I love the element of the news that most people forget to acknowledge - ratings ratings ratings, which means basically that the news in not necessarily a form of public information. When was the last time you watched CSPAN, or listened to NPR, for a quick peek at what is going on in your nation? Yeah, it's been a while for me to. On a normal news day, it is the "Bueller?......Bueller?......" equivalent of 3 or 4 tylenol P.M.s. Typically, I have just finished watching my favorite program rerun, and was not hasty enough to change the channel, and happened to "hooked"by the latest Storm Watch 2009, where 1 inch of Rain threatens to bring the four horsemen of the apocalypse raining mountains of earth on a small community where no one should have built homes in the first place.

I give a heartfelt thanks to Jon Stewart for bringing this element to the public on one of the best approaches to news in a decade, so much so that I can't even refer to it as "Faux" news, because his team and he present material that most of us snooze through regularly; his presentation in a format that catches our attention - comedy. And like any good comic - his delivery is impeccably precocious.

Speaking of comedy, and reflecting on my earlier statement - news is tailored to get ratings, and thus gauge appropriately how much advertisers money to take in, is a wonderful catch by Stewart and company that I brings me to my point - Watch:




Remember Folks -It's all entertainment, script it, storyboard, and trim to fit, unless God forbid - the content upsets the advertisers - it's easy to sit back a go wow - what attendance, when in reality most people could care less. In these days of rapid fire "entertainment" known as "news" the most important part is what you take away, and pass along in the greatest form of advertisement - word of mouth. Do your homework, do your research, and don't believe it because Dan Rather, Rush Limbaugh, or Al Franken said it - that is why they are paid the big bucks (Maybe not Franken - but hopefully you catch my drift) - they bring in the Advertisers dollars. Like a good Detective - who has motive? Opportunity? Who stands to profit from the message you just heard?

Maybe I do - If you click on an advertisement on this page!

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes, that got me looking at the television (and the world for that matter) in a whole different light (I have deliberately not credited the author at this moment, however I will gladly - it is absolutely not relevant at this point in my rant):

"a nation or world of people who will not use their intelligence are no better than animals who do not have intelligence. Such people are beasts of burden and steaks on the table by choice and consent."

Ever felt like you are part of the herd?