The News. 7:12pm. The place is empty. A couple of guys might be talking about "Amero" - the new North American dollar that is rumored to replace all Canadian, American, and Mexican currency. I bet people who watch the news and keep up with every little development have higher blood pressure than those of us who don't. I remember having to teach a grade 9 class about news. I was supposed to help them understand the difference between "News" and "Entertainment." Not so easy as I thought. I don’t remember what we actually came up with as a definition for either heading, but I do recall being more confused at the end of the unit than I had been at the beginning. We’re a generation that pushes things to their limits and formerly clear delineations disappear and everything begins to blend. Could be good. Could be bad. It all depends on what. I’m just saying, is all. It’s news if the Prime Minister stubs his toe in public, or gains wait, or calls one of the members of his part and uses swear words. And it’s entertainment if . . . Come on. News is entertainment. Not my kind, but that’s what it is. That’s how we live. Even if it’s the Dow Jones report. Some people find that an interesting diversion, or even the main passion of their existence. What’s the difference if I’m entertained by a Hollywood celebrity or a bunch of numbers that fluctuate. It’s a money soap opera. I don’t think I’d like everyone to throw their newspapers away, but what if we did? Of course then people would be able to get away with things easier – like if I robbed a bank in my town I couldn’t easily run all over the nearest little village and do the same thing. My picture would be everywhere. People would call me in. But I hear stories about people in Germany or Kenya or Brazil or Manitoba who died while choking as a result of eating the hangnails off of their toes. Oh yeah, that’s news. Now lets find an industry who will make special toe-nail-covers for those of us who like to pick our toes with our teeth and don’t respect that it could be life threatening. Then we could sue the toe-cover-company when we die. Life’s just interesting but I must get home now. I have worked a lot of hours today. Good, but tired.

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