Will the local news please shut up?

I'll admit it -- when I have computer work to do at home that isn't taxing on my brain, I like to do it in front of the TV, Powerbook on my lap and mindless television playing in the background.

Right now, all I want to do is watch Letterman, which should have started over an hour ago. But instead, all four channels that I can get with my rabbit ears can't stop talking about the LaSalle Bank Building fire.

We get it. It's a fire. Shut the fuck up. Put on Letterman.

Why are you still reporting if you have nothing to say? Quit speculating about what the fire may or may not be doing, how the firefighters may or may not be fighting the fire, or whether or not sprinklers were being installed. This has been on the television for five freaking hours, and nothing new has happened in three hours.

One anchor just said, "I hope there's a news conference soon." Sure, just so she has something else to talk about for the next two hours.

Everything that needs to be said about this story could be summed up in five minutes -- 25 injuries, shitload of firefighters, phone number for family and friends of employees. Whoopdee do.

But five hours of coverage? And preempting Letterman?

What is their fucking problem?

Yeah, I should probably get some sleep.