Today is the day to change the batting order.

Rant: Hurricane Coverage of Any Kind

Almost exactly a year ago, my boyfriend and I decided to drive from Chicago to Washington DC, deciding to go in style, renting a new Mustang convertible. The car came with satellite radio, which we thought would be perfect for a long trip. However, quickly, we found that our old friend National Public Radio was in fact going to be no help to us. Every single day that we were in the car, whether we were driving to Washington, winding through the Shenandoahs, getting lost in West Virginia (which I do not recommend) or on the Dan Ryan expressway we heard Hurricane Katrina coverage. Of course the hurricane was a disaster and it ruined the lives of many people and probably many generations. But to be selfish, we were simply sick of hearing about it (thank goodness for the E! True Hollywood Story of Terry "Hulk" Hogan on the radio.)

Well, it's hurricane season once again, and fortunately Katria coverage is more in the realm of the retrospective story than top news. However, instead are her little amigos Ernesto and John.

To me, hurricane news is the most boring news there is, even more boring than seasonal coverage of the danger of fireworks or safe trick-or-treating tips. The hurricane is alwasy a spinny thing somewhere southeast of Florida and it spins and it spins and then it comes up and brushes up against Florida or maybe the Carolinas, and then everyone puts up some plywood and the anchors put on their ponchos and they try to talk to the camera but they're inaudible due to the sound of the whipping winds. Whee.

I am probably biased because hurricanes have nothing to do with me. No hurricane has ever swept across the Eastern seaboard, gone West and hit the North Side of Chicago. Even earthquakes are more applicable to us, as we have a fault line downstate and have even experienced a couple of minor earthquakes in my lifetime (take that, New York.)

I propose that there be a separate hurricane news station on the radio and television. Because when I do tune into the news, I feel like storm news is taking away from precious air time covering dog fashion shows, "American Idol" or Terry "Hulk" Hogan.

Maybe it's just a Midwestern inferiority complex, though, and I should just pray for another devastating tornado so we can get some attention again.

Related Obligatory Rave: Anderson Cooper and his hurricane cuteness.