29th
August
2008
Here in North America, we eat our politicians raw, with a bit of sauce on the side. Doesn’t matter what level of government, or what the stripe, we know far too much about them before, during and after the electoral process. Pity it doesn’t stop my neighbours from electing idiots to powerful positions, but that’s for another time.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in politics |
2nd
June
2008
I’m amazed. This Internet thing is a font of trivial knowledge, with the tap turned on 24/7 just to keep me amused and out of the pool halls (my mother always told me that those weren’t the kind of places I should frequent). For example, I didn’t know until today that the “real” version of Jellystone Park doesn’t have any bears with odd names, but it does have geysers.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in education |
3rd
January
2008
The first of the primaries is over, and the official race to get in the race to be president is underway. Between now and November, the candidates will spend enough contribution cash to run a small country. At least it will give the average world citizen something to talk/blog about, and if CNN continues to explain the process, maybe those of us that though democracy was based on the one person one vote ideal will finally understand that it’s all about the money.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in economy |
23rd
October
2007
Somehow a bit of snow seems like a blessing, when I see the news footage from southern California. Wildfires are exactly that. In fact, there are times when the material resembles some webcam stuff from the edge of a live volcano in Hawaii. Five hundred thousand people on the move to someplace that is less like Dante’s sixth circle. Not exactly what their tourist bureau wants as an image for the rest of the continent.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in media |
13th
August
2007
Rejoice, and be glad, for there is still a place for the optimist. While checking out the news on CNN, I learned that a leading rabble-rouser in Washington has decided to retire. In and of itself, nothing there. The better part came in remarks by his boss, who added that “I’ll be on the road behind you here in a little bit.”
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in health, media |
27th
June
2007
The drought of Paris sightings is over. In other news… wait, according to CNN and Fox, there is no other news.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in environment, media |
15th
January
2007
No doubt in my mind; it’s the strange news that sells. Nobody cares about the bird that was seen on my lawn. If, on the other hand, the bird was an albatross or a kiwi or a bluewinged yellow-throat robin, the news outlets would be all around the place. I exaggerate, but only a little.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in media |
11th
December
2006
It’s not hard to imagine life in a Wile E. Coyote world; after all, we’ve watched him work at catching trying to catch his prey for years and years on TV. Well, the same mental spirit that dreams up devices for our friend over at Acme Inc. is alive and well, if a report I caught this afternoon on Discovery Channel is any indication.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in media |