Breaking news

(...and all the rules?*)

I am pleased to announce that I have been successful in getting the emergency exit at CBC In-uvik named as one of the Seven Wonders of the CBC. I'm totally serious. (Note that the real name of the town does not have a hyphen.)

After The Seven Wonders of Canada wrapped up, people reacted in true Canadian style: with anger and bitterness. At the time, I suggested that the true wonders of Canada were:

• The word "sorry".
• The shovel, for use on both snow and bullshit.
• A bone, to toss to aboriginal leaders when they threaten to set up a blockade.
• Canadian flags, to hang all over Quebec in hopes that they won't leave.
• The phrase "At least we're not as bad as the States".
• Waiting rooms in the emergency department at the hospital.
• The SUV, for navigating the drive-through at Starbucks.

Tod at InsideTheCBC decided to run a follow-up contest: The Seven Wonders of the CBC. Now, InsideTheCBC is a public blog, but most of its visitors are current or former CBC-ers. People were invited to submit ideas. I've worked in five CBC shops, but I probably wouldn't have submitted anything if the very first comment hadn't been:

The 10th Floor Artist’s Lounge at CBC Toronto. Rare panoramic view of the Toronto’s lakefront.

I think we can all agree that of all the things we DON'T want to be a Wonder Of The CBC, it's the Artist's Lounge at CBC Toronto. So I clicked the link:

CBC In-uvik: The emergency exit, with its rare view of the Western Arctic’s utilidors (above-ground sewage lines).

I provided a link for southerners who had no idea what a utilidor was, and that was that. Lo and behold: my lobbying has paid off.

I am a little concerned that, much like the original contest, my suggestion was accepted simply to ensure regional representation, but I'll take any recognition I can get. I'm a bit of a media whore that way.

*My very first footnote: "Breaking news and all the rules" was the tag line for a terrible series of CBC ads. The ads were promoting the "re-launch" of supper-hour newscasts with a new format that, as far as I could tell, was better only in the sense that it was cheaper to operate.**

**In true CBC style, I'm so deep that even my footnotes have footnotes.