The Star Tribune has issued a red alert warning for all men made of straw in the 7-county metro area. According to official reports, there is an assailant now at-large threatening to deliver periodic and repeated attacks, beatings, and potentially immolation of citizens of straw-based ancestry.
The suspect has been identified as one Mark Andrew, and his first straw man attack was featured in his inaugural post as one of the Star Tribune’s new “improved” and “high profile” Your Voices bloggers.
I'm interested in the relationship between media and public policy--how media coverage, such as it is, affects public attitudes on issues of our time. Is the media really too liberal or is CNN and MSNBC's reach dwarfed by the impact of FOX and the Murdock media conglomerate?
In addition to the grave danger presented to straw men with each and every Mark Andrew post, also considered at risk are second tier and artisanal brands of mustard:
The illusion of choice mimics real choice; time-strapped consumers default to media flavors that reflect personal views or offers high calorie, low nourshment entertainment that is a little too shrill or just plain dumb. I dont need 15 brands of mustard on my grocery shelf. 3 or 4 are plenty.
However, balancing these risks are the expected benefit to and proliferation of cherry pickers and red herrings.
This suspect is considered extremely dangerous. If Mark Andrew is seen in the vicinity of your Internet browser, please step away from your computer and contact the authorities immediately.
