Angry Politics Mere Reflection of Culture

Donald Trump-king of the political soundbites and  noted twitter

       Love him or not, RUSH LIMBAUGH has been around awhile and makes some good, unbiased points that have little to do with taking sides. In trying to explain away what seems to be an especially hostile election atmosphere, Limbaugh drew a parallel to late night TV... He noted that the new Late Night with Steven Colbert show is having real ratings problems while Jimmy Fallon of the Tonight Show is doing well.
      
      It's not necessarily that the Fallon show is any better than Colbert - we, personally, never saw any extended humor or quality content in the former - and it has nothing to do do with the actual viewership of the show but, rather, how many tweets and/or likes that are generated. Fallon's show is set up on short bits, playing right into the hands of the Twitterers and Youtubers. 

        It's no wonder we don't see much in the way of extended interviews anymore. Everything's a 30-second soundbite with social media carrying it forth.  Johnny Carson  would never have good ratings today doing what his top-rated show did in the Seventies and Eighties. It's a different world, notes Limbaugh, and   one must adapt if one wants to have a successful show -ratings-wise that is - or win in politics. Fortunately, audiences that are tied into the latest trends, there's always cable with its 57 +channels and, yes, some good material, albeit not necessarily highly rated. But, again, to be successful, e.g. high ratings, one must follow the new line -whether you like (say, twitter) or not. 

       No longer are quality and content necessarily tied to success. And, when it comes to politics and the Presidential election it's not longer necessarily who's really the best qualified but who is best at generating the most  'soundbites,' i.e. social media. How else would a neophyte senator like Barack Obama beat out much more 'qualified'  people like John McCain, Mitt Romney or even Hillary Clinton for the Presidency?  How is a businessman with no political experience like Donald Trump continuing to lead the polls despite saying the most outlandish things? 

        Because they know how to get the media attention.  Even with 'high negatives' someone like Trump can out-poll a seemingly better, more qualified  candidate (on paper) like a Rubio or Cruz. The whole, mean-spirited nature of not only poliltics but culture, in general, probably goes back even before social media, perhaps even to the assassination of President Kennedy, but, no doubt social media has accelerated the angry culture.  Polite, upstanding citizens like a Ben Carson, qualified or not, don't have a chance today. Yes, it's a different world, politics or otherwise. Like it or not....

     

T-shirts, Posters, Buttons,Magnets etc on SALE 

BARRY BONDS - He Really Said That, De Ja Vu

HE REALLY SAID THAT... 
 Barry Bonds at press conference Sat. Feb 20 introducing new hitting coach of Miami Marlins. The only previous coaching experience for the controversial home run king (who hit most of his 700+ homers after coming to the Giants where the age of 32 including 70 in 2002 for the Giants) was a spring training stint with the San Francisco Giants..Not the first time for such direct comments from Bonds, known for using lab concoctions for his own, unlikely success, in 2002 he promised to pass on his 'secrets' to fellow players - we know the results of that, per Santiago, Aurilia, Williams,Bernard, etc-  and just after 2014 Giants World Series win he talked about the 'chemistry' on the Giants. Honest Bonds, or perhaps just an unfortunate turn of words - and now for the third time!  (Before coming to the Giants Bonds had hit more than 36 home runs in a year and had a .290 batting career average  , hardly Hall of Fame Material. But the new atmosphere seemed to help him, as it has 25 other like-minded users since Bonds... Good luck with Bonds' new manager, Don Mattingly, who was probably not consulted bofore the hiring and has nothing in common with Bonds. May see some fireworks on the bench in Miami this year if not with some indirect Bonds-aided long rockets from some of his 'students.' MORE

SCALIA - Too Many Questions To Ignore Autoposy

Will be big mistake NOT to have an autopsy done on Scalia. Too many questions. Why would Scalia die on this weekend trip rather than all the days at home and with a pillow over his head and only days after making a major ruling against Obama, and, here, in a resort owned by major Obama supporter. Not one thing by itself but put them all together.  Furthermore, there was no medical examiner on the scene