when i realized this afternoon that there was a delay in the broadcast of the opening ceremonies of the london olympics, it royally pissed me off. it strikes me as yet another symptom of a society far too focused on the wrong things. a late afternoon live broadcast didn't fit with the needs of the network to capture those advertising dollars, so they delayed it by several hours and completely destroyed the continuity by breaking for ads every 5 minutes. and the play-by-play by the anchors - simplistic, insufficiently-researched and well, moronic. and of course, the first 5 minutes had to be spent speculating as to possible terrorism. shameful.
what has happened to this country? signs in the grocery store, warning that olives have pits. do people really not know this? are we so far from where our food comes from? i do realize that it's also lawsuit avoidance, but shouldn't we also be worried that it's come to that?
i've been here a week and a half and i'm dumbfounded. i can't stand to watch a news broadcast - they're over-dramatic and under-informed and carry little or no news. the speculations as to the motives of the madman killer in colorado have oddly become "the truth" about him, tho' he hasn't said a word. ordinary people quote glen beck and bill o'reilly and fox "news" as if they tell the truth about everything from school testing to gun control and health care. there's no critical thinking in evidence, apparently no one reasons for themselves (at least not out loud) and worst of all, there's no outrage over this.
where is the outrage?
well, i'm outraged, but at least i get to leave again. and leave again i will. tho' i will express my outrage with my vote in november. it's the least i can do.
8 comments:
People don't want to take responsibility for their stupidity....yes olives have pits and yes you do have to read the direction when you use chemicals.
i worry when I think I share a world with people who listen to the crap from Fox news. Really?
Thanks for letting me rant.
True, but we have a Starbucks on every street and a Big Box store within anyone's spitting distance. And don't forget, we are armed, dangerous and able to quote biblical quotations without provocation.
So true on all counts!! Pits? Really!? The pendulum swings both ways from needing to inform people to use their common sense, to a reflection of how litigious we have become; business owners having to post signs lest they get sued by the stupid or opportunistic. Good grief, I could go on about the media coverage (of about anything). But I'd be preaching to the choir!
There is outrage in my corner of the US...I turned on the TV to watch the opening ceremony in real time & was so disappointed. We lasted less than one snippet between commercials in prime time. I have a feeling that we have seen all that we will of the Olympics this year in this house.
Back stateside for 2 years and realizing that we are counting the days to leaving once more. The lack of informed coverage of world events. The navel gazing. The endless worry about things that really don't matter. Ugh. Yes, we will vote our consciences again in November. We also attempt to live by example - worry less, give our time freely and consume only what we need. And yet I am constantly surprised by the pity those around us have for our choice to not partake. I have to find more like minded folks...
Sorry.
Welcome home. As I told you recently, I am unable to muster outrage anymore. I've been outraged for much of my life and I am tired. And disappointed. And certain we have not reached bottom yet.
Be thankful you are living where the people may be cold, withdrawn and perhaps a little judgmental; but also thoughtful and civic-minded. Sanity is not over-rated.
Amen sister! There are all the things I did NOT miss when I lived in France and that still drive me insane now that I am back! I don't watch regular TV or news, I can't it is disgusting - the ads and the war mongering over the top drama makes me sick!
Damn, here in England we were told that the opening ceremonies had to be from 9pm to midnight to be fair to the rest of the world. Oh, and for max firework effect.
Just toasted several FB people off my news feed. Can't take the jesus is my lord and Obama bashing comments any more. And what the hell is a chick-fill-a?
Anyway, happy to leave E eventually but grateful it's to Canada and not any further south. :)
The thing that pissed me off most about the opening ceremony was certain reactions by my American friends on my twitter feed because they didn't understand what was going on because it's our history & heritage and not their's. and that's fine, but sit down, shut up and listen. don't post obnoxious crap about my country when clearly they've never picked up a book and read something that happens outside america. it makes them look ignorant and hits up every stereotype & they don't even realise they're doing it.
i do really feel for the americans who genuinely are interested in the london olympics because they pretty much know from facebook and the internet what's going on. i don't see how nbc could have thought airing it at the times they are was a good idea. i actually text a friend earlier telling him to watch the gymnastics because gaby's performance was out of this world!
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