The days of the "Big 3" TV networks gave us celebrities that grew into bigger-than-life figures. Today we have such a wide range of well-known entertainers across the infinitely wide spectrum of media. And following human nature, we have come to take our present state of affairs for granted.
I have never let the long-ago times drift far from me. Understanding the past gives us great perspective for understanding our world.
To understand the significant cultural changes, we need to put the past in front of us for its case studies. It has been said - and it's true - that our culture once tolerated a certain level of misogyny. Heck, there was a time when no one was heard using the term "misogyny," I doubt even college professors. Remember when "Professor Irwin Corey" created his whole comedic character which was a parody of college professors?
There's another cultural change I might note: the decline of the truly pretentious, effete and out-of-touch professor with their "tenure." Am I correct in concluding that this has receded? And, that everyone employed by public colleges today (like our U in Morris) should be mainly thankful to be employed? No more people carrying picket signs on the outskirts of our campus? Am I correct in assuming that this annoying behavior has been laid to rest?
Feel free to straighten me out on my conclusions. My idea of a brainy college professor today is my friend Michael Lackey who is totally engaged with reality. I'm sure the two of us would laugh at "Professor Irwin Corey."
Cultural change is most noted in connection to gender relationships. People my age can get a shock about this. For example, to realize that in the workplace, to even say offhand that you have a "crush" on an opposite-sex person can be problematic. Why should I even specify "opposite sex" for that matter?
The "Big 3" TV networks of my young years had bigger-than-life celebrities who were talented to be sure - well, many of them were - but they had breaks also, connections, to get them into the truly rarefied air of "celebrity." So look at Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Andy Williams. We viewed them as bigger than life.
Their TV Christmas specials were "appointment viewing." You had to tune in at the scheduled time to enjoy such shows - no thoughts of "re-runs" in any way, shape or form. Imagine trying to explain "YouTube" to the people back then. "YouTube" is but a small part of the entertainment world today. You can engage it at any time of the day or night. That would blow the mind of people in the bygone time.
The mega-entertainers that I cited could clearly get away with misogyny. I would suggest not just mild misogyny, either. Am I correct in explaining misogyny as the objectification of women? That would be close, I assume.
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| George Stephanopoulos |
The regular people know what such settlements really mean. Trump won, George S. lost. But us regular people are left with the very germane question: Was Stephanopoulos wrong or not?
An aside: I want to take the name of my Lord in vain every time I type the guy's last name.
Is this a classic case of a legal technicality? Well I'd suggest that is a rhetorical question.
We can deduce such obvious things from this matter. Number one, I think, is that what sort of satisfaction does Trump really gain from this highly-publicized matter of taking on ABC News? Wouldn't a child conclude that all the attention just shows Trump in a horribly bad light yet again?
Of course ABC was induced to give up a chunk of money. But if Trump gained no real relief or satisfaction by this outcome, then why should ABC News have been forced to make this move? Our legal system is about punishing or exonerating people. If that is not the point, then what is?
And wouldn't a child be able to see that Trump looks like the victor anyway because, heavens, he won the election for president of the United States? So why does he even bother? He should be consumed by the awesome responsibility of being president. Correct me if I'm wrong.
If Trump truly wants to be exonerated and viewed in a favorable light in history annals, he could solve problems and make our lives better. Shall we assume he is not focused on those things at all? How does investigating Liz Cheney and potentially putting this mother in prison further Trump's aims to help the American people?
Are you all children? And did you not see right on your TV screen what happened on Jan. 6? The Dept. of Justice should have gone after DJT right away. Maybe history will judge that this was one of the great failures in American history: the negligence in this regard. To be bullied by the likes of Jim Jordan, James Comer and Laura Ingraham? Laura Ingraham? Why does she even have a platform? Tucker Carlson?
You see, in the days of the Big 3 networks, such people would not have gotten the light of day. Along with all the blessings of the new media world come some real dangers.
In researching the disposition of the E. Jean Carroll case, we run into disclaimers that warn readers "this story contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse that may be offensive to some readers or painful to survivors of sexual assault." Excuse me but we're talking about behavior by our incoming president of the U.S. He owns our western Minnesota in terms of allegiance gained. Trying to communicate with these people is like trying to communicate with zombies. I have tried. I now find it to be risky for my own welfare.
So we have a guy moving into our nation's top position who has been found responsible for sexual assault. So I'd like to ask the simple question, "isn't sexual assault the same thing as rape?" And wouldn't it take a clever lawyer to try to distinguish between the two?
Trump got a huge settlement from ABC because the word "rape" was used. But he surely assaulted E. Jean Carroll in a manner that is commensurate with rape, right? What satisfaction does DJT really get from this settlement? Oh excuse me, it's the money. Our legal system has failed us, again.
Emailing out and around
On this blustery Thursday morning it's nice to keep in touch with various friends about matters that may or may not be weighty! I am pleased to share as I often do. Perhaps some of these subjects could be bandied about further.
To Del Sarlettte:
Del - I was surprised by the weather this morning. At DeToy's I heard radio announcements of school delays. I didn't think weather was that bad. But, this is from "How to Speak Minnesotan," whenever anyone says anything like I just did, the response is guess what? "It's bad out in the country." Why should the city kids have to be at the mercy of the country kids? I have always asked that.
I haven't seen fishwrap this week. I'm getting less interested in it as time goes by. Dave Lonergan said there's an article about how City wants to build new liquor store out by Grandstay. Is "downtown Morris" slowly getting abandoned? I told Dave that the city had a pretty good "entertainment district" downtown with Old No. 1, Pizza Ranch, Don's for example. Parking gets crowded on weekends.
Also, didn't Coborn's want a liquor license for their new proposed store? City of Morris would not have even had to stay in liquor business.
Also, Dave said there's proposal to get rid of the dam and substitute with a "rock dam." Sounds weird to me.
I observe the old Stone's Throw and I wonder why a new owner couldn't move in there and establish a conventional restaurant rather than a tree-hugging one (for the NPR crowd). Everything is all set up there. Is this a sign that Morris is in economic duress? The "college business" must be much less.
I had a meeting with Erin Christensen the other day and we discussed lots of stuff, even including high school band. This was just a periodic meeting they like to have with donors. So, I can feel a little like a "big shot." I used to think "you know, I could be just like Helen Jane."
- BW
To Warrenn Anderson:
Hello Warrenn - The last time I emailed you, I forget to include the main reason I was emailing, it was to report to you that Don's Cafe did not have soup on Friday night. I have settled in there for Friday nights with a simple burger, bowl of soup and can of DIET Mountain Dew. I consider that a pretty conservative supper. On many days I don't even have supper per se.
I saw Larry Anderson later in the week and he told me he was at Don's Friday and inquired about soup also. Actually the business seems slow there Friday, maybe they'll stop being open at nights on weekends. DeToy's closed up for evenings after covid. DeToy's also killed the salad bar and the Sunday chicken buffet. Salad bars were wiped out everywhere. I think this has hurt the health of Americans. At DeToy's you could often get a cup of soup at the salad bar and also some pudding. So you could have a whole meal. No more. If I wanted to fill my salad bowl twice with green salad and French dressing, I could. Or even a third time.
The MACA girls basketball team lost Tuesday to Mayer Lutheran by a score of 86-26. Let's add that the Tigers beat Eden Valley-Watkins the day before, so all is not lost. But for crying out loud, 86-26? Was that necessary? Mayer must be at a considerably higher level than Morris. I think these games were in a tournament but it's hard to find info in the media right now. Media has slowed down for the holidays, except for me of course. Hell I'd write something on Xmas Day.
Did our athletic director know what we were getting into, in a tournament with the likes of Mayer? This was just too much. And could the Mayer coach have found a way to let up? Put the freshmen in for the second half? Make the parents of the freshmen happy, always something to be said for that. Wouldn't it be ugly to watch the video of that game? Morris should have been good enough to do better IMHO.
So the city is considering building a new liquor store out by Grandstay? Didn't Coborn's want a liquor license? That would have solved everything.
- BW
To Jim Morrison:
Jim - So the stock market is declining over anger about how the Fed will cut rates only twice next year? Why does the market and the broad public always require such a long-time prediction from the Fed? Why can't we just wait and see how circumstances develop? Isn't this why the Fed goes into a "quiet period?" Why bother? So, we can be 100 percent sure that the Fed will be cutting rates over the next year at least? It's just a question of how many cuts? When would the Fed ever considering raising rates? Ever again? And how did we get into the situation where the stock market is entirely dependent on the Fed? It didn't used to be like this, and I think it's suspicious. But the way things have been going, I wouldn't be surprised if the Dow will be back at another all-time high within a week or two. Actually it should only take a week, because we have all been so drunk on how the Dow only shoots upward. It sure didn't do that when we were kids. It all seems too easy now.
Unless Trump is bluffing with his policy proposals, those proposals would have to spark inflation. It's like the law of gravity. If inflation goes up again, first of all it will drive Americans into a panic, and secondly it would force the Fed to change plans. But I'm just an ignorant fool out in Flyoverland, where nearly everyone votes Trump. Now we'll have the whole "government shutdown" thing happening. Will people ever wise up to Trump? Mitt Romney probably would have been the ideal president, like Reagan. A classy guy too.
- BW
Jim responds:
Brian,
The Wall Street Journal opined against yesterday’s interest rate cut before it happened. I agreed with that.
I wish the Fed would just do nothing for a while.
I also agree with your assessment of Mitt Romney. He is the only Republican candidate I voted for in the last five presidential elections.
- Jim
Well, and let me just add here that I'm proud of the Xmas lights out in my front yard. Best I've ever had, and I even have them on for an hour in the morning while I'm at breakfast at DeToy's.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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