2016 Summer August 19 Friday

2016 Summer August 19 Friday

71 degrees this morning, Walk 35:53 minutes 

Coolish this morning, the wind has a definite cool tang to it.  While it will heat up later today, I really wonder if the “true summer” weather is already gone for the year.  

In my internal debate over whether to continue the local newspaper or not, when I happen to glance at the editorials, I have to say I don’t want to support people with those opinions with a penny, if I can help it.  

There opinions  and suggestions are what makes everything horrible about this state-failure to protect residential areas from commercial development, failure to maintain adequate revenues to support schools and state operations, tax benefits to the politically favored etc.

I try not to read the editorials in any paper.  I really don’t think most newspapers have the skills to attempt to influence readers.

When I was in college, in my journalism classes, they said about 5% of the readers read the editorials.  Even then, I thought (I knew better than to say it) thank goodness it is only 5%!

Of course, in it’s behalf, the local newspaper does tend to keep their opinions on the editorial side (anonymous, of course, which always puzzled me) and it doesn’t appear to overly influence their stories, although I’m sure it does, but not to the extent of other newspapers, tv etc.  

As I have mentioned before, it is almost impossible to get unbiased news on tv or the internet, everyone is pushing their opinion, or, more likely, the opinion of whomever is paying them the most.    I think it is a real shame that unbiased “news” is no longer considered appropriate journalism. 

By the way, it extends to all viewpoints, all parts of the spectrum, not just what I oppose! Views I favor are also pushed, and I don’t like that any better just because I agree with it.  

Thinking about the variation in the cost or price of items.  This morning I was thinking that the watch I bought a year ago for about $12 is still working fine.  I use it when I walk, bike and swim and other times and it looks like new, for $12. 

Yet, that is the cost of below average cost meal (at least average), which is gone immediately.  

The same comparison can be made for clothes.  Of course, you can pay anything you want for a watch or clothes or food, but there is just no comparison as far as costs, price or value received.  

One part of “value” I now consider is how much trouble (or cost) it is to keep an item around, or maybe even the cost or trouble of disposing of it when you are done with it.

For example, I rarely buy or keep “souvenirs” any more, just because it includes the hassle of deciding where to put it, how to keep etc., and if it really is worth it.  

Probably shirts or other reminders an event or place that you actually use are better, although even that can be questionable.

Not to say I don’t buy souvenirs,but not much of the time. 

A   picture can be a good souvenir, but with digital pictures, it is also easy to take way too many and then have to decide which ones to keep!  I really wonder where all of the digital pictures are going to end up, probably in some digital outer space junkyard or landfill.

That’s it for today, Friday, August 19, 2016