The Silence Is Deafening!

What goes around comes around.  Yesterday there was a headline on Drudge that said Bette Midler was demanding an apology from Geraldo Rivera.  I was waiting for someone to bring the focus to him because I remember back when he rather enjoyed bragging about his conquests.

FOX's own.  Don't you love it?  It was Bill O'Reilly who got this sexual harassment era started when FOX let hm go.  Now it has gone full cycle.  Yet I have not heard word one on FOX about any of this.  Maybe it stings a little too much since they've so enjoyed wallowing in other peoples miseries.

Maybe, too, as far as news cycles go this one has run its course.  One can only hope.

There have been womanizers for as long as I can remember.  No one should be pointing fingers - neither Republicans, nor Democrats nor broadcast networks nor film studios.  Everyone has a piece of this pie.  A lot of people have escaped the worst.  Clinton and Kennedy if you want to start at the highest levels.  Don't forget David Letterman.  Then there are the invisible others that hound and harass that are never heard about because they have no level of  power or celebrity.  But it does go on.

It seems we tend to address our problems with a high degree of overkill.  Just read the headlines about our President.  Those who think he is so mentally unstable he should be institutionalized just cannot give it a rest.  Morning Joe is perhaps the most ludicrous and without realizing it makes himself look as unbalanced as he claims Trump to be.  Overkill.

I don't think it will put the President in an institution but perhaps it can bring to a halt the bad behavior by men who indulge in it because they think their power or celebrity either gives them a pass or immunizes them from consequences.  Wrong.

Sure they're embarrassed.  Dirty laundry is never attractive.  Ashamed?  I have my doubts on that one. Repentant because its the proper thing to say. Too bad they didn't equate proper with their behavior.

Cheers to the women who have had to courage to say enough is enough and call these men out.  Hopefully their recollections are the accurate ones and they haven't come forward with the hope of making a few bucks, or worse, exacting revenge for some slight.  The men sure are remembering things differently.  Somewhere in between you'll probably find the truth.

It's a new month now.  The holiday season is in full swing.  Too many people will be having a less than pleasant one because of the questionable behavior of a whole passel of people, mostly on the political front.  It may not be sexual harassment but it is harassment never-the-less and will leave those accused but innocent with scars that are just as deep.

To paraphrase Dickens ~ it is the best of seasons, it is the worst of times.

News - Fair And Balanced?

So says FOX News.  Hardly balanced since FOX leans as far right as all the others lean left.

You have to wonder, though, with anchors moving on.  While the positions being vacated on FOX are being filled with current employees, I wonder what NBC has in mind with the hiring of Megan Kelly and now Greta Van Susteren is going to MSNBC!  If anything, MSNBC is the furthest left of them all.

My question is whether the NBC family is trying to become more balanced or if the long time FOX anchors have no personal political convictions and are at best opportunists.  Especially Ms. Kelly who is no where near worth what they will be paying her.

I don't know any details about Ms. Van Susteren but I doubt either will have any FOX viewers following them.  I really don't.

It would be wonderful if each would bring some balance to their respective channels but I doubt they will.  Those who are faithful followers, just as those of FOX, will watch for a time and if the newcomers don't preach to the choir their ratings will tank and that will be that.

I have two questions.  Does anyone ever return to FOX after having left?  And, unrelated, can CNN really continue to keep Don Lemon after his latest blunder stating he didn't think the beating and torture of a mentally challenged man by a bunch of Chicago thugs was "evil" but pardoned the behavior because of "bad home training".

Please.

FOX, Quit Shilling For Trump

For those of you who watch FOX, are you tired of them shilling for Trump at the expense of the other candidates?

Okay, so he's touched on a hot button, the American voters disgust with professional politicians.  I get that and I've enjoyed watching his bellicose antics.  Isn't it time for him to be relegated to the cheer leading squad? Well, maybe not.  He isn't one to cheer for anyone other than himself.

 But back to FOX.  That Sean Hannity panders to him doesn't surprise me.  Sean is impressed by power, calls himself a disgruntled conservative and appears to have no idea of the intricacies of how the government works.  Just bull on through!

Lou Dobbs, on the other hand, is a man of some intellect and he too can't praise Trump enough. Hey, guys, he's a self-serving clown.  I can not speak for anyone other than myself, but I do not want him as President.  Just because he's successful doesn't make him Presidential material.

I'd at least like our President to have some class. So who does? Every Republican that's running would not be the embarrassment Trump is.  Of course I'm still shilling for Carly because of her business acumen.  Government today is just that.  A business.  Too many of the other candidates do not have that experience nor knowledge.

Still, any one of them would put a better, less belligerent, foot forward than Mr. Trump. One can be tough and passionate about a cause without insulting anyone who differs with you.  Maybe it's the one thing about politics I can tolerate.  Being politic.

Red State Blue State

My entire focus on red and blue states recently have been my garden.

Everything political is in limbo until situations shake out.  I can only write about my disgust and disappointment and frustration so many times.

Last night, however, I indulged myself in the FOX Republican debate. Not much else was on.  Hub wasn't interested so he cleaned up his office while I had complete control of the remote and was able to watch the entire debate uninterrupted.  That in of itself was a rare pleasure!

Anyway, to parallel my gardening efforts, you can see Red is ripe for the picking and Blue, well they've proved themselves not yet ready for prime time.  Nice fruit though, don't you think?

I have some strong feelings about who I would not support yet none on who I might.  Just for the record and future reference, this is how last night struck me.

Bachmann - she said nothing of substance other than she is a fighter for her principles.  I had to agree with Santorum when he said fighting for a stance and losing time after time does not show leadership.  She's a featherweight at best though I know people love her.  I don't.

Pawlenty - lacks anything approaching charisma.  I don't think the exchanges between he and Bachmann stood him in good stead.  He just doesn't light my fire.

Romney - is Romney.  He does have business credentials and government credentials and has potential.  He certainly wants it bad enough.  But again, he doesn't get my juices flowing.

Huntsman  - interesting background.  I think he'd be more solid on foreign policy than any of the others.  And again, a good business and governmental background.

Paul - a very angry and frustrated man.  I agree with him on some of his stances, others I consider undoable because of being more extreme than voters will accept.  I'm not quite a Libertarian I guess.

Santorum - he wants it but I'm not sure what he stands for.  Another one who just doesn't touch me.  A bit too socially conservative for me also.

Newt - wow!  He did well.  He is a very bright man and certainly had the back story on everything he espoused.  I agree with him on the issues discussed but wonder if his baggage will be the deciding factor.  He certainly doesn't take any guff from the press.  His wife may be problematic too.

Cain -  I like him though I don't think he has a chance.  My guess is we'll be back to bland white men for awhile.  He should at least get a high profile cabinet post should the Republicans win.  He's smart and precise and has a great sense of humor.  He's the most refreshing candidate out there. I think, though, his lack of government involvement may hurt.  I'd like to think I'm wrong.

So that's it.  I've got to go pick those raspberries now.  I do know what to expect from them!