the portion they may or may not furlough. The good news is that I’m not furloughed yet. The displacement award is now anticipated for early next week, and I fully expect that I’ll get the Dash in Denver, simply because it’s a very junior aircraft and base. Whether that award makes me more or less likely to be furloughed in the future, I…
At least not yet. Everyone who was being furloughed in the first round was notified on Friday, like they said they would be. Berck wasn’t, which means he’s safe for now. They’re leaving open the option of furloughing more people later but won’t do it until the displacement (big shuffle) is over. That’s where Berck hopes to get reassigned to Denver. So we’re good for a few more weeks at least!
I’m back from New York. Had a really good time. Berck still hasn’t heard any news about his job. I’m very tired, just drove back from Denver, and am going to bed.
I’m listed on the redeye from Denver to JFK tonight. Tomorrow is Berck’s sister Sydney’s birthday. His dad Jim is arriving tomorrow afternoon. Since Berck’s brother Kelsey also lives in NYC, so we should have a fun time. I haven’t seen Syd’s new apartment yet, but I hear it’s pretty tiny. It’s in on the opposite side of the Brooklyn in terms of niceness, though. Berck says her neighborhood doesn’t smell bad. I have Monday off, as does Berck, so I’m hoping to fly back Monday night.