Forsythkid's Blog

General commentary from the heart of the US

Archive for the ‘Media’ Category

On Abby, NY and the Oil

Posted by forsythkid on June 14, 2010

Was Abby Sunderland forced into the round the world attempt!

So, this attempt was apparently all about her father’s desire to close a deal on a Reality Show! She was allegedly forced to leave before she was ready by a dad that was broke and in need of some cash. This from a tabloid, ‘The father of teen sailor Abby Sunderland told The NY Post that he’s broke and had signed a contract to do a reality show, “Adventures in Sunderland,” about his family of daredevil kids weeks after she set off on her doomed and dangerous solo sail around the globe.’ I would call Laurence Sunderland kind of a bad dad if that were true.

New York State Government is Kaput?

New York’s State Government is heading for potential chaos as it is learning what other states already know. You just can’t keep passing the buck from pocket to pocket forever. At some point you will run out of pockets or the buck will just plain disappear. Now, on June the 14th, New York, the third-most populous U.S. state is in real trouble. Lately it has stayed open due to the passing of weekly spending bills but these emergency measures cannot go on forever. Their only hope is for a Federal bailout by Obama and his recent plea for fifty billion is falling on increasing deaf ears in both houses. The country, which has been on a spending binge for a long time is finally showing signs that it is about spent out. Now, states like California and New York are going to learn all about the meaning of the word austerity just as England is now. Even late in the day promises by the Democratic front that we will ‘spend baby spend’ to keep NY afloat sound a bit hollow.

The oil spill from Hell may go on and on!

Now, after it’s been, what? Fifty some days that we have all had to live with the nightmare that is the Gulf, I finally hear this on one of the media channels. That the relief wells that we have all been counting on to end this thing for once and for all may not actually work! What! And we have the hurricane season coming…tell me it ain’t so.



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The Only Thing We Have to Fear…

Posted by forsythkid on December 16, 2009

Posted in Editorial, Media, Political, Politics, Sound off | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Thoughts on Sarah Palin’s Book ‘Going Rogue’

Posted by forsythkid on November 29, 2009

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Sarah Plain’s book ‘Going Rogue’ and have now worked my way through most of it. Two thoughts right off the bat. Ex- Mayor and Governor Palin is a great American who did a wonderful job during her tenure in Alaska. She also reminds me a little of a female version of Ross Perot…which is not a bad thing.

While reading about her exploits in her home state and then about some of the high jinks that occurred while she ran for Vice President on John McCain’s ticket, I was struck by ten ‘truisms’ which I would like to share;

1 – When someone tells you ‘It’s been taken care of’, start asking questions. A lot of questions.

2 – If a bill, any bill, is submitted and it runs more that twenty pages, it should be thrown out and rewritten.

3 – Never, ever trust anyone in the media to get anything right. Excellence in journalism died a long time ago and what is left is something you need to scrap off your shoes. Don’t believe me? Read her book.

4 – Way too often, big money is buying the election of candidates who are not working for Americans. They’re working for those who paid to get them into office. We need a new system for the vetting of candidates that is level and fair. When an elected official gets into office its just like the food we eat. The body has to deal with it and sometimes the food is really bad.

5 – When it comes to most issues, like how much the government should be cut we should all subscribe to the 80/20 Rule. Anyone who doesn’t understand the meaning of that should be handed the 100% Rule.

6 – Throw out the current system of taxation in favor of one that sees most of the money collected stays in the communities from which it was collected. Any surplus can go to run the government.

7 – Hold and apply all fines issued in proportion to the ability of that person or corporate entity to pay.

8 – Instruct elected officials that they are to run their office like a business for profit. If they can’t get the job done, kick them out and get someone who can.

9 – Never pay for something without something else to back it up. You can go bankrupt that way!

10 – Should Sarah Palin decide to run for the highest office in 2012, please do so as the head of a new party. I’ve pretty much seen all I want of red and blue lately. Also, in case you do get elected, please champion a bill to introduce criminal liability for anyone who is convicted of spreading mis-information. (This was not actually a truism, just a wish on my part).

Posted in Media, Political, Politics, Sound off | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Glenn Beck is Back!

Posted by forsythkid on November 11, 2009

Glenn BeckGlenn Beck is Back!

November 11, 2009

According to an entry posted this morning in his Facebook ….. ”Glenn Beck I’m back! About a year ago I told my wife that’d I give a major organ to be on the top of the bestseller lists…I guess she took me seriously! Anyway—lots to say about Ft. Hood today, but, in the meantime, check out our ‘Arguing with Idiots’ video contest finalists! The video with the most views wins, so help out your favorite one by linking to it or sending it to your friends. See you tonight on TV…”

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What the Future May Hold for Media Cameramen

Posted by forsythkid on October 9, 2009

SaidRockOct 2009

Forsythkid

Recent televised rock throwing encounters in Jerusalem were somewhat troubling to a purist like myself. There was the usual configuration in place. A small groups of youths throwing rocks at the police. But, that’s not what concerned me. No, it wasn’t the combatants, but the sizable crowd of media people that were straining for good camera angles even as rocks whizzed by their heads. I wasn’t sure at one point which was larger, the police or the media. (At least the police had plastic shields with which to ward off incoming rock missiles. The reporters and cameramen were not so lucky and I understand one unfortunate even got injured).

So, is this going to be a trend or what? Will future confrontations look somewhat like a meatball sandwich with the fighting factions surrounded on all sides by hundreds of cameras, sound men and reporters? At some critical juncture, will a CNN or Fox reporter pick up a stone and throw it himself? These imaginings trouble me to say the least. I can even foresee a disastrous encounter where two groups of media, each representing one side, will drop their equipment and battle each other while the people who should be fighting stand around watching in awe. Actually, that would make for very interesting news!

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