Summertime Blues

Basically, I love summer, but when it's hazy, hot, and humid like the last few days it makes me want to begin a countdown to September. However, I also have to remember our troops overseas who are serving a pretty thankless bunch over there and over here.

TWO THEATERS OF WAR
Are there negatives to what has occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan? Of course. But the reason why so many on the left and some on the right are hard to take seriously, is because they did not and do not champion any positives in either theater. Gitmo; capture and execution of Saddam; prosecution of terrorists; surveillance; nothing has been good enough for these folks and yet great strides have been made.

NEWS ANALYSIS
Still, Lindsey Lohan dominates our news. Why? Why? Why? To me, that's NOT news. I want to know what's happening in Darfur and why so many in the world ignore the horrific genocide that has been taking place in The Sudan. So I get my news from several sources which include NPR (left leaning), WABC (right leaning) and C-Span (pretty middle of the road). However, this leads me to the Cable Networks. I like Larry King for the inspirational stories. The kind where someone comes back from a drug or alcohol problem and turns their life around. Mr. King is great at that! Even interviewing Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison, and Guy Laliberte, the founder of Cirque du Soleil. That was good stuff! As far as news goes, CNN's packaging is pretty bland and their newscasters are rather monotonous.

Peter Bergen, however, is one of the most knowledgeable guys when it comes to terrorism. He has interviewed bin Laden prior to 9/11, which is an amazing story by itself. I hope Fox News picks up Bergen.

MSNBC has improved since Dan Abrams took over as GM. But I still refer to them as the Most Stupid Network Broadcasting Company. The packaging is good, but their hosts are a bit too nerdy. Tucker Carlson? Ho hum. I do like Joe Scarborough and Dan Abrams is very good when he fills in. But then there's that Keith guy...ughh!

Fox News is by far the best of the cable networks. Their prime time lineup consists of Bill O'Reily (independent), Sean Hannity (conservative) and Alan Colmes (liberal), and Greta Van Sustern (liberal). I do believe that they are the most fair and balanced on t.v., but I also recognize that most news outlets have a bit of a slant even if it is unintentional. However, anyone who watches Fox's prime time lineup sees that the hosts always have at least two people with opposing views debating an issue. I like the way they package everything, as well, with the bright colors.

All in all I would love to see more "smart news." Enough of Lohan and Britney, how about something that makes the mind work? Is that possible?

SPORTS SHORTS
Don't know what Glen"The Savior"Sather was thinking by ripping Sean Avery's play as the team and the Ranger's forward went to arbitration. But you would think that Avery would have a bit thicker skin. I guess he can dish it out, but can't take it. Anyway, the Rangers agreed with the arbitrator's ruling and have signed Avery to a one-year deal worth a reported $1.9 million. Meanwhile, Marcel Hossa and the team avoided arbitration with the forward inking a one-year, $780,000 deal. The Rangers now have everyone signed.

The NHL reportedly will return to ESPN in 2008.

Before this becomes too much of a rant, here is "Summertime Blues" performed by The Who at Monterey in 1967.