And a Better Class of Fish

I have some pretty disparate information sources I read every day. I start with a summary of Google News and work my way through the state Associated Press coverage and the local newspapers serving this area of Connecticut and then puddle-jump my way across the broadcast and cable TV websites. I don't pretend it's exhaustive, impartial, inclusive, all-encompassing or anything of the sort.

I like to get a quick catch up from the time after I closed my eyes and put my head down on the pillow until the next morning when my day begins. Suspect that's true at your house as well. Does that mean there are days I linger over a faraway dateline? Sure. 

Such as the story from someplace in the middle west about a person petitioning to have his name legally changed to "In God We Trust", because he feels a higher power has saved a wretch like him. Where's Gracie Allen when we really need her? C'mon, stories like this (and these opposable thumbs) help separate us from the animals and fill up the day. I don't imagine they thrill too many judges, but you can't make an omelet without breaking a few legs (according to Mike Tyson).

The great thing about the world wide web is there as many sources of information for you as you can bear to click and use. With very little effort, 'underground' and 'establishment' can look, read and sound about the same. What you believe in to be the Truth and what you regard as the Lies (capitalization deliberate) have as much to do with you, the receiver, as it does with the sender. Sometimes, though, it can be hard to be sure the account you're reading is more or less objective (and that can be a hard job). I don't like those misgivings and wish the instances that gave me pause were fewer and surfaced less often.

I never attribute to malice that which can be explained by ignorance, but sometimes I get angered by a story which selects those facts which support a previously reached ideological position masquerading as a conclusion. I'm guilty of it, too, at times, that whole  'my mind is made up, don't confuse me with facts.' but even if we all do it, that doesn't make it right.

Just me or do a lot of the folks on both sides of the aisle not seem to have an understanding of the definition of an independent fact? Far too much of our debate on the issues of importance, locally, regionally, state and nationally seem to be a variant of the Argument Clinic or "I know you are but what am I?" Our young nation once had the Lincoln/Douglas Debates of 1858 but I don't think we'll see anything like that ever again in our lifetimes.

We tend to get those things we want and not necessarily those things we need. And then we are surprised when we are unhappy. Quick, find someone to blame, because that's what we'll want next. Right after we get a bigger boat and a deeper ocean.
-bill kenny