Tim Russert: Enough Already!
Nancy Morgan
RightBias.com
June 14, 2008
NBC's Tim Russert died of a heart attack on Friday. Only the deaf, dumb and blind can be unaware of this fact. Ever since the unfortunate death of one of the major players in the field of media and politics, non-stop media coverage has drummed this fact home to millions of Americans. Enough, already.
This media coverage, still going strong, is becoming quite unseemly. Granted, Russert seemed an affable, good man. I could see this in his eyes the few times I saw him on television. Granted, his death was a shock. A shock that affected me personally, even though I never met the man, as it rudely reminded me of the fragility of life and the importance of time. He died too soon, and if it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone. Life is not fair.
That said, the continuing coverage of his death has turned into a circus. It is no longer about Tim Russert.
In a frantic rush to burnish their own social credentials, scores of B and C list players are desperately maneuvering to get coveted national face time. "Tim was a good friend of mine" is the pass word of the day as the networks fill hour after hour with the burnished recollections of has-beens, wanna-bes and actual sorrowing friends.
These tales, the cute stories, the hitherto unknown tidbits issuing forth ad naseum are less about Tim Russert than about the blind scramble by hangers-on to be considered part of the story, to be considered 'still relevant' by virtue of their association with a beloved media figure.
The coverage of Russert's death has ceased being about celebrating the life and mourning the death of Tim Russert. Instead, it has evolved into a platform designed to assure fragile egos that they, the media, are still relevant. Every morning talk show, every channel on every network is indulging in a mass celebration of their own importance. And they're using Tim Russert's death to do it.
This orgy of sentiment feels wrong to this writer. Sincere feelings of loss and sadness are to be expected when a respected personage dies before his time. But the orchestrated outpouring currently monopolizing the airwaves is saying more about the media itself than the death of Russert.
The rush to televise what should normally be private feelings of loss has cheapened Russert's passing. Just as it cheapens every celebrity who decided to use his passing to bolster their own credentials.
If I had been lucky enough to have known Russert personally and been his friend, I would hesitate to make hay from his death. I most certainly wouldn't use a personal tragedy to assure myself and the nation that I'm special by virtue of being part of his circle. Color me old fashioned.
I'd put my ego on hold out of respect. Respect for a man who accomplished much. Respect for a man who valued family and tried to be the best he could be. That's all I know about Tim Russert. The cute stories and humble monologues from Russert's supposed friends and colleagues tell me more than I want to know about them.
I'll remember Tim Russert because of the look in his eye. He looked happy and at ease with himself and the world. That is one of life's most important achievements. I'm sad for him and his family. His family that is rightly doing their mourning in private.
by Nancy Morgan
Nancy Morgan is a columnist and a news editor for RightBias.com
She lives in South Carolina, where she writes "Culture Watch" weekly, as well as other articles.
images: cnet; smh
"The best aphrodisiac is loving your partner".--Stefan Anitei, Science Editor, Softpedia One man's search for the enhanced sexual performance and desire that only an aphrodisiac can give, ended with death instead of desire. Now New York health officials are warning residents to refrain from an illegal aphrodisiac made from--toad venom? What won't humans do for love and sex? The alert went out Friday after New York City's poison control center received a report from an area hospital that a 35-year-old man had died earlier this month after ingesting a small chunk of the hard, brown substance.
The product is sold at sex shops and neighborhood stores under names including Piedra, Love Stone, Jamaican Stone, Black Stone and Chinese Rock. It is banned by the Food and Drug Administration, but shipments from overseas suppliers still occasionally slip past customs.  According to Wikipedia: An aphrodisiac is an agent which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable. However, from a historical and scientific standpoint, the alleged results may have been mainly due to mere belief by their users that they would be effective (i.e., the placebo effect). In particular, medical science has not substantiated claims that any particular food increases sexual desire or performance. The most famous of aphrodisiacs is probably "Spanish fly". Made from crushed beetles, more than a little can kill a human. It works--on farm animals--by irritating the mucous glands, creating an urge to scratch the itch with sex. If sex is what one thinks of when their mucous glands are afire, then "Spanish fly" might be the Ticket to Paradise.  Some of the many substances considered by people as useful in increasing sexual desire are listed below. * Arugula (Rocket) (Eruca sativa) * Chocolate * Damiana (Turnera diffusa) * Epimedium grandiflorum (Horny Goat Weed) * Ginkgo biloba * Ginseng * Kelp Kelp? Powdered rhino horn, oysters and yohimbe bark are also big--so to speak--on aphrodisiac lists. Alcohol, porn and money were also mentioned--most frequently by teen-age boys with the car keys on a Friday night. Back to the New York aphrodisiac warning. Buyers may have no idea they are dealing with anything illegal or dangerous. The various types of ``stone'' are often sold packaged in plastic, with a barcode, a price tag and official-looking instructions for use.
City health officials said the 35-year-old victim developed an abnormal heart rhythm after eating some ``Piedra'' he purchased at a neighborhood store.
He was admitted to the hospital complaining of chest and abdominal pain. Doctors recognized the problem and treated him for two days but couldn't save his life. His name was not released.
Health officials say the culprit was a hardened resin, made at least partly from venom collected from toads of the Bufo genus, containing chemicals known as bufadienolides that can disrupt heart rhythms. The aphrodisiac was supposed to have been applied to the skin, not eaten, but authorities said even that use can be harmful. In case anyone is thinking, "But, I'll bet there's a safe way to do that," one poison control official had a few cautionary words. ``There is no definitely safe way to use it,'' said Dr. Robert Hoffman, director of the city's poison control center.
``Don't buy it. Don't sell it. If you have it, don't use it. Throw it out.'' Our advice to anyone thinking of buying black-market "aphrodisiacs": DON'T. The New York man is only the latest in a long line of deaths associated with the pursuit of pleasure that aphrodisiacs promise. If one is determined to pursue pleasure, a word to the wise: Rent a XXX movie. by Mondorebhat tip: Roxanne of WCBSNewsRadio880Source: * Aphrodisiac Kills New York Man* Aphrodisiac* seasonedwithlove* midaswelby* Aphrodisiacs: Between Bogus and Reality* Let's Get it On: The Ten Best Aphrodisiacs
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