A Cornucopia of Brain Dumps
Ah, another Thanksgiving under my belt, along with amazing food. Many, many thanks to Mike and Terina, Ken and Charlie, Doris, Lew, Susan, my son Steve, and everyone who provided the warmth, the laughter, and great conversation to go along with the great meal that I am still full from. It was the first Thanksgiving in many a year that I didn't have to work, or make arrangements to take off unpaid, and for that, also, I am very grateful. I have to confess, it was a rather strange feeling, realizing that I could relax and enjoy a Holiday with friends and family without the pressures of work weighing on me.
Understand, I don't feel any lighter; I guarantee you, I chowed down.
It was a marvelous break from the daily bombardment of bad news, non-news made to look bad, and good news made to look bad. I have so many things to be thankful for, I could never list them all. Well, I could, but, I'd like to finish this within this decade. However, back to real life, or whatever disguises itself as such right now. I think one thing we all have to agree on: sometimes, it just seems unreal, doesn't it? We have gone from a Nation and society that seemed to be planning for the future, to one which is fearful of planning beyond tomorrow. Something I actually feel comfortable with, as it is how I grew up. Then, of course, it was the unknown on a International scale. Today, it seems we are being made afraid of even the things that surround us in our own homes, towns, and neighborhoods. Like I mentioned: a bit unreal, isn't it?
Growing up, the main threat we imagined from our own government was the Men in Black. That was pretty much it. Well, that, and being chosen in a lottery to be used as cannon fodder in Vietnam once we reached 18, unless we had the money to legally avoid it. Right now, we have reason to fear for our very freedoms, under threat by the antics of a group of ill-behaved toddlers running amok at both the Federal and several State levels. Creating a virtual Perfect Storm in the news we hear not just daily, but hourly, thanks to social media. A lot of which, I must say, I feel is not truly worth reporting. Including much which I have difficulty even understanding why we hear or see it.
So, some things I don't get. I just don't get it.
Like: President Trump's seeming fascination with Hilary Clinton and President Obama. Why are we even being subjected to that as news? Neither hold public office right now. Whatever fixation he has on these two people simply does not, to me, qualify as news. Nor, in my mind, does anything the man posts via his Twitter account. We know he is fascinated by himself. We know he throws tantrums. We knew already he was a narcissist. Really, journalists: this is not news. If this is how he chooses to handle his severe psychoses, there is no need for news media to expose it to those of us more well adjusted emotionally.
Like: Speaking of which; journalism. Via social media, we have far too many choices for our news than any of us can efficiently process. I personally use less than 6, including the NY Times, NPR, PBS, Washington Post, and the BBC News. I follow a few sites that use numerous sources, which expands my access---but not my knowledge. I also follow several comedic news shows, including John Oliver, Samantha Bee, Bill Maher, etc. These are NOT journalists, in the purest sense of the word, yet, they delve deeper into individual stories than most actual news sources. The part I don't get? The repetition. In the course of a day on social media, most of those sources ( not all, but most ) will all feature the same damn story, over and over. Private users sharing the same thing over and over, ok, I get that, even I do it; but the source itself? I think most of us are intelligent enough to know that there is more happening than the latest Trump tweet, the latest sexual misconduct charge, the latest Congressional proposal to reduce our well being and empty our wallets faster, the latest abhorrent gun violence. It is still a big world we live in, a lot happens every minute, there are other stories. For the least slanted, I'd recommend PBS and NPR; I have a rather nasty ability to form my own opinions. Some sources will agree with me, some won't. Rather obviously, I only share the ones that agree with me. Guess what? So does everyone else!
Like: the President adding North Korea to the Terrorism Sponsor list. Not news. Hell, in fact, name a country that hasn't in some form or other sponsored terrorism. The United States has sponsored terrorism in one way or another for longer than any of us can remember, for sure. In my lifetime, the very first I can recall was Cuba. Since then, so many have been revealed I lost track years ago. We arm them, train them, then fight wars to overthrow them. Sounds like sponsorship to me. "Hey, rebels; here ya go. Now, overthrow that mean guy that doesn't want to play fair with us. Hey, good job...wait, what do you mean you hate us? Ok, well...hmmm....hey, you rebels...! Oh, damn, here we go again. Wait! Idea! We have soldiers, and weapons...and relatives in the Pentagon our contractor relatives can do business with! Ok, you rebels, look out...here we come! ". So, adding North Korea to that list. Sort of, not really news, I figure.
Like: the fascination over how often a President plays golf. Granted, I have only been around for seven decades. However, the one constant I've grown used to is, a President plays golf. Not exactly news. For some, it's for brief relaxation, I assume. I've played golf. It was never relaxing until after about my third beer. To me, what it is is competition. Not against another person, no. Against a club, the ball, the design of the course, the weather, and the rules. All designed to give a person with a decent vocabulary the chance to expand said vocabulary with the invention of new and more potent obscenities. At least until after the sixth beer, at which point it becomes a competition to locate the nearest convenient place to relieve oneself without incurring the wrath of the modesty police. However, the President playing golf is not news. It's what they do when they are NOT playing golf that is news.
Well, these are just some of the things I don't get, when it comes to being 'reported' over and over and over again. Some things, sure, need to be repeated. Serious incidents, that can affect humanity's existence and possibly pose a threat or even a danger to a large mass of people, yes, repeat that. Investigate it. Report it. Not just one, though; report them all. News is not unique to one place, nor one time. News is information. Information happens everywhere. When you are a child, and you go to school, every new subject and new detail on that subject is your first exposure to news. The internet, a tool we didn't have when I was in school, is full of useful information. Not all of it is true, nor factual. If you feel you have a opinion on it, do your best to research it first to see if it is true. If not, chalk it up to something that entertained you. Never know, you just might find some new form of entertainment you enjoy. But, you know, try to 'get it' first.
Speaking of getting it, I'd best be getting out of here; I think I may be preparing to get a little lighter.
If you have made it this far, I hope you have perhaps smiled a time or two, or at least flipped me off a time or two. I appreciate your reading, and any comments you feel like making you may do on Facebook; I appreciate those also. Thanks!!
Understand, I don't feel any lighter; I guarantee you, I chowed down.
It was a marvelous break from the daily bombardment of bad news, non-news made to look bad, and good news made to look bad. I have so many things to be thankful for, I could never list them all. Well, I could, but, I'd like to finish this within this decade. However, back to real life, or whatever disguises itself as such right now. I think one thing we all have to agree on: sometimes, it just seems unreal, doesn't it? We have gone from a Nation and society that seemed to be planning for the future, to one which is fearful of planning beyond tomorrow. Something I actually feel comfortable with, as it is how I grew up. Then, of course, it was the unknown on a International scale. Today, it seems we are being made afraid of even the things that surround us in our own homes, towns, and neighborhoods. Like I mentioned: a bit unreal, isn't it?
Growing up, the main threat we imagined from our own government was the Men in Black. That was pretty much it. Well, that, and being chosen in a lottery to be used as cannon fodder in Vietnam once we reached 18, unless we had the money to legally avoid it. Right now, we have reason to fear for our very freedoms, under threat by the antics of a group of ill-behaved toddlers running amok at both the Federal and several State levels. Creating a virtual Perfect Storm in the news we hear not just daily, but hourly, thanks to social media. A lot of which, I must say, I feel is not truly worth reporting. Including much which I have difficulty even understanding why we hear or see it.
So, some things I don't get. I just don't get it.
Like: President Trump's seeming fascination with Hilary Clinton and President Obama. Why are we even being subjected to that as news? Neither hold public office right now. Whatever fixation he has on these two people simply does not, to me, qualify as news. Nor, in my mind, does anything the man posts via his Twitter account. We know he is fascinated by himself. We know he throws tantrums. We knew already he was a narcissist. Really, journalists: this is not news. If this is how he chooses to handle his severe psychoses, there is no need for news media to expose it to those of us more well adjusted emotionally.
Like: Speaking of which; journalism. Via social media, we have far too many choices for our news than any of us can efficiently process. I personally use less than 6, including the NY Times, NPR, PBS, Washington Post, and the BBC News. I follow a few sites that use numerous sources, which expands my access---but not my knowledge. I also follow several comedic news shows, including John Oliver, Samantha Bee, Bill Maher, etc. These are NOT journalists, in the purest sense of the word, yet, they delve deeper into individual stories than most actual news sources. The part I don't get? The repetition. In the course of a day on social media, most of those sources ( not all, but most ) will all feature the same damn story, over and over. Private users sharing the same thing over and over, ok, I get that, even I do it; but the source itself? I think most of us are intelligent enough to know that there is more happening than the latest Trump tweet, the latest sexual misconduct charge, the latest Congressional proposal to reduce our well being and empty our wallets faster, the latest abhorrent gun violence. It is still a big world we live in, a lot happens every minute, there are other stories. For the least slanted, I'd recommend PBS and NPR; I have a rather nasty ability to form my own opinions. Some sources will agree with me, some won't. Rather obviously, I only share the ones that agree with me. Guess what? So does everyone else!
Like: the President adding North Korea to the Terrorism Sponsor list. Not news. Hell, in fact, name a country that hasn't in some form or other sponsored terrorism. The United States has sponsored terrorism in one way or another for longer than any of us can remember, for sure. In my lifetime, the very first I can recall was Cuba. Since then, so many have been revealed I lost track years ago. We arm them, train them, then fight wars to overthrow them. Sounds like sponsorship to me. "Hey, rebels; here ya go. Now, overthrow that mean guy that doesn't want to play fair with us. Hey, good job...wait, what do you mean you hate us? Ok, well...hmmm....hey, you rebels...! Oh, damn, here we go again. Wait! Idea! We have soldiers, and weapons...and relatives in the Pentagon our contractor relatives can do business with! Ok, you rebels, look out...here we come! ". So, adding North Korea to that list. Sort of, not really news, I figure.
Like: the fascination over how often a President plays golf. Granted, I have only been around for seven decades. However, the one constant I've grown used to is, a President plays golf. Not exactly news. For some, it's for brief relaxation, I assume. I've played golf. It was never relaxing until after about my third beer. To me, what it is is competition. Not against another person, no. Against a club, the ball, the design of the course, the weather, and the rules. All designed to give a person with a decent vocabulary the chance to expand said vocabulary with the invention of new and more potent obscenities. At least until after the sixth beer, at which point it becomes a competition to locate the nearest convenient place to relieve oneself without incurring the wrath of the modesty police. However, the President playing golf is not news. It's what they do when they are NOT playing golf that is news.
Well, these are just some of the things I don't get, when it comes to being 'reported' over and over and over again. Some things, sure, need to be repeated. Serious incidents, that can affect humanity's existence and possibly pose a threat or even a danger to a large mass of people, yes, repeat that. Investigate it. Report it. Not just one, though; report them all. News is not unique to one place, nor one time. News is information. Information happens everywhere. When you are a child, and you go to school, every new subject and new detail on that subject is your first exposure to news. The internet, a tool we didn't have when I was in school, is full of useful information. Not all of it is true, nor factual. If you feel you have a opinion on it, do your best to research it first to see if it is true. If not, chalk it up to something that entertained you. Never know, you just might find some new form of entertainment you enjoy. But, you know, try to 'get it' first.
Speaking of getting it, I'd best be getting out of here; I think I may be preparing to get a little lighter.
If you have made it this far, I hope you have perhaps smiled a time or two, or at least flipped me off a time or two. I appreciate your reading, and any comments you feel like making you may do on Facebook; I appreciate those also. Thanks!!
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