Friday, December 5, 2014

Headlines - how do we live with all this?

I thought of listing yesterday's headline which were dire. But I had a generally pleasant day, personally, so I didn't make note of them.  Today has been a bit more fraught, and I just got home, read the NYTimes on line and here are many of today's headlines:

Inquiry Cites Abuse by Cleveland Police
Putin Tells Naton Russia's Destiny is in (his) Hand
Vatican Finds Stash (hundreds of millions of euros) Tucked Away
Dozen Die in Wave of Car  Blasts in Iraq
Few options for Homeless as City (San Jose) Clears Camp
Uber Adds a Billion Dollars More to it's Coffer
Agreement Now on Extensions of Terrorism Issues
Strong Voice on Fast-Food Fight for $15 an Hour

So much to take in and deal with and think about but Donald Brooks takes a sanguine view towards we  seniors who sigh over the headines:  Elder happiness is an accomplishment, not a condition. People get stadily better at living by handling life's chalenges.

And I say, We damned well better.

The headlines change every day of course, but the bad news outweighs the good and as many elders are apt to say, it looks like the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

4 comments:

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Don't you think that the world has always been this screwed up? I do. I attribute modern media to bringing world events in greater detail to the public. Don't you think there have always been beheadings? Only now with videos and willing networks can it be seen on TV. With news on TV, the internet which is always at hand via laptop, computer top and cell and more, there are more places to read and watch news about events. There is an abundance of good news in our local paper and a lot of times it appears on our front page.

I don't disagree with your post, but offer another perspective.
xx, Carol

Lynn Guardino said...

And just to add more joy to the mix, today's CC Times headlines tell us the dire reality of the overdose problems right here on our doorstep. Scary stuff. I shake my head and say "I'm glad I'm not raising kids any longer" and then I shake in fear for the real consequences and their effect on every living being, especially the seniors - who have come to beautiful places such as this one, to live and now have to live in fear. I don't want to read any more but I have to so that I can know just how close to home this is all getting. Too close.

Folkways Note Book said...

I think our thoughts were similar going into the weekend. As we peel back the layers of our protectors we are beginning to realize that some are vigilantes! So sad for those that are harmed and also for us as a society as a whole. -- barbara

June Calender said...

Yes, Carol, I agree that there is far more news than ever before -- that's bad and good but I feel we live in the WORLD, not just our community or nation and ought to know what's going on even if the news is mostly bad.The NYTimes has good news sometimes too but I read the daily news online and get the bad stuff.

Lynn is reading the local paper and it's making her very nervous, although, yes, there are good things in it too.

And Barbara is quite right about peeling back the looks at our "protectors" and finding vigilantes -- I felt that very strongly during the recent Bush administration but the current news also gives me much pause. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the state of the world. Thanks for reading and commenting.