See anything funny this week?

So I didn't watch the 'debate' this week, other than a few of the sound bites and news clips that were floating around.  I admit it, my interest has waned already and sleep seemed like a better option.  Upon reflection I was right.

By the way, the reason I put debate in quotes is because there have been no debates as of yet.  Honestly, Fox and CNN hosted a get together for tea and biscuits without the tea and biscuits.

The Fox debate was more about directed softballs for the candidates to address their talking points or counter a criticism about individual items of each candidate but was only addressed by one maybe two candidates at best, so where is the debate.

CNN on the other hand was just trying to start fights between the candidates rather than picking an issue and allowing all the candidates to make their comments.  Entertaining maybe but useful, not so much.

Overall the sound bites reported on were weak.  The media is trying so hard to make something out of nothing.  They have to because it is still too early in the season for them to let the average Joe/Jane lose interest and therefore risk losing ratings.  In this day and age, short attention spans reign and they are going to have a tough job ahead of them.  (They are good at it, I mean, they have kept 'Two Broke Girls' on the air for more then three episodes and I still don't see how that happened.  Maybe I put too much faith in 'we the people'.)

Short Takes:
Lindsey Graham sit down and shut up.  You are not funny and you are part of the reason we are in this mess.  You have been in Congress since 1993 and your name is not associated with the best of legislation to come out of Washington.  Too bad Rick Perry beat you to being the first to step down from this years election so you will have to be an also ran there as well.

Carly Fiorina is a republican woman running for president.  Other than that I got nothing, kinda like the democrat front runner.  I am currently sitting next to a desktop HP computer that is on an extended downtime again (I've lost count how many this makes now).  It is an older box probably from your era.  I have had HP printer fun also.  I am not impressed with the way you ran HP and at your level you can't just blame it on the economy (no wait, that is what the last four presidents have done...maybe you are candidate worthy).  Sadly no one can figure out how to pronounce your name, including myself which cuts your chances in half.  (That may also be why I like Cream of Wheat.)

Jeb Bush had a large automatic following from day one, I can't figure out why.  He finally has a chance to express himself and convey his message.  Jeb Bush still has a large following.  I still can't figure out why.

And then there is Trump.  He has admitted he is an entertainer (or at least is trying to be).  I am sorry but I can't take him seriously as a presidential contender as there is very little substance behind the facade.  What I do find amusing is that the media and others still think they can shame him into making changes in what he says or does.  He is the Donald and he is shameless.  (Did you not see him on the celebrity roast on comedy central, I couldn't watch all of it because it was so shameless and this is not a plug to seek it out.  I just have more important things to do with my time like sort my finger nail clippings.)  The guilt trip big enough to overcome his ego will never come from external forces.  Sorry political correctness police, you will have to look elsewhere.

I like the fact that the others are sticking it out a little longer.  The fact is with a field this large the longer they stay the better chance of actually getting to make a point and some of them might actually have a point to be made.  Will anyone be around to care when that time finally comes?  More than a few have candidates have stuck it out just to be given a chance to speak at the party convention only to have no one watch them and no one remember what they said.  Only the last one standing will get any real attention whether they deserve it or not.  That is they way we play.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Ramblings from 7 Sept. 2015

I haven't done any entries for awhile and I thought it high time I did but wanted to let you the reader know that this will be a venture into the realm of the wondering mind.  I don't know where it will take us or what all it will cover, and I will not guarantee that it will make any sense but like so many things out there you might find a nugget so enjoy.

I put a date in the title today even though I think all of the entries have had a date tied to them.  I find it very helpful to take a web entry and put it into context if there is a date associated with it.  For example, I was browsing around and happened onto a suggested search of "Pope Francis resigns" which I thought was as interesting as suggestion searches go, so I clicked and sure enough he was labeled as the second Pope in recent history to resign, how scandalous.

It turns out that the reference was from a super market tabloid that was created back in April of 2014.  I have a feeling that this is one of those events that did not transpire quite the way the author and editors expected.  Still, it does make for a clickable search item.  I wonder why it is still out there waiting to be looked at?

So just how lousy (or should I say lazy) are the portal web sites getting these days?  Yahoo was the standard but that was decades ago, now they are just a pretend portal site that just processes content from others and can't wait to shuffle you off to the highest bidder.  Come to think of it, they all seem headed that way.  I have pretty much given up on finding a usable news web site.  The fabrication is churned out so quickly without any forethought for intellect, leaving nothing but snippets of superlatives to generate fear and anxiety with which to incite the simpleton to an emotionally driven response that fuels consternation and frustration rather than pacify with perspective and relevance.  But alas, our world is run on this.  I wonder if people quit paying attention to calamity, would they just die out due to lack of attention?

Which leads me to the current state of the union, or at least the continuing saga of a nation bent on self obliteration through the continuing decline of it's choices for public servants and the republic for which they stand.  Sure some of us are laughing now but will we still be able to laugh a year from now?  Why do these elections always come down to either or choice and neither choice is a good one?  Mark my words, this election is headed down the same path as those we have had for the least few decades (if not century) by forcing us to choose between a couple of lousy candidates, none of which is an honest to goodness Leader.

Think for moment how you would define a good honest Leader.  I am not going to insert my definition but ask you to come up with your own.  What traits and characteristics would you choose?  What values would you look for?  What vision charts their course and is it one that you truly would follow?  Is this a Leader that actually leads and that the nations multitude willingly follow?  Are the purposes of this Leader just and true?  Is this Leader truly serving others or merely serving themselves?

Then honestly ask yourself, are any of the candidates today, current or hopeful, able to fit your definition of a Leader in all respects and in all ways?

I am still looking.

But in the mean time I will continue to look on with laughter since it is the only real way to look at the absurd (there is plenty to choose from).  Our time certainly isn't the first and probably won't be the last (a little history can go a long way in adding perspective to the current chaos).  The person who can keep themselves well grounded is the one that will be able to laugh the loudest when the emperor parades past the throngs with no clothes on, but as I recall it was a child that noticed it first and was not afraid to respond appropriately.  Perhaps we should be as little children during this election season.  It seems to me we have been treated as children long enough.  In fact, why do we allow people like this to rule over us?  I think we are more than capable of ruling over ourselves.  That is if we haven't forgotten how.

More to follow I'm sure, but for now...
This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.