Monsoon Dreading

The other morning, on the local news, one of the anchors casually commented that she could hardly wait until monsoon season arrives, knowing that with it would surely come a welcome period of cooling rain.

Well, monsoon season is here and you'd think -- by the news coverage it's getting -- that the polar ice caps were melting or a meteor was heading our way. "Monsoon 2004: Preparing Arizona" emblazoned across the TV screen like an evacuation alert, interrupting TV shows with mock urgency.

If this was India or China where a monsoon could wipe out an entire population, I'd be worried. But in Arizona, the monsoon season is just another word for double-digit humidity. A rarity, but by no means a catastrophe.

It amazes me how attitudes on the anchor desk change so drastically in just a matter of days. Well, actually, no it doesn't. I've come to expect this kind of blatant manipulation in the name of market share. But couldn't they find a more compelling topic?

Hey Mr. News Producer: Didn't anyone ever tell you that the weather is something you talk about when you've got nothing interesting to say?