So, it's taken me a while to get this thing started. Like many potential personal productive endeavors in my life, the ultimate product often sounds better than process...if this sounds a bit like the result of procrastination, maybe it is. Maybe it's a lack of motivation. Or maybe it just sounds like too much alliteration for the beginning of a blog. In any case--
INT. THEATER OUTSIDE STADIUM - DAY
HORNS are heard playing in the background. A stout man saunters onto stage, the background sparsely decorated to mimic a 12th century English royal ballroom. The crowd simmers, briefly.
--Okay, I apologize for my brief, yet extensive detour. I should probably finish the treatment to my time-bending Shakespearean satire before venturing any further.
Anywho, while the Phillies were beating the metaphorical piss out of LA on their own turf, another clash of relative importance was taking place a little over 2400 miles away (yes, i googlemapped it). While I can only speculate that though some die-hards on the coasts were watching game 5 of that series, most of you were probably (fingers crossed) witness to the closing of another stage in a historic race to the White House--or at least TiVo'd it for a more convenient viewing ;) AND, while my perfectly flawed-yet-subjective opinion of the debate shall be omitted from the following for now, my efforts must be diverted elsewhere.
*(note: while the presidential debate may seem ordinary and and my commentary on broadcast media may seem unworthy of examination to some, for those of you who understand where I'm coming from--rock on!)
Rewind. After watching the publicly televised masturbation sessions, also known as the Republican and Democratic conventions, I swore that the only broadcasts worth watching that dealt with the Presidential race were the debates. Unlike the puffery involved in the aforementioned, the debates at least attempt to present us with what the issues actually are, or so I thought to some extent.
Play. Though I usually rely on other outlets, the idiot box comes in handy when you're just too tired to search for a reliable source. Like many working Americans, I many times resort to having my "input" spoon fed to me. In related and unfortunate news, I didn't even follow through with my pact with myself. This was the first debate I've seen in the '08 season. The 90 minute discussion went fairly smooth, with no new real earth-shattering positions being presented. But it wasn't necessarily the debate itself that lit a small fire under my ass.
Fast Forward. Enter the response to my initial, albeit somewhat self-reflexive, rhetorical question. I just needed to find my jumping off point--
Before the debate began, from the moment the news team filled the 1920 X 1080 pixels of Big Red's (Jimbo, or "Dad" for those not familiar with my father) new VISIO, the opening segments appeared not so dissimilar from watching the assemblage of former coaches and players who present FOX's NFL pre-game. Ironically, my comparison of the presidential debate/race to a sporting event is not as far-fetched as it may seem.
However, it was no more than five minutes into the "post-game" coverage of the debate that my discontent with the broadcast media was brought to a new level. It began with slew of "political" analysts slicing and dicing the "he said, (s)he said" of the debate. Instead of detailing proposals or shedding light on some of the issues on hand, we heard about Obama "sticking to his guns" and McCain "taking the gloves off." --
An aged white man circles his oponent in the boxing ring, upper scalp glistening with sweat. (OBAMA retreats then attacks with a series of jabs) A man chewing a cigar dawns a reporters hat while squawking out the play-by play.
We were even fortunate enough to hear the opinion of some Joe Schmo (not to be confused with Joe Plumber), an undecided voter. I don't want to completely discredit that particular type of segment, but I thought the "voice from the street" technique was somewhat reserved for mediums such as persuasive documentaries.
Skip Ahead. I couldn't take it anymore, so I had to sacrifice my comfortable place on the recliner.
Let's give the media the benefit of a doubt. Let's assume they were attempting to trigger a national dialogue on a specific issue. This has its merits, but this is a uni-directional conversation. Wouldn't it be more effective and valuable if we, the people, actually deliberated and interacted face-to-face (or at least via internet ;)? It seems the media assumes people aren't willing to participate in a civilized discussion of the issues themselves--which sadly might be the case. But, it is the practice of the media such as this that may have led us to this juncture in the first place--a culture of apathy, more fascinated with the race than the issues.
It is despicable, how the broadcast media handles not only politics, but of what is considered "newsworthy", which, by their definition, should really be called profitable and sensationalist.
That is where I will end my rant for the evening.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS IS...WELL, EVENTUALLY WILL BE A BLOG ABOUT CHAD/CJ PARSLOW'S TRIP TO KOREA.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. This didn't turn out to be much of a delayed REsponse as much as it is as a "( )sponse". But, at least it might have become the catalyst for "a change I need." ;) Or maybe I just needed something to bitch about.
POSTSCRIPT
This should've been the "foreword" for this, the first entry, and perhaps to my entire blog thingy:
WARNING--the following contains content not suitable for certain demographics. Notably, conservatives and those offended by innuendos of various nature. Hopefully, I won't lose any friends, patrons of "Precipice or Penultimate", or the respect of my peers and superiors in the process.
BLOG IDEA
for good behavior/performance for my students...pose a question to one of my american friends about american culture? any volunteers for responding to cute little korean kids?
JESTER
"Lords and ladies, your attention please! The most anticipated match in all of the land! A true test of endurance, fortitude, and...wit? Acquire the proper refreshments and prepare yourself for the the final meeting in the series between...Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain!--Okay, I apologize for my brief, yet extensive detour. I should probably finish the treatment to my time-bending Shakespearean satire before venturing any further.
Anywho, while the Phillies were beating the metaphorical piss out of LA on their own turf, another clash of relative importance was taking place a little over 2400 miles away (yes, i googlemapped it). While I can only speculate that though some die-hards on the coasts were watching game 5 of that series, most of you were probably (fingers crossed) witness to the closing of another stage in a historic race to the White House--or at least TiVo'd it for a more convenient viewing ;) AND, while my perfectly flawed-yet-subjective opinion of the debate shall be omitted from the following for now, my efforts must be diverted elsewhere.
*(note: while the presidential debate may seem ordinary and and my commentary on broadcast media may seem unworthy of examination to some, for those of you who understand where I'm coming from--rock on!)
Rewind. After watching the publicly televised masturbation sessions, also known as the Republican and Democratic conventions, I swore that the only broadcasts worth watching that dealt with the Presidential race were the debates. Unlike the puffery involved in the aforementioned, the debates at least attempt to present us with what the issues actually are, or so I thought to some extent.
Play. Though I usually rely on other outlets, the idiot box comes in handy when you're just too tired to search for a reliable source. Like many working Americans, I many times resort to having my "input" spoon fed to me. In related and unfortunate news, I didn't even follow through with my pact with myself. This was the first debate I've seen in the '08 season. The 90 minute discussion went fairly smooth, with no new real earth-shattering positions being presented. But it wasn't necessarily the debate itself that lit a small fire under my ass.
Fast Forward. Enter the response to my initial, albeit somewhat self-reflexive, rhetorical question. I just needed to find my jumping off point--
Before the debate began, from the moment the news team filled the 1920 X 1080 pixels of Big Red's (Jimbo, or "Dad" for those not familiar with my father) new VISIO, the opening segments appeared not so dissimilar from watching the assemblage of former coaches and players who present FOX's NFL pre-game. Ironically, my comparison of the presidential debate/race to a sporting event is not as far-fetched as it may seem.
However, it was no more than five minutes into the "post-game" coverage of the debate that my discontent with the broadcast media was brought to a new level. It began with slew of "political" analysts slicing and dicing the "he said, (s)he said" of the debate. Instead of detailing proposals or shedding light on some of the issues on hand, we heard about Obama "sticking to his guns" and McCain "taking the gloves off." --
An aged white man circles his oponent in the boxing ring, upper scalp glistening with sweat. (OBAMA retreats then attacks with a series of jabs) A man chewing a cigar dawns a reporters hat while squawking out the play-by play.
ANNOUNCER
Another right just misses...Oh, boy! That one just caught Obama on the left cheek!McCAIN
--It was less special-coverage-of-a-political-event as much as it was Entertainment Tonight covering the latest star-studded scandal.YEE-HAAW!
We were even fortunate enough to hear the opinion of some Joe Schmo (not to be confused with Joe Plumber), an undecided voter. I don't want to completely discredit that particular type of segment, but I thought the "voice from the street" technique was somewhat reserved for mediums such as persuasive documentaries.
Skip Ahead. I couldn't take it anymore, so I had to sacrifice my comfortable place on the recliner.
Let's give the media the benefit of a doubt. Let's assume they were attempting to trigger a national dialogue on a specific issue. This has its merits, but this is a uni-directional conversation. Wouldn't it be more effective and valuable if we, the people, actually deliberated and interacted face-to-face (or at least via internet ;)? It seems the media assumes people aren't willing to participate in a civilized discussion of the issues themselves--which sadly might be the case. But, it is the practice of the media such as this that may have led us to this juncture in the first place--a culture of apathy, more fascinated with the race than the issues.
It is despicable, how the broadcast media handles not only politics, but of what is considered "newsworthy", which, by their definition, should really be called profitable and sensationalist.
That is where I will end my rant for the evening.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS IS...WELL, EVENTUALLY WILL BE A BLOG ABOUT CHAD/CJ PARSLOW'S TRIP TO KOREA.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. This didn't turn out to be much of a delayed REsponse as much as it is as a "( )sponse". But, at least it might have become the catalyst for "a change I need." ;) Or maybe I just needed something to bitch about.
POSTSCRIPT
This should've been the "foreword" for this, the first entry, and perhaps to my entire blog thingy:
WARNING--the following contains content not suitable for certain demographics. Notably, conservatives and those offended by innuendos of various nature. Hopefully, I won't lose any friends, patrons of "Precipice or Penultimate", or the respect of my peers and superiors in the process.
BLOG IDEA
for good behavior/performance for my students...pose a question to one of my american friends about american culture? any volunteers for responding to cute little korean kids?
