For the Record

I may need to start every blog with “allegedly” out of fear of being sued for something tongue in cheek I might have written. Since the “news” is no longer balanced and fair and all principals of journalism seem to have been thrown out the window, all forms of writing are being scrutinized. The first amendment is under attack and “fake news” is now a real thing.
For the record, this blog is opinion, satire, story telling, and food porn in that order. Sometimes it is diet advice, confessional, and tips and tricks. What it is not is news, fake or other wise. That does not mean that I might discuss things in the news, but then it becomes opinion.
Blogs were not created to become the news. We should have professionals do that. The loss of reporting on two sides of a story is something I mourn. The idea that Americans take “stuff” and I would like to use a stronger word, they read on the internet as gospel is idiotic. But that is how we got into this insular, protectionism situation.
If I write something bad about someone you like it is usually done with a comical tone. Take it that way. We need to encourage more comics to continue to poke fun at those who take ridiculous stands on issues if only to shine a strong light on them. I worry that the thin skinned who govern want to stamp down dissenting opinions rather than listening.  
Listening is the skill most needed in this country today. Then add empathy, kindness, and generosity in that order.  
I agree we need to be vigilant about stopping “fake news,” but not at the cost of different points of view. Journalism is the only industry specifically protected in the constitution. We need to keep it that way. But please let’s do a better job at separating journalism from entertainment.  
For the record…this blog is entertainment. Read it that way, laugh, cry, disagree, applaud, but don’t think it is news. If this blog brings up a serious issue for you, go to a serious and credible news site to research it. Don’t take my word for it, but please support “real” news because if we lose it we are screwed.