Self-appointed media vice cops Joe Lieberman and Hillary Rodham Clinton are on the case again — this time seeking an FTC inquiry into the now-infamous “Hot Coffee” modification of “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” which enables players to engage in graphic cartoon sex as a fun supplement to the sleazy violence that is the game’s focus.

I call this controversy criminally dopey not because I defend the game-makers; in fact, I think this content is gratuitous crap and, because it is directed at children, it is also harmful crap.

But Leiberman and Clinton’s grandstanding only makes them look silly because

1) The sex scenes embedded in “Grand Theft Auto” have been available for months; did word just now get to D.C.? Even for non-gamers, video of the modification has been available to view on IFILM and elsewhere for some time. In fact, IFILM users have already watched it nearly 200,000 times — after sitting through online advertisements by respectable corporate citizens such as SBC, DaimlerChrysler, Wendy’s, and others.

2) Attacking an individual video game solves nothing, just as slapping CBS with a fine for Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction solved nothing. It’s not a solution to the problem; it’s an exploitation of the problem for political purposes.

For more thoughts on the problem of media sex and violence and potential solutions, read this.

Here’s a nice piece on citizen journalism from Sunday’s Post. Much of the story focuses on Your Mom, a Web site and weekly newspaper for teens created by Lee Enterprises, the mid-sized newspaper company.

Thanks to Steve Rubel for pointing out a new Nielson//NetRatings study that shows that two-thirds of blog readers don’t actually realize they are reading a blog; it’s just another Web site to them.

This finding indicates that blog readership statistics may be significantly understated.

By the way, as a point of clarification for my readers, Media Orchard is a blog.:) If you want to learn more about what a blog is, go here.

From The Wall Street Journal:

Now, more newspapers are warming to the idea of offering official reporter-written blogs. The Boston Globe is considering official blogs following the Mercury News’s model. At the Dallas Morning News, more than 20 sports reporters contribute to a blog on the paper’s Web site. Their posts must be screened by editors, but a spokesman said that requirement might be dropped.

Via Media Culpa.

The Exeter, Pa., police department is scaring up some bad PR in the wake of the killing of a giant snapping turtle over the weekend. Sgt. Len Galli shot the 50-pound turtle twice in the head after it wandered onto a residential lawn. Galli said the turtle was a threat to children.

According to the local paper:

“You’re talking about a serious public relations nightmare when an officer shoots an animal,” said Jason Carter, a certified wildlife control professional.

Animal advocates pointed out that the officer could have simply thrown a blanket on the turtle and then put it back in the water. Said an SPCA spokesperson: “Turtles are slow and cumbersome. It’s not like they’re going to catch up with you.”

Galli hasn’t helped himself with his response to local reporters. “It’s not like it’s an endangered species,” he said with a laugh.

A friendly (and free) recommendation to the Exeter PD: get your public information officer on the case Monday morning.

(Edit 7-17-05: I’ve attached the image of a 50-lb. snapper suggested in one of the comments for this post.)