Thoughts on the headlines

Why read an entire article when a headline tells us all we need to know? Considering it is now closing time and thanks to one of my dogs barking, I have been up since midnight, I figured I would entertain myself and scroll through some headlines.

I read a list of 30 “must see” films this summer. Three look like they are worth checking out with only one of them possibly worth paying whatever they charge for a senior discount. Remakes, sequels, and previously told stories under a different title are pretty much what Hollywood calls art today. I call it a rip off.

Magic Johnson; Laker for life. Then again … He is clearly better at finger pointing than he is as a front office guy in the NBA. He should take his statue home and go watch film of his glory days.

Another very large self proclaimed influencer feels the need to show off her cellulite in a bikini. I am happy for her, she is proud of her frame, but this nation is dying from gluttony and it does not need to be encouraged. Where are the self proclaimed discouragers?

Newer and stricter abortion laws in a number of states are not part of a pro life movement, not when they are written by people whose party is ramping up to send young men and women to die in another pointless war or who call for greater use of the death penalty. Call these laws what they really are; Women’s Restriction Laws.

Jon Voight thinks Trump is the greatest president since Abe Lincoln. Voight might be the greatest actor since John Wilkes Booth, but when it comes to being an historian, he clearly knows nothing about our nation’s history.

Instead of finding celebrities like Oprah to give commencement speeches to college graduates, wouldn’t it be great to hear from every day Joes and Janes who struggle to balance life in the real world? After all, how many colleges produce an Oprah in every graduating class?

Headline: Cutting One Thing Helped This Guy Lose 150 Pounds. My guess is he amputated his lower torso.

As a kid, it was considered unpatriotic to wear the flag in any form for clothing. Now it is a cash market. Just goes to show you how much our values change when there is a buck to be made.

Another headline: This Woman Lost 90 Pounds and Still Gets to Have Treat Meals. When you eat Kale three meals a day, I guess a stalk of celery with peanut butter is a treat.

Good for Allison Felix for refusing to bow to Nike’s desire to punish her for getting pregnant. This policy was no different than removing a teenage girl from her school because she became pregnant while allowing the guy who knocked her up to remain on campus and look for his next conquest.

I am reminded of a former student of mine who was a senior taking my freshman Social Studies class. She was pregnant at the time, behind on her credits and wanted to graduate with her class. She was taking an early morning class at a continuation school before heading to her high school for a full day of course work. After, she was on to night school to catch up on more credits. When she addressed my class of misfit freshmen who thought life was a joke and told them how hard hers was all because of the choices she made, you could hear a pin drop. Our society spends too much time trying to protect kids from reality rather than preparing them for it. She gave 35 students the best life lesson they could ever receive.

How are the Yankees playing so well with all their injuries?

Two plus weeks lost in a Maui rain forest with a broken leg. Why is it I smell a book and movie deal for someone who took a wrong turn?

At first, Jeopardy was fun to watch as James Holzauer devoured his competition. Now that he has continued doing so, it has become boring.

Having to wait in hours-long lines is never a fun thing. I once waited close to two hours to go on a two minute ride at a theme park and realized the wait was not worth it. I’m thinking having to do the same just to descend from Mount Everest only to die from altitude sickness isn’t worth it either.

And yet another headline: I Lost 104 Pounds Without Having to Restrict Certain Foods. Folks, keep in mind, the number one goal of any diet plan sold to people is profits. Yes, they bank on your lack of discipline to make money off of you. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. Get up and move your bodies beyond the refrigerator.

The Spice Girls are back. For those of you too young to remember them, don’t bother.

Headline or Punchline: She Broke Up With a Cheater And Then Lost Almost Half Her Size: This reminds me of an old Henny Youngman joke. I finally lost the 150 pounds I always struggled with. I got a divorce.

One thing I have grown to realize in life is Americans love controversy that involves others, but are always victims when it involves themselves. They also want to believe celebrities are just like them even though we know full well they are not. First, they are famous. Second, they are rich. Third, they are clueless to how real people live their lives. They do not worship us and we would be better off if we did not worship them.

After refreshing my news feed, I have come to realize there is no longer a 24 hour news cycle. We have managed to get it down to one hour. We are so close to a world filled with 15 minutes of fame. What happens when we get there?