Death Of The Political Junkie Rest in Peace-Podcast 645

Are you a political junkie? Wake up in the middle of the night to check headlines? Scan social media in the bathroom? Watch the 24 hour cable news channels? Listen to talk radio on the weekend? Inbox full of political emails? We’ll talk about it in Death Of The Political Junkie Rest in Peace-Podcast 645.

Relevance

TV Stars and channels just want to keep their brands and their personalities foremost in your mind. Same with politicians. This is what people in the media call ‘Being Relevant’.

Inside Baseball

The problem is, the twenty four hour political chatter is less relevant every day. Those addicted to what we call politics these days are driving a conversation about tweets, traded insults, and stunts by people who seem more and more unhinged as each minute passes. In Death Of The Political Junkie Rest in Peace-Podcast 645.

Lies Conceal Truth

Politics and those who cover it are talking about each other more than they actually report on the news. The result? The actual political community continues to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants.

Mika Joe and Donald

Even though we have all kinds of ‘news’ coverage, it seems like the function of our government is a mystery to most people. Relating new things to the audience becomes more and more difficult in a sea of nonsense. Television presenters who poke at public figures getting a taste of their own medicine is news? Featured in Death Of The Political Junkie Rest in Peace-Podcast 645.

Meanwhile We’re Bankrupt

Puerto Rico is bankrupt. Illinois, California and New York are next. Debt is at record levels. Both political parties promise more and more. Someone, somewhere, someday will have to pay for it.

People vote for personalities. When their ‘guy’ takes office, it is expected he or she will do what ‘the voters’ want. That is not what happens. Why? Political Junkies these days know it all. They can tell you why Trump is a sociopath or why Loretta Lynch should be in federal prison but they can’t tell you what a republican stands for or what a democrat is. Maybe it’s time to watch less and do more.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and X Government Cars.

Death Of The Political Junkie Rest in Peace-Podcast 645


 

Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644

You can already feel it. The long fourth of July weekend approaching. We’re starting to slow down. So, for the ride to the lake. During periods of rain. It’s fun to think about what might happen. In Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644.

Podcasts Have To Go Deeper

I podcast a lot about media’s role in our society. For a deeper look at angst listen to Podcast 643. We’re awash in media informing us of the latest developments. ‘Breaking News’ is the norm these days. Podcasters have to go deeper. We’ll do that in Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644.

The Next Black Swan Event Is…

Truth is, I do feel a growing sense that ‘something is going to happen’. A true ‘Black Swan’ event is something unpredictable. An event that changes the course of history. Black Swan events like the stock market crash of 1929 or the September 11th Terror Attacks were not predicted, although some might have had some forewarning. Some predicted the financial crisis of 2008, but on the whole, it was a surprise.

A Personal Story Of A Shocking and Unexpected Event

A recent example of an unpredictable event in my own life illustrates the kinds of changes we go through when things change, unexpectedly and unpredictably. Moreover in my experience a sense expectation can mean something good is about to happen too. Especially important and relevant is an expectation of a major event that changes history. This kind of expectation is a sense of foreboding.

Not The Latest Dispatch From Washington

In a broader sense our social angst is driven by constant coverage of breaking news and new opinions on every little thing that happens in a place called Washington DC. Playing the ‘Something Is Going To Happen’ game is not anticipating news out of Washington.

Making History

A true Black Swan event is something out of the so called left field. An event in the financial world. Something breaking loose from the sense of normalcy in the rest of the world. An unexpected and totally new development from the world of invention. An event that changes history.

We Don’t Change on A Dime…Or Do We?

We think of eras as decades. The 1950’s, the 1960’s, and so on. We think of changes taking place when governments transfer power. So, the Obama era gives way to the Trump era. Except that is not the way it works, Steve Jobs said what we think of as the 1960’s actually happened in the 1970’s. Events actually determine when we move from one era to the next.

To sum up, a new president took office in January. After a lot of chatter and fireworks, nothing substantial has really happened. The test of the new president hasn’t really emerged yet. Fertile ground for our imaginations to break free from the daily news feeds and imagine what could happen. Enjoy the July 4th holiday! (Editor’s Note: In This Podcast I refer to Nouriel Roubini as the person who coined the term ‘black swan’. It was in fact  Nassim Nicholas Taleb.)

Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Playing The Something Is Going To Happen Game-Podcast 644

 

 

Warning! Media BS Reaching Dangerous Levels-Podcast 641

Back in the studio after a long trip. When you drive over long distances there’s lots to think about. Of course, just because I am on the road doesn’t mean I disconnect from day to day news. Fact is, I would much rather talk about travel and adventure. Sharing some stories from the road and looking at some of the latest news in Warning! Media BS Reaching Dangerous Levels-Podcast 641.

Gasoline on The Fire

That’s right. Warning! Danger Will Robinson! We’re going to talk about the latest news in this podcast. Especially relevant, the stuff people share on social media. Charlatans and paid agents blowing on the already hot conflagration that is supposedly our body politic in this country.

Join Us For The Congressional Baseball Game

Last month I didn’t even know there was a congressional baseball game. Nor did I care. In the wake of a tragic shooting we’re still being treated to commentary and articles that simply rehash the same things written and said about every shooting. Next, they’ll be televising the congressional baseball game like it’s the All Star game. Time to call them all out in Warning! Media BS Reaching Dangerous Levels-Podcast 641.

Feeling Sorry For Day To Day Commentators Who Have To Fill The Airwaves With Nonsense

These days I get the feeling most of what we see and hear that passes for ‘news’ isn’t memorable at all. More commentary written by people who don’t know anything, telling you what to think and what to do. Once these articles are shared all they do is fan the flames of discord, serving none of us and no purpose.

Civil War? Really?

Not content analyzing the latest mass shooting event, commentators are now telling Americans to be prepared for an inevitable civil war. I just came from touring Missouri and Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. These are all states where small towns proudly display highway markers denoting deaths and destruction dating back to the Civil War from 1860 to 1865. Seems like every southern town has memorial parks and places of remembrance, well maintained and marked. Considering the bloodletting of the civil war years, it is irresponsible to compare these times to those dark days.

Who’s Fault Is it?

We’re responsible for this, because we’re the ones that keep reading, liking and sharing this crap. The right thinks anything not written and posted by their favorite sites is fake news, and the left thinks anything from the right’s favorite sites is fake news. While people actually know very little about the issues, they’re up on all the latest agitprop from their favorite mouthpiece.

Maybe There Is A Planet Out There To Collide With Earth

Considering all this, sometimes I wonder whether some event will intervene and somehow bring us all back down to earth. Or not. A pandemic, perhaps a visit from aliens. The United States is in trouble, and we’d better wake up from this slumber pretty soon or it will turn into a nightmare of biblical proportions. (Editor’s Note: I refer to the Governor of New York being killed in the 1930’s in an Attempt on FDR’s life. It was Anton Cermak the Mayor of Chicago.)

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Warning! Media BS Reaching Dangerous Levels-Podcast 641