Why News Media Should Unite for the Greater Good

Way back when in the old days of journalism, the local media fed off of one another. I could see when the local TV station, for example, had read the weekly paper I wrote for, because they'd pick up a story I wrote and make it their own.

While I enjoyed the thrill of breaking a story and "beating the competition," I never enjoyed or endorsed the competitive nature of the media beyond that point. Once I had the "scoop," I was happy to share.

However, other reporters for the "big paper" seldom talked to me, and the TV outlets were even worse. Generally, they acted as if I was not there. Occasionally, a reporter would be friendly, and I never hesitated to offer up background or whatever another writer needed for a story if asked.

But I was seldom asked. I know journalists are supposed to work the room themselves, find their own resources, and do their own follow-up, but I have found that it never hurts to talk to a colleague to get another perspective or to have background information I may not otherwise find. Nothing says I have to use their information. It's like reading Wikipedia - a good place to start but then you go on to do the rest of the research.

Journalists generally attended multiple meetings and saw a project or whatever from various angles, more so than the average person. I appreciated their point of view and their knowledge. I wasn't trying to steal from them, or them from me. But I did want accurate and complete information to pass on to my readers. It helped to know how a project went from point A to point B.

This has never been a thing, having media work together. With democracy on the line, I would argue that now is the time for that to happen. It is time for a national narrative that ignores the dollar bills and instead promotes the will of the majority and the good of the people.

Otherwise, we're going to end up with fascism and the destruction of the Constitution, and the end of our republic and the demise of democracy.

With newspaper readership declining and opinionated "entertainment news" all over the TV, perhaps it is time for a paradigm shift, emphasizing the numerous benefits of collaboration among newspapers, TV stations, and other news media outlets. This, hopefully, would enhance journalistic integrity, accuracy, and the overall impact of news reporting.

Collaboration does not imply compromising individual identities or perspectives but rather harnessing the collective strength of the news industry to fulfill its critical role in society. It's not called The Fourth Estate for nothing.

Collaboration would foster an environment that promotes journalistic integrity. By working together on a story, news media outlets could pool resources, share information, and conduct comprehensive investigations. Such cooperation could reduce the risk of biased or incomplete reporting and enhances fact-checking processes. Moreover, by collaborating, journalists would hold one another accountable and maintain higher ethical standards. Collective scrutiny would ensure that journalists strive for accuracy and objectivity, safeguarding the public's trust in the media. If news media outlets prioritized collaboration, they would send a powerful message about their commitment to the truth and the fundamental principles of journalism. This is especially important now, when so many news outlets are underfunded and understaffed.

Multiple media sources

Coordinated efforts among news media outlets would have the potential to amplify the impact of important stories and increase public awareness. By sharing research, sources, and perspectives, media organizations would be able to construct a more comprehensive narrative, bringing greater attention to crucial issues. This is essentially what the TV media, and some print media, did to ensure the election of #45 and the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016. He received way more attention (for ratings) and free press than she did.

Collaborative reporting would allow for a deeper exploration of complex topics, reaching a broader audience and inspiring meaningful conversations. Additionally, when multiple news media outlets present a unified front on critical matters, public trust would be reinforced, further emphasizing the significance of the reported stories. By working together, news media could create a collective voice that is louder, more influential, and capable of effecting positive change in society. There would always be dissenters who would see such collaboration as some kind of conspiracy.

In an era where misinformation and disinformation run rampant, collaboration among news media outlets should be indispensable. By sharing resources, cross-referencing facts, and aligning narratives, media organizations could more effectively counter the spread of false information. Collaborative fact-checking initiatives might help distinguish reliable sources from unreliable ones, empowering the public to make informed decisions. Furthermore, joint efforts could expose disinformation campaigns and highlight their deceptive tactics. By presenting a united front against misinformation, news media outlets could collectively protect the integrity of the information ecosystem, fortify public trust, and prevent the erosion of democracy.

Collaboration allows news media outlets to overcome resource limitations, particularly in an era of shrinking newsrooms and financial constraints. By pooling together their expertise, skills, and equipment, media organizations could undertake ambitious investigations and in-depth reporting that might otherwise be unfeasible. Shared resources enable the efficient allocation of limited budgets and personnel, ensuring the coverage of essential stories that may not receive adequate attention otherwise. Collaboration could also facilitate knowledge exchange, fostering professional growth, and expanding the collective capacity of the news industry.

By prioritizing collaboration, news media could enhance journalistic integrity, amplify the impact of stories, combat misinformation, and overcome resource limitations. Collective efforts would send a powerful message about the commitment to truth, while fostering public awareness and trust in most arenas.  Ultimately, by working together, news media outlets could inspire positive change, promote informed citizenship, and uphold the fundamental values of journalism.

It's a shame I fear we're too far gone for this to even be considered by other media.

*ChatGPT assisted with this essay.*

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. When you tell a story, do you often exaggerate?

A. Not often. I'm sure I have on occasion, but it is not a conscious decision. 

2. If a friend were almost always late, would you resent it or simply allow for it?

A. I allow for it. Lots of people do things I may not like, but I can't change them. I can only change my reaction to what they do.

3. Can you be counted on to be on time?

A. Unless I have car trouble or something unforeseen happens, yes.

4. When did you last yell at someone?  Why?

A. I imagine it was my husband and probably over something silly. 

5. If you could have free, unlimited service for five years from an extremely good cook, chauffeur, housekeeper, masseuse, or personal secretary, which would you choose?

A. I can't have someone who does them all? If I must choose, I'd chose the cook.

6. Would you be willing to go to a slaughterhouse and kill a cow?  Do you eat meat?

A. Yes, and yes.

7. Do you feel ill at ease going alone to either diner or a movie?  What about going on a vacation by yourself?

A. I feel more ill at ease these days than I used to. Being old, I am generally invisible now, though. I have never gone on vacation by myself.

8. Would you like to be famous?  In what way?

A. No, I would not like to be famous. I've already experienced that on a low level by writing for the local paper, and it's not pleasant. People are quick to criticize and seldom applaud.

9. Would you rather play a game with someone more or less talented than you?

A. More talented, so they can teach me something.

10. Is there something you've dreamed of doing for a long time?  Why haven't you done it?

A. Yes, and because I am afraid.

11. If you were at a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner and found a dead cockroach in your salad, what would you do?

A. Well, I wouldn't eat the salad. Or anything else, probably. I might feign a stomachache and go home.

12. Would you accept $10,000 to shave your head and continue your normal activities sans hat or wig without explaining the reason for your haircut?

A. Sure. Hair grows back.

13. If you were able to wake up tomorrow in the body of someone else, would you do so?  Whom would you pick?

A. Does the other person wake up in my body? If so, the answer is no as I wouldn't wish that on someone else. If the other person just sort of goes away for a while, then I suppose some young person would be nice. Less aches and pains.

14. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

A. I really don't want to go there today, sorry.

15. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?

A. Some of this is timing. You wouldn't joke about death right after someone died, say, but maybe later. However, the more horrific terrorist events we've been experiencing with guns should never be joked about - Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Uvalde, Charleston, etc. Only sick people would joke about kids being killed. 

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Mirrors

Saturday 9: Mirrors (2013)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Is there a mirror in the room you're in now?

A. Yes. I hung one because I read some stuff about feng shui a long time ago and it said to fix the fact that my back is to the door when I'm working, I should hang a mirror. Or something like that.

 

2) In this song, Justin Timberlake tells his lover he just can't wait till they're together. What are you eagerly looking forward to today?

A. Not much.

 

3) Justin Timberlake is known as a sharp dresser who is always on trend. What item have you recently added to your wardrobe?

A. I bought two pair of pants earlier in the week.

4) Justin was an accomplished child performer who appeared on the entertainment competition show Star Search when he was just 11. When Crazy Sam was 11, her only job was loading and unloading the dishwasher, for which she received an allowance from her dad. Did you have chores when you were a kid?

A. I washed the dishes (or loaded and unloaded the dishwasher once we got one, which wasn't until I was 10), made my bed, vacuumed the floor, dusted, fed the chickens and other birds, gathered eggs, got in firewood, fixed the fire, sometimes made dinner, helped plant the garden, weeded the garden, brought in the vegetables, helped kill chickens, occasionally fed cattle, and looked after my brother. I didn't get an allowance and had to make straight As in school. And that was long before I was 11. I was washing dishes when I was 4 years old. I stood on the phone books piled on a chair so I could reach the sink. You were a slacker, Sam!

 

5) He says he tries never to miss breakfast, even on the road, and his favorite is peanut butter banana pancakes. Given the choice, do you prefer pancakes, french toast, or waffles?

A. Pancakes.

6) When they were still in their teens, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears were sweethearts. Obviously it's been easy for him to keep up with her successes and problems over the years. Do you wonder what one of your exes is up to?

A. My exes would have been from my teenage years, and I seldom think about them.

 

7) In 2013, when this song was popular, Pope Benedict resigned. Thinking of your working life, have you felt greater stress on your first day at a job, or your last?

A. I felt stress throughout the entire time. I'm not sure either day was a picnic.

8) Also in 2013, the NHL owners reached an agreement with the players union and avoided a strike. Have you ever belonged to a union?

A. I have. I belonged to the National Writer's Union for a while, and my husband is a member of the International Association of Firefighters.

9) Random question: When was one of the first times when you felt like an adult?

A. I have always felt like an adult, really, but I suppose after I married I truly felt like one. 

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Thursday Thirteen

1. I object to the fact that one of the grocery chains (Kroger) is doing away with the inserts in the newspaper. Yes, I still read a hard copy of the newspaper, but they're not even going to have the ads in the digital version.

2. The grocery chain is forcing shoppers to download their app in order to (a) see what's on sale and (b) receive more for their money using "digital coupons." I consider this extremely unfair and classist. It forces older people, who may not be as tech savvy, to pay more for items because they don't know how to use the app. It also forces people to interact with the app constantly in order to get the "digital" coupon.

3. This is time consuming. My solution has been to (mostly) stop shopping at this store. The first time I picked up something to purchase and missed the small print *with digital coupon* on a price and had to pay more for it, was the last time. I am shopping elsewhere now, as much as I can. Unfortunately, in a rural area, my options are slim, and this store sometimes is the only place I can purchase specific products.

4. My husband has a flip phone and not a smart phone, so he can't use the app and its stupid digital coupons, either. He's not the only person with a flip phone, I'm sure. The last time he was in the store, he called me so I could look up the digital coupons and put them on our card from my desktop.

5. My phone is a smart phone, but it is also at least 6 years old. It has trouble with QR codes. So, if I know I must go to Kroger, then I have to sit at my desktop, log into my account, and browse through the stupid digital coupons in order to get the price. (Actually, when it does pick up the QR code, you still have to flip through and "clip" the coupon to add to your account, they don't just automatically add themselves. Why is that? Why must I spend my time scrolling through this crap?)

6. If a store can afford to sell grapes at $1.99 a pound with a digital coupon, then why don't they just sell them for $1.99 in the first place, instead of robbing other people who aren't tech savvy and forcing them to pay $2.29 or whatever the "regular" price is.

7. I find coupons to be disingenuous. As I state in #6, if the product can be sold for the lower price, then sell it for that. This corporate greed has gotten way out of hand.

8. I also dislike self-check outs. Food Lion uses real people and produces jobs (so now I go there to shop more and more). Kroger has cut people yet doesn't pay me a dime to check out my own groceries. They've turned shoppers into workers and people simply accept that this is the way it is. Walmart has done the same thing. If you're going to force me to do all the work, then at least give me 10% off of my purchase or something. Robbers. Some corporations are just robbers.

9. It reminds me of how my mother complained when she had to start pumping her own gas. I am old enough to remember when she'd pull into the gas station and a fellow would come out, tip his hat to her, put gas in the car, and wash the windshield, with no extra cost for the $0.25 gallon of gas. Then somebody figured out people could pump their own gas, and that was the end of that.

10. People wonder where the jobs have gone. This is where a lot of jobs have gone - the companies figured out how to make you do something for free that they were paying staff to do.

11. This goes for other things like sending out paper statements and bills from the electric company or the credit card company. Somebody had to stuff the envelopes and take the payments. Who does that now if it's all online? Nobody even sees it, it goes through its little computer dance and poof! Maybe there are still people who reconcile accounts behind the scenes, but most of this is done with fewer people and more technology.

12. Which is to say, it's not the immigrants who are taking jobs. It's the people who have all the money who are finding ways to make even more who are stealing jobs. The less they need people, the less they have to pay out. Who needs a janitor when you can run an iBot over the floor?

13. I don't see this changing. If technology is going to continue to take jobs away, then somebody (and in this case I suspect it falls to the government) needs to find a way to create other types of work or we're going to end up with a world full of sick and unhappy people, with just a few at the top living molly-coddled lives while the rest suffer. People need jobs, they need purpose, they need to have basic needs filled. The times may be changing, but those basics haven't. 

Frankly, I'd rather pay the $2.29 for the grapes, not have to worry about a stupid coupon, and be checked out by a real person. 

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 809th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Heart, Heart

Yesterday I met with the cardiologist. The appointment went about like I expected. He seemed nice enough. He said he could hear a heart murmur in the upper right ventricle, though how he could tell where it was exactly was a mystery to me.

My brother told me last night he thought I'd always had a heart murmur, but no. I don't know where he got that idea. I'm certain if that had been the case, my doctor of over 15 years would not have declared that I have a new murmur she hadn't heard before.

The doctor ordered an echocardiogram, which I expected. The appointment is six weeks away. 

I forgot, and so did my husband, apparently, that I had a stress test about 20 years ago, when I was having a lot of chest pain that turned out to be reflux. I didn't remember until we got home, and it isn't on my personal chart at this hospital conglomerate, so I'm guessing it was before everything was put on computer. The records must be hiding in some deep dark place, never to be seen again. I wonder if I should write the doctor and tell him I remembered this. (Actually, I just checked my blog, and it was February 2009, I wrote about here.) Maybe I can just tell the folks who do the echocardiogram, now that I have an approximate date.

The doctor told me at some point I'd have to make decisions about taking a statin (I do not do well on them), blood thinners, etc., etc., and I should expect to have a heart attack. This is basically what my GP has told me for years.

Weight loss may help, but I have not been able to do that. The only time I've lost weight has been when I've had active ulcers and couldn't eat. I eat Cheerios almost every morning, but I seriously doubt that has helped my lipid levels.

Getting old is no fun. It's rather cruel, actually. 

At Least That Is Over

Mother's Day

I don't recall when I last dreaded a Mother's Day so much as this one. There was no reason to dread it, particularly, but it is not my favorite holiday anyway. I suspect my upcoming 60th birthday had something to do with it.

So, I stayed off of Facebook with its syrupy photos of happy mothers and adorable children who are now old, stodgy adults trying to rebuild a 20th century that hasn't existed for 50 years, and tried to ignore other aspects of the holiday as well. I did my part by ensuring my husband's mother received her due as matriarch, and gave my stepmother flowers, but otherwise, I was over this "holiday" before it even began.

It's no secret that my mother and I had a bad relationship. I have had trouble with this celebration ever since I was a teenager. Hallmark doesn't sell "I'm sorry I was born and ruined your life," cards. At least, not around here. Not in the hardware store where the Hallmark cards are now.

It doesn't help when the bank hands out presents to you without even asking if you're a mom. I guess they assume everyone with gray hair has children. But not all of us have moms, or had good moms, and not all of us have children.

There are women like me who have no mothers and no children, making us what, irrelevant?

Book Banning

On the local front, I hear through my line of contacts that the library board meeting last week was a doozy, complete with screaming, invasion of personal space, and possibly throwing things (I heard two different versions of that so let's just say something happened). Someone should have called the Sheriff's Office and asked for a deputy. I hope they do that next month.

The issue, at this juncture, is LBGTQ+ books in the children's section of the library, along with some other books that show how babies are made that narrow minds consider pornographic. I have only checked out one - the only one I can find that's available as an audiobook - and didn't find any issues with it.

Of course, I have no children, so I suppose some might say I have no dog in this fight, but to be clear, neither does the person who is causing most of the uproar. My dog in this fight is this - if I want to read a book, then I want it to be available or I want the library to order it for me so I can read it, and not be stifled by these Christian Nationalists who think anything that doesn't portray what they approve of shouldn't be purchased.

As if they are the only people in this county who pay taxes. Plenty of other folks who don't subscribe to their cult pay taxes, and we want our books.

Matters of the Heart

Tomorrow, I go to see a cardiologist. I have developed a new heart murmur and my doctor wants me checked out. She's been very helpful, saying things like, "Your blood pressure is at stroke level," and "You don't have to worry about getting dementia, you're going to die of a heart attack long before that happens."

She is trying to ensure I follow through and go see this person, I suppose. She doesn't have to try that hard. I am old enough to die, but I'd just as soon it not happen right away.

This first visit will likely just be a howdy-do and the cardiologist will listen to my heart and then order bloodwork and maybe an ultrasound to start. Maybe he will do an EKG since I haven't had one in 10 years. That would make sense.

The doctor my GP wanted me to see is not taking new patients, so I'm seeing someone I know nothing about, except for what I found on the Internet. He studied internal medicine at Carilion - VA Tech School of Medicine in 2014-2017, then went on to do heart stuff in Louisiana. He can't have been in practice very long, but perhaps that means he's current on all the new stuff. Some of the older doctors still do things like they did 20 years ago.

I am trying to be positive about it, but I don't do "positive" very well sometimes.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?

A. A cooler with water in it rests on the floorboard. I think on the seat are a couple of umbrellas, a visor for the windshield, and a cane. (I no longer need to use a cane, but I keep one in the car just in case.)

2. When was the last time you threw up?

A. I can't remember. I think it has been in this century, though.

3. What's your favorite word or phrase?

A. Interesting. It's a great catch-all that can either mean, "that's great," or "that's really stupid," but who knows which I really mean when I say it?

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?

A. I've only been home with my husband today. Several of the Saturday 9 bloggers made me smile. Do they count?

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?

A. Eating breakfast.

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?

A. Laundry.

7. What would constitute the perfect evening for you?

A. Reading a book with the TV turned on to something I've already seen, while holding my husband's hand occasionally.

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?

A. No.

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?

A. "Amazon says the mail has come and there's a package in the box."

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?

A. I haven't had ice cream since I was 12 years old, but I expect for me it would be chocolate. 

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?

A. Water.

12. What are you wearing right now?

A. Jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers.

13. What was the last thing you ate?

A. Yogurt-covered pretzels.

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?

A. Yes. I purchased a bra a Walmart. It's the first new one I've bought in years. 

15. When was the last time you ran?

A. About two weeks ago, the alert thing my mother-in-law uses went off and I received the urgent call on my cell phone. I froze for a second, debating whether to try to call her first, then decided that if everything was fine, she'd be on the phone with the alert people or my sister-in-law, who also would have gotten the alert, and if she wasn't fine she couldn't answer the phone, so I grabbed my cell and literally ran to the car and then drove to her house as fast as I could. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. She'd accidentally hit a button. I think I was there in two minutes or less. She said it was good to know people actually responded to the thing - the alert people had called her to double check, and my sister-in-law and husband called (I called him en route), and I showed up. I was closest.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Mama Said

Saturday 9: Mama Said (1961)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song is about a girl who remembers wise advice she received from her mother. Tell us about someone who advised you years ago and to this day you think, "They were right!"

A. My second-grade teacher told me I'd be a writer. She was right.

2) She sings about hearing chapel bells. Can you hear church bells ringing from your home?

A. No, I cannot. Occasionally when the weather is right, I can hear a distant train.

 

3) This week's featured artists are the Shirelles, a group formed in New Jersey in 1957. They are credited for beginning the girl group genre. Name another popular girl group.

A. Heart.

4) In 1961, when this song was popular, Jacqueline Kennedy appeared on the cover of Ladies Home Journal three times. Is there a printed magazine in your home right now? If so, who is on the cover?

A. I have a copy of Birds and Blooms and it has a bullock oriole on it. I did have the most recent AARP magazine and I think Diane Keaton was on it, but I finished reading it and it went out with the recycling.

5) This song was chosen in celebration of Mother's Day. More phone calls are made on Mother's Day than any other day of the year. Who was your last phone call from?

A. My husband called to tell me he would be home late because he was getting the hay out of the hayfield.

 

6) Salons see a bump in appointments around Mother's Day every year. Partly because moms want to look good for their day, but also because hair, spa and nail services are a popular Mother's Day gift. When did you most recently go to a salon, and was it for your hair, complexion, or nails?

A. I had a haircut on Monday. 

7) Similarly, restaurants experience a spike in reservations on Mother's Day. Where did you last dine out? Was a reservation required?

A. We haven't eaten in a restaurant in quite a long time. We last had take-out from a local burger joint.

 

8) The most popular Mother's Day gift is still the greeting card. Where do you card shop: drugstore, bookstore, card shop, etc.?

A. Drugstore for cards, usually. I am not aware of any card shops still in operation around here. We used to have several Hallmark shops, but now they are located inside of Ace Hardware.

9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds?

A. Classic milk chocolate please, and thank you, Sam.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Having a Rest

 

Thursday Thirteen

Here are 13 ways that people could work to fix the political divide in the United States and bring people together:

1. Encouraging respectful and constructive dialogue: Leaders and individuals across the political spectrum should engage in respectful and constructive dialogue to understand and appreciate each other's perspectives. Unfortunately, I do not see this happening at the highest levels of government, or at the lowest. Admittedly, it is hard to appreciate the perspective of a white supremacist, racist, or close-minded zealot.

2. Promoting media literacy: Encouraging media literacy skills to help individuals recognize bias and misinformation can reduce the risk of people being manipulated by inaccurate information. It is a shame that it has come to this, that we cannot trust various media resources. I blame social media for this downfall of trust, and the fact that media had turned news into entertainment in the quest for money instead of serving as it should - a check on the balances of powers.

3. Supporting fact-checking initiatives: Fact-checking initiatives could be supported to promote accuracy in reporting and reduce the spread of false information. Most people do not take the time to fact check the things they share on social media. I went through a spell where I tried to point out that things were incorrect, but it didn't matter. People believe/think what they want to.

4. Increasing access to diverse viewpoints: People should be exposed to diverse viewpoints and be encouraged to learn from them. Unfortunately, I have found that many narrow-minded people have no desire to learn about anything that does not confirm their existing biases.

5. Encouraging civil discourse: Promote civil discourse among leaders and individuals across the political spectrum to foster an environment that is conducive to cooperation and compromise. This, I think, needs to start at the top and work its way into the national dialogue, but I don't see it happening. For example, why can't we see McCarthy and Biden attempt to work out the issues with the debt ceiling in a civil manner? Show their discussions and let us see two statesmen who are strong leaders debating without rancor and without incrimination. 

6. Focusing on common ground: Leaders and individuals across the political spectrum should focus on areas of common ground and work together to make progress on shared goals. I have found that when I speak individually to people who differ from me politically, we have more common ground than not. Not always, of course, but most times. However, sometimes that same person then goes back to disparaging "libtards" on social media as if our conversation never happened. That is disheartening.

7. Encouraging empathy: Leaders and individuals should practice empathy, understanding the perspectives of others, and work to address the needs of all Americans. This includes everyone regardless of race, color, gender, etc. Everyone has basic needs and this is a wealthy nation. We have too many homeless people and too many people who are on the fringes of society. We must build bridges.

8. Encouraging civic education: Encouraging civic education can help to increase understanding of the political process and promote greater civic engagement. Alas, a recent report showed that children in the US are failing miserably in history and civics. The pass rates were less than 25% in both areas. This is a travesty and I don't know how it happened. I had both history and civics in high school, and again in college (where I learned that much of the history I learned in the lower grades had been whitewashed although the basic facts were there). We can teach facts. Kids should know George Washington was the first president, Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president, and who the presidents have been in their lifetime, if nothing else. Basic facts.

9. Addressing inequality: Addressing inequality can reduce the social and economic disparities that can contribute to political polarization. This would take a miracle, as the US thrives on inequality and so many people seem unable to stand someone else having something they do not. This is especially true if they perceive people as receiving help with tax dollars.

10. Encouraging compromise: Leaders and individuals should be encouraged to compromise, and to work towards solutions that benefit the common good. I would like to see more compromise in the US Congress, especially. Locally, I do sometimes see compromise, or changes in a building plan, for example, that would better suit the neighbors. I see less of it now than I once did, however. Once again, this goes back to money. Money talks.

11. Promoting community engagement: Community engagement can help to bring people together, build trust, and foster a sense of shared purpose. Unfortunately, I find that the very idea of shared community is anathema to some, unless that community is an echo chamber. But diversity is necessary not just for personal learning but to bring society together and to increase growth and intelligence of the nation as a whole.

12. Encouraging political involvement: Encouraging political involvement can help to promote greater engagement in the political process and reduce polarization. Get out there and support your candidate! Create a 30-second talking point as to why anyone should support the candidate. If you can't get out, donate to campaigns of your choosing.

13. Promoting transparency: Promoting transparency in government and other institutions can help to increase trust and reduce political polarization. In Virginia, the legislature constantly tries to erode the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws so that more and more things can be discussed outside the purview of the citizenry. These folks represent us, they're spending our tax dollars, and secrets aren't good for morale. Pay attention when your state legislature is in session, and if you see erosion of FOIA, write your representative and object.

ChatGPT helped with this list.

Images from dreamstime (free photos section).

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 808th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

WWW.Wednesday

I have never participated in this meme. It asks the same three questions about books every Wednesday. The link to the meme is here, although I'm just using the questions and not actively participating.

1. What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Out of the Corner, by Jennifer Grey. It is a memoir. It starts out immediately with information about the infamous "nose job" that allegedly derailed her acting career. 

I am listening to Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris. I usually have a book on tape going along with one I am reading. I just started it, but I can already see it covers some material I've heard in other books of his I have listened to.

2. What did you recently finish reading?

I recently finished reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz. It is being "challenged" and reviewed for banning at my local library. I wrote a detailed review of the book here. The book did not offend me, nor would I hesitate to let a young person read it if I were the parent.

3. What do you think you’ll read next?

I will probably read or listen to another book that's on the "to be reviewed for banning" list. 

Here's the list of books the local library is currently reviewing. I am opposed to book banning, especially if the books are all as harmless as the one I just finished.

 • Sex, Puberty, and All That Stuff: A Guide to Growing Up by Jacqui Bailey (nonfiction)

• Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer (nonfiction)

• Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List: A Novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

• Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

• Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

• Growing Up LGBTQ by Duchess Harris (nonfiction)

• Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake

• Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler

• Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

• Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

• The Every Body Book – Rachel Simon (nonfiction)

There is also a request to review a DVD called Bros.

A Brown Raccoon

I grabbed these photos last week, in the middle of the day. I know raccoons are having babies now, so I assume this is a mom in need of grub to keep the kits fed.

The distance to the deer was amazing. She walked very close to them as they lay in the field.

The coloring also confused me. At first, I thought it was a groundhog, then I saw the long tail and the masked face. Raccoons are usually gray. I've never seen a brown one before.

They Are Offended by This?

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

By Benjamin Alire Saenz

Copyright 2012

Read by Lin-Manuel Miranda

8 hrs 8 minutes

A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)

This book has been challenged in my local library. I have a list of 13 books that have been deemed inappropriate by the fascist Nazis who want to ban books. This was one of them.

This is the story of Ari and Dante, who meet when they are 15 years old. Dante teaches Ari how to swim. The book is very forward in examining feelings and relationships. The book is told from Ari's point of view, and he has many emotions, particularly pertaining to his parents and his absent and unspoken of older brother.

He is quite introspective and examines everything in detail. He and Dante become best friends and this relationship becomes stronger after Ari saves Dante's life. 

At first, I thought the problem with the book was that the boys are Mexican, or Mexican-American. This was something Ari also examined - how does being thought of as Mexican fit in when you live in the United States but are of Mexican descent. I liked the cultural aspect of the book and how it showed a view of this from a non-white perspective.

The book touches on some homosexuality issues somewhere after the first half (so 4 hours into the book) when Dante admits he has feelings for boys. But both young men have mixed emotions about sex and sexuality. At various times both are attracted to girls. As the book progresses, it is obvious Dante loves Ari, but Ari does not feel the same way until he grows up a good bit and has discussions with his parents.

Remember the relationship between Raj and Howard in The Big Bang Theory? That's basically what we have revealed in this book. There are no explicit sex scenes. The young men kiss. That is it. Not even a feel-up or a squeeze.

The book is also very well written.

It works both ways and it's a slippery slope when you start banning books. The Bible is offensive to some people. So is Christian literature.

Both are in the library. Should they be removed?

I don't know how we ended up with so much stupid in this country, but here we are.

At least I read the book so I would know what these people find offensive. Me? I find book banning offensive. And book banners are certainly not Christian by my definition of the word. (They said in the meeting that they were Christians and found this book and others offensive. That's not my inference, it is what was said.)

If you don't want to read a book, or have your child read a book, then don't check it out. It's as easy as the way I never have my TV turned to FAUX news. No one has the right to tell someone else they can or cannot read a book. (Or must have a baby, but that's another topic though along a similar line of thought.)

People apparently need more to do. And they need to mind their own business.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

Name a:

1. a song with a food name - Tequila Sunrise, by The Eagles

2.  a song with an animal in it - Puff, the Magic Dragon, by Peter, Paul & Mary

3.  a song about a bird - Rockin' Robin, by Bobby Day

4.  a song about a dog - Ol Shep, by Elvis Presley

5.  a song mentioning a cat - Cat's in the Cradle, by Harry Chapin

6.  a song listing a character from wizard of oz - Tin Man, by America

7.  a late night driving song - Paradise by the Dashboard Light, by Meatloaf

8.  a song from a movie - Don't You Forget About Me, by Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club)

9.  a guilty pleasure song - Band on the Run, by Paul McCartney & Wings

10. a song about friends - You've Got a Friend, by James Taylor

11. a song that is about summertime - Fields of Gold, by Sting

12. a song that needs to be played more on the radio - American Pie, by Don McLean

13. a song about drugs or alcohol - Smokin' in the Boys Room, by Brownsville Station

14. a song you would sing at karaoke - Angel in the Morning

15. a song from year you were born in - Rhythm of the Rain, by The Cascades

Saturday 9: Come On-A My House

Saturday 9: Come On-A My House (1951)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this week's song, Rosemary Clooney offers us candy, peaches, pears, grapes, cake, etc. What tasty treat are you craving this morning?

A. Chocolate. Sorry, but it's kind of always there.

 

2) The song was co-written by a pair of cousins more famous for their other jobs. William Saroyan was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and Ross Bagdasarian created Alvin and the Chipmunks. Tell us about one of your cousins.

A. My cousin Tamia is no longer with us. She lived in California; I lived in Virginia. I met her in 1972 when they came for a visit (I was 9 years old). I thought she sang beautifully and played the guitar well. I saw her briefly in 1976 when we went to California. Those were the only two times I met her. She was 3 years older than I. From what I gathered from my parents, she stayed in trouble, was a constant runaway when she was younger, and heavily into drugs. She died in 2010 at the age of 50. She left behind two sons and a daughter, none of whom I have ever met. I'm not even sure where they are, nor do I think any of the family stays in touch with them. I attempted to get to know her daughter but was not able to do so. I always wished I'd known Tamia better and I wonder if we would have been friends. Maybe not, as we were obviously different people despite our fathers' similarities.

3) The song was inspired by the cousins' recollection of their Armenian relatives encouraging friends and family to visit by promising lots of food. Who most recently invited you to their home? What was the occasion?

A. I went to visit my father, who is recovering from surgery. I took him some coffee cake to snack on and spent time with him while my stepmother ran errands.

4) This was a big hit for Rosemary Clooney. She got her start singing live on Cincinnati's WLW radio station. Today WLW is an all-news station. When you were a kid, what radio station did you tune into for the hits and new music?

A. I think it was Q99 or K92. I still listen to Q99 occasionally. Mostly I listened to whatever channel played American Top 40.

5) Rosemary was also an actress, appearing in motion pictures and made-for-TV movies. The most famous is 1954's White Christmas. Have you seen it?

A. I have, but it has been a very long time ago and I barely remember it.

6) Yes, Rosemary Clooney is related George Clooney. She was his aunt. She appeared with him on ER and received an Emmy Award nomination. Do you enjoy doctor shows?

A. I don't watch them, so I guess not.

7) In 1951, when this song was #1, Yankees superstar Joe DiMaggio retired from baseball. He remained in the public eye, endorsing products and acting as Major League Baseball's ambassador around the world. His second marriage, a few years after his retirement, was almost as legendary as his baseball career. Without looking it up, do you know who his bride was?

A. Didn't he marry Marilyn Monroe? 

 

8) Also in 1951, I Love Lucy premiered and has never been off the air since. That's right: for 72 years, without interruption, viewers have been entertained by the Ricardos and Mertzes. When you think of I Love Lucy, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

A. The episode with the chocolates, where she ends up shoving them in her mouth and putting them in her pockets to keep them from falling off the conveyor belt. (I told you chocolate was a constant.)

9) Random question -- You're playing roulette and suddenly doubled your winnings. Do you walk away when you're ahead, or do you stay at the table to play your winning streak?

A. I would play one small bet to see how it goes. If I win, I play on but only whatever I've won so that I keep the original amount I spent. If those winnings are lost, then I walk away so that I've broken even.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Hollins University Carillon

This is a video of the Hollins University carillon playing. We went to listen to it as it was a special concert, and I hadn't heard the bells ring in a long time. I took video of it, but this is better quality. The wind was blowing so hard that is mostly all you can hear on my phone.

The carillon consists of 47 bronze bells that are played by a keyboard in the chapel tower, as seen in the video. The bells ring every hour and play melodies for special occasions such as commencement, convocation, and holidays, though they were quiet during the pandemic so they haven't been played as much.

Also, one of the lines of one of the bells was broken and recently repaired.

"The Hollins carillon was installed in 1959 as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Toddie L. Wynne (Imogene Avis Young, Hollins 1917) in memory of Mrs. Wynne’s mother, Allie Nash Young, Hollins Class of 1890. The 47 bells are situated in the top of the chapel’s bell tower, which was built specifically to support the tremendous weight of the bells. According to university literature, the bells vary in weight from 22 pounds to 2,640 pounds. Of these, there are two pealing bells, which are played by pulling on a rope. The rest are played much like a percussion instrument by a bellmaster or carillonneur from a console in the tower." - Cardinal News

The Carillon is one of the few musical instruments of its kind in the United States. (From Bing AI)

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One of the things I noted was how nostalgic being back on campus made me. I miss being in college. I miss the atmosphere of learning. That place is haunted by the ghosts of women before me who learned in order to make life better, and I feel it when I am on the grounds.