World News and Comments Thereon

OK, this blog is not humorous. I am getting a few things off my chest, good and bad. Here goes.


CBS golf announcer David Feherty, a former European Tour player and a native of Ireland has become a U.S citizen. Congrats David. David an avid bike rider and has been hit by cars a couple of times while riding his bike. He once quipped that if he was riding a stationary bike, he would probably be hit by a stationary car. Late Late Night talk show host Craig Ferguson, born in Scotlan became a U.S citizen a year or two ago. I find it telling that despite all of our problems and all of our disputes, when given a chance, many non U.S. citizens want to become U.S. citizens.

Toyota has a TV add out now that tries to combat all the bad publicity of car recalls relating to brakes and gas petals on Toyota vehicles The add says “80% of the Toyota’s sold in the last 20 years are still on the road.” Could that be because those same vehicles are equipped with brakes that don’t stop and gas petals that are stuck open, and there is no way for a driver to stop a Toyota and get it off the road? It does not seem like this is the best slogan for Toyota at this time.

I have watched more Olympic coverage this year than any other Olympics except for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. I have been to Vancouver three times and believe it to be one of the most beautiful cities anywhere. A couple of summers ago the Lovely Sharon stayed a couple of days in Vancouver and a couple of days in Whistler. Incredibly beautiful. I hope to return some day.

ESPN TV and radio personality Tony Kornhieser made disparaging remarks about ESPN anchor Hannah Storm’s clothes a couple of days ago. Kornheiser called what the ESPN anchor wore a “horrifying outfit” with “red go-go boots” and a skirt that was “way too short for somebody her age.” He added: “She’s what I would call a Holden Caulfield fantasy at this point.” He also said her shirt was too tight and made her look "like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body”. He made these remarks on his four hour sports talk radio show but he got suspended for two weeks from his 30 minute ESPN TV show called “Pardon the Interruption”. These talk shows guys can blast, take shots at, criticize or make fun of athletes, politicians, entertainers or call in listeners all day long, but if they criticize one of their own they get suspended. Further, and I know I will not be popular among many of you for saying this, but I believe if he criticized a man for what he was wearing, there would have been no controversy or no suspension. If he said an ESPN male anchor looked like a pimp or his trousers looked like they were holding in a canned ham, you know he would not have been suspended.

We live in a society where people want your head if you say something they don’t want you to say. Remember a couple of weeks ago when Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s Chief of Staff called some people “retards”. Sarah Palin wanted him to be fired for his insensitivity. She railed on this for several days. Then when right wing comedian Rush Limbaugh used the word “retard” not only did she not demand that he be fired from his daily comedy radio show, she said it was ok for him to use the word retard because he was use it in connection with satire. Oh I get it, if Rahm Emanuel had used the word in a satiric context that would be ok with Diva Sarah? If Rush had called the Democrats in the Congress retards do you really think Diva Sarah would demand Rush be fired? I think not.

Tiger Woods behavior was outrageous. It was wrong. It violated commitments he made to his wife and family. It has hurt him financially. It has turned him to an internet joke. But, I disagree with those that complain of the televised statement he made a couple of Fridays ago. People complain that he limited the press, that he took no questions, that he looked scripted, that he looked stiff, that his body language was wrong, that he read his comments or that he didn’t cry. Where was his wife? He wasn’t sincere. I have heard and read these criticisms since his statement. There has been talk show after talk show discussions saying he should have done this or said that. They have expressed doubts about his sincerity. Some journalists boycotted the event because they couldn’t ask questions. We live in a reality TV show society. We are in people’s bedrooms; we are with them in their most private movements. We see them naked, we see them argue, and we see them cry. We hear them talk in foul language. We are a society of voyeurs. We want the dirty details. We don’t want just an apology from Tiger, we want an apology and we want all the dirty details. Well, it is his life, his family and he owes the public no details. If you don’t believe his was sincere, who cares. I don’t care. If he plays golf again and plays well, great. If he doesn’t, my life is not adversely affected. I can tell you that I am glad I don’t have to justify the actions of my life to the press or the public. I have made plenty of errors in life and will undoubtedly make more. I am betting so have you and so have the press members who are so up in arms. I would like those in the press who want details (these “journalists” are by and large public figures themselves), to print details of their own private behavior, their own peccadilloes.

I know I have blogged about this before, but I still don’t understand why the US government is supposed opposed to profiling at U.S. airports. If you are a cop and you see a guy in a black turtle neck and a ski mask at 3:00 am walking around in a neighborhood, you know the cop is gonna ask him what he is doing, demand ID and maybe even frisk him. Why, because he fits the profile of someone who may be up to no good. I certainly don’t believe all Muslins are bad just as I don’t believe all Christians are good, but for heaven’s sake how can we not pay additional attention to the very ethnic or religious group that contains the elements of those who are terrorists who do want to destroy us. If we started getting a lot of blonde haired, blue eyed Swedish terrorists, then we ought to be profiling that group.

Many of you who know me, know I like to be light hearted and hopefully, kind. But I am very tired of double standards, political correctness, and to a reality show mentality of the society we live in.

Ok, I just took a breath. The next essay on this blog will be on the lighter side. Feel free to hammer me for any or all of this entry.