This is News?

I usually have the morning news on from about 6:30 to 8:00 so I can hear the weather and get up to date on what is going on in the world. I usually watch NBC, mostly out of habit. The Today Show always has its "hard-hitting" news on during the first half hour, if not the full first hour, depending on the day. But this morning, apparently there is nothing serious happening in the world because, after the lead story of more troop deaths in Iraq, the next three stories were (1) the winner of American Idol - Jordin Sparks; (2) the fight between Rosie O'Donnell and the dumb blonde on The View; and (3) a continued interview with Angelina Jolie.

This qualifies as news? In a week where Congress and the president are battling over Iraq funding, more soldiers are killed in a senseless "war," the Justice Department is slowly imploding, Hillary Clinton has been urged to bypass Iowa (not good, Hillary, not good), and gas prices continue to rise while oil companies continue to reap the rewards, NBC leads with news from two other networks and a movie star??

Don't get me wrong. I like Jordin Sparks, the girl can really sing. I love Rosie O'Donnell and her politics and I wish she would have just bitch-slapped the dumb blonde and then sat on her to shut her up. I think Angelina Jolie is somewhat irritating, but I think she has done some incredible things in the last few years. All good stories, but not hard-hitting, national news items.

I think my time would have been better spent watching Sesame Street. At least then I would know what the letter of the day was.