Friday, August 8, 2008

I love this country

Well, actually, I do quite like living here. Most of the time. But sometimes, just sometimes, I do wonder.
Back in 2002, for example, when the World Cup was on, I got to enjoy lots of games, albeit at inconvenient times of the day. The one game that I didn't get to enjoy live was the final. My local ABC affiliate decided in its infinite wisdom that they'd rather carry the live coverage of a local mega-church service just like any regular Sunday. And since ABC was covering it live in most of the country, it meant that I couldn't watch it on any other channel. (I'm now informed that had I tried the spanish channel, I might have found it.... but I didn't know that at the time).
This morning, LOML and I are up early to cook for the party this afternoon --- and I thought, oh, let's watch the opening ceremonies. And I discover that NBC is not showing it live! Ostensibly, this is because it might cut into their viewer ratings for the non-live broadcast this evening...
Oh well, at least it is preparing me for the remaining coverage, which I am sure will be up to NBC's usual standards. That is, awful. I really want to use some swearwords here, but that's not my (online) style... (now, in person, I can actually swear moderately fluently in at least one language).
Gawd, I feel like I've finally become the sort of person who writes letters to the Times, signing off "Disgusted, Tunbridge Wells".

Yours, disgusted,
N.

2 comments:

Joke said...

Oh, don't get me started.

Enuretics and cretins the whole slew of them.

-J.

awareness said...

Rarely is the Olympic coverage live in the States! Its appalling. Not only that the coverage on the American stations is myopic. I have only one word for you my friend.....

Canada.

saw it live.....learned about other countries.......oopps more than one word.

ps. enjoy your vacation. bring on the sun and surf.