Video Game Addiction, The CIA Airs Its Dirty Laundry, and Angelina in Brown Face
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"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.
Credit: AP
Can't Make Me!
Luke was notably absent today, but with good reason. He'll be a panelist on this weekend's edition of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!. Tune in!
During our morning meeting everyone had to speak up, literally and figuratively, or else be drowned out by the GMA concert in Bryant Park. Honestly, nine floors up we could hear those 'tweens screaming their little hearts out. Speaking of screaming, a couple was slapped with a summons because their five-year-old was squawking in public. Dick Cheney rarely squawks. Or talks. Or releases records when asked. And Jason Giambi is going to do a lot of talking after agreeing to speak to officials about steroids. And I have a lot to say about Angelina Jolie cast as Marianne Pearl. All this and more...after the jump.
NEWSCAST: The Bush Administration may consider closing Gitmo (segment on this as well), the Senate passes a new energy bill, the shuttle will attempt another landing, the Utah couple accused of kidnapping their daughter to keep her from getting hitched rejects a plea deal and will go to trial, New Jersey lawmakers put forth a bill that would allocate $450 million over 10 years for stem cell research, a Long Island family is vindicated after being slapped with a summons because their kids were too loud, the CIA will release 700 pages of documents described as "unflattering" (read: involving assassinations), and in our iPhone Story du Jour, AT&T has hired an extra 2000 workers in anticipation of the phone's release.
NO MO GITMO: After reports surfaced on the AP wires that the Bush Administration was close to shutting down the detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay, a White House spokesperson denied it.
After an evening of debating semantics (like the definition of "scheduled," "meeting," and "decision") it was revealed that some kind of meeting about the issue was planned for today, but had been cancelled. There are 375 detainees at Gitmo, including the man who allegedly orchestrated the September 11th terrorist attacks. So what's next? Why was this meeting scuttled? Why did the White House shoot down the story so hard and so fast? The BPP investigates.
JUST ONE MORE LEVEL, I SWEAR: A group of the nation's doctors wants video game addiction to be listed as a psychiatric disorder in the next mental illness manual published by the American Psychiatric Association. The claim will be presented at an annual medical association policy meeting tomorrow. The report claims that this kind of dependence is rare but real. There have been reported cases of kids who haven't showered or slept and have become completely isolated due to video game addiction. So what is this really about? Insurance coverage? Video game manufacturers are going on the defensive, saying it's hooey, as do some psychiatrists. We'd talk to all sides, including someone from Online Gamers Anonymous, a group for people out there who are a little too friendly with Super Mario.
THAT'S IF YOU CAN BUY THE GAME YOU WANT: After a period of intense debate about violence levels, release of Manhunt 2 has been suspended. The game, in which a psychotic man escapes a mental ward and then kills his enemies, was banned in the UK due its violence. Manhunt 2 was given an Adult Only rating in the US, which means some of the big box stores won't carry it, and Nintendo and Sony won't put it on their systems. Will the creators change the game to make it less violent to get it on shelves? Will they draw a line in the sand? Should they? Isn't this America, where I can watch as many disgusting, superviolent, over-the-top fake decapitations as I want? Is this a form of censorship?
A NON CHATTY CHENEY: Since 2002, the Vice President's office has said it will not hand over certain documents requested by the House Oversight Committee. Mr. Cheney's office says it's exempt from the rules because he's not strictly part of the executive branch. Peter Baker has written a good piece in the Washington Post about all this. He's a great interview and would be on our guest list today. Among the many questions--Why is Mr. Cheney so secretive? Does his non-executive branch argument hold water? And what's next?
SAY IT LOUD, I'M ___ AND I'M PROUD: From Chicago to Atlanta it'll be a rainbow-riffic weekend, as gay pride parades pass through many cities. A gay friend of mine says he doesn't like pride weekend because all you see on TV are guys in hot pants with fruit on their heads. He's a writer who wants to live his life and wants to exercise his rights by voting for gay-friendly candidates rather than hitting the clubs Saturday. For many groups that have had to fight for rights in the past, parades like this have been a source of celebration and political activism. However, some communities have suggested it's time to stop fighting like it's the 1960-70's. The BPP is a virtual rainbow coalition all by ourselves (no pun intended), so we put it up for debate. Are 'fill in the blank' pride parades and rallies still needed, or is there a better way to say, "We're here, we're queer, or Latino, or women, or blind, etc.?"
WHY ANGELINA JOLIE IS NOT THAT COOL: The Academy Award winner's new movie, A Mighty Heart, is receiving good reviews. It's based on the true story of journalist Daniel Pearl, who was murdered by insurgents in Pakistan, and his pregnant wife's bravery in living through the ordeal and searching for the truth. Angelina may get an Oscar for playing the real life Marianne Pearl, who is Afro-Cuban and Dutch and clearly is a woman of color. Okay---Rosario Dawson on line two? Thandie Newton on line three? Nia Long on line four? Maya Rudolph on line five? Oscar winner Halle Berry might just make the visit in person. All these actresses, who are actually of African or Cuban decent and who would not need brown makeup or a fright wig to play a character, didn't get to play the part. Think about it--How many roles of depth and importance are there for women of color in modern movies? Jolie could have used her star power to produce the movie for one of these well-deserving gals rather than cast herself. There are ways to help people of color other than adopting them. And I'm not the only one who noticed.
WEEK IN IRAQ: As we develop the show, we really want to help put the world in context. We all know the importance of the events in Iraq, and with that in mind we'll aim to do a weekly wrap up of the week's events in Iraq and figure out what they mean for the big picture. Fifteen US solidiers have died since Tuesday, at least 78 Iraqis dead in a Shiite mosque bombing in Baghdad, and the US launches an offensive in Diyala and kills 68 insurgents. We'll check in with reporters in the region and policy people on a regular basis.
12:54 PM ET | 06-22-2007 | permalink
