Friday, June 14, 2002
I'm listening to NPR, my favorite radio station. Greg Palast is talking with Angie Coiro...
He's an investigative reporter.
I should say, I hate the news. I have occasionally thought I would be a great journalist, because I love to write, and I am incredibly nosy. But then I think, "I hate the news. I can't stand to read it or to watch it"
I Do hate the news. Where do I begin?
It saddens me tremendously to hear stories of the kidnapped children. And these stories are covered daily. Every local news program interviews the parents, the boyfriend of the mother, crying and wailing. I usually feel like crying and wailing too.
Then you discover that it was one of THEM, usually the boyfriend, who has RAPED AND KILLED THE CHILD!
Great.
You know, if I could do something about it, I would. But most of the time, it's just depressing.
Then, should there actually be a story I want to know about, I never hear enough. They tell me about 5 seconds of information. What?! WHAT?!?! Say that again! Tell me more!
But no. We are on to the next missing child, or shoplifting celebrity.
I have almost no interest in celebrities. I don't care about Robert Downey Jr. or Britney Spears. I don't want to know about P Diddy and J-Lo.
I want to know more about those economic statistics. Or that foreign negotiation. I’d like to know more about campaign scandals.
But They never tell you enough. And they never finish the story. Should I happen upon a story that interests me, I want to read more. I'll go on the Internet and find out more
Why do the news people assume I am stupid and only want the 15 seconds of information they give me? I want to know where I can get more. I think that Americans deserve more respect. And I do believe we are being manipulated by people who think they can get away with it.
Greg Palast, who I had never heard of before today, apparently has written a book called The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth about Globalization, Corporate Cons, and High Finance Fraudsters
I may just have to check it out. He has an interesting story.
I’m tired of being jerked around by the news. I wouldn’t mind having some of these stories be brought to my attention a little bit sooner.
posted by Murphy 6/14/2002
Wednesday, June 12, 2002
I have a SITEMETER on this blog, and I have noticed that there are a few visitors from outside the US.
WELCOME WELCOME!
I'm very happy to see people are reading my blog. Please, feel free to email me if you would like, and introduce yourself.
I see a number of visitors from other places...aol, and others.
I just wanted to address you all. Thank you for reading my blog, and feel free to comment on anything.
posted by Murphy 6/12/2002
I am bogged down in that dreaded task, revising my resume.
As I take a look at my skill and experience, I am kind of impressed by what I have done.
I’ve handled some pretty amazing jobs and projects!
But then I look at the descriptions of jobs posted on the web or wherever, and I think “I can’t do that! I don’t know how to do that specific thing! I can’t do anything.”
Sometimes it’s difficult to have self-confidence. When I look at the things I have done, I am objectively aware that I have done difficult things, things that I would admire in someone else.
But at the same time, when I think about applying for a job that would ask me to do similar hard things, I have huge self-doubt.
That wasn’t really ME that did all those great things. It must have been a fluke. Like the mother that could lift the car off the little child and save her. It couldn’t be repeated.
But…I DID do those amazing things, and I did them for months at a time. It wasn’t a single miraculous occurance; it was long hard grueling work.
So why do I feel like I’m lying when I take credit for it?
posted by Murphy 6/12/2002
Monday, June 10, 2002
Things DO pile up.
Shame on me for not writing. I had a great weekend, playing songs for my church benefit dinner. It was a lot of fun to perform for people.
All those good all love songs. My oh My.
I noticed that some of them are really sad...I wonder why we like to be safely sad about love songs? the Beatles' "Yesterday" is supposed to be wildly popular. I played it for the diners, and I thought again about how sad it is.
Perhaps we believe we are more noble if our hearts are broken.
If your heart is broken, it is easier. You know the end of the story. But if you HAVE love, and are happy, it's much more complicated. You have to keep the love. You have to work on it, and deal with problems or doubt.
Or worse. You have to decide when the love is done, but done in a not-beautiful way.
ending, or beginnings, are so satisfying. But middles...They are not so popular.
posted by Murphy 6/10/2002
