Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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When the space shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry through the earth's
atmosphere on Sunday morning NZ time, the Internet burst into life.
As you'd expect, all the major news sites were quick to post "breaking news"
bulletins, pictures, streaming video and even live video feeds.
This is the Internet at its very best -- allowing people to gain instant access
to the latest news updates without having to wait for the next day's paper
or the 6pm TV news.
Check Out The Aardvark PC-Based Digital
Entertainment Centre Project
Updated 2-Dec-2002
Of course TV also responded, with CNN and BBC carrying continuous coverage
for many hours from the time of the actual disaster.
The problem with TV though, is that you end up seeing exactly the same piece
of footage screened in an almost endless loop.
Just as was the case in the Twin Towers bombing of less than 18 months ago,
TV broadcasters just kept spewing out those same few minutes of videotape
showing the shuttle breaking into several large pieces as it streaked across
the Texas skies.
Once again, the Net showed its strength. In order to get the latest updates
you didn't have to repeatedly watch seven living, breathing people with families
and friends, being torn to tiny fragments at more than 15,000 Kms/H.
So here's a big pat on the back for Internet news sites and their coverage
of this tragic event.
Unfortunately, the Net also allows the rodents and slugs that live in our
society to also make their mark at times of such sadness.
Within hours of the disaster, a number of ghoulish items began appearing
on eBay. Fortunately it seems that eBay were quick to pull down the
worst of these -- so you won't see any ads for "genuine space shuttle debris,"
which are clearly illegal and quite likely fraudulent.
However, there are no laws against exploiting the sorrow of others for financial
gain in the USA so a growing number of items bearing the words "space shuttle"
and "memorial" began to appear.
Check out what these eBay searches produce:
Maybe the USA holds itself up as the ultimate capitalist society but somehow
this feeding on the bones of a tragedy is hardly anything to be proud of
me thinks.
This was truly a day of mourning, reflection, and in a few unfortunate
cases, shame.
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value from this daily column and news index. I've gone the PayPal
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NOTE: PayPal bills in US dollars so don't accidentally donate twice
what you were intending :-)
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