I had dinner with a co-worker the other day and we were talking about the firefighter story and how the local media in general handled the reporting of the tragedy and the public’s reaction.

The topic eventually turned to the word hero, which has been used by virtually all of the local television and radio stations and newspapers to describe the nine firefighters who died and their colleagues.

Not everyone is happy about that, and a few have commented to us that firefighters shouldn’t be referred to as “heroes.” Their primary reasoning seems to be that firefighters choose to enter a burning structure, so they know they’re taking a potentially life-threatening risk from the moment they step inside. “They’re just doing their job,” some have said. “They did what they were supposed to do,” others have suggested.

Some have expressed frustration that these nine men are getting so much attention when each soldier who dies doesn’t get the same attention. To this, I would respond that each local community that loses a soldier does give that man or woman an appropriate amount of coverage, although the national media doesn’t spend a great deal of time profiling each soldier. At the same time, I’m not at all certain that the national media spent a lot of time profiling each of the nine firefighters.

What I saw was more along the lines of what we in the business refer to as a “situationer:” a story detailing what happened, what’s happening right this minute and what is likely to happen over the next few days. You can be sure that those of us who have anything to do with news in Charleston have spent time talking about each of the nine, their lives, and personal stories told by those close to the victims.

My colleague said that he agreed with the criticism that the word hero is overused in today’s society. I do as well. There are plenty of people who are referred to as “heroes” whom I think are undeserving of such a label. But I pointed out that this doesn’t mean that everyone who is labeled that way doesn’t deserve the honor.

Let’s take the example of the soldier. Let’s say that in one day, two soldiers die in Iraq. One of them dies from injuries when his vehicle crashes in a non-combat-related accident. The other dies while saving the life of a fellow soldier caught in a firefight. There are plenty of people who would label both men as “heroes” because of a romantic association with soldiers in general, who volunteer to fight as our country’s government deems necessary. But were both of these men really “heroes?” I tend to think that the second soldier, who died rescuing his comrade, is the only hero of the two.

Not that the first didn’t make a sacrifice while serving his country. And I mean no disrespect toward anyone who had died while on active duty. But to me, becoming a hero requires an action that is itself heroic. Just being somewhere doesn’t, in my mind, qualify.

(It is worth noting, incidentally, that some reports have indicated that the first few of the nine fallen Charleston firefighters entered the building to make sure no one was trapped inside, thereby qualifying, just by motive, for the title in my book. The remaining firefighters went in to save their brothers.)

What’s your take? What does it take for someone to be worthy of such a title?

This is the last day of June, which means that the year is already half over! How does that happen?

But before the questions, Maria of “Sweet Life of a Demon” was first to play last week. Congratulations, Maria!

Here are this week’s “Saturday Six” questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!

6. Are you more likely to own an article of jewelry with the quiz result, your birthstone, or neither?

Next week: Something new!

If you have a Reader’s Choice question you’d like to see asked (and answered), send me an email! I’d love to be able to include it in a future edition of the Saturday Six.

MY ANSWERS:
Later tonight.

Lest you think that everyone who works in television news is thrilled at the very mention of Paris Hilton’s name, I introduce Mika Brzezinski, of MSNBC.

During the cable network’s Morning Joe program, she became more and more demonstrative about her distaste over Paris-related stories.

At different points during the show, as she was about to read the news capsule, she became increasingly impatient with a producer who kept placing Hilton’s release from prison as that morning’s lead story.

She tore up scripts, threatened to light them on fire (which would probably have had OSHA paying her a visit), and ultimately got up from the desk and dropped them in a paper shredder.

Was it grandstanding? Absolutely. Was it a carefully-choreographed publicity stunt? Not likely, from the camera work, particularly when she gets up and walks to the shredder: it is clear that they didn’t have cameras in place ready to follow her along by the delay in getting from one shot to another.

Here’s the video from YouTube if you haven’t already seen it:

Her point, as far as I’m concerned, is well-taken. There are far more important things to talk about.

But what do you think? How would you feel if you were watching your newscast of choice and an anchor did this?

This post has nothing to do with the iPhone, despite the headline: I just hate to break up a set.

This has to do with the heiress. Paris Hilton. Why would I bring up this tired subject? Ratings.

You see, everyone loves beating up on the media for making so many mentions of her. They say that she’s not worthy of being covered as “breaking news.” (And I completely agree.)

They say that the media has no business giving her so much exposure. (And I agree.)

They say that no one really wants to hear about Paris, but that the media is just making too much out of it. I would like to agree, but then the ratings come in.

More than 3.2 Million viewers — three times his normal audience — tuned in to CNN’s Larry King Live Wednesday night for Paris Hilton’s first interview since her release from jail. It was Larry King’s biggest audience of the year.

Seriously: stop watching. The reason the media keeps Paris on the air is because the audience keeps sending the message that they want more of her. I was sick of Paris years ago. I flip the channel as soon as I see the first mention of her.

In a perfect world, the news would never focus on something as insignificant as her little legal drama. But this isn’t a perfect world. So you have to decide what you do and don’t want to see, then send that message. If you don’t like watching Paris Hilton, then don’t watch.

If the media could ever be persuaded that no one would tune in for the latest nugget of news about her, you can bet you’d never hear about her again.

My best friend pointed me to this earlier today: after all the iHype over the iPhone, here’s a nice little iClip that iParodies a certain iPresident:

People have been lined up for days waiting to be among the first to buy Apple’s iPhone, which officially goes on sale at 6:00pm tonight.

Rest assured that I am not one of them. While I like the look of the phone and am sure that the cool factor is through the roof when you actually use one, there are two reasons why the Mac-like gadget is not in my future.

First, there’s that little thing known as cost. The phone costs between $500 to $600. Is it worth it? Who knows: if you want everything it offers and can afford such a price, then it probably is. For the rest of us, that’s a steep price. (And Apple isn’t the kind of company that offers huge drops in price over time, either.)

And that’s only the beginning. The new AT&T — so far, I prefer the old one — wants a two-year committment with service running anywhere from $60 to $100 a month. What?

I recently had my cell phone number changed to a local number here in the Lowcountry. To change the number, Verizon automatically renewed my contract for two more years. I’m sure we’ll reach a point where a call to your cell phone carrier’s 411 service will increase the term of your contract by at least a year. The difference is that my phone was essentially free and that my monthly cost is about $49. That, to me, is entirely too high.

Then there is my second objection to such a device.

How much do you really need to do with a cell phone? Sure, mine has a little calendar/reminder function, which I use. It has a built-in digital camera, which I have used occasionally. It has text messaging, which I don’t use. It has email, which I wouldn’t think of trying to use on a cell phone. It has internet, which is annoying enough on a full-sized computer.

I’m one of those purists: I prefer to watch TV on a television, to make calls on a phone, and to handle surfing and email on a computer. Putting everything into one may be convenient, but I don’t think it’s necessary, especially for that high a price. And as we’ve all learned from Mr. Murphy, if something can go wrong, it will. With technology, if something can go wrong, it will in a big way!

Just imagine the possibilities.

I’m a Mac guy…always have been. Not because I think that PCs are so bad, but they aren’t as user-friendly. And just yesterday at work, the PC I was working on gave me the “blue screen of death.” My Mac doesn’t treat me that way.

But that doesn’t mean that I want everything in my life to act like a Mac. Or to cost what a Mac costs.

If you’re one of those lunatics enthusiasts who have been losing sleep until you can have an iPhone of your own, I wish you success today. You might need it.

What I saw at the scene of the fire that killed nine of Charleston’s firefighters got me thinking about how little we say “Thank You” and who should be the first to receive our gratitude.

But first, Maureen of “Self Discovery Journey” was first to play last week’s question. Congratulations, Maureen!

On to this week’s question!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name seven of the most under-appreciated jobs in your community.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)

My answers:
1. Firefighter
2. Police
3. EMS
4. Nurses
5. Farmer
6. Teacher
7. Mom

“Monday, June 18th is a day that our city will never forget. Never. We lost nine of the bravest men doing what they love to do best: fight fire. These guys were the best.”

–Chief Rusty Thomas
City of Charleston Fire Department

After a long week of coverage, a long week of sitting in an edit bay watching those images over and over again, reminding me of what it was like the week after 9/11, I went to the scene of the deadly fire in West Ashley.

It was the first time I had been by what used to be the Sofa Superstore since the night of the fire itself, when a thick black column of smoke made me curious and let me to drive by the fire just twenty minutes or so after firefighters first arrived on the scene.

Since that terrible night, when nine firefighters were lost, the public has erected a makeshift memorial to the fallen heroes. Nine white crosses made of PVC piping line the sidewalk in front of the burned-out structure. American flags, flowers, photographs, cards, stuffed animals and toy fire engines are among the items that have been added throughout the week.

Traffic along Highway 17 slows to a crawl in this area, as motorists slow to view the display.

In a word, it is heartbreaking. I knew it would be. But after a week of seeing it on videotape, I needed to see it in person.

Mourners walk along the sidewalk, reading posters written by young and old. Among them are firefighters from around the country. They came here Friday for the public memorial service. That morning, a procession of more than 300 fire trucks and first response vehicles made their way from downtown Charleston, past this scene, to the North Charleston Coliseum, where more than 20,000 people attended.

Some of those firefighters are still in town, not ready to leave just yet. Perhaps this was their final goodbye; maybe they needed to come here one more time.

I tried a couple of times to say something to them, but as I tried to come up with something — anything — that seemed like it might be remotely comforting, emotion got the better of me, and I knew I’d never be able to get a word out.

It seemed that a lot of people faced the same struggle. I saw many sets of eyes that focused on the firefighters wearing t-shirts from their own hometown department, even saw a few who took a few steps towards them. But there was that hesitation.

What do you say to them? “I’m so sorry for your loss” seems trite. “Thank you” doesn’t seem to come anywhere nearly close enough to the gratitude they are owed for being willing to put their lives on the line to save a stranger every single day.

The firefighter community is so strong. It is called a “brotherhood.” And I can’t think of a more appropriate term, because that is exactly what it is to them. These aren’t colleagues they lost: they were family members.

And as has been reported, this event was the single biggest loss of firefighters since September 11th.

As the out-of-town and out-of-state firefighters leave for home, they are placing t-shirts from their own departments on the shrubbery along the sidewalk. States from here all the way to California are represented in a final show of support: “We are here with you.”

More than once, I choked back some tears of my own. There is no way to prepare yourself for a scene like this. No matter how much you look at the photos or the videotape, it does not prepare you at all for the enormity of what you see when you get there.

I was actually beginning to congratulate myself for not losing my composure. Then I passed a scene that had been blocked from my view by a group of people. I don’t really know why this is what got me, of all that is there to take in; I can’t explain how this hit a nerve harder than anything else. But for some reason, this was too much:

In memory:

Engineer Brad BaityCapt. Mike Benke

Firefighter Melvin Champaign

Firefighter James “Earl” Allen Drayton

Assistant Engineer Michael French

Capt. William “Billy” Hutchinson III

Engineer Mark Kelsey

Capt. Louis Mulkey

Firefighter Brandon Thompson

This week, the City of Charleston, South Carolina, lost nine firefighters in a massive blaze at a furniture store. This week’s questions are all related to firefighting and emergency personnel.

I hope it is clear that I’m not trying to make light of the situation in any way; and I hope it is even more obvious that anyone who would make light of a tragedy like this should be drawn and quartered at the first opportunity.

I’m hoping to make people take a few moments to think about their local first responders, who seem to be so easily ignored and under-appreciated in the communities they serve.

But first, it was Betty of “Alphabet Soup Memes” who was first to play last week’s edition. Congratulations, Betty.

Here are this week’s questions. Either answer them in a comment here or answer them at your own blog and leave a comment here with a link to your answers. To be considered “First to Play,” you must be the first person to leave a comment with either your answers or the link to the specific post in which you answer them at your blog.

1. How far from your home is your nearest fire station?

2. Have you ever made a call to your local 911 service? If so, how long did it take for emergency personnel — whatever type you needed — to arrive?

3. If you had to choose one of the following, which emergency employee would you want to be: police officer, dispatcher, paramedic, firefighter; and why would you choose that one?

4. Take the quiz: What firefighter tool are you?

5. When you were little, did you ever dream of being a first responder?

6. What is your favorite first-responder-related movie or television show; and how realistically do you think it depicts what they really go through?

Do you dream of seeing your question asked here as a Reader’s Choice Question? If so, you probably need to get out more. But I’d welcome your question, anyway, and I promise to consider it for a future edition. Send me an email with your question.

My answers:
Coming Soon.

It is 1709 miles from the heart of Charleston to Santa Fe. The distance is notable because today Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico ordered flags in his state flown at half-staff to honor the nine firefighters killed Monday night here in the Holy City.

In a press release today, Richardson said:

““Firefighters are trained to make the ultimate sacrifice — to walk into the worst danger and to risk their lives without hesitation,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “Early this week, nine South Carolina firefighters ran into a burning building to protect the lives of their fellow citizens trapped inside. These firefighters taught us the true meaning of the words courage, honor, and duty.”

“The citizens of New Mexico are grateful for the actions of these selfless heroes and it is with great sadness that we extend our thoughts and prayers to the families and friends that were left behind.”

After work tonight, as I was on my way back from my first follow-up weigh in at MUSC, I saw a massive column of black smoke over West Ashley. I drove down Highway 17 until I was met with police cars blocking the road.

At this point, I could see that a local sofa store was the source of the smoke. Flames lept from the roof of the building. It was an incredible scene. Over the next few hours, as firefighters struggled to bring the fire under control, the news went from bad to worse: the building collapsed, trapping several firefighters inside. At this moment, they are believed lost. UPDATE: Nine firefighters died fighting the fire, making it the deadliest single fire incident for firefighters since September 11, 2001.

It is this kind of tragedy that these people face every day, while we go about our lives so often pretending that we’re the ones who have it rough.

The next time you see a firefighter, or a paramedic, or a cop, thank them. It’s the least you can do.

Is summer rerun season already getting to you? New seasons of most shows won’t begin until September. But there are some summer series already on the air. Which shows are you ready to see new episodes of? Here’s your chance to have your say!

But first, De of “De’s Thoughts” was first to play last week’s question. Congratulations!

On to this week’s question!

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name seven television shows you’re ready to see new episodes of.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered “first to play,” a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.)

Anyone who works in broadcasting is encouraged to lose as much of their native accents as possible, particularly if you have very noticeable ones, common in the South and New England. I guess I’ve had some degree of success.

I found this meme at a local Charleston blog, but Firefox hung up and I wound up losing the bookmark of where it was. In any case, here’s my result:

The funny thing is, I’ve had people in the South ask me where I was born, assuming that I wasn’t from here. I’ve had people in the North tell me, “I just love your Southern accent!”

I’m so confused.
What’s yours?

It’s time to lighten up! The topic this week is stress, so take a deep breath before answering these questions. That is, if you want to…the last thing I want to do is stress you out about getting relaxed!

But before the questions, Jude of “My Way” was first to play last week. Congratulations!

Here are this week’s “Saturday Six” questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal…but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as “first to play,” you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!

4. Take the quiz: Will You Live to 100?

5. When you think that you are at the breaking point, are you more likely to have an angry blow-up, a self-contained meltdown, or something in between? When was the last time you had such a moment?

6. When you’re stressed out, what is the first clue someone who knows you well is likely to pick up on?

If you have a Reader’s Choice question you’d like to see asked (and answered), send me an email! I’d love to be able to include it in a future edition of the Saturday Six.

MY ANSWERS:
1. I have a few times. No one should be ashamed to do so, you know.

6. Probably that I get unusually quiet.

Here is a question for all bloggers and readers: how do you feel about relative anonymity in the blogosphere?

Do you use your real name on your blog? Do you identify yourself by your first and last name? Have you ever had a problem because of that? Are you only comfortable giving your first name, or do you prefer a “nickname” that keeps your real identity a secret? Is there a reason why?

If you don’t have a blog, which way would you go if you were to start one?

There are no right or wrong answers here…I’d just like to get your feedback on this topic.