A Letter to: The Media

Dear News Providers,

While it is easy to point fingers at politicians, you are in no way blameless for the current state of affairs. Long ago the ideas of integrity and fact were replaced by speculation and entertainment, leaving a gaping hole in the system. Without an informed electorate, the governing officials aren't held accountable, and your shortcomings have enabled the inept to remain in power, grinding the process to a halt.

One reality of media, whether print, broadcast, or internet, is that producing content isn't free. That said, decisions have to be made based on both financial soundness and social needs. For example, 24-hour news networks do no one any good; you tend to lose money and we tend to lose the real content amidst the stories of celebrity scandal and generic puff pieces. If you only have the capability and means to give half and hour of quality news broadcasting, generally that is better than stretching it so think that the watery programming is not so much news but fluff with a fact broth.

Similarly, Internet news needs to embrace the medium instead of using it to accomplish things in the same way as its predecessors. Computers allow for the consumer and producer to be linked more closely than ever before, yet the article is still the staple for publication. Some writers go the extra step to bring their audiences into their work, but most just write it and let the moderators take care of the resulting trollfest. If the process of communication was more readily embraced by you, it could help us to become informed by making topics more approachable. By refusing to innovate, you have stifled our ability to use media wisely.

It also needs to be agreed that the news should constitute facts. Some people can be swayed when you use tidbits of truth to push opinion one way or another, a fault that doesn't solely rest on your shoulders, but that you initiate. When these people make mistakes because of your influence, those who aren't fooled blame you for not being responsible. News is fact, but using facts loosely to accomplish an end makes everyone look stupid, and reduces your credibility.

News also needs to be an unbiased as possible. Though you take pride on your stances, I'd consider it an embarrassment to every American journalist that most media networks wear their ideological slant like a badge instead of like a mark of shame that outs them for deceptive practiced intended to deceive the people. Granted, nothing can  be completely neutral, but the practice of displaying material that is clearly just to sway voters is appalling, and it shames me to see America embrace it.

Those points made, the worst thing that is happening now is that issues are being boiled down to two sides, and then presented as a dichotomy instead of having many different solutions. I'm not sure if the media brought about the idea of blue/red or left/right, or if it happened on Capitol Hill first. What I do know, is that the average person doesn't believe things to be black or white, but a shade of gray, and the outright refusal to produce content to inform and promote discussion is at best ignorant and at worst malicious. By feeding into the system, you have become a tool for the politician to assault the public's opinion instead of a place where the public can reasonably form one. It's easy to have two people who believe that an issue is either yes or no scream at each other because it entertains and requires little work. It's your duty to show the whole issue, from causes and predictions to cure and discussion. Boiling down the news into easily digestible tidbits isn't difficult, but it also creates something that can't be reasonably called news.

Not everything has to be complicated, and I enjoy being entertained as much as anyone, but it's time the media remembered what news is. News is anyone being able to understand what positions their government is taking, why it's taking them, and their options to either support or oppose decisions. The first amendment assured a free press for this use, and you have squandered it on Bill O'Reilly, Keith Olbermann, and Snooki, and it's time you remembered the press as a tool for starting discourse.

Thank you for your time,
A Concerned Citizen

A Letter to: Politicians

Dear Politicians,

I know that the way the system is set up makes it seem like you have to act certain ways to get reelected and become career politicians, but if that's your goal please step down. It might be a job, but there is more at stake, and to focus on that steady salary endangers American values and integrity. Real people and real lives are at stake with every decision you make, but sometimes you seem so disconnected from everything, I wonder whether or not you ever cared about the common man.

The founding fathers believed that public service was a great honor. I understand that jury duty and slaving for strangers seems like it sucks, but we would rather lose a weekend than our freedom. Jury duty comes as a letter that everyone gets; you volunteered to be a politician. Our public service is mandatory, takes us from our jobs, and pays $5 a day, which doesnt cover transportation, much less lunch, but it beats not having a trial by jury. Your salary is ten times the poverty line, not including the health plan, retirement benefits, miscellaneous perks, and guranteed vacation time, so when it comes time to do something hard, push through, then treat yourself to a five-star dinner on us.

That said, you are supposed to make the tough decisions, but plan more on making headlines than legislation. I'm sorry your constituents have conflicting interests, but you are in charge of finding compromise in these situations. When you walk out, name call, mud sling, politic, and posture every day, its hard to be confident in our legislative bodies. You just lose a campaign contributor or a few voters, we lose the ability to believe in our nation, and that is more harmful than any recession.

Please, get back to basics. Super congress might catch news feeds, but what is the factor that makes this necessary for the first time in US history? The party of six is easy to remember, but do you want to be remembered as the gang holding the house hostage? Interrupting television to give a speech is memorable, but was it impactful? You are part of American history now, for better or worse, but the choice is yours. Step up and take responsibility, or step down, because our votes indicated trust, and your inability to fulfill your obligations is simply unacceptable.

Thank you for your time,
A Concerned Citizen

Thanks Vans Shoes: The Most Awesome Hoodie Ever

If you have seen me during the winter, you will probably recognize this:

It says "Vans" in the middle

That's because this hoodie is the fucking shit. Info below the jumps.

Why does everone hate Chris Christie?

Today, Chris Christie woke up. He rolled over, had a bit of difficulty breathing, used his rescue inhaler, then went to the hospital because he was still having problems. Naturally, the news media jumped on this like a stripper on Braylon's dick, but what really surprised me was the way the people commenting on the news reacted.

Getting the Point: A How To

Recently, I have encountered some people who don't exactly get the point. It didn't make much sense to me how the Internet could have so much information freely available everywhere, and someone could still be so willfully ignorant. Then, it occurred to me that maybe it isn't easy to get what is going on sometimes. Maybe an over-saturation of opinions and speculation in the news has made it so that actually getting to the bottom of things is a daunting task.

So here is my breakdown of how to get the point every time. It isn't guranteed, but I think that it can help you get a better grasp on current events, and if you don't post things online, you can always deny you were wrong later.

The Drugs Amy Might Have Bought Pt. 3: Withdrawal

Amy Winehouse's family is now claiming that alcohol withdrawal may have led to her death, proving that speculation by asshats does not the truth make.

Below the jump: alcohol withdrawal is worse than heroin (science says so).

Missing the Point: How to be an Assclown Publicly [UPDATED: 28 Jul, 1:45pm]

Whether or not you are aware, I'm already pretty serious business in the blog world (look at how many people have already favorited me, my cock must be HUGE). That said, I'm debating some heavy hitters about some serious issues. If you want to follow it, I would probably click on THIS LINK RIGHT HERE.

Breakdown below the jump.