Tag Archives: Fiction

TV & Reality

Posted in Abuse of Power, Cancel Culture, Cheating, Christian values, Climate Change, Crazy Nuts, Gambling, Liberals, Truth by

As my wife’s illness progresses, she has more difficulty with TV. I keep telling her the shows aren’t real. It angers her, accusing me of not knowing.

Reality television has increasingly blurred the lines between authenticity and scripted entertainment. Take, for instance, the popular storage auction shows that once seemed genuine. Initially, I believed in their raw, unscripted nature, much like how professional wrestling was once perceived as a legitimate sport. However, as I continued watching, the interactions became noticeably more choreographed. The verbal exchanges began to feel less spontaneous and more like carefully crafted dialogue, revealing the manufactured drama behind the scenes. This realization prompted me to question the credibility of reality programming and the extent to which these shows are actually “real.”

In contemporary television, scripted dialogue has evolved from polished, rehearsed exchanges to more spontaneous narratives that draw inspiration from current events, challenging viewers to engage more critically with the storytelling.

In our increasingly complex media landscape, discerning truth from fabrication has become a challenging endeavor. News programs, despite their polished studios and professional veneer, often present conflicting narratives that shift with alarming frequency. While these broadcasts remain our primary source of information, critical viewers must carefully navigate the terrain of reporting, constantly evaluating the credibility of each statement. The more inconsistencies and retractions emerge, the more skeptical audiences become, eroding trust in traditional media platforms and challenging our understanding of objective reality.

As I confide in my wife, professional football stands as our sole bastion of authenticity in a world of manufactured narratives. The raw intensity of athletes competing for championship glory seems unparalleled, a genuine spectacle of human determination. Yet, with recent gambling controversies casting long shadows across the sport, I find myself questioning its integrity. Perhaps the gridiron is slowly transforming into just another scripted performance, trading genuine athletic passion for manufactured drama.

Three Hours a Day

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During a brief moment of leisure, I idly flipped through television channels when a compelling speaker caught my attention. His articulate commentary was not only insightful but also delivered with an engaging style. Though I cannot recall the specific C-Span channel, the presenter’s words resonated with clarity and a certain captivating charm.

I lingered, captivated by the broadcaster’s passionate monologue, and soon discovered I wasn’t alone in my fascination. His radio presence grew exponentially, ultimately reaching over six hundred stations and broadcasting three hours daily. Rush Limbaugh’s profound impact on national discourse remains undeniable, a legacy so significant that his name resonates instantly, even after his passing. The immediate recognition in listeners’ minds speaks volumes about his enduring influence on American media and political conversation.

Now, the networks are full of programs similar, but still unlike the one and only Rush. I’m not going to name all the programs. It would take so long. Besides you already know them. Even if you’re an advocacy of Bush’s point of view, you can’t deny his affect on today’s society and the many broadcasters who follow his leadership. Oddly, one of his followers even successfully competes with Sunday Night Football.

Still, there are a few who have also left their mark with much shorter programs. Consider Paul Harvey. Years after he has left us, people will instantly recognize the two words he made famous: “Good day.”

The idea has sparked my imagination. Imagine hosting a concise, three-minute daily show that could potentially catapult me to unexpected fame, even at this stage of life. Despite not considering myself particularly articulate or possessing a naturally smooth radio voice. I figure all I need is just a three minute spot on TV each day.

Modern news broadcasts have devolved into a spectacle of fragmented attention, where substantive reporting is marginalized. Within a typical thirty-minute program, commercial interruptions consume a third of the airtime, while meteorological updates and sports coverage claim another third. The remaining sliver—a mere five minutes—is allocated to actual news content, leaving viewers with a superficial understanding of current events.

In just three minutes, my innovative news program would distill the day’s most critical information, delivering a concise, comprehensive update that keeps viewers perfectly informed without wasting their time. I mean, do we really need ten minutes to find out if we will need a coat or umbrella?

In the cacophony of modern media, I confront a stark reality: entertainment trumps information. While listening to the radio, I heard a news segment devoted to Cher’s appearance on Saturday Night Live—a trivial detail that seemingly captivates the masses. My aspiration for concise, meaningful news appears doomed. The public’s appetite craves celebrity gossip, rendering substantive reporting nearly irrelevant. The hunger for superficial entertainment overshadows my idea for three minutes of real news.

Rush understood that a successful news program requires more than just reporting facts. By infusing entertainment into his broadcasts, he transformed traditional news delivery and captivated audiences. This innovative approach likely contributed significantly to his remarkable professional achievements.

News must be entertaining. If not, it will fail.

No Small Error

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As I watched the speech, I figured that the dems were making a mistake by sitting on their hands during Pres. Trump’s speech. As I look back over it and the national reaction, it would appear that I underestimated the damage that has resulted to their party. It would appear that they might have been better off just closing their eyes and pretend to sleep through it all.

It would seem that they have painted themselves into a corner. Perhaps the more accurate saying would be how they sat on the wrong part of the limb as they sawed it off. Regardless, the nation saw what they did and apparently they didn’t much care for it.

Of course voters do have short memories, mostly. By mid-terms, it might be all forgotten, especially if they turn the corner and start doing things right. On the other hand, they might not take this opportunity to learn their lesson, they just might make things worse for themselves. Even more, if the economy starts turning around, if we start saving expenditures by the billions, the dems might find themselves in a deep hole trying to dig their way out.

The error seems to be that before the first word of the speech, someone made a decision. The orders went out and all the dems were ordered to stay in lockstep or else. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to cheer from time to time, they were afraid to. The thing is, by giving the order, they put forward a display of not caring about a boy with cancer, 2 women raped and killed by criminals and a determination to prolong the Ukrainian meat grinder. I don’t think the public liked that. I also think, if they were released from the order, most of them would not have taken the hard line.

On the side, we now know the Democrats don’t think for themselves. They are simply robots for the leadership, whatever it is that they chose, even when it is not for the good of the country. …And many of the things they decide are not for our good, none of us.

Presenting that front to the people is likely one of the biggest errors the dems have made, ever.

Do You Have 20 Minutes?

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The reason I ask that is it is how long it took me to buy a stamp.

I no longer do much business with the USPS. I have little reason to. Well, I was somewhat compelled to use their services. It was either get the stamp and let Medicare pay the bill or not get the stamp and pay a thousand-dollar bill myself.

I will not keep you in suspense. I did get the stamp and I did mail the letter, eventually.

In the past, purchasing stamps was a swift and straightforward process: you could enter a post office, approach a vending machine, and quickly obtain your stamps, typically within a minute or two, even with mobility challenges.

I anticipated this outcome, but the lack of vending machines surprised me. A single, multipurpose machine handling everything from letters to packages stood before me, with a line of five people waiting to use it.

The crowded service counter buzzed with tension, four employees working amid a serpentine queue of six impatient customers. I stood at the threshold, recognizing instantly that any choice I made would lead to an unsatisfactory outcome.

As I waited in line for the machine, I couldn’t help but notice the adjacent queue seemed to inch forward slightly quicker. Torn between impatience and commitment, I weighed my options: abandon my current spot after investing ten minutes or maintain my position with stubborn determination.

I stood there, staring at the complex contraption before me, its cryptic instructions mocking my attempts to understand its operation. In that moment, I realized my odds of successfully navigating this machine were slimmer than my chances of becoming the next lunar explorer.

I gazed at the postal queue, contemplating whether personally delivering the document would be more efficient. The line had dwindled to three customers, with an equal number of postal workers behind the counter. At least the self-service machine stood mercifully unoccupied.

The line dwindled until only I remained, with two clerks still stationed behind the counter. A growing unease settled over me as the possibility of leaving unstamped became increasingly likely, my anxiety mounting with each passing moment.

I stood at the counter, patience wearing thin as the line crawled forward. Two employees worked behind the register, but the crowd seemed to move at a glacial pace. A glimmer of hope sparked when one customer departed, only to be extinguished as a staff member simultaneously vanished from view. Sensing my mounting frustration, a nearby worker offered a placating smile and assured me someone would assist me momentarily. I couldn’t help but sardonically wonder about the legal implications of such a vague promise, knowing full well that her casual reassurance carried no binding weight.

Then, as I said before, I did get my stamp and it was mailed. Next time, I will bring my tent and camping equipment. I suggest you do the same.

Not a Drill Instructor

Posted in Abuse of Power, Cancel Culture, Going Green, Liberals, Politally Correct, Socialists by

Even before I started Marine boot camp, I knew better than to call my D.I. a D.I. Others made that mistake, which raised the DI’s anger. Although everyone knows D.I. stands for Drill Instructor, the DI quickly reminds one and all that D.I. can also stand for Dumb Idiot. So, should you go into the Marines, you just might want to remember not to call your D.I. a D.I. He just might hit you.

Now just why would I bring this up?

Recently the dems brought a skier in front of a senate committee as an “expert” about carbon dioxide and climate change. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana commenced to asking him questions on his so-called expertise. In less than 3 minutes, it was clear he lacked any expertise, on air, carbon dioxide, climate change, or for that matter anything. In essence, he admitted it.

He did not know what carbon dioxide was. He had no idea that it is less than 1 percent of the atmosphere. I am not sure, but I doubt he knew that carbon dioxide is a necessity for plant life.

It was obvious the guy WAS a D.I.; and I don’t mean drill instructor.

By the way, it does make the dems look like D.I.s too. They must have been dumb idiots for putting their D.I. before the committee without at least a little prep.

The 64 Dollar Question

Posted in Abuse of Power, Advertising, Biden, Cease fire between Israel and Gaza, Christian values, Fear, FOC, Israelites by

Over and over they ask Israel why won’t they do more to protect civilians?

For me, their inquiry is of the wrong leaders. Why don’t they ask the Humas to do more to protect the civilians. Maybe, perhaps, possibly, we could settle for doing less to put the lives of civilians in jeapardy. Has it ever occurred to the Israeli accusers to ask the cowardly Humas soldiers to stop hiding behind babies and old women.

Of course they’d not even consider it. They’d not like the results. It would put the truly violent people in the proper light. After all, one of the jobs of the media is to aid their friends, horrid as their actions are.

Free Kindle Books

Posted in Christian values, Free E-books, My Author's Page, Religion by

The three volumes of the Kip Series will be free Friday, Jan 24.  The second in the series did get a recent rating of four stars so you might like to read all three of them.  Each volume is rather short so it won’t take long to read all three.

To order, you can log onto Amazon and search for the books Kip – The Optimist, Kip -The Realist or Kip – The Pessimist.  It might be easier to search for “Ben Rhodes”, though you just might find a bunch of books by other authors in which you’d have no interest.  Finally, you can just enter this in the search box:

http://www.amazon.com/author/story_teller

It will take you right to my Author’s page.  The advantage of this method is that you just might find another book or two that you might like to read.

In the series Kip is a detective working for San Diego.  Because of what all he has seen he has a difficult time believing in God.  His disbelief is somewhat increased as the result of some of the events in volume one.  It turns him from an optimist to a realist.  Then, of course, things really get bad in the second volume.  He has decided that if there is a God, that he hates Him for permitting such things.  In the third volume… well I’ll let you find out on your own.

If you enjoy the books, be sure and tell your friends and neighbors.  If not, never mind.  Either way, please tell me at Kaay@att.net.  Please keep your comments brief and reasonable.  If you spot any glaring errors, please let me know.

Thank you for reading the books and thank you for your comments.

Telling Stories

Posted in Deceit, Fantasy, Lawyers and Representation, unbelievable by

I’m a storyteller.  Most people can tell my stories are fiction, but just to make sure I precede all my stories with a disclaimer.  You know what I mean.  (The story you are about to read is fiction.  Any resemblance to real events are completely by accident, etc, etc and so forth.)

The primary reason for the disclaimer is legal.  As farfetched as my stories are, someone just might get the idea that I have written about something real.  Oddly, I guess there are a few people who might.

After watching most of Agent Peter Strzok’s stories, I came to the conclusion that he should have issued a disclaimer.  I am sure most of us can figure out that it is fiction, but maybe not everyone.