Jump to content

Mass shooting in Pittsburg


Further

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, BuffJim said:

The world has gone mad. 

Got a "start date" for that? Heck, parts of the world have been mad seemingly forever. America, on the other hand, used to be leading the fight to cure that madness. Sadly, now we can't go a day or even an hour without the insanity being broadcast for all the world to see.

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The atmosphere of hate and fear in the USA needs someone to lead us back to normal.

There are hardly any kids who go trick or treating on Halloween in my neighborhood anymore. I used to buy 6 bags of mini Milky Ways, Almond Joys, etc. and worry that I'd run out.

Now there are maybe 6 kids - and three of them will be 15 year-olds.  There are still lots of kids in the neighborhoods, but the parents either walk with them to homes they know or take them to a Halloween Night at a hall.  My brother and his wife take my 10 year-old nephew and about a dozen of his friends walking several blocks in their $400K-$700K homes neighborhood.  I walk with them instead of sitting home and getting disgusted that most parents have to be so fearful.

Additionally, mass killings are basically glorified by the media - at least in the eyes of other unstable people who see ABC, etc. post macho photos of the killer brandishing guns from a Facebook photo, etc. and beating the story to death for weeks.

I don't know what the answer is. I hope someone does and acts on it.

 

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, MickinMD said:

The atmosphere of hate and fear in the USA needs someone to lead us back to normal.

There are hardly any kids who go trick or treating on Halloween in my neighborhood anymore. I used to buy 6 bags of mini Milky Ways, Almond Joys, etc. and worry that I'd run out.

Now there are maybe 6 kids - and three of them will be 15 year-olds.  There are still lots of kids in the neighborhoods, but the parents either walk with them to homes they know or take them to a Halloween Night at a hall.  My brother and his wife take my 10 year-old nephew and about a dozen of his friends walking several blocks in their $400K-$700K homes neighborhood.  I walk with them instead of sitting home and getting disgusted that most parents have to be so fearful.

Additionally, mass killings are basically glorified by the media - at least in the eyes of other unstable people who see ABC, etc. post macho photos of the killer brandishing guns from a Facebook photo, etc. and beating the story to death for weeks.

I don't know what the answer is. I hope someone does and acts on it.

I don' think Halloween is a "safety" issue in suburbia as much as a PITA for parents, so over the past few decades we have made it "easier" and "better" while also amping up the commercialization a few notches.  Now we have neighborhood parades or "trunk" events where kids wander around a parking lot gathering candy. Add in the ready, easy, and nearly constant access to junk food and candy, and really, what's the point of wandering around a dark neighborhood knocking on doors?  So, it's not a "safety" issue as much as a "why do it the old way?" sort of thing.

Likewise, if you think wall-to-wall coverage is "glorification", I can't really change that attitude.  I could argue there is "sensationalism", but I wonder which channel you might be choosing to watch for your news, because the "news" is very much driven by the consumer, not the other way around.  So, if you are seeking something "sensational", you might go with a 24 hr news channel.  If you want less/none of that, you likely roll with PBS NewsHour, but that isn't being shown 24/7/365.

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

I don' think Halloween is a "safety" issue in suburbia as much as a PITA for parents, so over the past few decades we have made it "easier" and "better" while also amping up the commercialization a few notches.  Now we have neighborhood parades or "trunk" events where kids wander around a parking lot gathering candy. Add in the ready, easy, and nearly constant access to junk food and candy, and really, what's the point of wandering around a dark neighborhood knocking on doors?  So, it's not a "safety" issue as much as a "why do it the old way?" sort of thing.

Likewise, if you think wall-to-wall coverage is "glorification", I can't really change that attitude.  I could argue there is "sensationalism", but I wonder which channel you might be choosing to watch for your news, because the "news" is very much driven by the consumer, not the other way around.  So, if you are seeking something "sensational", you might go with a 24 hr news channel.  If you want less/none of that, you likely roll with PBS NewsHour, but that isn't being shown 24/7/365.

Tom

"Likewise, if you think wall-to-wall coverage is "glorification", I can't really change that attitude."

I wrote glorification "in the eyes of other unstable people."  Why are you slinging mud at my "attitude?"

You go on with a few digs in what appears a deliberate attempt to insult me.  I won't get sucked into that game. I simple apologize for my obviously wrong thoughts.

I'll just leave you with a picture of from one channel I watch, NBC. I'm sorry I was so wrong in not realizing this photo was consumer-driven and NBC had to post it and, thanks to your wisdom, I now realize that sick minds would not be motivated to post such things online and then do similar acts, knowing the world would see how macho they are.

1406989426_VirginiaTechmassmurderer.jpg.e4e287590b2d3ac746158a7b09c4a18a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

You go on with a few digs in what appears a deliberate attempt to insult me.  I won't get sucked into that game. I simply apologize for my obviously wrong thoughts. 

Don't feel insulted, or I am sorry if I did insult you.

But the broader point I was trying to make (apparently failing) is that so much of what we worry about is in fact not what we need to worry about.  Halloween is different today, likely not because of the "fear" people have trick or treating, but because the way people live and behave has changed since we were kids.  My neighborhood used to be a dead zone with NO trick or treaters.  Not because we were dangerous, but because it was chock full of DINKs and retirees, so no kids to bother us :D  Now, many of the DINKs are families with kids, so all of a sudden, we have kids at Halloween, and a neighborhood parade.  No change in relative safety.

Likewise, when I was a kid, there was no CNN, Fox, MSNBC, or anything remotely resembling 24/7 news.  Heck, I think even into the 80s and 90s, CNN was not even news 24/7 but carried other programming (still does - eg Anthony Bourdain). Then, personality programming and choosing an ideological angle reared its ugly head, news became entertainment, and thinking Fox or later CNN & MSNBC was the "news" channel to watch for real impartial news became a pipe dream.

Anyway, long story sort, I am writing that scratch the surface and what is being reported or believed is often nowhere near the reality.

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our local police department made their presence known at church today. They are always welcome but we do have a top notch security team that is always on watch. The local department decided to show up to calm peoples fears with their presence. Most members don’t know about our team that is always there. If I knew they were coming I would have bought donuts. ( sorry, I’m bad) I did thank them for coming. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Don't feel insulted, or I am sorry if I did insult you.

But the broader point I was trying to make (apparently failing) is that so much of what we worry about is in fact not what we need to worry about.  Halloween is different today, likely not because of the "fear" people have trick or treating, but because the way people live and behave has changed since we were kids.  My neighborhood used to be a dead zone with NO trick or treaters.  Not because we were dangerous, but because it was chock full of DINKs and retirees, so no kids to bother us :D  Now, many of the DINKs are families with kids, so all of a sudden, we have kids at Halloween, and a neighborhood parade.  No change in relative safety.

Likewise, when I was a kid, there was no CNN, Fox, MSNBC, or anything remotely resembling 24/7 news.  Heck, I think even into the 80s and 90s, CNN was not even news 24/7 but carried other programming (still does - eg Anthony Bourdain). Then, personality programming and choosing an ideological angle reared its ugly head, news became entertainment, and thinking Fox or later CNN & MSNBC was the "news" channel to watch for real impartial news became a pipe dream.

Anyway, long story sort, I am writing that scratch the surface and what is being reported or believed is often nowhere near the reality.

Tom

And yet, based on real events, parents still have to be cautioned to check the contents of the kids bags for pins, razors and other paraphenalia that show up just often enough to keep the topic warm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

And yet, based on real events, parents still have to be cautioned to check the contents of the kids bags for pins, razors and other paraphenalia that show up just often enough to keep the topic warm.

THat has been going on for decades. I trick-or-treated thought the Tylenol cyanide scare so you couldn’t eat any candy with coconut, and watched for razor blades in the apples before that.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

THat has been going on for decades. I trick-or-treated thought the Tylenol cyanide scare so you couldn’t eat any candy with coconut, and watched for razor blades in the apples before that.

I'm old. We used to throw the apples at stuff rather than risk eating a RAZOR BLADE!!!  And homemade stuff???? That's asking to be poisoned!

But I think it has been the diligent watch we have kept on our apple supply for the past 40+ years that has kept us safe. The routine warnings at this time of year have proven to be a great deterrent.

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...