MSM is in a weird spot with Haiti coverage now. I have to give them credit, they did a great job covering this one, probably motivated somewhat by their terrible Iran coverage last year. The problem now, though, is that media consumers are pretty much burnt out on the stories, having had their fill of death and destruction. Not to mention that rebuilding isn't particularly interesting to read about. So keep an eye out for a spate of odd-thing stories now as MSM tries to stay interested, for example CNN's "There's an AP for that" (laugh track laughter) story about the man who survived because he had an app on his iPhone for taking care of wounds . According to Gawker this morning, now that the media saturation point has hit, CBS is getting the hell out right now due to lack of interest.

You can also expect a glut of free publicity for whatever the hell Apple is announcing Wednesday (probably the iPad) as "online interest" hits "fever pitch". Otherwise, some good headlines last week (good job, submitters), and this week's Fark Betting Line for your betting pleasure:


- Coverage on Haiti switches from "damn, they're boned" to "let's fly back and ask Haitians in the U.S. what they think about all of this" (4:1)

- Media runs out of Super Bowl matchup strategy discussions to talk about by Wednesday, will switch focus to "Aftermath of Katrina" stories about how great this is for the people of New Orleans (3:1)

- Apple unveils the latest, greatest, most awesomest thing that was ever conceived by mankind since the wheel, beer, sliced bread and bacon (2:1)

- Competing tech company says, "Hey, we pretty much invented that same thing in 2008..." before being captured and dismembered by Apple's crack Hyperbole Commando Team (12:1)

- Repeat from last week, but it's bound to happen: Shaky-cam live footage of a cliff residence sliding down into a pile of rubble after the rain-saturated footings give way (3:1)

- Favre retirement discussion begins. Bonus if they show pics of Favre's face in pain as the Saints defenders climb off his ribs (5:1)

- Entertainment media downshifts to Defcon 2 to cover every conceivable angle of the rumor of the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie breakup (3:2)

- Jolie tries to divert attention away from relationship questions by adopting the entire country of Haiti (59:1)

- After heated negotiations with the network, Jay Leno slides into slot previously occupied by Brad Pitt (27:1)

- Kobe Bryant and President Obama play a pickup game behind the White House after the Lakers meet with the President (6:1)

- Kobe dunks on Obama, in the first known incident of an NBA player posterizing a sitting President (15:1)

Headlines Of The Week for Sun 2010-01-17 to Sat 2010-01-23:

  Husbands get more benefit from marriage than wives, such as a valuable, constant stream of constructive criticism    

  There were no rubber friction treads to keep her from slipping, explained the bus driver with a blank stair    

  Group wants to build male Statue of Liberty. Erection to cost 150 million    

  Comcast employee stabbed in neck, rushed to hospital, surgery scheduled for next Tuesday sometime between 8am and 5pm    

  A trend no one saw coming: Braille literacy on decline    

  Liberian torture victims scarred for life, have yet to pay off late fees    

  A year with Japanese snow monkeys. You've never seen so many amazing pictures of macaque    

  Canada's ambassador to Iran from 1977-1980, who saved US embassy personnel during the Iranian Revolution, was actually a spy for the CI eh    

  Naked woman withdrawn from bank in Farmington after collecting crazy interest    

  28-year-old woman arrested for doing her job as a youth the rapist    

  The office copier turns 50. The office copier turns 50. The office copier turns 50. The office copier turns 50. The office copier turns 50. The office copier turns 50. The office copier turns 50. The office copier tur *CALL KEY OPERATOR*  


Sports:

  "Asked how he feels about the contact he'll have with open wheel media star Danica Patrick, (Kyle) Busch says: "Right now it will only be when I lap her." That's a slip of the tongue    

  Gaines Adams died from a thickening of his left ventricle, explains doctor half-heartedly    

  Coffey and Brewers agree on fair trade    


Geek:

  Researchers say bacteria have complex decision-making abilities. Right. They say that about Congress, too    

  In the mid 80's, scientists transmitted the sounds of vaginal contractions towards neighbouring star systems. It is unclear what sort of reply we should expect, but it's sure to come hard and fast    

  Computers cannot replace scientific thinking, says obsolete bag of meat    


Showbiz:

  Fox readying U.S. version of "Torchwood": Meh. Written by Russell Davies: Well that's cool. Starring John Barrowman: My pants are completely off    

  Heidi Montag says she is "not addicted" to plastic surgery, much in the same way that Amy Winehouse is merely a "crack aficionado"    

  Kristen Bell injured while filming When in Rome. Italy is sorry it couldn't find the right words to say    


Politics:

  NY governor David Paterson caught kissing woman that's not his wife. Paterson denies he's been seeing the woman    

  With Brown's victory, odds of health care reform have been downgraded to somewhere between "Cubs win World Series" and "Submitter gets a girlfriend"    

  Pulitzer Board denies National Enquirer prize for Edwards scoop, already awarded Pulitzer to Obama for presidential memoir he hasn't written yet    


Music:

  Kelly Rowland claims that Destiny's Child could reunite. The person she was speaking with smiled politely, thanked her, and took his Big Mac and coffee into the dining area    

  Soul Asylum is selling all their gear on Craigslist. It's expected to sell quickly to people who want to prevent Soul Asylum from ever using it again    

  Radiohead to play for Haiti, which is great because after what happened, those people could really use a nice, long nap    


Business:

  DVR-proof commercial will prevent fast-forwarding, according to its creator, Hitler, Stalin and Dahmer Advertising Inc    

  With the hedge fund center hit by 5.8 quake, no one certain if banks will go into de fault    

  Hulu considers $5 monthly fee for older episodes. Who would pay $5 a month for content that they can get for free?    
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