Usually, I’m fond of the reporting I get from NPR on my morning commute. But this was just odd. I guess the apathy has really reached new heights when the newscasters can’t even muster up emotion in their voices.

“In Iraq today, 12 or so people died in a car bomb.” – that’s what I heard from the morning anchor. 12 or so? I know it’s just nuance, but there is a huge difference between saying:

12 or so people died today in a car bomb on the streets of …

and

more than 12 people died today in a car bomb on the streets of …

Subtle? Yes. But an important distinction. In the first example, we can’t be bothered to know how many people died. Maybe it was 12, maybe it was more, we don’t really know and don’t care.

In the second example, we know it was at least 12, but we want you to know that yes, tragically, it might have been more as well.

I don’t know what more to think about it. Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but it still bothers me to hear every day that more people are dying from car bombs, plane crashes, etc.