Break the News to Me Gently

by Tim Patrick

Humorous Headlines from Obama's First Year in Office2009 was a colorful year like no other with its shift of national economies into record red ink, the rise of America’s first black president, and the drooling passion for ten-foot-tall, blue-skinned 3D aliens. It’s no wonder that headlines like these were ignored by reputable news Tea Party protests in Washington get ugly as milk and lemon factions turn on each other.- Post Office to change its name to "United States Netflix Delivery Service."- Oil rises to $78 per barrel on fears that oil may rise to $80 per barrel. Stuffed with over 500 essential and frivolous headlines, Break the News to Me Gently will make everyone else in the unemployment line wonder what’s so funny.

58 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

Tim Patrick is an author, software architect, and lover of history. He has published a dozen books, mostly on technology topics, and is a regular magazine contributor. As the founder and host of the Well-Read Man Project, he spent years offering regular commentary on current events, politics, history, and books old and new.

For more than three decades, Tim has spent each day developing custom software applications for small- and medium-sized businesses. Way back in 2007, Microsoft welcomed Tim into its Most Valuable Professional (MVP) program thanks to the assistance he provides to beginning and intermediate developers. He earned his computer science degree from Seattle Pacific University, and began work on his very first book while sitting in a class at that prestigious institution.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

A compilation of fake headlines. Some were funny.

Personal gallows humor favorites include:
*Senate delays vote on spending bill as lawmakers discover additional funds in taxpayer paychecks.
*FBI hit by computer virus, CIA agents seen snickering in local pub.
*Nintendo to release Wii Fit Plus after customers of the original Wii Fit complain they are still really fat.
*Researchers find link between obesity and people stuffing themselves with lots of food.

[Reno Calavera · Rating 2 out of 5]

This borders on a one so hard. So much of this is just cringe-worthy. Between not aging well, being unnecessarily dark, or being just plain mean-spirited, it was hard to find humor in this. There was a few - well, I refuse to call them “gems” because they were ultimately forgettable - shiny rocks here. This will definitely appeal to a particular type of person who is most assuredly not me.

How I Use the Rating System
1: There is no 0 on the provided scale, so I use this as a 0. I find no redeeming qualities and would not suggest the title to anyone for any reason.
2: I hated the work and regret wasting my time reading it, but find or understand that it has some value.
3: Average. I don’t regret having read it, but what I received as an experience was nominal.
4: I enjoyed or found value in the title, but it’s not something I would recommend to everyone, or I would not consider rereading it, or there was a significant flaw that prevented it from being a 5.
5: I enjoyed it so thoroughly I would reread it and recommend it to just about anyone. Or I found it so valuable that I felt it deserved such a rating.