My love of all that’s fit to print in regards to the news goes back to my elementary school days. Which is funny because, nowadays, so much of what’s considered news is, well ... so elementary in nature.
Justin Bieber’s a daddy? Nah, I’m not buying it (and his accuser is going to get sued big time, I’ll betcha). Mega-rich CEOs giving themselves big raises? Don’t make me laugh; that is so 2009. Lindsay Lohan to appear in Playboy? Well, I don’t subscribe to the popular men’s magazine (not even for the articles) and – let’s be honest – I could care less about Lohan (who’s got about as much talent as a busted chopstick).
Then there’s Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain and all these accusations of sexual harassment? Say it isn’t so ... a politician actually behaving in such a manner. Geez, never heard that one before, have we?
No, in looking through the headlines topping the list of all that’s newsworthy this week only one in particular caught my eye: Asteroid the size of aircraft carrier to pass close to Earth.
Now that’s a headline. And trust me, it’s not just my love of all things science fiction that makes this my own, personal version of cool, but you must admit, it’s not every day an asteroid the width of four football fields passes this close. Then again, my overactive imagination does tend to get the best of me sometimes.
What can I say ... near-Earth asteroid collisions rank right up there with the impending zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion in this writer’s humble opinion (hey, at least I’m consistent in my über-geekness).
I suppose the only thing that could’ve made the incident even more interesting would be an actual gigantic-asteroid-versus-Earth collision. I’m guessing that would’ve gotten people’s attention.
Thankfully, we’re safe ... for now.
What is it they say? No news is good news? Sorry, but if I thought that were true for a moment, let’s just say I’d probably still be power-stretching carpet in some dingy apartment on the outskirts of town. Personally, I don’t think the general populace could handle no news, not when you consider our apparent lust for comment, gossip and grossly overrated opinion on a 24-hour-a-day basis.
Which has – when you get right down to it – both its pros and cons. Not to mention the ongoing journalistic debate on good news versus bad news, which one sells more and what exactly do people really want to hear.
Bad news – such as Penn State’s current mess, global climate change and anything involving Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin – is like a person who does nothing but complain, no matter the circumstances, all of the time. You know the kind of person I’m speaking of, don’t you?
If not, well, I’m guessing you’re not a big fan of ‘30 Seconds,’ because there’s more than a few out there.
Regardless, such people are ... entertaining ... in their own, unique way. Kind of like bad news, they’re like that sore tooth that you can’t help but prod and poke at, even though it hurts like hell (what can I say? I’m not a big fan of the dentist).
Good news, on the other hand – while interesting and uplifting in its own right – can be more-than-a-little annoying in large doses, if you take my meaning. It’s a matter of pessimism versus optimism and, in all honesty, I think a healthy balance of both is necessary to both sell the news and live an interesting and productive life.
And that’s the kicker, isn’t it? Too much bad news and people will turn off the tube or throw the paper down in disgust. Too much good news and they’ll do the same thing, more than likely.
It really is all about balance, at least for those who even care to keep up-to-date on current affairs. Then again, far too many people out there would rather remain ignorant of the truth (which is what good reporting is all about, by the way) or completely biased in their opinions, which is just as bad.
All I know is this ... it’s certainly interesting to find oneself in the middle of it all, even if it’s on a smaller scale.

Follow me on Twitter ... @evesunbrian.