Wild,
I am sitting here, watching a morning news program, and just realized they have spent almost 10 minutes discussing the “hit” in a hocky game a few nights ago.
Team coverage, several “experts” discussing the game and its rules.
Same program, spent 15 seconds of video on the bombing of a passenger train in Madrid, which killed at least 170 people.
Kinda make you wonder about the priorities in the newsroom…
Ed
I agree Ed,
The newsrooms are becomming more like the “Extra” hollywood highlights programs in their desire to focus on the latest dirty story from the other North American Soap Opera, the NHL .
Not to downplay this incident, I think Bertusi (sp) commited a brutal unprovoked act of assault on another player. Probably ruined Moores future in pro hockey and I think he (Bertusi) should be kicked out of the NHL and charged with assault. Will it happen? I doubt it but it’s all we will hear about for a couple of days yet. [soapbox]
Jeff
Actually on the same topic (of the Madrid rail bombing), in the news I heard they suspected Basque separatists of planting the bombs. I had heard a news item earlier in the week about multiple bomb threats on French rail systems, with one device actually being found and disarmed. Does anyone have any further info on this?
Jeff
What if they gave a fight, and a hockey game broke out?
Hockey has a hard decision to make here. Do we throw out the “bad” guy, or just suspend him for a while and get him back in the rink so people will pay money to come see him do it again…
Keep in mind that I’m not condoning the act or the behavior. Just as the “Intimidator” is worshiped in NASCAR circles, the “enforcers” have their fans in hockey. Doesn’t make it right, but it makes for the almighty dollar.
As for coverage of the railroad bombing in Spain - who’s gonna pay money to see that happen? And it’s so far away, too…[X-)]
The hockey thing was bad enough.Albeit I’m not a fan, but I think the dude should be
banned.
As for the explosions,I hadn’t heard anything on the French system,but have been
hearing about the Madrid explosions all morning. I under stand that there were 4 bombs
that exploded,and a 5th one was defused.(no.5 was supposedly for the RESCUE workers) That one really makes you wonder.
Yeah ED,I really do agree with you. Where are the priorities?
Larry (tree) was correct. The train bombing was across the pond. The hockey game was in Canada and a Colorado team was involved. To the people of North America the hockey game was “here” and the bombings were “there”. We automatically pay more attention to things around us than things far away. Therefore, the hockey game and attack rates more “air time” than the bombing. Or at least that is the way the news media sees it and many people here too. Let’s face it, we are a stuck up nation. If it doesn’t effect our gas prices, our jobs, or our economy then we don’t pay that much attention to it. Well this is how I see it anyway.
I agree Ed… Even for a Canadian who loves hockey… Where the hell are the priorities?
Yes, the news coverage has missed their priorities. To spain this attack could be a slightly smaller equivalent of September 11th. They showed our coverage, and we won’t show theirs. With 200 deaths, and over 1000 injuries and both rising, they deserve our respect and sympathies.
Frankly the priorty in this country is $ $ $.
The train bombings doesn’t effect our $ $ $. The hockey game has an impact on Canadian and American finances. Maybe not everyone but many people do watch hockey. So there are advertising dollars, player paycheck, vendor paycheck, ticket sales, arena parking costs, traveling costs, hotel and food costs, etc., etc., etc.
I am not trying to be heartless. Please don’t take me wrong.
What is it that Americans think about most: our jobs, our families, our MONEY. I can’t speak for the Canadians here but I would believe their thoughts would be similiar.
I am appauled by the bombings. Isreal has put up with this type of circumstances for years. How long before it becomes a real and present danger here in American or Canada on a regular basis? Sooner or later it will come. Then WE WILL pay attention to it.
We don’t rate hockey particularly high here in the UK but there’s been a lot of coverage of the Madrid incidents on the News. I was appalled to see banner headlines saying that there were no Britons killed. I guess our priorities stink as well.
Just remember that nothing justifies this kind of attack wherever in the world it happens.
And Paul Harvey gives us more to think about -
Martha Stewart will serve time in jail and OJ is on the golf course.
Sigh
The Hockey attack was not only unsportsmanlike it was a premeditated assault in which the victim was targeted based upon a prior incident where he allegedly took a shot at a player on the assailant’s team. As such it should be charged as a criminal assault and the same penalty applied as if it occurred anywhere else. As to whether the guy should be banned that is a question for the league, but it certainly seems appropriate. This from a guy who played hockey up to High School so I know what the game is like.
The madrid thing is a horror, but also something everyone should know. Rail facilities are big and spread out and thus very vulnerable. The really scary thing about this attack is the scope of it. Ten bombs exploded and at least another three were found unexploded.
LC
Consider this, Ed: you posted this topic around 7AM CDT, it was still very early after the bombings. The hockey incident occurred Tuesday (was it?) Now people have criticized the media before for jumping to conclusions and reporting the facts before the facts are in. Remember the Oklahoma City bombing, by golly the experts were absolutly certain that afternoon that it was middle east terrorist. Well, we all know what the outcome was of that eventually.
In this case, at 7AM CDT on today, Thursday, most of all the facts were in on the hockey incident, a two-day-old incident. The Spain occurred while we, in America, were still sleeping. We’re about 5 hours behind them and the bombings occurred in the AM Spain time. Here it is almost 12:30PM CDT while I type this and as I watch the TV more and more time is being given to the bombings. Now they’ve got “analysts” and “experts” talking all about what group has committed this act and the characteristics of it when no one has claimed credit yet.
Just watch the news this evening, it’ll get more coverage and probably be either the top story or the top world news story. The hockey incident: well, I’ve heard there was outrage over the fine imposed on the guy who hurt the other guy. But I saw video of that and saw the blood all over the ice, the guy who did that should be arrested and prosecuted. The reason it’s beening talked about in great detail because of how horrible the act was. But it won’t be a top story much longer.
Could be…
I wait to see whats on tonight.
Another thought…
Are we in the west becoming numb to things like this?
After all, almost every nightly news cast has a report of a sucide bomber, somewhere, blowing up a market or place of worship, a school, or a train in Russia, now Spain.
Have we really become so used to it that it dosnt bother us as much as it used to?
I think Jim is partialy correct, we feel like its is over there, not here, so of less importance, yet, like trainguy said, this may be Spain’s 9/11.
And by tomorrow, will it even rate mention on US newscast?
Whats really weird, this is a forum for railfans, so shouldnt we be outraged at the attack?
After all, train travel is a big part of life outside of the US, and in a roundabout way, it is a part of our industry and hobby, and this forum.
We have devoted pages upon pages of posting on non US locomotives and railroads, yet this incident raises almost no alarm?
I’m not nit picking, just really wondering…
Then again, it may be because like ironhorseman pointed out, it “just” happened…
Still…
Ed
I think I saw the tail end of the hockey segment on the news. Some guy said “Fighting’s a part of hockey.” Man is he wrong! Fighting is something that happens OUTSIDE of the play, thus not a part of hockey. Tripping, slashing, spearing, they’re two minute minor penalties, but are part of hockey none-the-less.
Also, some of the human-interest type stories are definately prepared before-hand, so they may get more time than something happening currently.
Ed I think you hit it - we are becoming numb - there is so much violence around the world, it has become a daily news item. However, as a human defense mechanism, you have to become a little numb to some of it, or you will go crazy. That doesn’t lessen the tragedy of it all - but as I said before, the genie is out of the bottle and it will continue and probably worsen. Self-preservation will kick in and you will numb up a little. You have to in order to survive.
I just heared that Al Qaeda is claiming responsibility for the train bombings.
Grew up playing and watching hockey; it’s a great game, and I agree with Puckdropper re fighting. It’s not the first time the NHL has had to deal with stupidity and “goons.” In fact, it’s probably a cleaner game in many respects than it was a decade ago.
IMHO, the NHL is probably about to go under given overexpansion and the intransigence (my one big word for the day) of owners and players.
Let’s have a two-year lockout and see who notices that it’s gone; some of us will, but not enough; the NHL may become a truly international league. Some international players have already departed NHL teams and gone back home so they don’t get caught in the upcoming unpleasantness.
To keep it on rr topic; I remember seeing the following on a PCC car in Boston “Jesus saves, but Espostio scores on the rebound.”
work safe
Really? last I heard the us was suspecting them, but Espana suspected a local group.