Too much news? The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

One travel habit I have is reading the paper (usually the USA Today because that's what the hotel leaves outside my door) while I'm waiting for the flight attendant to announce that its ok to "turn on approved electronic devices".  On the way home from Charlotte last night, I read the paper and by page 3, began to think I should have left the paper at the hotel.

The Good
Not sure its actually "good", but it was nice to see Captain Sully's picture and his retirement announcement (for those that missed Monday's blog (3/1), I met him Monday when I was checking into the hotel).  Side note:  he's really tall.

Full page ad paid for by Target - congratulating Shaun White and other olympic athletes (fun cartoonish ad)

The Bad
Three, 26 foot tall waves hit cruise ship - 2 dead.  Guess where this happened?  Exactly where I will be in a few weeks - near the French port of Marseille, having sailed there from Barcelona.  And people tell me riding a Harley is dangerous.  Geesh.

Facebook and other social networking sites can be "an invitation to crime".  It warns, if you get a message like "LOL is this you?" followed by a link, don't click on it! This was a large article filled with technical terms like:  botnet, Koobface, Monkif-A, Clickbot, phishing, Kneber gang, ...I could go on (its like a foreign language).  Anti-virus software is IMPORTANT!!!  Makes me wonder if there's a problem with all those Facebook things people pass around...the ones that require you to get all  your friends to participate.  (I ignore those).  Facebook - 400 million members - biggest target.

The Ugly
Slaughterhouse breaches - reported by a USDA veterinarian.  Things like:  butchering conscious pigs (apparently they are supposed to be stunned and unconscious before they are slaughtered - that made me wonder if "butcher" and "slaughter" are used inter-changeably, ....shouldn't the animal be dead before they start cutting them up???).   The article goes on to describe problems with contaminated meat from "downer cows" (cows too sick/weak to walk)and moving cattle with electric prods.  Its all pretty grisly - not just how the animals are treated but also how the actual meat is treated.  If I gave this much thought, I'd have to become a vegetarian. 

And, drum roll, the worst of the articles - In California, Steven Willett, 57, is receiving $126,000 of tax payor "support" and he's had 4 felony convictions for sex crimes and is considered a sexually violent predator.  Now he's living in a trailer out in the desert, receives  $2000/month in treatment and here's the kicker, he has no internet access but does have satelllite TV.   Yesterday, I had a conversation with one of my co-workers, Anna, whose son recently joined the Navy and is finishing up his basic training.  Get this, while we're funding satellite TV for this criminal, her son has no access to TV during basic training, has limited phone access AND had to spend 2/3 of his first paycheck for uniforms/clothing.  (actually this was a little bit of a surprise to me....wouldn't you think we'd at least pay for an initial set of uniforms?) I'm not suggesting the military approach is wrong (well except the cost of the uniforms...wow).  But why are we paying for this sexual predator to watch TV?  Side note - the article did say it costs more....$185,000/year...for the ones they keep in an inpatient state facility.   Notice he's sort of smiling in this picture...no wonder.

P.S The funny
OK, I can't help but add this one....in the sports section, there is a quarter page ad for a "male enhancement" liquid technology...claims to deliver hours and hours of uninhibited please and satisfaction on demand.  800 number so you can get your risk FREE bottle.  The lady in her undies in the picture guarantees satisfaction.  I've not seen an ad like this in our local paper. 

Now, don't you feel uplifted??