The past 10 days in Washington has shown some bad Winter weather, from the wind and rain, to the flooding and snow, to cold. Very, very cold. The driving around here got worse, if you had to drive, which most folks didn't, but wanted to see how fast they could ditch their foreign sedan anyway.
Tonight on KING-5 News was a recap of the major flooding in the Puget Sound area. Mostly just pictures and stories of the people most-affected by the flooding, living in some of the more-rural areas of the state, often in low-income demographics and zip codes.
I did not watch the entirety of it. I was out doing something I love for a Toys For Tots benefit show. I caught the last 10 minutes of the "news feature" to see what was affecting my neighbors. And I was pretty much laughing the entire time.
Not at the terror or sadness of losing their home and much of their lives in a flood.
Not at the lost money and work time and possessions washed away.
But at the "seriousness" of the story being played up like the newcasters actually cared, and like showing an hour-long program was going to actually help the situations and people in need.
What they need is 10 minutes, tops, to show the devastation.
Then they should show a website and a phone number of an organization that can actually help those folks, instead of the canary face of one local newscastress, or the mustachioed, vestigial weathermen we are inundated with.
The overdevelopment of our land in Washington, which is NOT "organic," nor "green," nor "progressive" as many folks would like to think they/we/this are/is/be... that clearcutting to build condos and zero-lot-line homes all over the place is great for the economy, bad for the housing market, and devastating for the environment. Way to go guys. Way to think with your common sense.
The news folks don't tell about that much. Not when 7 housing companies are buying commercial time. Turn it off. Turn it all off.
Then you can send some money or goods to those folks, to show the support you can't do with sandbags, backhoes, shovels, space-heaters, or spare bedrooms. And then pop in your favorite funny movie and get back to your Life.
Or you can, you know, like GO THERE and help them out somehow. Either way, you can just go. The news doesn't want you to do anything but stay glued to the news. Unglue. Change the channel.
TURN IT OFF.
Get on with Life.
Bring me some cookies!
Take Me Home
My Blog About My Dad
Geoff Lott: Comedian, Writer, Philosoteur. I am here to amuse you, not entertain you. If not now, later. If not you, somebody else. If you can't laugh at yourself, that's just fine, too. I will do it for you.
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