Podcast 294

Dry Cycle. The update turns into a discussion of the fallibility of media, even your favorite cable news channel. This weekend, Fox News had to correct itself and apologize profusely for reporting there are ‘no go’ zones in Europe, where non muslims fear to tread, and the police won’t enter. Everyone was talking about it all weekend after Fox anchors and guests apparently got it wrong. These are neighborhoods in England and suburbs in France that are about as forbidding as LA’s Compton, or Chicago’s South Side. While Europe has been more lenient allowing Sharia Law, it does not mean muslim ‘enclaves’ have sprouted, even though allowing a separate law for Muslims in a modern, western democracy is not a good idea. That said, the President and the Pope continue to support limits on free speech. President Obama even went so far as to say he doesn’t consider terrorism a existential threat, which it most certainly is, then said Europe has to do a better job ‘integrating’ its Muslims. Maybe he fell for the No Go story too. This provokes a whole conversation about how to wean yourself from cable news and talk radio, develop multiple sources of information, deal in facts, avoid the emotion spewing out of talk radio and fox news, and use your tools to find and develop deeper knowledge on key subjects. The need to fill the airwaves, pushes under financed and poorly managed outlets to spew out incorrect information, relying on ping ponging viewers back and forth between the latest outrage and the latest breaking news. The good news? That kind of media’s glory days are behind it, as it gives way to on demand audio (podcasts), You Tube, NetFlix and future on demand video services. A recent survey reports that most millennials don’t ever watch broadcast television, seldom watch cable news channels, and download virtually all their entertainment and information. In an on demand world, the daily outrage may not work as well, as people seek out information, rather than people screaming at each other. The latest example? NASA says 2014 was the hottest year on record? Do you know by how much? Do you know what the margin of error is in that estimate? The answer might surprise you. Finally, Arizona and other states are passing laws which require high school seniors to pass citizenship exams in order to graduate. Good idea? Sponsored by Baklund R&D. 

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Podcast 282

Live From The Living Room 2. Here comes the flu! States across the East and Midwest are starting to see a high number of cases for this year’s flu, which may or not be covered by this year’s flu vaccine. Advice? If you get the flu embrace the suck, get yourself some Mexican Coke, and settle in. This New Year’s Eve may be ‘marred’ by protesters seeking to deny Americans the pleasure of celebrating a fresh, clean New Year. So after a high pressure Christmas with the relatives, the one night you want to spend with your friends having a good time is going to end up being ruined by a bunch of idiots in Guy Fawkes masks? Oh Hell No! This is a move that will backfire on so called protesters, who do more and more dumb stuff in an effort to continue grabbing attention and media after two police in New York were assassinated by a criminal, in support of the protests. Meanwhile the most visible Ferguson protester Joshua Williams (is he even from Ferguson?) has been arrested for arson in Berkely, Missouri. Another shining example of the virtue of a protest movement rapidly losing its credibility. Speaking of Credibility, The Communist Pope has now decided to take up the ‘Climate Change’ cudgel in an effort to remain relevant despite all the robes and opulence in the Vatican. Just forget about all that brocade and architecture, diamonds and silk, he’s Argentinian, you know, which means he’s down with the people. People like Castro, and old Uncle Joe. The Pope will soon ‘issue’ a large heavy document, for which many trees will die, in which he will lecture all of us on the dangers of global warming and the need to have a radical change in our economic and social system. Sayeth ‘Pope Che’, ‘These systems are based on the worship of money’ and God is against that. No sir, our system is supposed to be based on our Liberty and personal sovereignty, which is God given, and subject not to the whims of any Pope in Rome. And now we see why. And an addendum to Podcast 280, which focused on social media and political discourse. A professor says Washington has been dumbed down, because America is dumbed down, and what we can do about it. Step one; Don’t expect politicians to become academics or intellectuals. Sponsored by Baklund R&D. 

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Podcast 272

Christmas Insanity. Stories we are missing because of all the reporting on Congress, Oil, Australia and … Christmas. Suddenly we have to be told how to ‘deal’ with the Christmas Holiday, by practicing ‘abundance without attachment’. In english, that means we should not criticize commercialism, or judge materialism, but be unattached to money and just enjoy ‘the experience’. (Editor’s Note: I am well acquainted with the concept of practicing non attachment, but I don’t think it has anything to do with the rash of lazy journalism regarding spending money during the ‘holiday season’.) The biggest problem is expectations, being generating because of all the emotional stimuli in commercials and these incessantly cheerful all christmas all the time radio stations. Maybe the bad reporting comes from the fact that this is the worst time of the year to be doing issues or news based media, since people are checking out. Nothing is wrong with materialism, even the love of money. What’s wrong is the media’s obsession with predicting economic performance based on individual sales days like black Friday and Cyber Monday. The whole season becomes an economic bellwether? The truth is, its only since about the 1930’s in the US that Christmas per se, has become this macro holiday, with all its attendant markers for the wider economy. The best Christmas gift so far? The Sony Hackers. Revealing how Hollywood is actually the rapacious capitalist, rather than Wall Street. Anyone want to see if millionaire Senator Elizabeth Warren will take on greedy Hollywood execs? Why is it always Wall Street Banks, or dirty industrial companies. Eew. Do we still value people who actually make things? Or do we care more about the perfumed princes and princesses of Hollywood and the whales, global warming, public-private partnerships to preserve water and other nonsense. MSNBC’s days may be numbered. A new digital service called MSNBC Shift will be testing programming for the ailing progressive mouthpiece no one is listening to. Don’t rule out a completely new approach’ sports or entertainment. While Fox enjoys huge audience numbers, they sit astride a delivery channel (cable television) that may actually have an expiration date. Remember when Global Warming enthusiasts said warming causes tornadoes? The US had fewer tornadoes in the last three years, since they started measuring these things back in the 1950’s. And finally, the dumbest story of the week; “Scientists” say the warmer it is, the less you make. 54 degrees is the optimal temperature for productivity. Sigh. Sponsored by Baklund R & D. 

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