I am very, very sorry that someone as young and healthy as actor Paul Walker died.

[No Elephants]

I am also very, very sorry about Rodas, the other man killed in the car. I hope with all my heart that they both rest in peace and that those who loved them can grieve in peace and move on with their lives, as all of us who suffer bereavement must and do.

But, what the hell?

I never heard of this guy until the news of his death. Yet, I now know lots of details about Walker, his love of speed, his bereaved family members, what his fellow actors had to say (or, heaven help us, what they Tweeted) about his death, what the women at The View and the women at the supposedly wholly-unrelated show, The Talk, have to say about him (whether they knew him or not is irrelevant--they have something to say; and they say it, no matter how trite or inane; and apparently, I am supposed to want to hear it), etc.

Meaning no disrespect to Walker and Rodas (or to anyone else who died in the past weeek with less fanfare), why is all that a more important use of public airwaves than the current state of the environment, how many people are up for drone death today (it's Drone Tuesday!), whether any US troops died in action this week, how many homeless people are likely to die in the US and around the world this year, and other issues that affect society as as a whole--and for more than a minute and a half?

I know twelve year olds sometimes act as though they will live or die based on some actor or singer they've never met and probably never will meet. However, I don't watch shows aimed at twelve year olds. Well, not that broadcasters admit are aimed at twelve year olds, anyway. Why are adults being treated like twelve year olds? And why do we accept being treated like twelve year olds?

Yes, I know I can change the channel. To what, though? Some biased political show that won't tell me the truth if all our lives depended on it? (BTW, celebrity news seems to absorb them, too.) Some reality show about live people who became celebrities for no reason I am able to discern? Yet another award show where people in show business praise other people in show business? (Not that I oppose entertainment, but, come on, now.)

Okay, I can turn off the TV entirely, but, again, broadcasters are making billions by using public airwaves, licensed to them very cheaply (relatively) by my government on my behalf. Why should my only options be inanity and turning off the TV?

Dumbing. Down. Of. America.

And at the expense of Americans, no less.

[Enthusiast]

1. Popular culture has passed me by.

Imagine that.

I didn't even know this Paul Walker. My wife says he played a prominent role in the Formula 1 movie -Ron Howard. I used to watch Formula 1 back when Nicky Lauda was still racing.

[No Elephants]

2. Walker died right after trying to fund raise for the Philipines.

His teen aged daughter recently moved to live nearer to him.

All around, it seems like a horrible tragedy and a loss; and I am not intending to diminish or disrespect that in any way.

My beef is with msm, not Walker or those who actually knew and loved him.

I guess I have a problem with what media does NOT cover.

I also have one with our celebrity insane culture. What they said, what they tweeted, how many followers they have, "who" they wore, what they do, what they spend.

My Lord, you'd think entertainers and every stupid and superficial tidbit about them were not only of vital interest to all of us, but also that very little else matters in this world.

And, the more the media feeds it, the worse it gets. And the less we know about things that actually do affect our lives and those of our children.


As I said, the dumbing down of America. Or maybe it's the numbing down of America. And we put up with it, like the good little sheeple we are.

Do you suppose that broadcast media in, say Egypt, could get away today with focusing on little other than Egyptian actors and musicians?

[Enthusiast]

3. I agree. The media is the pits..............nt