"Good evening. Dr. Martin Luther King, the apostle of non-violence in the Civil Rights Movement, has been shot to death in Memphis, Tennessee. Police have issued an all-points-bulletin for a well-dressed young white man seen running from the scene. Officers also reportedly chased and fired on a radio-equipped car containing two white men."But first,"
"Veronica Noone had been a little overweight since her teens, and, like many people, had spent the better part of her life trying different diets, whatever was popular at the time.""Having a child changed that, she says. After she had her baby, she decided to lose the post-baby weight and the extra pounds she'd been carrying years before that. Dropping about 70 pounds in seven months, Noone's maintained a healthy weight for almost four years now."
9 comments:
Try to ignore the switch from color to B&W. I couldn't find a photo of Cronkite in color with the cell screen over his shoulder.
Peace,
Shannon
Four years huh? If it was five years or more, then it could be reasonably counted as permanent weight loss. Too soon right now.
I realized that probably stories like this are big news, because they are so rare. The vast majority of people don't lose that amount of weight, and can't keep it off, and there are numerious studies proving that fact. If it was "normal" it wouldn't be news. Which is so funny when you think about the standard stereoytpical rantings against a fat person: "if they just put down the donuts they'd be thin! it's so easy!!" Really? If it was so easy, why isn't everyone doing it and shedding all those pounds? And why are we making heroes out of people like Veronica Noone? Because after all, it was "just so easy" so why make a story out of someone like her? Talk about contradictory messages. Puh-leeze.
silentbeep,
Why is this even news? What's next? Am I going to get my picture on CNN.com because I got a really great haircut? How is this deserving of front page status. It's just so irritating. Even if she keeps it off for the rest of her life, IT'S NOT NEWS. CNN.com is just one big human interest site.
Peace,
Shannon
I don't think it's news, but it's put across as news because of the obesity hysteria and it's so unusual. And with the 24/7 news cycle, they are going to put whatever they can to catch their viewers' eye. Sensational, unusual, fear-laden, stereotypical-laden imagery appeals to the lowest denominator. That's my analysis ;)
IT's just because she has a popular blog. I've maintained a loss of over 100 pounds since 2001. CNN has yet to show up on my door offering me news coverage.
Of course - they probably wouldn't like to talk to me, because I'd be all full of information about how I am a statistical freak and how dieting impacts the vast majority of the population and how the media and the diet industry in this country are working together to demonize fat people just so they (the media and diet industry) can continue to rake in the bucks based on their "obesity crisis"
Screw CNN
I'm not entirely sure why it's an either/or situation.
We know that a few people's bodies will adjust enough for them to be able to keep at their lowered weight, after a weight loss diet, 95 out of 100 is not 100 out of 100%, fail.
Weight gain in the first place is invariably, spontaneous, that is, comes into effect because of no specific or unique identifiable cause.
But a)that's not enough to invest in on a population wide basis.
and, even if it was,
b)dieting fundamentally does not suit human nature
Since when has it become the law that there must be one (crap) way, which everyone has to twist themselves way out of shape to perpetuate?
Is it yet another candidate for the the bible bothering screed, there is but one truth etc?
Is there one sex, gender, sexuality, race, personality etc?
No, so why does there have to be one way of reversing weight gain-if that's what people want?
'Keeping it off' (*euphemism alert*) isn't good enough, the adjustment should be as good as the original adjustment that led to weight gain in the first place.
You know what I find most amusing about that story (I snagged the first lines from the actual article). It says, "Noone's maintained a healthy weight for almost four years now." HA!
Peace,
Shannon
JennyRose
I think the whole point of this "very important piece of news" is that if she can do it, you can do it. It is just a guilt trip for non-compliant fatties.
I used to read weight loss success stories and felt awful because if they coud do it, why did I always fail? Now I am starting to learn what really happens.
Oh yeah - having a big blog and a publicist helps too.
JennyRose,
When this story was on the front page of CNN.com, it was also the most recommended story from readers. I don't know if that's why it was the front story or if it was most recommended because it was the front story, but a news organization should be focused on NEWS not lifestyle self-congratulations. I don't want to see stories about the guy who successfully quit smoking for four years or quit drinking or stopped fucking around and got a good job. I don't care about Average Fucking Joes. I want news. I want to know the implications of the healthcare bill, not how Susie Happyface fit into her skinny jeans.
That's what really angers me. News is no longer news.
Peace,
Shannon
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