The News

[Venturous Randy]

First of all, this is NOT a political thread.

I have always kept up with the news, whether it is the evening news, 24 hour news, radio or reading the local paper. I have spent many hours eating lunch in my car parked somewhere listening to Paul Harvey.

I am now getting to the point that I can not stand to be around the news. I will still listen to Paul Harvey(or his stand-in) because at least there will usually be some up lifting news, but everything else is just more and more depressing.

It is stuff like this that rips me, headline; "Local Company Looses 2 Million Dollars!" When you read the story, it does tell that company actually made a fairly good profit, BUT, their profit was 2 million dollars less than what was predicted a year ago. It is like, how bad can we make the news look in the headlines, at every opportunity?

Then you got the story like I heard this morning as I was getting ready to go to work; Woman spends $155,000 to get her dog cloned. Which reminds me, has anyone else heard what is the latest going on with the PETA bunch?

RandyA

[friesman]

NOT POLITICAL!! Its about the news reporting agencies!!

I agree!!!

All the news hounds find an issue and make it seem worse than it really is. Yes there are lots of people in a rough spot right now and I feel bad for them, but it seems every story seems to be a profoundly sad or negative one.

There are success stories everywhere but when the economy is in the tank like it is right now, no one wants to publish those, so we get feeling all depressed and thinking that things are worse than they really are.

A lot of the issues are caused by people hearing some bad news and then thinking they may not want to spend cash on something, so the whole thing escalates and becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

 

Brian

[MiCarl]

What's even worse is you can't even change the channel and get a different sob story. It's like the news outlets have a conference call at 4:00 AM and pick the story of the day.

[mraf]

Know what you mean. A optimistic news reporting station would make a fortune right now in commercials. I know I'd listen just to keep upbeat if nothing else. In a way Paul Harvey is upbeat. Doom and gloom gets pretty monotonous after a while. Like the weather we all complain but we all know it is winter. Anything goes. This has been a long cold one but really when you think about it "who cares". Really, how many more will we all see thats what we should be thinking about. Can't change it, just change were you live. Enough bad news, I'm with you. Hey, good news its DAYLIGHT and I'm thirsty!:rotfl:

[jrcain32]

That's why I only read the sports pages. I would rather read about peoples accomplishments than their failures. All the news is so negitive right now, it's depressing.

[SilvrT]

I'm not commenting 'coz this subject is too depressing and frustrating.

[Cerviperus]

How about this for "good" news?

 

Exxon Mobil sets record with $45.2 billion profit

(link to news story)

 

Oh, but their earnings fell. Don't you just want to puke?

[eazyduzzit]

One positive side to all of this. I deal with a lot of customers, and the conversation always ends up being about the economy. For the past few months, I've heard a lot of people say "I'm just grateful I've got a job".

 

I think it might be good for the country that we can be grateful for the most basic things again. I always try to look at the bright side of things, and to be grateful for what I've been given.

[Redneck]

I will get a bad attitude and go on a new diet from time to time. The sad thing is the news story's I have first hand knowledge of are always wrong to some degree, the morons can't even get the story right. I believe the news media has way to much influence and push their agenda rather than reporting news. Even if you know it is wrong if you hear it enough you will start believing it.

[az1103]

I am just wondering.......It seems to me most people on this site are , shall we say, "old enough" to have seen at least 2 - perhaps 3 cycles of economic woes. I don't know about you but I am trying to keep a positive attitude. We have always come back strong before, and I am sure that this time will be no exception. I realize that being retired perhaps my problems are not as acute, but I really don't see this as being any different than the late 70's when unemployment was very high, the cost of living was leaping, etc....

I know when it's your job that was eliminated then all statistics are meaningless....

But I also know from personal experience that sometimes very ugly clouds hide the brightest sunshine...Sometimes we hang on to that job, house, city, car... yes even spouse - whatever...not because things are good, but because we are all resistant to change (and I don't mean that in the now popular way) . And I personally remember at least three moments in life very similar to what we are all now struggling with which forced me to make changes I was very uncomfortable with.....But looking back now - I have no idea how I would have survived without them.....Life just wouldn't have been the same.....

So I wonder...how many of you are also looking at this in a positive way and remembering that the back-side of problems, in the rear view mirror, so to speak, can be very different and practically always beneficial indeed. Just curious.....

[Dano]

That's why I don't watch the news, except for the weather. Even got a "weather rock" to make sure they're right. Only listen to a local talk guy in the morning who started on 9/11, talks a straight line and You-know-who in the afternoon. I can create my own negativity, don't need their help!

 

Dan

[mraf]

My father was a optimist. He told me more than once "Even when things get their worse, you'll always look back and see that they changed for the better". Hey, more good news, it's snowed another 6 inches today.

[ibents]

How does this news sound,

 

NEW YORK - To U.S. President Barack Obama, Wall Street's US$18.4 billion in bonuses is "shameful." To thousands of bank employees who don't sit in corner offices, that money helps pay the bills.

 

Seems like some people still make money!!!!.

 

Ian

[Marcarl]

So guess who the media is catering to,,, those who moan and groan,,, now lets go easy here,,, it's rather cute,,, don't look at who wrote the post,,,,,,just read the posts that are typed before this one,,,,,,nuf said,,,,,,,,,

now look at the bright side of things,,, and I'm not belittling anyone here,,,,I fell sorry for those who have no work,,,,it's like you're not needed anymore, and everyone needs to be needed,,,,,,but haven't we been wanting time off? time for ourselves? ya I know, now there's no income, no future, but you do have time to figure out what to do next, to try something on your own, fiddle with something, help someone else,,,, remember Howard Hughes? he started out with 50 cents in his pocket and became very rich, stinking rich to be sure,,, he didn't worry too much about tomorrow, but did what he could today,, kept busy, even if it was helping a neighbour..

Just some thoughts on a screen.

Carl

[Redneck]

I am just wondering.......It seems to me most people on this site are , shall we say, "old enough" to have seen at least 2 - perhaps 3 cycles of economic woes. I don't know about you but I am trying to keep a positive attitude. We have always come back strong before, and I am sure that this time will be no exception. I realize that being retired perhaps my problems are not as acute, but I really don't see this as being any different than the late 70's when unemployment was very high, the cost of living was leaping, etc....

I know when it's your job that was eliminated then all statistics are meaningless....

But I also know from personal experience that sometimes very ugly clouds hide the brightest sunshine...Sometimes we hang on to that job, house, city, car... yes even spouse - whatever...not because things are good, but because we are all resistant to change (and I don't mean that in the now popular way) . And I personally remember at least three moments in life very similar to what we are all now struggling with which forced me to make changes I was very uncomfortable with.....But looking back now - I have no idea how I would have survived without them.....Life just wouldn't have been the same.....

So I wonder...how many of you are also looking at this in a positive way and remembering that the back-side of problems, in the rear view mirror, so to speak, can be very different and practically always beneficial indeed. Just curious.....

I stay positive all the time this down cycle will bring new opportunity for me. I don't have to worry about a job I just started a new business because I am always looking for a new challenge. I already have several businesses but I am bored with them so I found an other opportunity and I am headed into a new challenge. I believe you get out of life what you put in it. I believe if your life is a constant struggle you should look in the mirror to see the problem.

[Dano]

I stay positive all the time this down cycle will bring new opportunity for me. I don't have to worry about a job I just started a new business because I am always looking for a new challenge. I already have several businesses but I am bored with them so I found an other opportunity and I am headed into a new challenge. I believe you get out of life what you put in it. I believe if your life is a constant struggle you should look in the mirror to see the problem.

 

Well said. Rely on yourself and not others.I practice this daily.

[vtwinr]

I frequently get up and leave the TV room when my wife was there watching with me. She sometimes says, "Aren't you going to watch the news?" but all I can toss back at her is, "No, I'm leaving because men are the stronger of the two sexs."

She always takes it as a compliment, as intended.