On numerous occasions, I have complained to my hubby about the low quality and lack of relevant (or intelligent) content that is Boston local TV news. For example, the story about the elderly woman in New Hampshire who found her lost cat...umm, how is that relevant to anyone here in Boston, or anyone other than the woman for that matter? Of all the things you could report about, you decide to report about that? Another example is the meteorologists. Granted, they are all a little flakey (at least here in Boston...my brother is going into meteorology, so I can't rip on them too much), but the one in particular is just dumb. It is clear that said meteorologist got the job solely based on looks and skanky wardrobe, not brains. Going into the 4th of July weekend, it is only appropriate to give the viewers an idea of the type of weather they will be spending significant time in. "Today will be a high of 90 which marks the beginning of a heat wave here in Boston." I look across the screen at the other highs for the weekend: 88, 90, and 92. Heat wave? What heat wave? That's not a heat wave, THAT'S SUMMER!!! ITS BEEN IN THE 90'S SINCE MAY!! NEWS FLASH!!

Well, neither one of these stories is anything in comparison to the most recent show of stupidity. It is definitely a new low for any news station. I was watching the Today show the other day when the show was interrupted with "Breaking News". I pondered, what is going on that is so important that my show was interrupted? "We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to let you know that a shark has been sighted in the ocean. Now, back to the Today show." Really? I don't even know what to say in response to that. "OH NO! NOT IN THE OCEAN! GET IT OUT OF THERE!" I mean, clearly, in its 23 years of existence, these people have not yet seen Shark Week (sad). But the worst part isn't that they said that, but that it had to be "Breaking News". They had to interrupt the Today Show for it. You know, the national news show that has won multiple Emmy awards. The show that has probably never made such a brilliant statement as, "There are sharks in the ocean." So it is only appropriate that the local, epic fail of a news station show the Today Show how its done. Now, I'm not saying that the Today show isn't without its shortcomings (I hate "Bring your Ewok to work" Day).

Later that day, the Coast Guard announced that they could not find said shark. According to my vast shark knowledge (thanks to Shark Week), it must have been the second cousin to the Great White Shark, the Mediocre Clear Shark. It is far less deadly and deceptive than the Great White, but still, all Mass. residents should beware. There is a shark on the loose in the ocean.