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TERRY’S TIDBITS

CHARGES PENDING

Every once in a while someone will ask me why I believe that our freedom is dwindling.  Of course, I look at him like he has two heads, but so many times I feel like I’m dealing with children wanting to know why the sun comes up.  I could understand this question coming from a young person, because young people are being indoctrinated by and into this kinder and less free nation.

I sometimes feel that people my age that don’t understand aren’t worth my time.  But then I realize that most people my age, though not indoctrinated to such a degree as the younger generation, have still had instilled in them the conformity guidelines of public schools as kids themselves and the influence of the Liberal media of today.  Someone has to point things out, and I accept the challenge.

My immediate beef is about the media and their reporting methods.  My beef of the moment is that subtly, almost subliminally, we are being led to believe that police should charge someone in all automobile accidents.  I was taught in journalism 101 that when a dog bites a man it isn’t news.  When a man bites a dog, you’ve got a story.  So why are we subjected, over and over, to stories on and in the news that say something along the lines of, “Police don’t expect to press charges in this accident?”  It has become news that whatever happened was just an accident and no one is being tossed in the slammer.  Were the powers that be not such a nest of arrest-happy power mongers, we’d be hearing the flip side of the story.  “Police expect charges to be filed in this case.”

Report the unexpected and the noteworthy, not the norm.  The norm should be it happened, it’s over, now move on.  Even events that are illegal don’t always warrant news coverage.  One more step in indoctrination, folks.

SPEAKING OF MEDIA

The A.P. apparently picked up the story of U.S. Attorney Monica Wheatley being struck by a SUV in Louisville Kentucky, heart of “World Class Cities.”  Rush Limbaugh relayed an A.P. story with headlines that read, “U.S. Attorney Targeted by SUV.”  I didn’t see the story and couldn’t find the headline.  Rush does have a tendency to over-state.  I don’t really care for Rush because he’s blinded by Republican love.  Even though I haven’t seen the headline, it doesn’t surprise me that some print media mogul would lie through his teeth to sell a paper.

My brother-in-law in Texas heard the story and called to see if we knew the truth.  I find that amazing.  “I read this story in ‘Blah, Blah, and Blah’ and called to see if you know what really happened.”  What does that say about our reporting skills?  And, not being eyewitnesses, we could only comment on what our local media reported.

Then there is a reporter with WAVE 3, Erick Flack, who really bothers me.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard him report an upbeat story.  If one were assigned to him, I can only imagine his technique.

“…here’s Erick Flack with the story.”

“Thank you, John.  Three days ago Conservative Sam won an 82 million dollar lottery.  We all dream of this happening to us, but for Sam it is a reality.  Sam told me that he was going to quit his job, buy a house and all of the other things that he’s always wanted but could never afford.  He says he will give away some of the money to family and friends, but he’s mostly just going to retire and have fun.

We went with Sam today to pick up his check but had to stay back as he pushed his way to the lottery headquarters door though throngs of starving children.  The look of hopelessness in the children’s eyes could not be overlooked while Sam gleefully made his way to his millions.  But with starvation obvious, these defenseless children expressed a glint of hope which was only to be dash as Sam drove off.

Now Sam is going to live the life he’s always wanted, but these children, well that’s another story.  I’m Erick Flack, back to you John.”

MORE STUPIDER

It seems that Rock Creek Drive, somewhere in vibrant Louisville, is having a problem with speeding traffic.  The wide road rambles through a residential area and is used as a cut-through by many drivers on their way to somewhere else.  No one knows how to slow down the speeders.  The main concern is that kids play in this neighborhood and no one wants them to get squished by a speeding car.

One plan that has been suggested is to narrow the road by putting in a bike lane.  Hmm. If speeding drivers are not concerned with kids playing ‘near’ the road why would they be concerned with bikers peddling along what used to be the road?  The speeders might even harbor a little animosity toward the bikers for stealing some of their highway.  Using bikers as human shields for the children?  I don’t know, but it sounds a little Saddamish. 

COPS AND TICKETS

A cop gives you a ticket and you go to court to fight it.  You might as well fight it, because now days if you just accept it and mail in the money you still have to pay court costs which most times are more than the ticket.

I don’t see how a ticket can stand up in court.  It’s your word against the cop’s.  Don’t we still have a rule somewhere that says, “Innocent until proven guilty?”  You say you didn’t do it, and the cop says you did.  There are no witnesses, so the two sides negate each other.  Where’s the proof? 

I don’t think that cops should be able to give tickets unless they have an impartial witness to appear with them in court.  Of course, this would lead to professional witnesses, new unions and over-sight committees, and a host of other rules and regulations that would hamper law enforcement.  It doesn’t matter that we have rights and one of them is “Innocent until proven guilty.” 

LOUISVILLE COUNTRY CLUB

I seldom if ever defend the government, especially when it comes to the Louisville Government.  However, in the case of Louisville versus Louisville Country Club I make an exception. 

The country club owes Louisville $80,000 in back rent.  Louisville says pay up or get out.  Enough said about corporate welfare in this case.  You know it’s bad when Democrats boot Democrats in lieu of welfare.  Boot them out of there.

TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS

I was watching the news the other morning and no less than 6 commercials for nerves, constipation, bloating, fatigue, and I don’t even know what else came on.  No wonder this society is sick.  Drug companies have become nothing more than pushers, and doctors are the runners.  I get sick just watching the ads.

Progresso soup gets me good.  The commercial has two adults doing some gardening when they decide to have some soup.  They go in the house, and the man opens a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle and pours it in a pan.  (Of course it has to be a man, being stupid.)  The woman says, “Honey, the kids are gone now; we can eat like adults.”

What is this saying?  For years and years we fed the kids the garbage, and now that they are grown and gone we can eat good food?

I’m surprised that soccer moms aren’t blasting Progresso.  Perhaps they don’t blast Progresso because it is true and they are guilty of feeding the kids garbage.  It could be a guilt trip being laid on Mom so that she doesn’t feed the kids that yucky old Campbell’s anymore.

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