Since the Berlin Servers are down, and am a bit tired of skeletons with obscene codpieces...

will explain about this photo in a bit. It's been sitting on my desktop for over a week or so now.

There are two things which sort of were running around at a near boil on the back burner of my mind this week.

Culminating in the way Rachel Maddow tossed just about everything of what they had planned to 'cover' the plane crash at the racing track in Reno. My objection? No hard facts... how many dead, how many injured, well obviously a lot of people, judging from the constant replaying of video clips. And yes, tragic. Typical... first the pilot was 83, and a WWII vet, and then it was, oh he was 73, and an experienced racer. Everything speculation, nothing known. I thought that was CNN's M/O.

However.... it wasn't enough to dump the usually interesting things the show has to offer. It wasn't a national tragedy. It was all 'Well this happened, and we don't know the full scope yet.' Typical GARBAGE.

And after the disaster at Ramstein... some people might remember that crash at an air show at a US base in Germany quite a while ago... it is a mystery to me how air shows are still held, let alone that insane sounding race with souped up vintage planes directly over people's heads. (I explained that this morning to my tobacconist, and she LOOKED at me.... and I shrugged and said, 'well, it seems to be the only one. People never seem to learn.')

And all I could hear was Werner's voice in my head... 'why get worked up? It's just Business (dripping acid), and it's just Show Business'. Well... people are dead, after all... Or badly hurt. So why does this merit any mention here? I was thinking of the critically injured who will survive that, and what lies ahead for them... some of them could be financially ruined. Insurance companies are ruthless.

Which brings me to the other topic which has soooo gotten the media's panties in a twist. The reactions of the ultra right wing to Rick Perry defending the death penalty in Texas to resounding cheering, and Ron Paul, who is a medical doctor, saying that if someone hadn't prepared for a medical emergency, they should die.

And the media pundits thought Alan Grayson was committing gross hyperbole when he did his infamous explanation of the Rethug plan for health care. He was serious, and the events of the week only proved how serious he really was. 'Don't get sick. And if you do, die quickly.' Niiiice. And seems true enough given the reactions from them and the Tea Party types.

The 'liberal media' was shocked. So shocked. Hand wringing, head-shaking...

Reallah.... Really? I have never seen such an open show of disingenousness in the course of one week. They've had it slammed in their faces for years now... did they think it was also 'just show business'? These people are fools if they do.

Now let's put the two together, shall we, and yes, we are back to health care, which should be a basic right.

There is a certain percentage of 'Murkins who have some very odd beliefs, which they profess profoundly and loudly to anyone who will listen, and they have this attitude.

It is their firm belief that if you love Gawwd, (whoever she is), you will be successful in all that you endeaver because she will reward you. Simple as that. So if you do NOT succeed.... well, there must be something wrong with you mustn't there? And you will be dropped like the proverbial hot potater. You aren't worthy, because they are self-righteous prigs. And you will no longer fit in their category of a 'good' person. I've run into this so often in my career, and often it was subtle, but the message was clear. I loved to refer to such empty-noggined yahoos as 'The New Romans'. Never knew much, but were proud of it.

They are the meanest of the mean-spirited, and 'think' they are Christian, but in reality they are selfish beggars who have no idea of what the New Testament is about, nor have they read it, am sure. And are all, 'I've got mine, screw everyone else.'

And now let's turn to the critically injured. In the box seats, so they were well-to-do, those tickets probably cost a lot of money. And now they are going to be hit with bills that will drive them into near-poverty, and I wonder how their friends are going to react, because 'help thy neighbor' certainly isn't in their repertoire.

That sounds crass put so bluntly, but it crossed my mind, yes it did.

Put it together... what is the media ON about? Shocked? Give me a break, they are the most cynical people in the world, so making such a fuss now? They've always known what the 'Murkins are like.

To end... 80 per cent of all real Americans I've met are kind, generous, and sometimes too naive for their own good, but have their heart in the right place. It's the others who disgust me, and unfortunately, they have a very large megaphone. Sadly.