The Death of Journalism

1975?

Ok, so my posts tend to be on the serious side. To show those of you who don't know me that I am truly a clown at heart, here is something I hope you enjoy. The good thing about blogs is that you never know where they’ll take you.

This week I faced the long overdue, inevitable, arduous, humbling task of buying new jeans. The last time I bought jeans was probably 10 years ago and they (all 2 pairs) have finally reached a stage that every 16 year old envied. Many people told me that at least it was good that I still fit in them after 10 years, but I understand the miracle of jeans where they tend to stretch “with you” over time.

The first store I went into was the Gap because that is where I always bought jeans before. The main reason for my loyalty to the Gap was because their jeans do not advertise the waist size on a big exposed tag right over my right rear pocket (take note of this Levi Strauss and Co.!). As I entered the Gap for the first time in a decade, I noticed that they are no longer the store I remember. This makes sense because I don’t understand teenagers and the Gap clearly evolved right along with the age group. It took all of about 5 minutes for me to walk out of the Gap thinking, “Great, now what?”

Next stop, a store that I could go to and not stand out like..well, like Ed at a Young Jeezy concert; Dillards. Once in Dillards I was faced with a huge wall of, yes, Levis. Ugh. Will I have to pay $35 per pair for the privilege of advertising my waist size to the world? I tried on a few and thought, “Well, I’m in a mall. I’ll shop around a little”.

Here is where the blog takes you somewhere you didn’t expect…As I walked through the mall I passed a store I hadn’t been in since Jimmy Carter was president; JC Penney. Nothing says “Shop here if for no other reason that you are not cool any more” like JC Penney. And yes, I bought two pair of jeans at a great price and they fit! So, to honor JC Penney (MY new store for jeans), let’s take a trip down memory lane and visit the JC Penney catalog from 1975. Enjoy.

let the teasing begin:

What you wore when you wanted to be beat up at school:

What you wore when you wanted to be beat up around the neighborhood: (The catalog had lots of men and women in matching outfits. Evidently that was popular in 1975)

What you wore when you wanted to be beat up ate the gym:

What you wore if you are a white guy and want to get beat up while out for the evening: (JC Penney was going for the Super Fly look)

What you wore when you wanted to get beat up at the office: (Man Mates...hmmmm)

Here are some of those matching outfits I mentioned:

Chips, Ace? Don't mind if I do Gary.......

Politics and the English Language

From an Article written by Liam Julian called Entering Casablanca November 13, 2008 - National Review Online:

President elect Obama is selecting his staff and readying himself for the challenges he will meet when he assumes the presidency in January and Americans will soon see truthfully what type of president we’ve elected. But before Campaign 2008 recedes into history and is, as our modern way would have it, erased from our memories, it’s worth reflecting on the words of the man who will now inhabit the White House, on how those words inspired so many, and on whether the person who spoke them meant them — and whether the words actually mean anything at all

President elect Obama inspired the nation with a campaign focused on change and hope. He energized an electorate with his words, and I doubt there is hardly a person around who would disagree that Barak Obama campaigned on this idea of Hope; Hope for change. Here are just a few of the thousands of quotes regarding this theme:

“In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?” July, 2004 – Keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

“All odds — all odds — said I shouldn’t be standing here. But I am because of love and education and lots of hope. That’s what we can stand for in four days. That’s what you can stand for.” – January, 2008 at New Hampshire Primaries

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - 2008 Democratic National Convention

Hope is his thing! He communicated it to the thousands — sometimes hundreds of thousands — who attended his rallies. He wrote a book called “The Audacity of Hope”. Dr. David Spiegel, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science has been recently quoted on NPR as saying,

”If hope gets too far off the mark, it’s more likely to hurt you than help you. Hope works when the person who is promising you something is genuine about trying to deliver it.” (Emphasis mine)

It is unquestionable that Obama inspired millions, but on what is their inspiration based? Is their hope perhaps "too far off the mark"? At the end of his report, the host of the show on NPR said,

“Barack Obama inspired me. . . . His promise sits like a weight on his shoulders.”

If I think back on the campaign I cannot remember one instance where he ever tried to temper the Hope. But now, as the transition to the White House has begun, I’ve seen two news conferences where that temperance of hope is being communicated. Today, his staff claims to be startled that their man’s preaching hit home! Here is a link to one of the many news reports on this: NY Times - Obama Aides Tamp Down Expectations

In Obama’s memoir, Dreams from My Father, you’ll find this remarkable passage:

“When classmates in college asked me just what it was that a community organizer did, I couldn’t answer them directly. Instead, I’d pronounce on the need for change. Change in the White House. . . . Change in the Congress. . . . Change in the mood of the country, manic and self-absorbed.”

Astounding, isn’t it? He didn’t know what to say then, so he just blurted out “change.” One has sufficient reason to wonder whether Obama didn’t employ this exact strategy, of evoking amorphous change in lieu of solid substance, throughout the past two years and thereby ascend to the highest office in the land.

If you have the time I recommend you read an essay written in 1946 by George Orwell, called Politics and the English Language. Its subject is the depreciation of the English language — more specifically, how bad writing leads to poor thinking leading to more bad writing and, eventually, begets a society that cannot distinguish meaningful words from empty ones. To bait you into reading it, here is the opening paragraph:

Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language -- so the argument runs -- must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes.

Here is the link: Orwell 1946 Politics and the English Language

Veterans Day

It is the day after Veterans Day. I wanted to wait a day before I wrote something because the actual day is so full of emotion for me I wanted to digest those thoughts and feelings first and then write whatever came to my mind.

First, I want to thank my fellow veterans for serving. We are a small minority of the American citizenry, roughly 7.2% of all American men and only 0.6% of American women are veterans. No group more proud, yet humble.

Thinking back on my experiences and what I learned, I had a few thoughts:

The Flag – The flag holds a special meaning for the veteran. While serving in the military you quickly learn that the flag stands for home and is your “home base”. No matter where you are in the world, seeing that flag brings an indescribable feeling of home and more than that, it contains the ideals of America and the countrymen we serve. This is why veterans have the special privilege to be able to salute the flag whether in uniform or not, rather than what all other citizens are called to do; place your hand over your heart when addressing the flag.

The Smell of an Envelope – I am sorry to say, but the newest generation of service men and women may never experience this. Because of ever advancing communication technology like email, text and video messaging, you’ve probably never received a hand written letter from home. I can remember receiving letters from family and (especially) girl friends and the first thing you would do is smell the inside of the envelope. That wisp of air contains memories of home.

Elderly Veterans – I can hardly control my emissions even as I write this! For me, looking into the eyes of an elderly veteran, especially one who has been in battle, is more than I can bear. Getting to meet a veteran of WWII or Korea, is tough for me. It’s something about the years they’ve lived after their service that means so much to me. Veterans day is probably the only day of the year these heroes are actually appreciated.

That’s about it. Only one last thing; did you know that TAPS has lyrics? Here they are:

Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar drawing nigh, Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun
From the hills, from the lake, from the sky
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.

Then goodnight, peaceful night;
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, goodnight.