The Morning News

Eyes bleary and first cup of coffee in hand, I often hear inane statements on the local morning news. Today, while I was waiting for the computer to boot up, was no exception.

The anchor and some "expert" were discussing the recession. The brief exchange mentioned the 100 Thing Challenge, found quickly via a Google search:

The 100 Thing Challenge is my little way to personalize my efforts to fight consumerism.

That said, a lot of other people are participating, too. I'll be working on ways for people to connect. For example, the 100 Thing Challenge Facebook Page. Please join and participate!

Goal: By November 12, 2008 I will only have 100 personal things. I will live with only 100 personal things for one full year, until November 12, 2009....

"Fight consumerism"? Way to help the economy, Dave.

Back on my television screen, the news anchor, a woman, got a concerned look on her face and wanted to know if her shoe collection counted as one thing. Of course, the "expert" gave her permission to do so.

The next portion of the interview was equally inane. During this portion, the anchor cheerily stated: "Now you can tell your kids why they can't have everything they ask for."

I sighed. It takes a recession to tell one's children to stop being greedy and selfish? I tell you this: my parents had no problem whatsoever telling me that I couldn't have everything I wanted.

The show's segment concluded with a vapid statement, uttered in soothing and silky tones, as to how this recession is teaching people to cherish non-material things.

The computer hadn't quite finished booting up, so I turned to the local section of today's Washington Post and found this, which began in the now-typical-of-news-stories fluff style that so irritates me. At least the poetic description lasted for only one paragraph:

'Hard to Put a Price Tag' On Quality of Life
More Budget Cuts in the Cards, Fairfax Grapples With Trimming Its Cherished Cultural Diversion

The 200 music fans who came to Royal Lake Park in Fairfax County on a recent Friday to hear folk singer Mike Seeger brought lawn chairs, buckets of fried chicken and the expectation of an enjoyable evening amid difficult times. They appeared to get it: A father and son tossed a football, the setting sun cast golden light and a great blue heron skimmed the lake as Seeger strummed Carter Family classics.

The taxpayer-funded event is one of many continuing in Fairfax despite the worst economic downturn in a generation -- punctuated by the news that next year will bring another round of deep cuts to schools, police, the fire department and other essential services.

As they make difficult budget choices, local leaders have struggled to strike the right balance with the smaller programs that help define their communities but become increasingly difficult to justify as the recession wears on. In many cases, they have spared the events.

Hello, local governments? It's time to tell the taxpayers, your "children," that they cannot continue buying everything they want during a recession. Maybe you local leaders need a particular kind of 100 Thing Challenge when you're working on the budget.

And, now, on to that second cup of coffee and checking the web.