If it's March, it must be...

[oakenguy]

This week's Boston Phoenix cover story ("EARTHQUAKE! The threat is real! It could happen here! We're not fearmongering, nosiree!"..it's at http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid57127.aspx) is notable for three things:

1) Having an illustration of people fleeing in terror that includes what looks like Mitt Romney in drag;

2) Being as overdramatic as it's possible to be without actually having Maude Flanders clutch her face, stare dramatically at the reader and yell "Think of the chiiiiiildren!!"

3) Appearing almost exactly a year to the day from a Phoenix cover story with the opening "IF TERRORISTS HIT BOSTON--In 'The Edge of Disaster', a security expert warns that the US is not prepared for future disasters". http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid35111.aspx

This third bit made me wonder if I'd discovered a trend, so I started Googling. 'boston phoenix + disaster' got too many results, as did 'boston phoenix + terrorists', but sure enough 'boston phoenix + plague' dug up a story about a Rat Epidemic (!), from their March 14 2002 issue. http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/top/features/documents/02194425.htm

I think I'm onto something. And furthermore, I suspect it has less to do with any conscious decisions by editors and more to do with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the way writers' minds work, and what life is like around here in early-to-mid January when stories like this get pitched.

Comments

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Prediction: Next January, the Phoenix will have a headline:

Molasses Threat Still Real 90 Years Later!

What Have Officials Done to Prevent Another Disaster?

[sistahraven.livejournal.com]

ROFLMAO

[snowwand.livejournal.com]

hehe

I just finished a book about that (Dark Tide) and the author is coming to speak at my work next month.

[lilacsinmarch.livejournal.com]

It's a good thing that they are so calm about it and don't try to scare people or anything :P.