Topping the blog lists!

You made Thinking Out Loud one of the top ten conservative blogs on "Top Political Blog" site (on April 28, 2012) with an international audience. On February 18, 2013, we hit in the top 50 of ALL political blogs. (This changes all the time, so keep reading.) Thank you.

Monday, May 13, 2013

74 lashes? Really? Morons.

This is why I am totally against ANY kind of despotic type ruling body - governmental or not, religious or not.

I am in no way, shape or form a fan of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's over-the-top, oft times megalomaniacal President. He constantly seeks to thwart any attempts by the rest of the world to play nice. And his threats to other countries (yes, we are talking mostly Israel and the US here) are beyond sane.

But him going to the registry office with his protege to file for the upcoming election being a violation of election law? Seriously? He can't run. So who cares if he goes with the guy?

The asinine, despotic Islamic leaders do, thats who.

Anyone who thinks that this "crime" deserves 6 months in an Iran jail or 74 lashes is delusional. I know that many Americans might think that our own politicians who violate various election laws would deserve this, but thats just mean spirited thinking. They really don't actually want that to happen.

(And for those who say "oh yes we do" aren't thinking about how different jail is in Iran than the cushy life most American jails offer their inmates. But thats a topic for a different conversation.)

It is a despot ruled country that would actually do this. I don't care if that rule is religiously based - as this one is - or secularly based. I hate all despots.

So to all those "Islam is not so bad" blatherers out there, hear this: Its not Islam that is the problem. Its the people in charge of various factions of the religion that are. There are plenty of Muslims out there who practice their religion and go on with their life happy and content. But there is a perverted form out there that is the cause of nearly all the world's current woes. Cut out this disease and the world goes to some sort of sanity and we can all move forward in science, culture, art, peace - you name it - happily.

But until this blight on the face of the earth is eradicated - and this thing with Ahmadinejad is a prime public example of the ridiculousness of these fatheads who don't really believe in the same religion that Mohammed did - than we are in for some tough roads ahead.

Anyway, I'll get off the old soapbox and remind you that you can agree or disagree. No problem. I just want people out there to think for themselves, come tho their own conclusions and not be swayed by anyone else's opinion - including mine. Just use that grey matter stuffed between your ears and THINK for god's sake - and your own. But hell, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Do you even KNOW what a reporter does?


Its so annoying when people try to sound smart and just end up being idiots. Especially when they do so in such a way that those who don't know any better just nod their heads.

I wholeheartedly have to disagree with this Yahoo article. Both in its conclusion (though not necessarily its initial assertions) about the number 2 dying career, and their alternative suggestion of Public Relations Specialist.

The article states that that the #2 Dying Career is Reporter. It says "They say a species must adapt or die, and with the trend of the Internet replacing print journalism (you are reading this on the computer, after all), media folks who don't adjust might not survive too much longer."

With this I agree. In part. The part where reporters have to play the web and social media cards. They need to adapt to this new format. Just like when they had to adjust to going from the old typesetting and inkwells and every manner of technical changes have come along over the ages. This idea is nothing new. Its just a new medium to get used to. Some make it, some don't. Just like in the days when they had to adjust from radio to television.

"In short, many reporters could be going the way of their typewriters soon." In short . . . this is a ridiculous assertion on the article writer's part. Some will, obviously, not be able to adapt. But reporters have made the jump from inkwell to typeset to print to radio, television and digital pretty well.

And for anyone that brings up "citizen reporters" into the mix saying that these people will replace the experienced writer because they are cheaper have not seen the comings and (mostly) goings of venues that use them exclusively. Companies such as the publishers of The Examiner that created online venues using these "citizen reporters" found that quality over quantity was of great importance, even in the plethora of junk that is often the makeup of the internet. No one would put stock in poor writing, poor reporting and obviously slanted journalism. The cream rises to the top, they found, and began to tinker with how they, pick, maintain and assist with quality the writers they have.

The second assumption in the article is that a good alternative for a reporter is the career choice of Public Relations Specialist.

Really? Reporter to public relations??? Have they really met any reporters?

The author (and oh boy do I use that term loosely here) states "In the new world of Facebook, Twitter, and all things Web, the public image of a company has never been more important." And I agree. Even to the point of saying that in this new age, a reporter is essentially their own company when it comes to social media. Sure, papers and news shows and online venues have their own ways of publicizing in these arenas. But it is also incumbent on the reporter to do so also. But that is an adaptation in effect, not the be all and end all of what reporters do.

Now if you ever actually met a reporter or even just know what it is that reporters do, can you really seeing Woodward or Bernstein "evaluate advertising programs, write press releases, and communicate with the media and public to promote a company's public image"?

I am sure I cannot. Making people look good is so not the job of a reporter. Reporting the news is the job of a reporter. Informing the public of things they need to know about their government, businesses, the economy, American and worldwide society and culture, thats the job of a journalist. But making someone or something look good - well, that is just not their job. And saying this is an alternative career for a reporter is just plain naive.

I would have told this to the writer (Terence Loose) of this little bit of fluff on Yahoo's Education channel. But there is no place for comment. Nor is there a way to send them a little missive. And this bit of oversight is just the thing that a reporter in today's media needs to do in order to adapt. The reader feedback is a valuable asset to today's reporter, just as much as "Facebook, Twitter and all things web", as Loose makes a point of highlighting. So I am guessing we may not be hearing much from this writer.

You can agree or disagree with me on this, because that is your right to do. But its okay. I don't mind. Because, as the title of this blog states, this is just me Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles