Friday, April 17, 2009

Time capsule "journalism"

Today's Dagbladet (paper version) featured the cover story about how young girls use drugs to slim down ("Unge jenter doper seg slank"). Specifically, they were referring to the use of ephedrine as a thermogenic aid. Whichever journalism school flunkie was in charge of this "story" also detailed possible side effects, including dizzyness and nausea.

Somehow, the "journalists" in Dagbladet made the judgment call that this was recent news, despite - for example - ephedrine and ephedra-based supplements have been used as over-the-counter weight-loss aids Stateside until about five years ago. In other words; ephedrine-based supplements have been used for this exact purpose for a LONG time, and seeing as how young girls are among the population segments most likely to use such supplements, this has been going on for a long, long time. The reason ephedrine-based supplements like Xenadrine and the mother of them all - Hydroxycut - were banned was that a number of people dropped dead. So neither the use nor the possible detrimental effects are news.

Does it mean that said journalist just learned of this, or because nothing else of consequence happened in the world since yesterday? I hardly think the latter is true, and so we're stuck with what's behind door number one. Hey Jimmy Olsen; I've got some possible scoops for you:
  • Teenagers often drink alcohol even though they're too young to legally do so. Sometimes they even go into alcoholic shock and need to get their stomachs pumped. Side effects include headache, nausea, memory loss and impaired motor and cognitive function.
  • Kids down to junior high school level smoke cigarettes and use other nicotine products - even before the legal age. Nicotine has a number of detrimental side effects, including but not limited to reduced blood circulation and all manner of respiratory problems.
  • In some cities and rural areas, kids as well as adults indulge in home-made alcohol known as moonshine, "heimert" or "hjæmmbrænnt". In addition to the possible side effects of alcohol mentioned above, moonshine carries the additional risk of potential toxic biproducts of the destillation, which can lead to a number of serious problems such as shutting down kidney function.
  • A new drug called exctacy has caused a number of deaths at underground dance parties known as "rave parties" - a new phenomenon that just reached Norwegian shores.
  • 18-25 year old males have more frequently occurring traffic accidents than other population segments.
  • Kids down to early teens of both genders use anabolic steroids in order to build muscle and shed fat.
  • Pro wrestling matches have predetermined winners.
  • Martin Luther King just got shot in Memphis, Tennessee.
More and more I'm losing faith in news "journalism". Of course; Dagbladet is also the newspaper who came up with the brilliant idea of featuring large photos of political editor Marie Simonsen in various poses on the back cover. I don't really see that this strategy is going to sell more copies or improve Simonsen's credibility, but whatever floats their boat.

12 comments:

Anders said...

I'm sadden to hear about the loss of Dr. King. He's been a great inspiration for me, and I've been following him closely. Sad, but not so sad that I'm not going out for the rave party tonight. I'm sure a couple of exctacy pills and this new drink called "hooch" will help me get over it.
:-)

Yeah, sometimes journalists are the most up to date. But, without having read Dagbladet today, I would assume that reason the article was published was more "a slow news weekend" and "teenage girls/ illegal drugs/ body fixation always sell" then incompetence from the journalist. Though I would write of the latter completely...

Wilhelm said...

..hooch.....you know you can't get that stuff no more, right?

Anders said...

Are you saying that the only odd thing in that paragraph is that Hooch is off the marked? The rest would be something I would say and do? Btw, I don't think I ever bought a bottle of that alcohol-loaded syrup.

So, what are creepy men buying to get underage girls drunk these days then?

Wilhelm said...

The rest would be something I would say and do?

Absolutely, bro

Btw, I don't think I ever bought a bottle of that alcohol-loaded syrup.

I actually liked Hooch. Then again, I also like Kir Royal and rose wine, so maybe I oughta' shut up now...

So, what are creepy men buying to get underage girls drunk these days then?

...hell if I know, but I do know that there's a place called "Frakken" in Trondheim where every male customer would know the answer to this question

Anders said...

I actually liked Hooch. Then again, I also like Kir Royal and rose wine, so maybe I oughta' shut up now...

And Peach Canei. Who doesn't like peach, right?

...hell if I know, but I do know that there's a place called "Frakken" in Trondheim where every male customer would know the answer to this question

That's an... "interesting" choice for a bar name...

Wilhelm said...

And Peach Canei. Who doesn't like peach, right?

Worst part is...someone purchased that bottle for me although I specifically asked said person to buy red wine.....

That's an... "interesting" choice for a bar name...

Innit' though....stereotype hellhole is what it is

Anders said...

Worst part is...someone purchased that bottle for me although I specifically asked said person to buy red wine.....

Did you ask for a light red wine with a hint of fruit? If so, considering the pink is just red on the pale side of the scale, I'm willing to at least say that said person got it more then half way right...
;-)

Wilhelm said...

..not really complaining, seeing as how I enjoy fruity and wussy drinks. Just got really surprised when I opened the bag at the party I was going to and expected there to be red wine

Anders said...

Well, at least it made a memorable moment.
:-D

Wilhelm said...

...true that....were you there? I can't remember.....Peach Canei may be a wussy drink, but it still has alcohol in it

Anders said...

If you remember it, you weren't there...
;-)

In your defence, I don't think you drank the PC.

Wilhelm said...

..so I brought the PC but got drunk off of something else? That's some game