Last week

As indicated by my posting from last week, I was out in Atlanta and Tulsa for work. While in Atlanta, I had an opportunity one evening to do some sightseeing... with and at the request of the customer. He wanted to go to tour the CNN headquarters there (I'm spewing excitement).

On the way, we walked through the Olympic square/mall - remember the 1996 Olympics? They had a big torch and bricks with names of all sorts of people... don't ask me who they were. Donors? Past athletes? No idea.


....up... up.... there's the torch.


And then there's the CNN building. Originally, it was just a hotel. Over time, the building got added to, and now it's a big commercial complex, mostly containing CNN. There's a big internal mall that links various buildings together. Later on in the tour of CNN, they point out that the tiles on the floor of the mall area are arranged in the shape of the map of the world (vague outlines of continents are visible).

Here's the old hotel portion...


The entrance to the CNN portion of the building.


Inside, you walk into the big central mall area. The building contains the largest escalator in the world - 8 stories high. And even more unique, it's the longest free-standing unsupported one. It goes from the floor of the mall area to the globe up top. Yes, I went up it - the inside of the globe is the start of the tour.


On the tour, we were exposed to your standard Contorted Network News... I mean Cable News Network [supposed meaning] mumbo jumbo that they broadcast incessantly during the tour on no less than 100 flat screens. They showed us the screens the editors/producers are viewing and two broadcast rooms they have. The tour guide was pointing out...

"This is where the data gathers receive information for stories live-time. They sort through what is applicable for broadcast and forward it to writers. The writers then write up short stories based on what comes to them. They then forward their copy to the editors. The editors then check the writers work. They look for difficult names to pronounce and may ask the writers to ad phonetic pronunciations for difficult names. In addition, the editors diligently check the stories for accuracy and to ensure an unbiased view is presented..." At this point, S2H proceeds to break out in open laughter and interrupt the tour guide... Oh the twisted web of lies that we weave. She wasn't impressed with my outburst. Go ahead an "Shhhh" me - I dare you.

LOL - I know. I'm laughing again too. Good thing the customer dude didn't want me to tour NBC or ABC with him... ROFL...

Well, that was the excitement for last week...