Sensationalism

[Bill Douglas]

The knife was black colored. In fact it resembled an AK47.

[Jeff Higgins]

Some of you get it, some of you don't. The ones that don't have gotten us into this mess.

[wdfifteen]

[QUOTE=masraum;11117888]sensationalism, nothing new or surprising about it really. The press is the press, so nothing new or surprising there.

/QUOTE]

It's only been 120 years or so since the term "yellow journalism" was coined. So no, nothing new here, not by a long shot.

[Rusty Heap]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Some of you get it, some of you don't. The ones that don't have gotten us into this mess.

Jeff people don't want to hear about "Mama Cat has litter of kittens, everyone okay"


The want to hear about "the Fat Lady who gets stuck to an airplane lavatory seat when it flushes"

[pavulon]

Some might add bold print to sensationalize a story.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by island911

Note to self... paint all weapons in Hello-Kitty Pink and beadazzle as needed.

Ban the anime rifles!

[wildthing]

What the hell is a military-grade knife? A new made up term like an "assault rifle"?

Oh but wait... if you Google it, it comes up with "Military and Tactical Knives" for sale. First result is of course the KA-BAR USMC, classic "military issue"... And the rest are, well, knives that I can find all around my house.

[wdfifteen]

There are all kinds of tactical gear for bad-ass wannabes (FYI - Black Friday deals on tactical pants at tacticalgear.com). It's marketed to them as "military grade" or "tactical" but if the news reports it as such, it's sensationalism. Guy buys a tactical flashlight and bashes someone over the head with it, the news reports it as such and the news is being sensationalist? How about the people selling it?

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

There are all kinds of tactical gear for bad-ass wannabes (FYI - Black Friday deals on tactical pants at tacticalgear.com). It's marketed to them as "military grade" or "tactical" but if the news reports it as such, it's sensationalism. Guy buys a tactical flashlight and bashes someone over the head with it, the news reports it as such and the news is being sensationalist? How about the people selling it?

This whole "tacti-cool" trend just plain cracks me up. Opportunistic marketing targeting fat middle aged Rambo wannabes. Jesus H. Christ, I've lost track of all of the camo clothing and "tactical" gear being peddled. What a joke. Right down to camo wallets for hunters... I'm here to tell you, if I drop my wallet out hunting, I want the god damned thing to be blaze orange, or better yet, have a flashing light on it. Maybe a siren.

So, I think we both see the absurdity of that kind of marketing, and the folly of the idiots that buy into it. I see the very same thing at play with this kind of reporting, and the folks that buy into it.

[HardDrive]

This.

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

This whole "tacti-cool" trend just plain cracks me up. Opportunistic marketing targeting fat middle aged Rambo wannabes. Jesus H. Christ, I've lost track of all of the camo clothing and "tactical" gear being peddled. What a joke. Right down to camo wallets for hunters... I'm here to tell you, if I drop my wallet out hunting, I want the god damned thing to be blaze orange, or better yet, have a flashing light on it. Maybe a siren.

So, I think we both see the absurdity of that kind of marketing, and the folly of the idiots that buy into it. I see the very same thing at play with this kind of reporting, and the folks that buy into it.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by gwood

It's legally relevant because it proves premeditation.

The fact that the knife was purchased prior, for the express purpose of killing the victim, makes it premeditated. The style, shape, color, etc is irrelevant to the premeditation.

As a reader, I find the inclusion of the style of knife relevant.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by jeff higgins

i'm here to tell you, if i drop my wallet out hunting, i want the god damned thing to be blaze orange, or better yet, have a flashing light on it. Maybe a siren.

lol!

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

There are all kinds of tactical gear for bad-ass wannabes (FYI - Black Friday deals on tactical pants at tacticalgear.com). It's marketed to them as "military grade" or "tactical" but if the news reports it as such, it's sensationalism. Guy buys a tactical flashlight and bashes someone over the head with it, the news reports it as such and the news is being sensationalist? How about the people selling it?

Where is SNIPER with his Cold-Steel Katana, doing Monkey-Rolls, when you need him?

[Superman]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Sensationalism has changed totally the way newspapers are written, and and the way the news is reported on TV.
.

Yes it has. Sensationalism is free and easy to get and deliberately made as addictive as possible, while objective news information is much harder to find. This is a problem. I started a nearby thread about a documentary on this.

[wildthing]

When it bleeds, it leads.

After all, more eyeballs, more advertisers.

[Ayles]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I'm not sure what to think about this...

This tragic story popped up in our local news today. Some poor woman was stabbed to death by some deranged lunatic. A totally senseless act, one that has undoubtedly affected many lives.

So, why on earth would the prosecutor and then the press feel the need to describe the weapon, a knife, as a "military-blade knife"?

This strikes me as really bizarre. Just plain unwarranted sensationalism. Is this where we are at these days? First it was "military grade assault rifles" and now it's going to be "military grade knives"? Would she be less dead if it were a butcher knife, or a hunting knife, or a Swiss Army knife?

https://komonews.com/news/local/man-in-fatal-belltown-stabbing-held-on-1m-bond-after-being-charged-with-murder

Belltown stabbing suspect used military-blade knife to kill caseworker, documents say

SEATTLE — The man accused of fatally stabbing a caseworker earlier this week at a Belltown apartment building was formally charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection with the death of the woman who was stabbed 12 times by a military-grade knife.

Hans Dewey Van-Belkum, 58, was being held at the King County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond in connection with the death of Kristin Benson, who worked at the Scargo-Lewiston apartment building. She was found dead shortly before 11 a.m. by police and medics who were called to the building, located near 1st Avenue and Blanchard Street, for a report of a stabbing...

...According to court documents, prosecutors said Van-Belkum allegedly used a "military-grade weapon of death apparently purchased specifically to kill Ms. Benson."

Too funny! I bought one of these knives at Ed's Surplus 30 years ago

[Rikao4]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Where is SNIPER with his Cold-Steel Katana, doing Monkey-Rolls, when you need him?

he's looking at his orange wallet muttering..
wtf....
rubbing her a$$..

Rika

[jyl]

I figure he is doing time for pimping by now.

[Dan J]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

i suppose it is possible that the knife was military grade . Maybe it was purchased from a army/navy or similar type store . I have no problem with facts being reported by the news .

However it is also possible that the addition of the term " military grade " spiced up the story . If that is the case that is wrong . Either way it is a trajjic way for an innocent person to lose their life

+911

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Ayles

Too funny! I bought one of these knives at Ed's Surplus 30 years ago

Man, I really miss Ed's Surplus. Everything they sold was "military grade", I guess. My go-to hunting and snow pants were their German Army surplus woolies, with the big cargo pockets. They were like twelve bucks a pair, warm as hell, and lasted forever. I still have a couple of pairs. Plain old green, though, so probably not "tacti-cool" enough these days. Oh, and their surplus British Army wool sweaters were the schiz, too.