The C is for Crank
2010's Most Overreported Stories
This morning, Josh picked what he considered the most underreported stories of 2010. Here are my most overreported stories of 2010.
1) Umbrellagate.
As I've written before: Despite histrionic reporting by some in the local media, the city did not spend $50,000 on colorful umbrellas for pedestrians to use in crosswalks. In reality, the city spent around $5,000 on umbrellas as part of a $47,000 pedestrian-safety campaign that included bus ads, increased enforcement, and pedestrian-safety awareness events (like the cool umbrella flash mob at Westlake Plaza).
Why did people get so exercised that the city is spending money to protect pedestrians? Beats me, but if they spent a tenth of that anger reporting on the money the city plans to shell out for the deep-bore tunnel, that'd be a much smarter use of their energy.
2) The fate of Seattle Center's Fun Forest.
"Heart of the city" my ass. Seattle Center is a commercial enterprise that caters primarily to tourists, not locals, and anyone who portrays it as a beloved city park is lying. Also a lie: The notion that the Fun Forest---an amusement park for kids, complete with Ferris wheel and mini-roller coasters---is a public amenity provided by the city. Most rides at the Fun Forest cost $2, and the amusement park is operated by a private company. The folks who've freaked out over what replaces the Fun Forest---who've basically accused supporters of a Chihuly Museum of wanting to privatize all of Seattle's public parks---need to calm down and look at what they're trying to "save": a tiny square of property that has always been privately operated. I'm sorry, but Central Park it ain't.
3) SnOMG.
Seriously, Seattle? It snowed for, like, ONE DAY. Transit operated fairly well, the city did not shut down, and most people got home from work just fine. A few thousand people got stuck on I-5, which sucks, but that's more the fault of the state transportation department than Mayor Mike McGinn (a predictable target of criticism for his response to the storm). Snow has the capacity to cripple cities---even East Coast cities like New York that are "used to snow"!---and it shouldn't surprise anyone when a big storm shuts some services in Seattle down.
And Josh has one: 4) Clint Didier. The media in Washington State was dying for our own Marco Rubio/ Scott Brown/ Rand Paul story---the exciting Tea Party challenge to the GOP establishment. But nope. The Tea Party just wasn't happening here (after beating and rejecting Didier, Rossi got a greater percentage of the GOP base than any other Republican Senate candidate nationwide.) Didier got far more coverage than he deserved.
1) Umbrellagate.
As I've written before: Despite histrionic reporting by some in the local media, the city did not spend $50,000 on colorful umbrellas for pedestrians to use in crosswalks. In reality, the city spent around $5,000 on umbrellas as part of a $47,000 pedestrian-safety campaign that included bus ads, increased enforcement, and pedestrian-safety awareness events (like the cool umbrella flash mob at Westlake Plaza).
Why did people get so exercised that the city is spending money to protect pedestrians? Beats me, but if they spent a tenth of that anger reporting on the money the city plans to shell out for the deep-bore tunnel, that'd be a much smarter use of their energy.
2) The fate of Seattle Center's Fun Forest.
"Heart of the city" my ass. Seattle Center is a commercial enterprise that caters primarily to tourists, not locals, and anyone who portrays it as a beloved city park is lying. Also a lie: The notion that the Fun Forest---an amusement park for kids, complete with Ferris wheel and mini-roller coasters---is a public amenity provided by the city. Most rides at the Fun Forest cost $2, and the amusement park is operated by a private company. The folks who've freaked out over what replaces the Fun Forest---who've basically accused supporters of a Chihuly Museum of wanting to privatize all of Seattle's public parks---need to calm down and look at what they're trying to "save": a tiny square of property that has always been privately operated. I'm sorry, but Central Park it ain't.
3) SnOMG.
Seriously, Seattle? It snowed for, like, ONE DAY. Transit operated fairly well, the city did not shut down, and most people got home from work just fine. A few thousand people got stuck on I-5, which sucks, but that's more the fault of the state transportation department than Mayor Mike McGinn (a predictable target of criticism for his response to the storm). Snow has the capacity to cripple cities---even East Coast cities like New York that are "used to snow"!---and it shouldn't surprise anyone when a big storm shuts some services in Seattle down.
And Josh has one: 4) Clint Didier. The media in Washington State was dying for our own Marco Rubio/ Scott Brown/ Rand Paul story---the exciting Tea Party challenge to the GOP establishment. But nope. The Tea Party just wasn't happening here (after beating and rejecting Didier, Rossi got a greater percentage of the GOP base than any other Republican Senate candidate nationwide.) Didier got far more coverage than he deserved.
