Tag Archive for news

News and Beliefs

August 17, 2020 Comments Off on News and Beliefs

As I watch the news, I’m struck by the subtle ways that prejudice is spread. Nobody notices, but our brains do. So we accept it, coming to believe that what has been hinted at is true.

Two examples: 1) A suspect in an assault is referred to as “a homeless man,” but never “a man who lives on Gregory St. in San Jose.” 2) The person who vandalized is “a Black man,” but you don’t hear that the person was “a White man.”

The result is that our brains think, Of course, because Black men are dangerous and homeless people don’t care about anything or anyone.

It doesn’t seem right to me. It DOES seem like we need to filter what we hear before its implications get lodged in our brains.

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Some Good in the Midst of Anguish

May 4, 2020 Comments Off on Some Good in the Midst of Anguish

Although I’m deeply saddened by the daily news of even more people’s lives being taken by the coronavirus, I’m heartened by what is suddenly NOT in the news–shootings, small and large. Until the last few months, shootings were a daily occurrence.

In my fantasy world, when we come out of this pandemic, that particular lack of news will continue. In my perfect civilian world, guns will be used for sport only–target shooting and humane hunting. I’d like to think this virus has killed off another virus, that of hatred and bigotry that leads us to taking up guns to kill each other. I’d like to think that this experience we’re sharing reminds us that, despite our differences, we are all part of and responsible for the human family.

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Did You Review that Review?

December 8, 2017 Comments Off on Did You Review that Review?

I’m sensitive about this because I come by all my reviews honestly, and a recent report by Chris Chmura of NBC Bay Area News Responds reminded me of how much this bugs me: the multitude of fake online reviews.

He pointed out that, according  to Yelp, one quarter of their reviews are either biased or fake. That Facebook keeps trying–and failing–to solve the problem.  And that Google is tight-lipped (but seemingly unsuccessful) about their attempts at curbing these bogus reviews.  Yet, most of us continue to check to see what others have to say about a company we’re considering hiring.

Ah, the companies.  Seems like it’s not just reviews from individuals with a grudge or promoting their relative’s business.  Businesses hire people to do reviews for a specific company or even for a bunch of companies in the same line of work, in order to enhance that industry’s image (and revenue).

What can we do?  Chris Chmura suggests looking at a reviewer’s profile.  Don’t trust them if all their reviews are 5-star positive or very vague.  Watch for brand-new reviewers, too, who are suddenly online posting a good  number of reviews (maybe they’ve just been hired to do this?).   Or people who seem to review only companies in a particular industry but in different cities and states (also hired?).

The government is suing these fakers when they can find them, but there are so many that it’s an uphill battle.

One more thing: you can file a complaint, find out about the latest fraud, and–only if you want to–sign up for fraud alerts at www.fraud.org.

 

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Be Happier–Burn Your Newspaper

December 7, 2016 Comments Off on Be Happier–Burn Your Newspaper

News is bad for us, it seems.  It’s toxic to our bodies, causes us to make mistakes, inhibits our thinking, acts like a drug, kills our creativity, and does much more damage to us.  This is according to The Guardian.   Read  “News is Bad for You,” which gives an interesting perspective on the news.  Then you may just want to burn–or at least cancel–your newspaper.

 

 

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Do Bad Guys Need Razors?

November 2, 2016 Comments Off on Do Bad Guys Need Razors?

After watching the news for some time, I realize the motivation for men who commit crimes: they need money to buy a razor.

Just look at their pictures.  None is clean-shaven, and most have at least a 5:00 (and 6:00, and 8:00…) shadow.

So, I propose taking up a collection to buy a million (to start with) disposable razors to give out to men contemplating committing crimes.  I figure that should cut our crime rate in half.

Are you with me?

 

 

 

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The “Huh?” in My Morning News

March 23, 2016 Comments Off on The “Huh?” in My Morning News

Sometimes when I’m watching the morning news I just have to shake my head and say, “Huh?!”  Here are samples from just two weeks of newscasts.

A politician in our area, Leland Yee, pled guilty to corruption.  He was caught taking bribes and involved in gun-smuggling.  During sentencing, the judge decided that he should take into consideration Yee’s “exemplary character.”

Tragically, a woman’s torso was found in a suitcase near a river. Her head was nowhere to be found.  With a straight face, the newscaster told us, “Police are now calling it a suspicious death.”

Then there’s the questionable use of the word “alleged,” often uttered several times during a story.  There was the video of the guy holding a gun on a cab driver–the guy was referred to as “the alleged gunman.”  Then there was Jason Dalton, who “allegedly” said that his Uber app took over his mind and body, causing him to shoot five people–“allegedly,” despite the fact that there’s a recording of him saying it.  And, oh yeah, the object discovered at the O.J. Simson crime scene was an “alleged knife.”  (Isn’t a knife just a knife?)

Once a person writes the script for a news broadcast, doesn’t he or she proofread it for logic and common sense?

Oh well.  It starts my day with a chuckle.

 

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Controlling Guns, Respecting Rights

November 3, 2015 Comments Off on Controlling Guns, Respecting Rights

I’m tired of the gun-control debate!  This morning’s streaming news (scrolling across the bottom of the TV screen during the news broadcast) had nine headlines not related to sports, weather, or medical.  SEVEN of those were about people being shot. 1) A man was shot in Salinas.  2) People were shot on Interstate 80 in San Pablo.  3) A 73-year-old man shot his wife.  4) Two masked men used their guns in a robbery in Pacifica.  5)  A boy on a bike was shot in Salinas.  6)  A man was shot while sitting in his car with his nine-year-old child in East Oakland.  7) Four masked men shot off a gun during a home invasion/robbery in San Mateo.

These incidents all happened within a day in a fairly small area, an area not known for any more violence than any other.

I’m not arguing here for gun control that would take away anyone’s rights…well, the rights of any gun-trained/respecting, sane, level-headed, law-abiding, cool-tempered, life-respecting individuals.  If anyone can come up with a workable plan to protect their rights and the rights of gun-victims without gun owners giving up a small amount of what they feel the Fourth Amendment entitles them to, for the greater good, I’d love to see it enacted right away.

Yes, I’m tired of the gun-control debate.  It’s gone on far too long.  It’s past time for action instead of talk.

 

 

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That’s NEWS?!

October 26, 2015 Comments Off on That’s NEWS?!

Is my definition of “news” outmoded, narrow, or what?  I saw a “news” item in one of those little boxes that Comcast uses on their TV screen-saver.  It informed me that an actress and animal lover, Kaley Cuoco, had “adopted a cute puppy named Chester.”

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo…kay……

 

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Not that Graphic

May 12, 2014 Comments Off on Not that Graphic

Warning: What you’re about to see is graphic and can be disturbing. We often hear this warning on TV news.  Have you ever noticed, though, that what they show is nothing compared to scenes in movies and TV shows where we don’t get the warning?  Mmmmm……

 

 

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4 Hours of News in 1 Hour

February 12, 2014 Comments Off on 4 Hours of News in 1 Hour

TV news is convenient but very frustrating.  We record four hour-long news programs in the morning so we can catch up on world, national, and local happenings over our morning cup of coffee while zipping past commercials.  What we get is newscasters telling us what they’ll tell us about–after the commercials–or non-news that says there’s nothing happening, say, with a strike or hearing, but they promise to keep us posted about what isn’t happening.  They give “updates” on stories they’ve already told us, but they have nothing new to add. Then there’s the weather, repeated by the weather person six or more times, in addition to snippets from the news desk.

Bless the person who invented fast-forward!  Even so, when I timed it, all we get is a single hour of news.

By the way, this coming Sunday I won’t have anything to blog about.  But don’t worry…I’ll keep you updated on that non-blog.

 

 

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