Is it me or do kids these days only pay attention to the world if they think the sky is falling? In MY day we didn’t really have a choice – only three to five channels and Dad was watching the Five O’ Clock news no matter what. Not sure which of us had it better, but we Boomers grew up having some idea of what was in the news. Nowadays, everything is a crisis. Only it’s not. Most of … Continue reading “The World Still Isn’t Ending So PAY ATTENTION”
Political Noise: Navigating a Clickbait World
Political noise is nothing new. As soon as the first caveman figured out that talking about nothing worked almost as well as actually doing something, political hot air was born. All that has changed is the access to the vast volumes of double speak, not its nature. Internet, phone, cable, streaming, TV, newspapers (they do still exist), online news, blogs, social media posts and any new way some genius comes up with to separate you from your peace and quiet … Continue reading “Political Noise: Navigating a Clickbait World”
The World Isn’t Ending
I stink at this whole ‘clickbait’ thing. All the YouTube gurus say you need an attention grabbing titles and to build suspense. Me? I lead with the conclusion. Oh well, guess ‘YouTube sensation‘ like Lawrence Brown isn’t in my future. I’ll live. I’m a cranky old lady and proud of it. What annoys the heck out of me are headlines that scream about impending doom. First off, scaring the socks off of people is just morally wrong. Second, it’s not … Continue reading “The World Isn’t Ending”
Hamas Betrayed Gaza
When Hamas massacred Israeli civilians it betrayed the Arab citizens of Gaza that it had been elected to govern. Their atrocities were so unforgivable that this time Israel is extremely unlikely to stop until Hamas is destroyed and Israel’s borders are safe. The fault for that lies squarely on Hamas. No amount of ‘but what about’ is going to save Gaza. The UN isn’t coming. Iran isn’t coming. Hezbollah will only provide a distraction – it cannot handle the Israelis, … Continue reading “Hamas Betrayed Gaza”
Flooding Impoverished Areas with Criminals
Now, call me old fashioned, but this seems like a very bad idea. Evidently, it’s all the rage in progressive circles. The idea goes something like ‘law enforcement disproportionately affects minorities therefore it is racist so we should end this racism by defunding and blaming the police.’ I’m not even trying to be funny; this really is pretty much the way it is described. Needless to say, this hasn’t done any favors to the communities that have tried it. Police … Continue reading “Flooding Impoverished Areas with Criminals”
Israel Attacked – Welcome to the Old Normal
Millennials and Zoomers were blessed to grow up in one of the most placid periods in world history. They did the same stupid stuff that we Boomers did – they thought they understood the world and ignored anyone that said different. We ended up messing up quite a bit of the good stuff our parents had left to us. It comes as no surprise our young ‘uns have done the same. No pretense that the US is perfect. But no … Continue reading “Israel Attacked – Welcome to the Old Normal”
Ups and Downs: Politics are Never Smooth
Nation states are resilient. That should be no surprise. People are amazingly resilient – otherwise human history would have ended long ago. Nation states are just really large groups of people so they have the traits of people. They can be incredibly resilient and incredibly stupid, often at the same time. Humans are fun. If you’re used to playing computer games where you get to be a character or you’re from the TV generation, this basic fact is hard to … Continue reading “Ups and Downs: Politics are Never Smooth”
Can’t Never Could
I used to roll my eyes halfway back into my head every time that my mother said those words to me. It’s a wonder I can still see as many times as I did that. Anytime I was stupid enough to say to my mom “I can’t” she would turn around, look me in the eye and remind me that ‘Can’t never could’. My eyes hurt just thinking about it. Those of you under thirty who are still convinced your … Continue reading “Can’t Never Could”
Fixing America
If you want to make the world a better place, start with the funny face in the mirror. It’s no different for nation states. If you want a better world, start with the stupid country you’re living in. It’s great to shoot for the stars – but pick the low hanging fruit on the way up! Yes, I mix metaphors for a living. Okay, so let’s get the easy stuff out of the way. There is no energy crisis. There … Continue reading “Fixing America”
Is the Ukrainian War Important to the World?
In a word, yes. Sure, sure, I hear South American, Indian and African leaders complaining that the war has nothing to do with them. They’re wrong. Oh, it’s understandable – the threat isn’t direct. It’s not like Russia is invading Africa. Oh, wait. Okay, so Russia isn’t in a declared war on Africa. Ukraine certainly won’t be declaring war on Africa. Neither is sending troops to fight in South America or India. Case closed, right? Not really. Let’s start with … Continue reading “Is the Ukrainian War Important to the World?”