I like the idea of CNN’s breaking news service. When there’s news that’s significant and urgent, CNN sends me an email to let me know. Thus has email replaced PointCast as the “push” technology of choice for me.

So, yesterday is September 11. In addition to the grief, occasionally overwhelmed by the beating of the war drums, there was the “heightened state of alertness” posted by everyone’s favorite bluegrass group, Tom Ridge and the DC Fear Boys. So, when an email came from cnn.com with the subject line “Breaking news!,” I tore it open expecting to read about a new outrage or calamity.

It was with more peevedness than relief that I learned that the urgent, significant news was that Johnny Unitas had passed peacefully from us. I should have known: cnn.com’s news alerts routinely are trivial, no-need-to-know items with no long- or short-term bearing on my life.

What next? “Britney Reunites with Justin!”? Stop the presses! “Jack Welch Had Another Affair!”? Hold my calls! “Matt Lauer Regrets Haircut!”? Alert the media! Oh, wait, you are the media.

Oh, please.

And, no, there is no way to set preferences at cnn.com for this “service.”

Categories: Uncategorized dw