The Bad News Is That the Good News Wasn't Good Enough

There's a glut of news and information in our lives. You can't escape it. News spews into our lives like the Gulf Oil Gusher. At my work they post company newsletters and informational updates in the bathroom stalls. It's invasive. They call it "News in the Loo". We get pointers on how to build rapport and process work orders. It's a six-ounce dixie cup of the company kool-aid to drink while using the toilet, complete with "The Lame Joke of the Day," submitted by some good company soldier: "What time is it when you go to the dentist?" Answer: "Tooth-hurty." The latest exciting news is that we're in a quality competition paired with the Houston region. The toilet paper is thin and rough. I need a new job.

The Labor Department reported Friday that the U.S. economy added 431,000 new jobs in May, but 411,000 of those were temporary jobs created by the census bureau. The stock market took this as bad news and the Dow Jones tumbled 180 points by 10 a.m. Unemployment is down to 9.7 per cent, but analysts say that's because many people have given up looking for work. One man's statistic is another man's despair.

The human misery and anxiety behind the numbers is wrenching, beyond counting. Imagine the shrimp factory worker in Louisiana, or the waitress at a coffee shop in Pensacola. How do they feel about their portfolios today? There's always a reason cited why markets go down, but I suspect it can't be that simple. So often it's about expectations, a forecast or report or earnings result that was good but not good enough. Markets act like disappointed spouses.

Sullen news bits dominate the morning like gray skies. The son of a Dutch judge was arrested in Chile for breaking a young woman's neck. Five years ago to the day he was the last person to see Natalee Holloway alive. Israel has vowed to stop another aid ship. Maytag has recalled 1.7 million dishwashers. Electrical failures in the heating elements cause them to overheat and cause fires.

An umpire from Beaverton blew a call at first base and cost Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game. It was the top of the ninth with two outs. Only 21 times in 140 years of big league baseball has a pitcher done this, 27 straight outs with no hits, no runs, no errors, no men reaching base. A perfect game. Immortality. Jason Donald bounced a grounder to the first baseman, Galarraga hustling over to cover the bag. Slow motion replays showed the runner out by half a step. The ump called him safe, and perfection was destroyed.

The beautiful thing was, umpire Jim Joyce admitted it. He apologized to the pitcher and faced the press. The next day Galaragga was given the ceremonial duty of submitting the lineup card at home plate before the game, with Joyce scheduled to work it. The two men shook hands, and Joyce, a 55 year-old veteran umpire with many years of distinguished work in the major leagues, wiped away a tear. Chevrolet presented the young pitcher with a spanking new red Corvette. Baseball is just baseball, but it was refreshing to see an egregious mistake handled by everyone with such dignity and grace. It was a reminder that human errors don't have to be followed by denials, counter charges, plea bargains, lame excuses and shifting the blame. In a way it was the best news of the day.