Ivory Tower

     Today we start with a music dedication for Paris, Nicole, Britney, Lindsay and all the other celebutants whose antics keep us entertained and take our minds off the real news of the day: “Frank Sinatra” by Miss Kittin & The Hacker. Sample lyrics: “Every night with my star friends we eat caviar and drink champagne, sniffing in the VIP area. … To be famous is so nice. …”

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     Media commentators often are accused of pontificating from ivory towers, meaning that they are up high in unapproachable chambers and divorced from the real world.

     That’s hardly the case, however. As proxies for the public we constantly find ourselves at Ground Zero, in the middle of whatever is happing on a given day, be it pleasant or disturbing. In order to see and report what really happens, we head out to wonderful concerts and sporting events, and not-so-wonderful crime scenes and local commission meetings. We see the best, and the worst, of humanity, often just moments apart from each other.

     Setting up in a tower offers choices, and it’s up to the resident to determine which choice to make. Yet, it can separate one from the rest of the world that has to eke out a living below. But that’s not what we’re about. A tower can also offer a vantage point from where one can try to see a larger, more objective view, safe from the pressures and repercussions that might influence our statements. This is what we hope to provide with this list — see the world as it evolves, and ask and answer the critical questions of “So what?” and “Why should we care?”

     This tower has plenty of windows and the door’s always open. All are invited to observe and comment on what you see, both in the world below and even within the tower itself. All we ask is that each person offer the same respect to others that he expects to receive.

     So come on in and catch the view from the ivory tower. Let us know what you see. And when you’re dealing with reality at Ground Zero, just remember: you won’t be alone.