if it economically bleeds, it leads
Steven Levitt writes in Freakonomics today about how newspapers spin economic stories, and how that probably affects the way people see the health of the economy. There is a telling side-by-side comparison of the Washington Post’s handling of a GDP number against the Times‘s own headline. (No mention, of course, about how a 5.7% unemployment rate was trumpeted as the greatest economic achievement of the twentieth century when we were at that level during the Clinton administration.)
Even better, a commenter adds an old joke:
As the joke goes, it’s a beautiful spring day in downtown Raleigh, and outside the state capitol building people are lunching in the shade of the trees and playing on the lawn.
Suddenly and without warning, a pitbull violently attacks a three-year-old child. People stand frozen in horror as the animal snaps and bites and the poor child shrieks.
An instant later, a man steps forward, grabs the dog and the child, separates them, and snaps the pitbull’s neck.
The crowd lets out a huge sigh of relief and a young woman runs over to the the man and says:
“Mister, that was incredible. I’m a reporter for the Raleigh News & Observer, and I’m going to make sure this is on the front page tomorrow. I can see the headline now — Raleigh Man Saves Child From Vicious Dog.”
And he replies: “Actually, I’m not originally from Raleigh.”
She says: “I can see the headline now — North Carolina Man Stops Brutal Animal Attack On Toddler.”
And he says: “Well I’m not really from North Carolina either.”
She says: “Where ARE you from?”
He replies: “New York.”
And she says:”I can see the headline now — Yankee Bastard Slays Family Pet.”
Of course, when Obama becomes president, unicorns will crap ice cream and pastries for everyone, and all this will be a moot point.
(via Jeremy H)