MONDAY...
— Hectic evening at work. I’m asked to write another staff evaluation... and then discuss the whole evaluating process with some fellow supervisors/former supervisors. In the end, I do an hour and a half in AFIS and spend the rest of the night on evaluation stuff.
— Some groceries on the way home from work.
TUESDAY...
— Off work today for a night at the hockey game. Go see Edmonton vs. Ottawa with Nick and Melissa... there, we meet Laura, Sheila, Steve and a couple of non-work people. It’s a fun night with Ottawa winning 4-3 in the stupid shootout. Although even for a gimmick ending, it was a fun night.
WEDNESDAY...
— Little sleep again... get a new pass before work today. I lost my old one at the hockey game. Work is fine... we eat Greek food.
THURSDAY...
— Sort of frustrating day. They call from the hockey stadium to say they found my pass... it’s already replaced but I’ll have to drive out there and get it anyway. Left hanging on a work issue with management. And just feel out of it with several people. I’m getting looks that seem like people know something I don’t.
— No sleep isn’t helping. I fell asleep, in my bed, at almost 6:00 AM this morning. Slept until close to 11:00.
FRIDAY...
— Work in TC AFIS for the second straight night. Last night was with Mike... tonight with Laura. It’s better in there... quieter.
SATURDAY...
— The old pass is found and picked up. They got it at the stadium and I make the drive to get it... not that it’s useful anymore but better I have it than someone else.
— Shannon comes over to help with my wireless network and the laptop. Seems good now. We get pizza and watch hockey at his place to end the night.
Insecure Security
Security. What is it? How important is it? Does it really keep us safe?
Since September 11th, 2001 (I still refuse to go with that 9/11 silliness... it seems too stylish in describing a terrorist attack... like EMERGENCY, call 911! Would they call it 4/23 if the attack happened on April 23rd?)... anyway, since September 11th, 2001, we’ve had security beaten over our heads. We’ve been convinced that all people in the western world are no longer safe. Each day could be our last. Who knows, some post office in Gander, Newfoundland may get a letter filled with anthrax.
I actually got my job largely based on September 11th. Shortly after that attack, the RCMP went on a hiring spree and my position was one of those that opened up. Sometimes... I’m not sure that’s been a good thing for me. It’s been a good job that I’ve had for these past three and a half years... but there are a lot of crazy people in that office of mine. Actually, I’m not sure if the people are the crazy ones or if it’s the atmosphere of that office that drives us to nutty behavior. Either way, it’s not the place for the most timid and sensitive people.
Again, I veer from the point.
Our country is one of many in the world today that has gone security crazy. Airports are one step away from strip and body cavity searches. Make the wrong joke at the wrong time and you’ll be tossed into jail.
Some argue for a little common sense... to leave the little old white grandmother alone, she could never be a terrorist. But then that steers us towards racial profiling and the possibility of an innocent man of Pakistani descent being thrown in jail for three years without ever been told why.
America is doing it on a more extreme level, but Canada is also a nation of fear.
Yet how safe are we? I have driven into parking lots of government buildings that are guarded by seventy year old retirees with a wooden plank that’s lowered to stop cars. If a terrorist wanted to bomb that area, there’s nothing stopping them.
I’ve even heard of people being let in to such complexes with pictures of famous people taped over their own ID badge. The guard never looked close enough to tell that the young girl who was just let in had a picture of the Queen looking up at him.
Our office is pretty good. You need a badge that’s programed to let you into our building. Otherwise, you get no further than the front lobby... everything else is stuck behind thick glass.
Airports have become insane. I’ve been asked to take a sip of the water I’m bringing in... to remove my boots... to remove my belt... and to help track down a strange device found in my bag by x-ray. In the end, that device turned out to be a strip of magnet on a book.
Now, I don’t even bring the water... I wear boots with no metal on them at all... and I am wondering if I should go beltless from now on. I mean, I was scolded by this person in Montreal airport. She seemed to think I should have known better than to wear a belt. Slippers and jogging pants will soon be the only proper outfit to wear on the planes. Wow... we really are getting closer to that image of the future you see in so many sci-fi movies... where everyone dresses exactly the same in some sort of one piece body suit.
Of course, maybe to appear less menacing, these body suits will be made in the form of giant pink bunny rabbits, complete with tail and ears. And we can all walk around like young Ralphie Parker from the movie The Christmas Story. But at least we’ll be safe at the airport.
This week, I lost my office badge. I lost it at a sold out hockey game. If the wrongs hands got on that badge... well... I don’t like to think about it.
(Note... in honesty, if such badges are lost, they need to be reported quickly. If someone found it and knew were it belonged, they’d get access to everything I work at... so it’s not a good idea to lose those things).
I called the hockey stadium and left a message. When I heard nothing back, I went to work, reported the loss, and got a new badge. The next day, the call came... the old badge is found. So it’s road trip time. Back out to the stadium on the edge of the world.
That’s Ottawa. In a world where sports facilities are all placed in the middle of the downtown core... where they do the most for the economy of the city... Ottawa built their hockey stadium in the middle of nowhere. It’s a half hour drive for me to get there with no traffic. I’ve driven home from a game in an hour and a half once. It’s just dumb.
But again, I veer off course. On Saturday, Shannon and I go to the stadium to get my pass back. The girl at the parking lot gate asks why I’m going to the loading dock. Explaining my loss, she brightens and says... “ohhh, lost and found. Very good, head to the left and you’ll find it.”
Terrorists take note... if you want to gain access to a building that’ll hold 20,000 people in a few hours, tell the person at the parking gate that you need lost and found.
Once we reach lost and found, a guy gets up from his desk to greet us. In this case, by greet I mean interrogate. He’s puffed up and very proud of the uniform he has on. He’s there to kick some butt! And if we don’t say the right things... that butt will be ours!
I explain how my badge was found. He asks “what does it look like?” As I’m about to explain, I look down to see it on the desk. “That’s it there.” I say.
Suspiciously, he picks it up. I guess since I didn’t describe the badge, only pointed to it, I may be looking to grab any old thing I can find.
Finally, before the guy gives me the badge, he asks me for ID. I even confirm with him... “You want to see ID?” “Yes”, he says... more puffed up than before.
I take out my RCMP member ID and show it to him. He brightens and wishes me a nice day... even calling me by name. But as I get my badge back, I look at the picture of myself staring up at me. And I wonder... wouldn’t that have been ID enough? The snotty me was even tempted, when asked to show ID, to simply point at the pass in his own hands. But that would have possibly landed me in jail for a year or two. This is security we’re talking about after all!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #257
MONDAY...
— Slow day. I do Partial Purges (a task I didn’t much enjoy the last time I did it... a year ago). A meeting ends the day.
— Supper with Sheila and a quick trip back to the office to pick up info I meant to bring home in the first place.
TUESDAY...
— Work at home. It’s a long day... evaluation writing is slow and tiring and it’s taking about two hours per. Another day at home will be needed for me to get it all done.
WEDNESDAY...
— Another day working at home. Got the evaluations all done anyway and it’s a good day to be home as there’s snow falling today. Not as much came down as called for but still not a nice day outside.
— Valentine’s Day is basically ignored by me. I e-mailed a group of co-workers to joke with, and recognize them a bit... but that’s it.
THURSDAY...
— Busy day with discussing evaluation work with other supervisors. It’s so cold today (-36 with the wind... -33 F) that a few of us order in for a rare 11:30 round of take out... rather than go to HQ for the cafeteria.
— Get the call, my laptop is ready to be picked up. Going tomorrow after work.
FRIDAY...
— Longish day in the office. Just too tired for it to go by fast.
— Get the computer with Shannon. Get his new TV too... drop it off and go for supper... then my place for computer setup. It takes most of the night. Tiring more so.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. Some napping and some work on the laptop.
Rambling Thoughts
I don’t know what to write today. I can’t say I’m in a story telling mood and serious minded rants can only go on so long without sounding preachy and overly caught up in your own importance. So, it’s a mixed bag of stuff... no notes, just things that have recently gone on or have been thought about... or maybe wondered about is a better way to put it.
1... I have a new computer now. The latest I’ve gone before actually holding a Christmas gift but it’s now here in my house. A fine laptop that’ll take over from my old Dell home computer. Of course, going by the logic of such events, I’m typing this week’s writing on the old computer. There is logic to this. The fact is, I can’t find the disk with my copy of WordPerfect on it. And the laptop is without that program for now. Since the rest of the writing had been done on WordPerfect, I figure I’ll stick with it here. Fascinating I know. Still, I now have two computers and a wireless connection to the internet. I’ve become a computer geek who doesn’t know anything about computers.
2... My car, the little red Toyota Echo Hatchback, again shows it’s might. When Shannon and I go for my laptop, we also pick up his widescreen TV. Despite the warnings from the staff at the store... and doubts from Shannon, the massive TV slid right along into my back seat. The little car that could, did... although the view through the back mirror was nothing more than cardboard.
Despite this, I think that car will be hitting the road without me in the fall. The lease runs out then and I feel I must make a change. Little red cars in the hands of single guys don’t do much for the macho image. No wonder I’m alone!
3... Working from home is great. Two days last week had me writing evaluations from home rather than heading in to the office. Sure it isn’t very social to be locked away in the house, but sometimes a lack of social contact does a body good. Especially when it’s freezing and snowy outside and people in this city drive like morons when the weather isn’t ideal.
4... I recently heard how people who own blogs are more likely to be alone and depressed. So maybe it isn’t the little red car causing my single lifestyle after all? And maybe buying a new computer won’t help my life in the love department either? I think I’ll hurry up, post this on my blog, read through some of my previous wallowings, and then go cry in bed.
That’s our society for you... strike fear into the hearts of those who may sit and contemplate. If you think about things, and keep some form of a journal, you’ll die alone and depressed. As far as society is concerned, we’re all better off running out to a monster truck rally with a bunch of yokels and getting so drunk that the only benefit of home is to find a place to pass out.
5... Barack Obama’s middle name is... Hussein! And this guy could be the next president of the United States! Run away, run away!!!
What’s actually funny, in a very sad way, is that there are really people that won’t vote for Obama because of his middle name. And there are important, and supposedly intelligent people of influence in America, who are trying to damage Obama’s reputation by using his full name. I find it most scary that some, from the most powerful nation on earth, could be swayed in their beliefs by something so trivial.
6... Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already started running attack adds on Liberal leader Stephane Dion. He claims that Dion is no leader and he shows clips of Dion appearing to whine immaturely, like a little boy about to be given a time out. I don’t think Harper should point out anything negative about other people’s leadership. The first time I saw footage of Harper, after winning the vote for Prime Minister, he was on his way to a swearing in ceremony. We see him get out of a car, smile and wave, and then turn and start walking in the wrong direction. His handlers had to go round him up and point him towards the door. Plus the guy was shown walking his kid to school and parting ways with a pleasant hand shake!
He who casts stones at an opponent’s image better make sure his own image is in good shape.
7... Is Valentine’s Day the biggest waste of money event in North American calender event history? I can’t even call it a holiday, because it isn’t one! It’s more superficialness in a society that thinks all that really matters is the image that’s publicly shown. So ignore your wife or husband for 90% of the year... as long as you buy lots of flowers or buy him tickets for the big game, you’re showing the world that you both really do love each other.
Not that I’m against showing affection for others. I think people should be more open to those that they care about. I just bristle at the commercialism surrounding this day. Love may be shown in much more meaningful fashion without a cent being spent. But there are too many out there that feel you can only show love by blowing a paycheck.
8... Why NASCAR isn’t a real sport. Race teams see the crew chief getting suspended because of cheating with the type of fuel being put in the car. But the driver is fine and the team is still permitted to race in the Daytona 500. It’s like a sprinter getting caught with steroids in his system but only the trainer gets disciplined.
Professional sports, as a whole, have become corrupted by cash. Fair play is no longer the goal in any pro sport. If a star player is caught cheating, it’s brushed under the rug. Those who are punished are the people that nobody would pay money to go and see. It’s the worry of lost ticket revenues or sponsorship that sports leagues are concerned with... not a fair playing field.
9... Ottawa winter stinks! When I moved here I was glad to get away from the strong winds, wet cold, ice... and who knows what else... of Newfoundland winter. And yes, Ottawa winters come more or less storm free and, if you bundle up, you can go outside without getting too uncomfortable. But getting up at 5:30 in the morning and hearing that it’s -25 outside without the wind and close to -40 with it... that’s just not right! I want the rain of home.
10... Spam e-mails are driving me crazy! I just got an e-mail from Katrina Reeder... and she tells me that porn stars recommend ‘our’ drugs. Then she ends it with a nice smiley face... one of those computer ones that are sideways... :-)
90% of the e-mails I get are spam. Most of them don’t even make sense. Their subject headings say things like ‘of do sheik’ and ‘Re: f bistable’. Who are the people that open these e-mails? Someone must if spammers feel it’s worth their time to send them. Anytime I get this stuff I think about the great computers of Sci-fi TV or movies. Those of Star Trek or Star Wars that can gather and share any information in the history of any civilization in all the galaxy. And then I think of us today... getting adds for sex drugs and university degrees. We’ve got a long way to go. I think it’s time we declare war, not on terror, but upon those loser geeks in their parent’s basements... who’ve got nothing better to do than annoy the rest of us.
— Slow day. I do Partial Purges (a task I didn’t much enjoy the last time I did it... a year ago). A meeting ends the day.
— Supper with Sheila and a quick trip back to the office to pick up info I meant to bring home in the first place.
TUESDAY...
— Work at home. It’s a long day... evaluation writing is slow and tiring and it’s taking about two hours per. Another day at home will be needed for me to get it all done.
WEDNESDAY...
— Another day working at home. Got the evaluations all done anyway and it’s a good day to be home as there’s snow falling today. Not as much came down as called for but still not a nice day outside.
— Valentine’s Day is basically ignored by me. I e-mailed a group of co-workers to joke with, and recognize them a bit... but that’s it.
THURSDAY...
— Busy day with discussing evaluation work with other supervisors. It’s so cold today (-36 with the wind... -33 F) that a few of us order in for a rare 11:30 round of take out... rather than go to HQ for the cafeteria.
— Get the call, my laptop is ready to be picked up. Going tomorrow after work.
FRIDAY...
— Longish day in the office. Just too tired for it to go by fast.
— Get the computer with Shannon. Get his new TV too... drop it off and go for supper... then my place for computer setup. It takes most of the night. Tiring more so.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. Some napping and some work on the laptop.
Rambling Thoughts
I don’t know what to write today. I can’t say I’m in a story telling mood and serious minded rants can only go on so long without sounding preachy and overly caught up in your own importance. So, it’s a mixed bag of stuff... no notes, just things that have recently gone on or have been thought about... or maybe wondered about is a better way to put it.
1... I have a new computer now. The latest I’ve gone before actually holding a Christmas gift but it’s now here in my house. A fine laptop that’ll take over from my old Dell home computer. Of course, going by the logic of such events, I’m typing this week’s writing on the old computer. There is logic to this. The fact is, I can’t find the disk with my copy of WordPerfect on it. And the laptop is without that program for now. Since the rest of the writing had been done on WordPerfect, I figure I’ll stick with it here. Fascinating I know. Still, I now have two computers and a wireless connection to the internet. I’ve become a computer geek who doesn’t know anything about computers.
2... My car, the little red Toyota Echo Hatchback, again shows it’s might. When Shannon and I go for my laptop, we also pick up his widescreen TV. Despite the warnings from the staff at the store... and doubts from Shannon, the massive TV slid right along into my back seat. The little car that could, did... although the view through the back mirror was nothing more than cardboard.
Despite this, I think that car will be hitting the road without me in the fall. The lease runs out then and I feel I must make a change. Little red cars in the hands of single guys don’t do much for the macho image. No wonder I’m alone!
3... Working from home is great. Two days last week had me writing evaluations from home rather than heading in to the office. Sure it isn’t very social to be locked away in the house, but sometimes a lack of social contact does a body good. Especially when it’s freezing and snowy outside and people in this city drive like morons when the weather isn’t ideal.
4... I recently heard how people who own blogs are more likely to be alone and depressed. So maybe it isn’t the little red car causing my single lifestyle after all? And maybe buying a new computer won’t help my life in the love department either? I think I’ll hurry up, post this on my blog, read through some of my previous wallowings, and then go cry in bed.
That’s our society for you... strike fear into the hearts of those who may sit and contemplate. If you think about things, and keep some form of a journal, you’ll die alone and depressed. As far as society is concerned, we’re all better off running out to a monster truck rally with a bunch of yokels and getting so drunk that the only benefit of home is to find a place to pass out.
5... Barack Obama’s middle name is... Hussein! And this guy could be the next president of the United States! Run away, run away!!!
What’s actually funny, in a very sad way, is that there are really people that won’t vote for Obama because of his middle name. And there are important, and supposedly intelligent people of influence in America, who are trying to damage Obama’s reputation by using his full name. I find it most scary that some, from the most powerful nation on earth, could be swayed in their beliefs by something so trivial.
6... Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already started running attack adds on Liberal leader Stephane Dion. He claims that Dion is no leader and he shows clips of Dion appearing to whine immaturely, like a little boy about to be given a time out. I don’t think Harper should point out anything negative about other people’s leadership. The first time I saw footage of Harper, after winning the vote for Prime Minister, he was on his way to a swearing in ceremony. We see him get out of a car, smile and wave, and then turn and start walking in the wrong direction. His handlers had to go round him up and point him towards the door. Plus the guy was shown walking his kid to school and parting ways with a pleasant hand shake!
He who casts stones at an opponent’s image better make sure his own image is in good shape.
7... Is Valentine’s Day the biggest waste of money event in North American calender event history? I can’t even call it a holiday, because it isn’t one! It’s more superficialness in a society that thinks all that really matters is the image that’s publicly shown. So ignore your wife or husband for 90% of the year... as long as you buy lots of flowers or buy him tickets for the big game, you’re showing the world that you both really do love each other.
Not that I’m against showing affection for others. I think people should be more open to those that they care about. I just bristle at the commercialism surrounding this day. Love may be shown in much more meaningful fashion without a cent being spent. But there are too many out there that feel you can only show love by blowing a paycheck.
8... Why NASCAR isn’t a real sport. Race teams see the crew chief getting suspended because of cheating with the type of fuel being put in the car. But the driver is fine and the team is still permitted to race in the Daytona 500. It’s like a sprinter getting caught with steroids in his system but only the trainer gets disciplined.
Professional sports, as a whole, have become corrupted by cash. Fair play is no longer the goal in any pro sport. If a star player is caught cheating, it’s brushed under the rug. Those who are punished are the people that nobody would pay money to go and see. It’s the worry of lost ticket revenues or sponsorship that sports leagues are concerned with... not a fair playing field.
9... Ottawa winter stinks! When I moved here I was glad to get away from the strong winds, wet cold, ice... and who knows what else... of Newfoundland winter. And yes, Ottawa winters come more or less storm free and, if you bundle up, you can go outside without getting too uncomfortable. But getting up at 5:30 in the morning and hearing that it’s -25 outside without the wind and close to -40 with it... that’s just not right! I want the rain of home.
10... Spam e-mails are driving me crazy! I just got an e-mail from Katrina Reeder... and she tells me that porn stars recommend ‘our’ drugs. Then she ends it with a nice smiley face... one of those computer ones that are sideways... :-)
90% of the e-mails I get are spam. Most of them don’t even make sense. Their subject headings say things like ‘of do sheik’ and ‘Re: f bistable’. Who are the people that open these e-mails? Someone must if spammers feel it’s worth their time to send them. Anytime I get this stuff I think about the great computers of Sci-fi TV or movies. Those of Star Trek or Star Wars that can gather and share any information in the history of any civilization in all the galaxy. And then I think of us today... getting adds for sex drugs and university degrees. We’ve got a long way to go. I think it’s time we declare war, not on terror, but upon those loser geeks in their parent’s basements... who’ve got nothing better to do than annoy the rest of us.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #256
MONDAY...
— Cold day. -35 with the wind. That’s just too cold!
TUESDAY...
— Still cold but not as bad as yesterday. Busy day at work doing all sorts of things... meetings, evaluations, AFIS work. And with meetings, I work 1:00 to 9:00 instead of 3:00 to 11:00. So it’s grocery time after work.
WEDNESDAY...
— Pizza day at the office. Megan and I share one. Lots of talk of work stuff today too... not nice work stuff really. Little coming out of the warm and fuzzy feelings that’s for sure.
THURSDAY...
— CNN now does an “Eye on Iran” complete with introductory images and theme music leading in to the segment. War can’t be far off... Iraq had the same lead up from the media.
— Very slow work night. Not a good time for me to forget my MP3 player.
FRIDAY...
— Work is okay. Much more talkative, and fun talkative than the day before.
— Out in the night with Linda, Michelle, Sheila, Louis and Jaymie. It’s a pretty good way to end the week.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. Hockey on TV is about the biggest highlight.
Big Boobs and Diapers... A Media Bonanza!
A few weeks ago I wrote about the media again. It’s often been a common topic for me over the years and that’s largely because of how low brow and insulting it has gotten. Whether it’s radio, television, print or the internet, the media continues to take the traffic accident way of reporting. Take the unusual, grotesque, or flamboyant. And ram it down our throats. The general public are indeed dim enough that, if we get forced fed something long enough, we believe it is actually important.
This week, two new items hit the news that show us all how far we’ve slipped. There’s the astronaut stalker and Anna Nicole Smith’s death.
Both of these events are newsworthy. After all, driving a couple of thousand miles with the idea of kidnapping, assaulting, killing (whatever her thought was) is a story. And obituary sections of thousands of publications tell everyone about the death of any ordinary Joe.
But these two items have taken on a low class life of their own. War, famine, and homelessness have taken a back seat to adult diapers and dead gold diggers.
For, you see... if you were living under a rock, the attractive astronaut took on a very unattractive image. Weapons and disguises were accepted. They were simple facts in a blurb that, in normal situations, would begin to lose interest immediately after its release. But when adult diapers came to light, the story took off. Immediately, the woman’s mug shot took over from her more attractive pictures. This was no longer a dark but intriguing femme fatale. No longer could we see her as a villainess from a James Bond movie. Now she took on the image as a filthy sicko. How could an astronaut drive across the most powerful nation of the world in her own filth?
New agencies bought in to it and they began selling it to the public hard. Every catchphrase was attempted... the right one would bring a journalist fame and fortune. And what does this all say about our society? We live in a culture where violence and sex are clung to with admiration. It brings us images of CSI or Law and Order. But as soon as adult diapers hit the scene, the story took on a new life. It was no longer ‘ordinary’. And people, only with the thought of a messy diaper, became disgusted. From a media standpoint, a murder would be more acceptable.
And in the same week, the only reason Depends Undergarments didn’t hit a home run was that the thunder was stolen by the death of Anna Nicole Smith. It’s amazing how even journalists... people who are supposed to tell a story with objectivity and compassion... have treated this woman’s death with so little respect.
CNN’s Jack Cafferty, segued into the story by asking Wolf Blitzer “is Anna Nicole Smith still dead?” When he was told yes, that more details would soon follow, Cafferty sarcastically remarked “I can’t wait for that.”
Others have talked about the uselessness of the deceased. That she was a gold digger... a stripper... a talentless actress... a “made in China Marilyn Monroe”. Some spoke of the ‘real tragedy’... that being the fact that her six month old daughter will grow up without a mother.
Sure it’s a bad thing that a baby will grow up without knowing her mother... but is that a bigger tragedy than the actual death of the woman? And why is it that a woman who has been ignored for years deserves the barbs and disrespect she’s receiving now that she’s gone?
In reality, the clubbing of seal pups has been treated with more sensitivity than the death of this woman. The poor defenseless seals... if a seal could ever possibly be made into a martyr, believe me, there would be thousands of them now. Foolish people sitting in their suburban living rooms with a little shrine to St. Seal the Furry. But when a harmless woman dies before her 40th birthday, she’s simple fodder for the tabloid like news agencies.
Yes it’s true that Anna Nicole Smith won’t go down in history as contributing a great deal to society, and even though I never met the woman I can fairly safely guess one thing... She deserves at least as much respect as a seal.
— Cold day. -35 with the wind. That’s just too cold!
TUESDAY...
— Still cold but not as bad as yesterday. Busy day at work doing all sorts of things... meetings, evaluations, AFIS work. And with meetings, I work 1:00 to 9:00 instead of 3:00 to 11:00. So it’s grocery time after work.
WEDNESDAY...
— Pizza day at the office. Megan and I share one. Lots of talk of work stuff today too... not nice work stuff really. Little coming out of the warm and fuzzy feelings that’s for sure.
THURSDAY...
— CNN now does an “Eye on Iran” complete with introductory images and theme music leading in to the segment. War can’t be far off... Iraq had the same lead up from the media.
— Very slow work night. Not a good time for me to forget my MP3 player.
FRIDAY...
— Work is okay. Much more talkative, and fun talkative than the day before.
— Out in the night with Linda, Michelle, Sheila, Louis and Jaymie. It’s a pretty good way to end the week.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. Hockey on TV is about the biggest highlight.
Big Boobs and Diapers... A Media Bonanza!
A few weeks ago I wrote about the media again. It’s often been a common topic for me over the years and that’s largely because of how low brow and insulting it has gotten. Whether it’s radio, television, print or the internet, the media continues to take the traffic accident way of reporting. Take the unusual, grotesque, or flamboyant. And ram it down our throats. The general public are indeed dim enough that, if we get forced fed something long enough, we believe it is actually important.
This week, two new items hit the news that show us all how far we’ve slipped. There’s the astronaut stalker and Anna Nicole Smith’s death.
Both of these events are newsworthy. After all, driving a couple of thousand miles with the idea of kidnapping, assaulting, killing (whatever her thought was) is a story. And obituary sections of thousands of publications tell everyone about the death of any ordinary Joe.
But these two items have taken on a low class life of their own. War, famine, and homelessness have taken a back seat to adult diapers and dead gold diggers.
For, you see... if you were living under a rock, the attractive astronaut took on a very unattractive image. Weapons and disguises were accepted. They were simple facts in a blurb that, in normal situations, would begin to lose interest immediately after its release. But when adult diapers came to light, the story took off. Immediately, the woman’s mug shot took over from her more attractive pictures. This was no longer a dark but intriguing femme fatale. No longer could we see her as a villainess from a James Bond movie. Now she took on the image as a filthy sicko. How could an astronaut drive across the most powerful nation of the world in her own filth?
New agencies bought in to it and they began selling it to the public hard. Every catchphrase was attempted... the right one would bring a journalist fame and fortune. And what does this all say about our society? We live in a culture where violence and sex are clung to with admiration. It brings us images of CSI or Law and Order. But as soon as adult diapers hit the scene, the story took on a new life. It was no longer ‘ordinary’. And people, only with the thought of a messy diaper, became disgusted. From a media standpoint, a murder would be more acceptable.
And in the same week, the only reason Depends Undergarments didn’t hit a home run was that the thunder was stolen by the death of Anna Nicole Smith. It’s amazing how even journalists... people who are supposed to tell a story with objectivity and compassion... have treated this woman’s death with so little respect.
CNN’s Jack Cafferty, segued into the story by asking Wolf Blitzer “is Anna Nicole Smith still dead?” When he was told yes, that more details would soon follow, Cafferty sarcastically remarked “I can’t wait for that.”
Others have talked about the uselessness of the deceased. That she was a gold digger... a stripper... a talentless actress... a “made in China Marilyn Monroe”. Some spoke of the ‘real tragedy’... that being the fact that her six month old daughter will grow up without a mother.
Sure it’s a bad thing that a baby will grow up without knowing her mother... but is that a bigger tragedy than the actual death of the woman? And why is it that a woman who has been ignored for years deserves the barbs and disrespect she’s receiving now that she’s gone?
In reality, the clubbing of seal pups has been treated with more sensitivity than the death of this woman. The poor defenseless seals... if a seal could ever possibly be made into a martyr, believe me, there would be thousands of them now. Foolish people sitting in their suburban living rooms with a little shrine to St. Seal the Furry. But when a harmless woman dies before her 40th birthday, she’s simple fodder for the tabloid like news agencies.
Yes it’s true that Anna Nicole Smith won’t go down in history as contributing a great deal to society, and even though I never met the woman I can fairly safely guess one thing... She deserves at least as much respect as a seal.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #255
MONDAY...
— First day back in AFIS for me. Stats are about the same as when I left a year ago... and my MP3 player is used once again.
TUESDAY...
— Work is tougher today. The tribulations of working with bad fingerprints. You get bogged down trying to look through smudges.
— A movie and supper with Karl this evening. Good time, but it’s cold out and we walk from his place to the movie theatre and pub.
WEDNESDAY...
— Not a great day. A big staff meeting makes the future for many work friends... some of them really good friends in my books... look not so bright with the RCMP. I suspect that the office atmosphere is going to suck pretty hard for a while after this one.
THURSDAY...
— Another not so good day. Some upset people around the office. So I work in one of the more secluded areas, with Melissa, and let most of the drama play out with me staying out of it.
FRIDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. I’m working from home getting employee evaluations done. A few movies in the evening.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day until Melissa comes over. We have pizza, watch the Life of Brian, and go to Linda’s for a little party. Pretty good day.
The following is based on a true story. Although the details of the day are fictional... after all, I wasn’t there.
Cow vs. Dog
The day is as any other... starting off. Sparky awakes, bounces up, and gives himself a shake. It’s one of those shakes that leaves no inch of the small dog still. His collar jingles about his neck, his ears flap too and fro, and even his paws scramble at the bed covers as he tries to maintain balance. Ruby awakes, looks up, and tells the dog to go back to sleep. Lee remains motionless.
Post wake up, Sparky ignores Ruby’s orders, jumps down off the bed, and scampers off with tail straight up at attention. It’s time to see what’s going on in the house.
Little moves however. A few drips periodically in the kitchen sink, a tick of a living room clock, and the constant clicking of Sparky’s own nails on hard floors, that silence when he crosses over onto carpet.
With things so quiet, Sparky heads back to the people. Within five feet of the bed, he quickens his pace and then leaps his little frame into the air with the foot of the bed in his sights.
“Spark! Jesus would you lie down!” Ruby is unimpressed but Sparky is up now and he needs to get the rest of the crowd going too.
At other times, Sparky would have younger people to play with. Chris is Spark’s own age (minus the dog years) and he’s always up early and willing to explore and play. But his main family isn’t here now. They’re away on vacation and have left their little dog here with Ruby and Lee... Sparky’s second family.
Sparky tries to make his way up to the faces in the bed... a few licks will get things going. But Lee pushes him back as he rolls up to a sitting position, putting his feet on the floor, and giving a stretch before making his way to the bathroom.
For Sparky... success.
***
With breakfast in the kitchen, Sparky clatters around, looking for handouts. A bit of crust from some toast, a morsel of bacon, and a few pieces of cheese is good... but the dog never gets enough to be satisfied completely. It’s just not a dog’s way.
After the meal, it’s time to go out. Lee opens the door, lets Spark jump to the lead in his frantic, dog way, and the two mingle outside, waiting for Ruby to finish up inside and come to join them.
Sparky strains at his leash with grunts and groans. He is only interested in those things that he can not quite reach. Digging his claws into the ground, he tries to drag Lee over to a tuft of grass... then to a nearby tree, or a cluster of rocks. Again, like at breakfast, nothing satisfies. Once one goal is reached, it’s time to strain and pull his way to another. Lee gets annoyed at this constant yanking of his arm and calls out for Ruby to hurry up.
***
With Ruby now included in the group, a morning walk takes the trio around the rural neighbourhood. For Sparky, it’s as if he’s never seen any of this before. Passing cars have him pouncing towards the road. Local cats force hefty, fierce “arh!” barks to emanate from deep within his body. Passing people bring growls of distrust. Sparky, despite his small stature, is a warrior.
Once they reach a more secluded area, where farm land dominates and cars are less frequent, Lee decides to give Sparky his freedom. There’s been too much tug of war between the little dog and the big man, and Lee wishes to give his arm a rest. So, with a click of the leash, Spark has gained his freedom.
It is about this same time that the little dog catches sight of his next conquest. There, some hundred feet ahead, are cows!
The click of the leash’s removal is like a starters pistol. Sparky immediately begins to run. With each bound and leap, he maintains the closest cow in his sights. Tufts of grass, which not long ago were worthy of investigation, are leapt over. Clumps of rocks are avoided with race car like turning ability. The little dog only has one thing in mind now. He must fight this cow.
***
Now, it should be known that Sparky was a great little dog. Loving but fierce. He was a Wired Haired Fox Terrier and let everyone and everything know what he thought of them. Some strangers could be greeted with a lick and a wag of the tail while others were loathed and constantly growled at. He was the bravest and toughest little dog you’ve ever seen. He’d rarely show pain and would fight his way through anything.
But, as much as Sparky was brave and combative, he was also not entirely a bright dog. Not that he was dumb mind you. You couldn’t fool him very often with a hidden bone or fake toss of a ball. But his enthusiasm brought with it momentary lapses of foresight. Thinking through an idea was not this dog’s strong suit.
***
On Sparky ran, the cow in his sight getting every closer... yet it continued to ignore the little dog, standing back on to him and munching on some grass. Well behind Spark was Ruby and Lee, running in horror, trying to convince the dog to stop his attack with yells of his name.
As Sparky comes within ten feet of the cow, he again begins to quicken his pace. Like the extra gear needed to leap onto a bed in the morning, there is an acceleration prior to the leap at the beast before him.
With a mighty leap, the little dog pounces at the cow like a leopard pounces on a gazelle. For Ruby and Lee, it’s like watching a live version of Wild Kingdom.
And with a flick of it’s leg, the cow mounts a pre-emptive strike. Before the dog even has a chance to grab on, he finds cow hoof slamming into the front of his nose. And, with that, the course of his aerial attack is quickly reversed. While flipping through the air... going back the way he came... Sparky plans his next wave. He hits the ground, rolls a few times in the short grazed grass, and leaps up, ready to make a second charge.
It’s at this point in time that Lee catches up to the little dog. A great yell is followed by two strong arms grabbing Spark out of mid air. The second attack has been halted. And the cow goes back to it’s grass.
A few shakes of the head and a sneeze from Spark clears the cobwebs as Lee walks him back out of the battlefield. The morning was is over.
And back to the road, Ruby curses the little dog as she rubs him over affectionately. The leash is clicked back on and Sparky strains against his restraints, wanting to return to the cows. But the walk takes them back home instead where tufts of grass and clumps of rocks await new exploration. And some pieces of cheese, tossed down from the table, will make a fine lunch.
— First day back in AFIS for me. Stats are about the same as when I left a year ago... and my MP3 player is used once again.
TUESDAY...
— Work is tougher today. The tribulations of working with bad fingerprints. You get bogged down trying to look through smudges.
— A movie and supper with Karl this evening. Good time, but it’s cold out and we walk from his place to the movie theatre and pub.
WEDNESDAY...
— Not a great day. A big staff meeting makes the future for many work friends... some of them really good friends in my books... look not so bright with the RCMP. I suspect that the office atmosphere is going to suck pretty hard for a while after this one.
THURSDAY...
— Another not so good day. Some upset people around the office. So I work in one of the more secluded areas, with Melissa, and let most of the drama play out with me staying out of it.
FRIDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. I’m working from home getting employee evaluations done. A few movies in the evening.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day until Melissa comes over. We have pizza, watch the Life of Brian, and go to Linda’s for a little party. Pretty good day.
The following is based on a true story. Although the details of the day are fictional... after all, I wasn’t there.
Cow vs. Dog
The day is as any other... starting off. Sparky awakes, bounces up, and gives himself a shake. It’s one of those shakes that leaves no inch of the small dog still. His collar jingles about his neck, his ears flap too and fro, and even his paws scramble at the bed covers as he tries to maintain balance. Ruby awakes, looks up, and tells the dog to go back to sleep. Lee remains motionless.
Post wake up, Sparky ignores Ruby’s orders, jumps down off the bed, and scampers off with tail straight up at attention. It’s time to see what’s going on in the house.
Little moves however. A few drips periodically in the kitchen sink, a tick of a living room clock, and the constant clicking of Sparky’s own nails on hard floors, that silence when he crosses over onto carpet.
With things so quiet, Sparky heads back to the people. Within five feet of the bed, he quickens his pace and then leaps his little frame into the air with the foot of the bed in his sights.
“Spark! Jesus would you lie down!” Ruby is unimpressed but Sparky is up now and he needs to get the rest of the crowd going too.
At other times, Sparky would have younger people to play with. Chris is Spark’s own age (minus the dog years) and he’s always up early and willing to explore and play. But his main family isn’t here now. They’re away on vacation and have left their little dog here with Ruby and Lee... Sparky’s second family.
Sparky tries to make his way up to the faces in the bed... a few licks will get things going. But Lee pushes him back as he rolls up to a sitting position, putting his feet on the floor, and giving a stretch before making his way to the bathroom.
For Sparky... success.
***
With breakfast in the kitchen, Sparky clatters around, looking for handouts. A bit of crust from some toast, a morsel of bacon, and a few pieces of cheese is good... but the dog never gets enough to be satisfied completely. It’s just not a dog’s way.
After the meal, it’s time to go out. Lee opens the door, lets Spark jump to the lead in his frantic, dog way, and the two mingle outside, waiting for Ruby to finish up inside and come to join them.
Sparky strains at his leash with grunts and groans. He is only interested in those things that he can not quite reach. Digging his claws into the ground, he tries to drag Lee over to a tuft of grass... then to a nearby tree, or a cluster of rocks. Again, like at breakfast, nothing satisfies. Once one goal is reached, it’s time to strain and pull his way to another. Lee gets annoyed at this constant yanking of his arm and calls out for Ruby to hurry up.
***
With Ruby now included in the group, a morning walk takes the trio around the rural neighbourhood. For Sparky, it’s as if he’s never seen any of this before. Passing cars have him pouncing towards the road. Local cats force hefty, fierce “arh!” barks to emanate from deep within his body. Passing people bring growls of distrust. Sparky, despite his small stature, is a warrior.
Once they reach a more secluded area, where farm land dominates and cars are less frequent, Lee decides to give Sparky his freedom. There’s been too much tug of war between the little dog and the big man, and Lee wishes to give his arm a rest. So, with a click of the leash, Spark has gained his freedom.
It is about this same time that the little dog catches sight of his next conquest. There, some hundred feet ahead, are cows!
The click of the leash’s removal is like a starters pistol. Sparky immediately begins to run. With each bound and leap, he maintains the closest cow in his sights. Tufts of grass, which not long ago were worthy of investigation, are leapt over. Clumps of rocks are avoided with race car like turning ability. The little dog only has one thing in mind now. He must fight this cow.
***
Now, it should be known that Sparky was a great little dog. Loving but fierce. He was a Wired Haired Fox Terrier and let everyone and everything know what he thought of them. Some strangers could be greeted with a lick and a wag of the tail while others were loathed and constantly growled at. He was the bravest and toughest little dog you’ve ever seen. He’d rarely show pain and would fight his way through anything.
But, as much as Sparky was brave and combative, he was also not entirely a bright dog. Not that he was dumb mind you. You couldn’t fool him very often with a hidden bone or fake toss of a ball. But his enthusiasm brought with it momentary lapses of foresight. Thinking through an idea was not this dog’s strong suit.
***
On Sparky ran, the cow in his sight getting every closer... yet it continued to ignore the little dog, standing back on to him and munching on some grass. Well behind Spark was Ruby and Lee, running in horror, trying to convince the dog to stop his attack with yells of his name.
As Sparky comes within ten feet of the cow, he again begins to quicken his pace. Like the extra gear needed to leap onto a bed in the morning, there is an acceleration prior to the leap at the beast before him.
With a mighty leap, the little dog pounces at the cow like a leopard pounces on a gazelle. For Ruby and Lee, it’s like watching a live version of Wild Kingdom.
And with a flick of it’s leg, the cow mounts a pre-emptive strike. Before the dog even has a chance to grab on, he finds cow hoof slamming into the front of his nose. And, with that, the course of his aerial attack is quickly reversed. While flipping through the air... going back the way he came... Sparky plans his next wave. He hits the ground, rolls a few times in the short grazed grass, and leaps up, ready to make a second charge.
It’s at this point in time that Lee catches up to the little dog. A great yell is followed by two strong arms grabbing Spark out of mid air. The second attack has been halted. And the cow goes back to it’s grass.
A few shakes of the head and a sneeze from Spark clears the cobwebs as Lee walks him back out of the battlefield. The morning was is over.
And back to the road, Ruby curses the little dog as she rubs him over affectionately. The leash is clicked back on and Sparky strains against his restraints, wanting to return to the cows. But the walk takes them back home instead where tufts of grass and clumps of rocks await new exploration. And some pieces of cheese, tossed down from the table, will make a fine lunch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
