Gonzo Journalism

Journal "Ism" genre associated with Hunter S Thompson

aka [New Journalism]? (term associated more with Tom Wolfe)

...is a highly subjective and extremely personal form of reporting...Gonzo is really an Italian word for absurdities - "gonzagas".

A rambling rolling style of writing that sucks in the audience and makes the reader feel as if he or she is actually experiencing the action.

Thompson's writing technique requires hands on experience. He lives what he writes. The technique compares to the acting technique known as [Method Acting]... The beating is unfortunate, but Thompson could not cover the story of the Hell's Angels without becoming personally involved. He never lies to the Angels about being a reporter, and they seem to respect him for his honesty; although the Angels hate reporters for all the bad press they receive. He tries to avoid conflict by blending in with the group and living their lifestyle. He becomes like a fly on the wall Observ Ing everything, but not interfering. The style allows Thompson to do something unheard of previously, report truthfully about the Hell's Angels.

Thompson wrote The only thing I ever saw that came close to Objective Journalism was a closed-circuit TV (CCTV) setup that watched shoplifters in the General Store at Woody Creek, Colorado.... So much for Objective Journalism. Don't bother to look for it here - not under any byline of mine; or anyone else I can think of. With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market quotations, there is no such thing as Objective Journal Ism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.

Some people will say that words like scum and rotten are wrong for Objective Journalism - which is true, but they miss the point. It was the built-in blind spots of the Objective rules and dogma that allowed Nixon to slither into the White House in the first place. He looked so good on paper that you could almost vote for him sight unseen. He seemed so all-American, so much like Horatio Alger, that he was able to slip through the cracks of Objective Journalism. You had to get Subjective to see Nixon clearly, and the shock of recognition was often painful.

Crazy man in peroxide jetpack makes Guinness World Record attempt

By Tim Stevens
May 15th 2009
engadget


Scotland's Knockhill Racing Circuit is a little too small for setting land-based speed records, but there's apparently plenty of room above it for some airborne attempts. It was the site of a new Guinness World Record attempt for the fastest man in a jetpack, with pilot Eric Scott scoring a maximum speed of 68mph, verified by a police radar gun. His propulsion is basically the same hydrogen peroxide-based tech that enabled Bond to make a daring escape in Thunderball in the '60s, which sadly still means 30 - 40 seconds maximum flying time -- faster, but a little less impressive than the 30+ miles offered by the competition. It's now up to the officials at Guinness to decide whether the record is worthy of inclusion, but you can watch the video and decide for yourself.

Inside the ASPCA ER: Dog Ingests Toxic Pennies and Survives

From the ASPCA Newsletter
November 6, 2009


On September 29, when Keiver Guacane of Manhattan brought his five-month-old Cockapoo, Gordo, to ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, his beloved pup was in dire straits. The fuzzy, light-brown pooch was in critical condition, suffering from severe anemia and dangerously low blood pressure. ASPCA veterinarian Dr. Geruza Paiva examined Gordo, and immediately suspected the cause of the pup’s distress. “She was worried he may have eaten coins because he had hemolytic anemia—anemia due to red blood cell rupture—which can be caused by zinc toxicity from eating pennies,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at the ASPCA. “Dr. Paiva took an x-ray and saw the coins in his stomach.”

Pennies minted after 1982 contain a zinc core surrounded by copper and are the only U.S. coins in circulation that pose a toxicity hazard to pets. Unfortunately, these toxic, late-model pennies are commonly ingested by our furry friends. The stomach provides an exceptionally acidic environment and aids in the rapid distribution of zinc into the blood stream, which can cause life-threatening anemia and kidney failure.

Luckily, Gordo was in good hands. He immediately received a blood transfusion, and then ASPCA veterinarians passed an endoscope (fiber optic technology attached to a tiny camera) through the dog’s mouth, down his esophagus and into the GI tract to locate the pennies and retrieve them with a long, grabbing instrument. The non-invasive procedure was a success, but the evidence was startling. The handful of retrieved coins included several gnarly, partially decomposed pennies and others that appeared almost new.

“If you look at the pennies we took out, the pure copper ones from before 1982 are perfect, intact and shiny,” reports Dr. Murray. “The newer, zinc ones are all eaten away.”

Of course, this interesting disparity in coin metals is probably of little consolation to mischievous little Gordo. His pet parent, too, was just relieved to see his furry friend recover well, and no doubt will forevermore watch what Gordo eats!

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested pennies or any other toxic item, please contact your veterinarian immediately or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at (888) 426-4435.