Geoff Dunn had a great question this morning…

We keep hearing about the devastation in Haiti.  People who are wanting to go there and assist are told that they shouldn’t even consider it if they can’t survive without water or food for up to 72 hours.

How are all these nightly news anchors and crews doing it?  Where are they staying?  This is a massive amount of people covering this story.  Do they have a special stash?   I don’t have an answer, but I think it’s a great question.

Bonus question:  NBC sent Al Roker (???)  Um…why?  Is there a weather system about to roll in?

Another weekend, another wacko on a flight who loses it and locks himself in the bathroom.

You know, can we just cool it!!  Would it kill these people to take a sedative or at the very least avoid the super burrito before a flight????

You hate Carrie Prejean don’t you?

You feel the same about Sarah Palin don’t you?

The fact of the matter is that these are two women who were thrust into their 15 minutes of fame absolutely unprepared.

Do you think we’d care about Sarah Palin if the GOP hadn’t had the cockneyed idea to put her on the ticket?

And who in the world would look for intelligent analysis from a beauty pageant contestant on a hot-button, political and religious issue?

Go ahead and hate them if you want.  What would you do if you were handed your 15 minutes?

We’ve seen these a ton of times but there’s a few new ones in here.  Check out:

ACTUAL HEADLINES IN ACTUAL NEWSPAPERS . . . . . .

- Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
- Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
- Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
- Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
- Miners Refuse to Work after Death
- Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
- War Dims Hope for Peace
- If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
- Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
- Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
- Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
- Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
- New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
- Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
- Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
- Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
- Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
- Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Think what you want of the healtcare debate.

Have you noticed all the reporting and handwringing over the obesity epidemic un the US?

I don’t doubt that it’s a problem.  I truly feel bad for those who suffer from it and I know many who do.

I just can’t get all worked up over it or, frankly the interest in battling it.  At least not yet.

Not while there are massive numbers of people in the US who don’t get enough to eat or, in the worst case, anything at all!

This is not a new epidemic ( to use their word), but you don’t hear it discussed as much.  We’ve never gotten this problem solved, why would we expect to be effective against obesity?

I can’t get all worked up over those who have too much when there are so many that have nothing at all.

So I was just reading about the tax that they want to put on plastic surgery.

Ok

I guess it worked for cigarettes so why not tax it, eh?

But here’s a couple of questions:

What about people who were disfigured?

Does this mean that the government is going to charge you to “look better”?

(I realize this is an arguable point the the question remains.)

I heard that all of the new initiatives were going to be paid for by taxing those who make more than a million per year and would be hurt the least by a tax hike.  Is this to say that the middle class doesn’t get some work done?

Final question: Why do I get the feeling that this isn’t going to be the only place they’re going to look to “not tax the middle class”?

Back from vacation, feeling rested and relaxed for another, oh, half hour…

So sorry to hear about Walter Cronkite.   Wish I heard more words like “icon” connected with him…

What’s happening with Michael Jackson’s legal stuff?  No idea.   Didn’t think about it once in a week…

Laughing at the Sotomayor hearings.  Do our leaders have nothing better than to cite old TV shows?…

Congrats to all on the Relay for Life in Tompkins County…well done!

So sad i missed the Trace Adkins concert.  I’m hearing great reviews!!  Get ready for Big and Rich!!!

I’ve kept relatively quiet on the Michael Jackson thing.  I’m hoping now that the memorial service is over we can maybe move on.

It’s not that I didn’t like his music, I did.  But as far as the man goes, I feel the same way I’ve felt for the last 15 years: sad.

That said,  I’m totally confused by it.

Everyone, right up to Colin Powell who I admire, tells us to celebrate the man and not the controversy. 

Why?

If there was a guy named Leon, who had been accused of abusing children, living up the street from me I don’t think I’d look to celebrate or memorialize anything.  I’d stay away from him and pretty much not mark his passing.

I don’t know if Michael Jackson did the things he was accused of.  All I know is that he became a punchline after exhibiting so much amazing talent. 

Why am I only supposed to remember the music?

Tough time to be a celebrity.

I think that if I was a celebrity, I’d be taking veeeeery good care of myself right now.

So the bottom line is: there are two schools of thought on Michael Jackson…

1) A musical genius who should be remembered for his contributions to music.

2)A walking freak show who should be locked up.

The conversation has and will continute to turn ugly as we’re deluged by information on his death.  I don’t see us being able to turn on the TV or pass a magazine rack or newspaper without “NEW”, “Intimate” and “SHOCKING” headlines assaulting us.

This is where I get annoyed.  It’s almost like there isn’t a reporter in the world who isn’t on this story. 

The big winner right now?  Tom Sanford (the SC Governor who disappeared to visit his mistress in Argentina and doesn’t think there’s any reason to resign because of it.)

Then there’s Farrah Fawcett; a lovely woman to be sure.  She had a popular TV show in the 70’s and a giggabajillion dollar selling poster.  The story of anyone dying of cancer is tragic.  But,  forgive me for asking this, is her death anymore meaningful than any of the folks we will mourn at the various Relay for Life events this summer?  Do we really need a Barbara Walters special?

Then there’s Billy May.  Here’s a guy, seemingly a nice guy, who was a pitchman for cleaning products.  He died on Saturday and people are falling over themselves to share the news with everyone.  The morning shows have special reports on it.  OK, he might have been a nice guy, but he’s a PITCHMAN!  I wouldn’t call this earth-shattering news but it’s all over the TV morning shows this morning.

Is there such a thing called death-crazy?