Thank you all for pointing out that KGUN decided to run a follow-up story on the “darker side” of Craigslist and gay-sex dates in public parks. In that revision, KGUN news personalities gave themselves credit for doing a piece they believe was “edgy” and caused “controversy.” The Weekly didn’t find the story edgy or controversial; we just thought it was “bad.”

“We told you about these: 262 arrests last year for various sex acts in public,” KGUN reporter/anchor Jennifer Waddell said in her follow-up. Actually, she told us about arrests and held up a stack of papers in the original story, but she didn’t tell us how many were in that stack. We came down on her for that, because specific details (aka facts) make the story. It’s duplicitous for her to word the follow-up so that it seemed like she included that essential information in the first place. (By the way, the original KGUN story has been removed from the station’s Web site.)

Still, even with precise arrest numbers for “various sex acts in public” last year, the connection between some or all of those 262 arrests and Craigslist (once again, we don’t know exact numbers) is murky at best. Overall, we agreed with KGUN viewer Keith Humphrey when he said Waddell hadn’t made a persuasive case linking Craigslist, gay men and public parks as “an imminent danger to people and their families.”

The Weekly spoke with Officer Dallas Wilson, who handles public information requests for Tucson Police Department. He talked to a vice sergeant, who told him that acts of gay sex in public restrooms are “a prevalent problem,” adding that they only investigate when they get specific complaints.

“I don’t think we’re getting constant complaints, no,” Wilson said.

He also told the Weekly that there was no evidence showing that the frequency of such acts has increased. “But it does go on,” he said.

No doubt it goes on – just like it goes on in any city of any size in the United States. That doesn’t make it right, but that also doesn’t make it a cause for exaggerated concern. Curiously, in the original story, Waddell drew a tacit comparison between (straight?) teenagers humping in mom-and-pop’s car (that’s OK!), and adult men doing “dirty deeds in the desert” (not OK!).

What about these women and children, who were mentioned in Waddell’s opening and closing remarks in the first story? We don’t hear a single word about their sex acts in the follow-up, either. Why is the story only about gay men, if she said herself that all kinds of people have public sex? How many of these 262 arrests were for heterosexual or lesbian sex, and where were they caught?

KGUN seems to have missed the point about the story. Many people aren’t upset because they raised an uncomfortable, but important, issue. They’re upset because they put out a sensationalistic, half-assed product – ostensibly to score in the ratings. (For more on that, read a 1998 article in The Advocate.) Whether they meant to or not, their carelessness perpetuated the stereotype that gay men live to get off in bathrooms and other public places, just as Kent Burbank, executive director for LGBT community center Wingspan, has claimed.

KGUN wouldn’t even talk about the problems with their original story. Now, they’re going around claiming the piece was a thoughtful example of investigative journalism that simply ruffled a few feathers because of its salience.

It’s just not so, KGUN 9.

I've been using the same computer here at Weekly World Central for about three years or so, give or take several months. To my knowledge, I have not updated anything or loaded anything new onto my computer in months, yet all of a sudden, that damn Microsoft Word paper clip has started showing up and asking me inane questions.

I think this video, which I found on the internets, sums up my feelings quite nicely. This, too.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like KGUN 9 has removed the link to Jennifer Waddell's gay-sex piece, which I wrote about in this week's issue. What a weasely thing to do, if that's actually the case.

Don't get me wrong, the story was campy dreck and deserved to be incinerated. But they wouldn't even discuss with me whether it met all their standards for journalistic excellence. It makes me wonder why they broadcast it in the first place, if they can't stand by it after the fact.

I feel like I have to defend Anna Nicole Smith, even though I’ve obviously never known her personally. A lot of her obituaries have a snarky undertone to them, and that irks me.

I guess I had a completely negative impression of Smith up until I started watching The Anna Nicole Show. There was a fair amount of cringe-worthy material in that program, for sure— especially the episode where her toothless cousin Shelly comes from Texas to hit her up for money. (It’s one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever watched on TV.) But I also saw a side of her that reminded me of the girls I hung out with as a teenager: She was earthy, straightforward and she just didn’t give a damn about what people thought.

Some have wondered why Anna Nicole’s demise is such big news. Well, her life—particularly in the past five months—has been tragically fascinating, and her death certainly comes as a shock. I’ve read quotes from people who knew her that indicate she was devastated when her son passed away just five short months ago, something like a day after giving birth to a girl.

“Can you imagine to lose a boy right after you give birth to a girl?” mused Larry King, who has always been very complimentary about Smith, on CNN yesterday. “I couldn’t fathom that. I could not fathom how she went on.”

Daniel, her son, was always so shy on Anna Nicole’s reality-TV program, but in the few interactions they had on camera, you could tell they loved each other very much. She had him when she was, what—18, 19? In a way, they grew up together, and I’m sure he was something constant in her topsy-turvy world.

I know we live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, and hearing about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan all the time gets on my nerves as much as the next guy. But there was always something more approachable, more vulnerable and more human about Anna Nicole Smith. Hers is the type of death that makes you pause and wonder about life.

Helo stopped by the Viper Den last night to catch up with the episodes of Battlestar Galactica he'd missed since the move to Sunday night last month. Unfortunately, TiVo had gone ahead and erased the second episode of the second half of the season--frakin' toaster!--but the first one, "Rapture," was a delight, bringing resolution to the first half of the season and setting up the storylines that will bring S3 to a close. Helo liked it so much he scurried home to buy the next episode, "Taking a Break From All Your Worries," from the iTunes Music Store.

Since I don't want to spoil anything for all the Blog readers who will be rushing out to buy the DVD after my review, I'll just say this: I love, love, love what we've seen with Baltar in these first two episodes this season, though I'm not sure how he'll cheat death this time; I love that we're seeing Chip Six again; I'm really tired of the Starbuck/Apollo/Dee/Sam quadrangular relationship; and I'm so looking forward to the upcoming trial.

Gotta say, tho: The deleted scene from "Taking a Break From All Your Worries" between Roslyn and Caprica 6--available at scifi.com after the original broadcast--really should have been in the episode. Particularly tasty was Rosyln's reaction to learning Caprica's name.

By the way, the best commentary on Galactica--and most everything else worth watching on TV--can be found at televisionwithoutpity.com.

As I was flying around the house trying to get ready to go out and meet some friends for dinner, I heard Brian Williams on NBC Nightly News say that every major network today interrupted its programming to announce the death of Anna Nicole Smith.

Why?

I think it would be more meaningful to interrupt programming every time a soldier was killed in Iraq. The war would be history by now.

Here are some events that were received too late to be included in our print issue:

• Saturday, Feb. 10 from 5 to 9 p.m.

  The Max Gallery

  3001 E. Skyline Drive, Suite 127

  Art Show. Featured artists Kenny McKenna, Mark Daniels, Owen Rose and Mac Pakula will present their works. Free. Call 529-7349 for information.

• Sunday, Feb. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.

  Dove of Peace Lutheran Church

  665 W. Roller Coaster Road

  Health Fair. Area health care agencies will be on hand to answer questions and provide free tests. The Pima County Sheriff Department will fingerprint children. The Northwest Fire District will bring a fire truck and the Edith smoke house to practice fire safety. Free. Call 887-5127 for information.

• Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  Pima Community College West Campus Student Lounge

  2202 W. Anklam Road

  Love Your Major. PCC and UA staff and advisors join together to answer student questions on majors and career exploration. Financial aid representatives will also be on hand. Free. Call 206-6677 for information.

• Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.

  El Ojito Springs Center for Creativity

  452 S. Stone Ave.

  Book Signing and Poetry Reading. Anthony Stachurski will read from his poetry book No Apology! Jefferson Carter will also read poetry. Free. Call 624-4800 for information.

More than you would think.

Don't watch this YouTube video at work or you'll get busted.

Because of space limitations or deadlines, some of these places didn't make the Noshing column. Basically everywhere is making an event out of February 14, so if you don't see your favorite place listed, simply inquire.

Zivaz Mexican Bistro is going to show some love with a $30 dinner for two. Each person selects a Platillos Zivaz (entrée) and margarita of their choice, and finishes up with a delicious dessert to share. The Amor de Zivaz special will be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. No reservations necessary! Zivaz Mexican Bistro is located at 4590 E. Broadway in the Midstar Plaza.

Celebrate Valentine's Day with a special three-course Zona 78 dinner, featuring wines poured exclusively on this evening only. And, throughout the night, enjoy live jazz on piano and saxophone performed by the John Hamner Duo. Everything you love about Zona comes together on one romantic evening. There are two seatings: 5 and 7 p.m.; $60/couple without wine and champagne or $75/couple with wine and bubbly; located at 78 W. River Road.

At the Cup Café, Chef Lucius Wesson has come up with a delicious two-course meal with options for couples, served with tempting strawberry mimosas served from 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended; $69/couple, not including tax or gratuity; 311 E. Congress Street.

Lodge on the Desert, the gem of Poets Corner, presents a selection of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts for $100 per couple; tax and gratuity are not included. Reservations are recommended at 306 N. Alvernon Way.

And for you people who hate Valentine's Day and read down this far in the message, there's a book on Amazon.com called I Hate Valentine's Day.

Local artist, Best of Tucson(TM) blurb writer and friend of the Weekly Janet K. Miller recently sent us this photograph of two billboards downtown. It's kind of depressingly appropriate.

Click on the image to see a larger version.