The news media in general lost my interest years ago when they moved from journalism toward cheerleading and regurgitating verbatim what they were instructed to say/print by the very people and organizations which they were supposed to be critically investigating/reporting about. I found I could no longer count on any investigation or documented corroboration in their reporting. It was a source of great ire and sadness for me. I was angry that the media had abandoned any attempt to hold government accountable. I was saddened that I had lost the treasure of being informed by a generally trusted source; one which I had come to know in childhood. There was a point as a young adult I felt it necessary to read at least two and often three different newspapers in order to remain abreast of matters of interest to me, as well as to seek verification that what I read in one newspaper wasn't just their unsubstantiated opinion. I actually feel betrayed by the current general lack of critical journalistic investigation. I had lost an old friend. I was without a trusted source of reliable, objective information. In time, I have found other media outlets which still practice investigative, critical journalism. News items not (or vaguely) reported by the "mainstream" media can at least still be found if one makes the attempt to seek it out. Most people (in my opinion) do not. I have also found it both ironic and reasonable that the Wall Street Journal will often be more truthful (in it's news reporting; their opinion pages are another matter entirely) than the other contemporary daily newspapers I have access to. It's ironic because the Wall Street Journal has, for me, always had opinions which bordered on the absurd, which would have initially led me to believe that they would slant the news to reinforce their opinions. In general I have found this not to be the case. Their rationale, in my opinion, is that they know their target audience are people of means and power. These people need the truth in order to make rational decisions. I usually don't post my opinions, but this is an issue about which I have very strong emotions. It is not that I feel people should think and feel the way I do about issues. It is that they should at least have the truth and the facts present by which to form their opinions. The media (in general) has abandoned us all in this respect (in my opinion).

Sigh. In our march toward the "Brave New World", we are consumers first, then citizens, and, for now, maybe, then humans. We serve no useful purpose to society if we aren't over consuming, and we are better citizens if we over consume conspicuously. The need for consumers to overindulge in order to prop up our economy generates symptoms such as too much advertising, and too much consumer debt.I greatly fear the long term consequences.

Maybe he just didn't want to wait until the end to get it out of his system, like Lee Atwater. I have a feeling this trend of book publishing is just beginning.

I think I *do* have somewhere else to go:

http://www.gp.org/index.php

I'm just not going to hold my nose and pull the lever anymore. It's been a horrible eight years, and the last two have been the worst. Why? Because the "opposition" party finally found themselves in a position to perform their Congressional duty of checking and balancing the Executive branch. They failed. Miserably. Period. When the Republicans had full control of both the Congress and the Executive branch, there was the hope that eventually they'd screw things up so badly that people would actually crave some checks and balances. They did, people did, and the end result up until now is not one iota different than had the Republicans maintained their majority. I feel the Democratic Party has forsaken people like me. They believe I'll hold my nose and continue to pull the lever regardless of their lack of principle or the lack of synchronization between their lip service and their deeds. Not any more. They will win the elections in November, but minus my money and my vote. Don't try to pin the "whiner" label on me, either. This is the only sane recourse a rational voter has when confronted with a political party which has abandoned their principles in order to win elections regardless of the cost to the nation as a whole. The Republicans let it happen to their party over the last thirty plus years. "Monkey see, monkey do", it appears, holds true for political parties as well.

Maybe we've all come to expect far too much from movies. I personally don't venture out to a theater all too often anymore, because I don't care for what movies have come to (mostly computer generated special effects and not too much else). There have been some "independent" movies for which I am very grateful; those seem to be less and further in between as of late. In this particular case, come on - it's a silly movie, as it was designed to be. Has no one in the last decade read a review of the stage show? I saw it tonight because my wife wanted to see it. It was, well, silly. I was entertained. I didn't go in expecting Dr. Zhivago, therefore, I wasn't disappointed. Meryl Streep did a fantastic job, and probably enjoyed herself, too. There is so much to be grouchy about in this world. I don't think this movie qualifies, though. No one will make you waste your money on it if you don't approve. Too bad this can't be said of unjustifiable wars, no bid contracts, etc.