Quick Thoughts (Wednesday, September 18th)

Items that I found interesting, not worthy of a full blog post, but needing more comment then a quick quip on a news round-up.

1. Texas Media is dead. All they're doing now is whistling past the grave yard.

The myth of the media has been well crafted over the years but has never really been what they've puffed themselves up to be. The media has NEVER been honest, objective reporters of the truth as they have romanticized themselves to be. Instead, they've always had an agenda and they've pushed that agenda relentlessly. This is NOT about "Liberal bias". Instead it's about a POV that every media outlet prescribes to and promotes, both progressive and MAGA. American journalism has a long history of making up facts to meet the narrative. From the trumped up "mafia crime wave" back in the 50's to global cooling to the AIDS crisis (Not that AIDS wasn't a crisis for those who had it, but unless you engaged in some specific activities you were relatively safe See Also: MPox or MonkeyPox.) The difference now is that certain media outlets just come out and admit that they have a POV and are actively working to skew their reporting toward it. The Houston Chronicle famously did this with their infamous "pro-rail memo" back in the aughts, while Texas Tribune has been an advocacy group since their inception.  Now Houston Landing has come out and just admitted that they are going to ramp up their advocacy for things they like, rather than just reporting the news as-is.  Sad times indeed.  But it's time to stop buying the "unbiased, crusading media line and view them for what they are: advocacy groups with an agenda to push.  Then, when you consume their product, view it through the proper lens.

2. Harris County is devolving into a festering pit.

From tax increases to increased crime to declining quality of life to sketchy neighborhood safety things are getting pretty shoddy in the Bayou City and surrounding areas. Corruption at all levels of government run rampant, will the last person to be indicted for fraud or corruption please turn out the lights once you leave the office? Now, in an effort to shunt more money to their preferred patrons, local politicians are moving to raise taxes on residents until their eyes bleed.  This money will NOT go to help the public, it will predominantly be redirected to their friends who either donated to their campaigns or to whom they owe various other political favors. The media (see above) will not report on this because, in addition to being pretty much worthless these days, they are also the largest collective of courtiers that you will ever find. What they want, more than doing their jobs, is retaining access to those in power. It all leads to reporting that overlooks the obvious that you see every day. It's going to get way worse before it gets better.

3. Ragweed begone!

I'm not sure about you, but my allergies are severe right now.  Like many, I'm allergic to ragweed and it's really bad in Houston right now.  While we have to thank Mother Nature for Saharan Dust, which has really reduced our tropical activity this year, we can curse her a little for the heat domes that seem to be settling in on us. The old saying was "Houston, it's worth it."  Sadly, increasingly, it's not.

4. Dancing with the Crooks.

It's been around 5-6 years since I last watched an episode of the increasingly inaccurately named television series Dancing with the Stars.  Given the presence of Anna Delvay (the Fake heiress who scammed several people out of Millions of Dollars and who is now on some weird form of "house" arrest after overstaying her Visa) on the show I think it's time that people tune out and let the show out of its misery.  This feels oh so much like a desperate last-gasp of a show that's been running on an Iron Lung for years now. Related: has there ever been a company that's fallen so far, so fast as Disney? From the creators of beloved children's animated movies to the purveyors of some of the worst received content out there, clearly a course correction is desperately needed.  They ruined Marvel, they've all but gutted Star Wars, and pretty much every thing they touch now is doomed to failure.

5. Our long, National nightmare is almost over.

In case you missed it, I'm referring to election season. If, like me, you're tired of having your football games interrupted by Harris/Trump or (more often in Texas) Allred/Cruz ads just keep the faith that the end is nigh. They're awful, there are too many of them, and none of them say anything that is likely to change the minds of one voter. If, at this point in the election cycle, someone presents themselves to your or the media as 'an undecided voter' what they're really saying is either "I'm an idiot" or "I'm in desperate need of attention." Just make it stop already.