RE: West Warwick Fire - yellow journalism

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@shoreham.net>]

Aaron writes:\
> Man, if NPR is this sensational I can only shudder to think
> how bad Fox
> news is...

BBC World Service is going with body count as "around sixty" and the
numbers are in the mid 80s.  The anchor (Owen) pressing a local as to
why "the law hasn't changed" regarding sprinker systems not in the code
for a venue that size (sixty by thirty meters).  The pol. being
interviewed just updated the host on the 86 figure.

I don't think body counts are a minor aspect to this story.  I also
think that stories such as this must be considered within a larger
context: sabre rattling on Iraq, the fuel fire on Staten Island this
morning, and the recent blizzard.  That, coupled with the Chicago club
deaths by fire four days ago,  and it's amazing that the Big 3
maintained restraint.

Bill O'Neill