Again the people commenting on CNN's article about gun violence amaze me.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/15/niu.irpt/index.html
This article is in regards to the shootings in Illinois. Another mentally ill person managed to get ahold of a gun and shoot around 22 people, killing 5.
Wayne Ellis of Allen, Texas This is a perfect example to support allowing licensed people to carry guns on college campuses and even into classrooms as well as everywhere else. This shooter would have been killed before he could have gotten off more than two shots if other people there had been allowed to legally carry weapons.
Yes, lets give everyone guns and allow them to carry them where ever they go to help stop fun violence. That makes total sense.
My Sociology of Crime and Deviance professor told us about a study on the very first day of his course. He described how in this study people were asked certain questions and there would be an object in the corner of the room; a flower, spoon etc. However, when a gun was placed in the corner of the room, the person gave more violent responses.
Whenever we have a school shooting or massacre or such, its always the same. FOXNews whines about how the liberals will all make this a gun control issue, CNN has a lot of meaningless chatter and so on. Meanwhile all the people making the comments on the CNN website are trying to place blame; its the parent's fault for not raising him better, its the psychologists fault for not monitoring him closer, its the media's fault for all the non stop coverage, its societies fault for not teaching people to love each other, its Hollywood's fault for all the gun violence they sell, its the government's fault that everyone else in the room wasn't carrying guns to shoot him with etc.
Instead of playing the blame game, why don't we just get rid of the one sure factor; the gun. Why is everyone so against making it more difficult to aquire a gun?? What's wrong, you'd rather have innocent people killed by people who should never have guns than just be more inconvenienced the next time you buy one?
Gun ownership is not a right. It is a privilege (one I'm not too keen on - Japan seems to be doing fine with no civilians holding guns) The screening process, and availability needs very badly to be restricted.
To everyone who complains that the right to bear arms is in the constitution hear this: The constitution was created at a time in which everyone was terrified the British would invade and wanted means to protect themselves. It really isn't relevant today.
On a lighter note, why must the "f" key be so close to the "g" key? Every time I write "gun" it turns into "fun".
Showing posts with label cnn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cnn. Show all posts
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thought #3 - Media Manipulation
Has anyone seen the documentary Outfoxed? Its a documentary that focuses on the bias of Fox News and discusses it in detail. I saw it around a year ago and not much of it shocked me considering its not news to anyone that they almost always lean conservative regardless of the issue (or the fact that they hired Karl Rove.) There was really only one moment in that movie that shocked me. This clip right here:
Now, if you don't have the time, speakers, etc. to be able to view this clip here is a breif summary: John Ellis of Fox News, cousin of George Bush calls the election for Florida for George Bush when in fact he should have come to the same conclusion as the AP: Too close to call. This held over for the next 37 days and is probably why the supreme court chose Bush.
Now, if you don't have the time, speakers, etc. to be able to view this clip here is a breif summary: John Ellis of Fox News, cousin of George Bush calls the election for Florida for George Bush when in fact he should have come to the same conclusion as the AP: Too close to call. This held over for the next 37 days and is probably why the supreme court chose Bush.
That being said 8 years have passed. New election, new candidates etc. But what kills me is the blatant manipulation by all of the media (ABC, CBS, FOX, CNN), turning this into entertainment in an effort to score high ratings, blowing reports out of proportion and giving unequal time to people. Allow me to elaborate:
Firstly, blowing reports out of proportion. The biggest evidence of this that infuriated me, I found on the Daily Show. I'd love to post a clip but I can't find it anywhere. I know it was from either January 21st or January 22nd. It was all of these different networks saying how Hillary Clinton made a racist statement compiled together. Eventually, the actual clip was shown. It was Hillary Clinton talking about how Martin Luther King struggled and had this beautiful dream about equality and how it took him working with a president for it to become a reality. Her point being that presidents are elected for the interests of the people and to acomplish things.
This really made me angry and I'm not even a fan of Clinton! How can the media knowingly skew what the viewers see and frequently report on such a falsity? They know that the viewers chance of seeing the original clip is slim.
Also, the media eagerly chooses for us which candidates stand a chance and which don't. I'm sure we've all seen the correlation between those getting the most votes and who has the most media coverage. Clinton, Obama, Romney and McCain are easily those with the most media coverage. Forget Edwards, Ron Paul, Mike Hukabee, Richardson and did you know there is still a candidate on the Democrat side named Gravel?
We have 24 hour news networks. It isn't like they are strapped for time.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Thought #2 - Economy, Rebates and Woe
One thing that I always quite enjoy doing is reading CNN stories that allow for comments to be publicly displayed underneath the story. I enjoy seeing what different perspectives people have been having on current issues. One story that the news media seems ever hungry for is anything in which they can broadcast the terrible "Recession" we could be going into.
The part that kills me laughing every time is when they bring on experts who bring themselves around to the question of if we are in a recession. Personally, I find it amusing to watch grown men debate if our countries are in recessions or not at that exact moment in time. The way they report the recession seems like its going to be reminiscent of the great depression and then to watch them argue if we're already in a recession seems to diminish all the current hype. I mean, if we're already in a recession, do we really have it that bad currently?
Anyways, I'm moving away from what I actually wanted to discuss. The CNN comments allow you to glimpse into what people are actually feeling and not what the media tells us they're feeling. Case in point the following:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/24/economy.irpt/index.html?iref=newssearch
Now, If you scroll down to the blue area, where it says "Sound Off" is where more people get their input. The brief summary for those who haven't the time is that some people whine about the horrible economic situation the Bush administration has put them in, others complain about how the cost of living is too high (I hear this one from my manager at work talking to customers at least 2 or 3 times a Saturday for the past year), still others blame the rest for spending beyond their means.
Honestly, it looks to me like it is everyone's fault but their own. That isn't to say it is entirely their own faults as other factors do contribute but everyone who is needlessly in debt made a conscious decision to be there. No, i'm not referring to the single parents who have to use their credit cards to buy groceries just so their kids can eat. I am referring to people who think they can live beyond their means and then get angry when reality hits and they find out they can't.
This whole thing could be avoided with steps from everyone.
The Government
We all know that the Bush administration was a huge fiasco. Still is. Thats too depressing to go into today. I may have this viewpoint because I live in Canada but I don't see anything wrong with raising everyone's taxes a little so that everyone together can help pay for things that really need it. Some people need to look past "socialism" and see that there are actually people who have lost their jobs, single mothers they aren't communist evil, they're people who are down on their luck and need assistance to get back on their feet so they can get on with their lives.
With better social programs (welfare, minimum wage, healthcare), you lift those people out of poverty and in a position where they start making money and then guess what? They spend money!
The Citizens
Regular everyday people need to stop relying on credit cards to aide them in luxuries they know they can't afford. Open a savings account and put any extra you have into it. That way, you're gaining interest instead of owing it!
The concept of "make believe money" has always somewhat frightened me.
In terms of other things that could be done to give the economy a boost (aside from giving people money that will be reclaimed by the IRS anyways) here are two simple things:
1) The Media
The media needs to stop scaring people with the notion of a recession into rapidly selling their stocks so they don't lose their money in it. See the circle here?
2) The Writer's Strike
Alright. We get it. You want residuals for Internet revenue. The DGA got a good deal and now you can too. Both sides need to compromise. In times where the economy is not the best it could be, losing billions of dollars in the economy because of a writer's strike that could be solved with intense negotiations where no one gets childish and walks away from the table and everyone compromises, everyone just sitting staring at each other isn't going to do anything. I support the writers, I really do but it's hard not to think of all the people who don't have jobs anymore because nothing is being produced (hair and make up artists, production staff etc)
I promise you I don't plan on non stop posting everyday. I just didn't think it was best for my only post and my only source of content to attract people should be a boring, freedom of speech column which is for the most part, plain and simple.
The part that kills me laughing every time is when they bring on experts who bring themselves around to the question of if we are in a recession. Personally, I find it amusing to watch grown men debate if our countries are in recessions or not at that exact moment in time. The way they report the recession seems like its going to be reminiscent of the great depression and then to watch them argue if we're already in a recession seems to diminish all the current hype. I mean, if we're already in a recession, do we really have it that bad currently?
Anyways, I'm moving away from what I actually wanted to discuss. The CNN comments allow you to glimpse into what people are actually feeling and not what the media tells us they're feeling. Case in point the following:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/24/economy.irpt/index.html?iref=newssearch
Now, If you scroll down to the blue area, where it says "Sound Off" is where more people get their input. The brief summary for those who haven't the time is that some people whine about the horrible economic situation the Bush administration has put them in, others complain about how the cost of living is too high (I hear this one from my manager at work talking to customers at least 2 or 3 times a Saturday for the past year), still others blame the rest for spending beyond their means.
Honestly, it looks to me like it is everyone's fault but their own. That isn't to say it is entirely their own faults as other factors do contribute but everyone who is needlessly in debt made a conscious decision to be there. No, i'm not referring to the single parents who have to use their credit cards to buy groceries just so their kids can eat. I am referring to people who think they can live beyond their means and then get angry when reality hits and they find out they can't.
This whole thing could be avoided with steps from everyone.
The Government
We all know that the Bush administration was a huge fiasco. Still is. Thats too depressing to go into today. I may have this viewpoint because I live in Canada but I don't see anything wrong with raising everyone's taxes a little so that everyone together can help pay for things that really need it. Some people need to look past "socialism" and see that there are actually people who have lost their jobs, single mothers they aren't communist evil, they're people who are down on their luck and need assistance to get back on their feet so they can get on with their lives.
With better social programs (welfare, minimum wage, healthcare), you lift those people out of poverty and in a position where they start making money and then guess what? They spend money!
The Citizens
Regular everyday people need to stop relying on credit cards to aide them in luxuries they know they can't afford. Open a savings account and put any extra you have into it. That way, you're gaining interest instead of owing it!
The concept of "make believe money" has always somewhat frightened me.
In terms of other things that could be done to give the economy a boost (aside from giving people money that will be reclaimed by the IRS anyways) here are two simple things:
1) The Media
The media needs to stop scaring people with the notion of a recession into rapidly selling their stocks so they don't lose their money in it. See the circle here?
2) The Writer's Strike
Alright. We get it. You want residuals for Internet revenue. The DGA got a good deal and now you can too. Both sides need to compromise. In times where the economy is not the best it could be, losing billions of dollars in the economy because of a writer's strike that could be solved with intense negotiations where no one gets childish and walks away from the table and everyone compromises, everyone just sitting staring at each other isn't going to do anything. I support the writers, I really do but it's hard not to think of all the people who don't have jobs anymore because nothing is being produced (hair and make up artists, production staff etc)
I promise you I don't plan on non stop posting everyday. I just didn't think it was best for my only post and my only source of content to attract people should be a boring, freedom of speech column which is for the most part, plain and simple.
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