January 22, 2000  —  It's been rather cold here in the Northeast lately and yesterday I tuned in to the Weather Channel to learn my fate for the following day.  I noticed that they now display wind chill factor temperatures instead of the thermometer temperatures.  No doubt this is because it makes the weather that much more exciting to report. 

     Years ago, TV weather reporters would tell you what you would 'feel like' outside with the wind chill factor, but they did make sure to actually give you the thermometer temperature as well.  I guess these days accuracy is just some sort of nuisance, a mere hindrance to the world of entertainment media.  Perhaps it won't be long before news reports work like such: "Hundreds of people were killed in factional fighting in Indonesia today. With the psychological distance factor, however, it only feels like mild indigestion."