What's The Big Deal

Any time I read that "Christian leaders" are outraged, I can't help but smile. They usually cause much of my outrage so I sort of feel like it brings some balance to the universe. But nothing beats the last line of this article about the suppose-ed discovery of Jesus' remains: "It’s going to get a lot of Christians with their knickers in a knot unnecessarily.”

That sums up the problem with America today: too many Christians with their knickers in a knot.

Who's Responsible?

So here's the latest on stents and heart bypass surgery. It's been 2 and a half years since Kevin's heart attack and I still second guess myself. Why didn't we question the doctor more, why didn't they tell us one of the stents was planned for the artery known as "the widowmaker," why didn't they know then that someone with the blockage Kevin had should have been a candidate for surgery right away? Why couldn't they have figured this out three years BEFORE Kevin's heart attack? And I know all the answers - he was 44, in good health, no history in his family. So my head knows we did the best we could. Just wish I could feel it.

Catching Up

(Forgive me - if you're wondering why there's a bunch of new posts today..and why wouldn't you?...I had a bunch of posts sitting in my Drafts folder and just realized they had never been published. Doh!)

Everybody Wins

Hmmm. Newspaper readership is on a downward spiral. National reading test scores continue to decline. America's youth doesn't read (well most of them anyway). English teachers don't know what to do about it. And oh yeah - at least one American business suit don't see any difference between the newspaper business and any other for-profit business. Hmmm.

How's this. Give EVERY student in the country a full newspaper subscription, say starting in the 6th grade. Come to school. Get your paper. Make it required reading. Hell, most newspapers already have an educational/teaching section. The cost of the subscription should be covered by some public financing - like lottery profits. Why not? Who's with me?

Dangerous Thinking

There will be a special place in hell reserved for Sam Zell if he, in fact, does pursue the Tribune Co. He's quoted in this article, saying that "there is no difference" between running a newspaper and managing any other for-profit business. (thanks for the link JB)

I understand newspapers are a business. Believe me. But to equate what a newspaper does with what Home Depot does puts democracy in jeopardy. And, no, I'm not exaggerating because Zell is only one of thousands - hell, millions - that feel the same way. Which sums up why journalism is in such as sad state today. And seeing it in print literally turns my stomach.

Good Thing He Didn't Have A Pet

So a man dies and sits in front of his television set. For more than a year. Made me think of Kevin actually. Though not why you'd think. Kevin had told me several times during our 18 years together that I should stuff him and prop him in front of ESPN when he died - but he was thinking that would have been after a lifetime of hearing me "yapping and yammering" at him. Just his unique way of letting me know that was the only way he envisioned ever getting any peace and quiet. Funny guy.

Meredith: Stay Dead

I'm not sure I'll be able to watch Grey's Anatomy any more if Meredith is miraculously revived next week. And not that I care about her character one way or the other. It's just when you've flatlined for that long - even for hypothermia victims - you rarely do come back. Believe me.

And it's not a jump the shark moment. Because all of it so far has been believable. And there was nothing in any of the last two episodes that made me cring in embarrassment for any of the actors (for those of you that actually watched Fonzi jump the shark you know what I'm talking about...and I'm not talking TVLand reruns) . It's a "we've lost our focus" moment. If she comes back next week, it's just an insult to my intelligence -- so I'll have to boycott. I'm sure all of ABC is quaking in its boots.

Ahead of My Time

I don't think I've seen better news in years. Kevin used to give me a hard time about my "napping" habits - and I realized while reading this that I haven't taken a nap during the day since his heart attack. For years prior to, there wasn't a weekend that I didn't get in a good snooze, as he'd called it. I miss him even more than usual today. Sigh.

Journalism 101: Myth and Fact

...are actually two separate things. After months of coverage, at least one newspaper decided to...well, actually practice journalism. The NYT interviewed the family of Cesar Borja and it turns out some of the story that's been propogated isn't supported by fact. They contend that no one ever asked them for the facts. Apparently for 99.9 % of mainstream news organizations, the myth was enough. Scarey.

I think the NY Daily News should take much of the blame here - its inital coverage appears to have set the stage for other outlets to grab and run. Here's a radical idea. I think anyone who reported on the Borja story - including those on Hilary Clinton's staff that decided to further the "cause" - should be fired. This is about as basic as it gets for a journalist - or anyone presenting a story. And no disrespect to the family - they have nothing to hide or be ashamed of and I'm sure their grief is still very raw. The media -- well, shame doesn't seem to be in their vocabulary. Wondering if any bloggers had picked up on this - I'm betting yes. Just haven't found a credible source.

What's Killing the American Honeybee?

As if I don't have enough to worry about -- there's a "mysterious ailment" that's killed lots and lots of honeybees. Now I'm no fan of the honeybee, but they do play a significant role in the food chain. Who knew?

First female Speaker of the House. First female president of Harvard University. Hmmmm, what glass ceiling will be broken next?

Give 'Em An Inch...

Where does the time go? But really, nothing's outraged me too much this past week. Until I came across this article in today's NYT regarding our friends in Congress and the instantaneous loopholes that totally circumvent the new laws meant to curtail lobbyist influence on Capitol Hill. Am I surprised? No. Am I outraged? Yes. But not at Congress. It's what they do. What pisses me off is that it took the press so long to figure this one out. What if the Times had run this story -- at least outlining the possibilities -- before the law was passed? Might have made a difference. Okay, okay - I said might. I can dream can't I?