THE BP CAMPAIGN

I’ve been intrigued by the ads BP Oil (British Petroleum) has been running on television and wonder how many people feel they are being duped.  After the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, which killed 11 workers and released more than 200 million+ gallons of oil into the ocean, BP launched a media blitz to tout the good work they are doing.  The company paints a happy picture where the fishing in the gulf is grand, everyone is having happy times on the beaches and local businesses are thriving.  But, I haven’t heard anything like, “damn, we really screwed up”, or “sorry, we were careless and engaged in piss-poor safety.”

I read an article where the head of the Louisiana Shrimp Association called the BP campaign “BP propaganda.”  Commerce groups also reported that BP claims of booming business are exaggerated.  On the flipside, some environmental groups have exaggerated the extent of the damage caused by the spill.  

I’m not suggesting we should burn all the BP execs in oil (no pun intended) and my vehicles also burn oil.  I’m just saying we need to be aware when we are being massaged in their advertising and be aware of what the pitch is.  There isn’t much doubt the gulf region will recover, but it would still be nice if BP would include some kind of an apology in their slick, feel-good ads.  I don’t expect that will happen, but I’ll keep watching.  Just one day more...  

LEARNING CURVE

This blog process has certainly proven to have a learning curve.  With the help and encouragement of a seasoned blogger, Croft Randle, I decided to give it a whirl.  I’ve never met Croft and hope to some day, but have followed his blog for a few years and have enjoyed following his adventures.  I also agree with him politically.  His blog is listed under blogs I follow (Croft's Mexico).

Setting up the blog wasn’t real difficult, however I did run into a glitch that had both of us trying to figure out what the problem was.  No matter what I tried, including changing the settings numerous times, I could not post comments on his (or any other) blog.  What was suppose to happen is that when a blogger goes about posting a comment on another blog it should be accepted using the blogger’s ID.  In my case that wasn’t happening and I couldn’t even post a comment as anonymous.  I was about to give up when I woke up last night pondering what the problem could be and recalled that a while back I had installed a Google option that blocks third party cookies.  Sure enough, that was it.  Once I went into that obscure option and check marked to allow blogspot cookies it resolved the problem.  Sheeeeshhh...  that was a lot of aggravation I didn’t need.  Hard on an old and computer inept duffer.

On a more enjoyable note... we have decided to take a break this weekend and head out from the farm for a trip to Brownville, NE.

Brownville is a small town on the Nebraska/Missouri border in southeast Nebraska whose claim to fame is being one of the oldest settlements in the state.  It was a main stop off point for paddle boats and today has an economy based primarily on tourism.  Every so often we go to Brownville for the repertory theater.  This weekend we will hitch up our fifth wheel and attend the antique/flea market. There is also a nice small winery and run-of-the-mill bar, so we’ll imbibe some while there.

It’s nice to get away from the routine once in a while.  Just one day more...

MORNING NEWS

Getting the morning news for me is essential.  In the long run it is probably not good for anyone with high blood pressure, but it seems to me that everyone has some responsibility to be informed.  It also seems to me that we have a responsibility to recognize any bias in news.  The source of news likely has an impact on our attitudes.  For some, not so much.  For some, too much.  For those who do not have cable or satellite the news is limited to the conventional stations (CBS, NBC, ABC).   Cable or satellite offer many more. 

Here on the farm we have satellite, so my morning news is broad.  The program I mostly watch is Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzenzinski  (by the way, I think Mika’s father, Zbigniew Brzenzinski, is super intelligent and think our government should counsel with him more often). The success of the show has a lot to do with the producers and the guests.  Unfortunately, the one annoyance is that Joe is a blabbermouth who constantly interrupts the guests and talks over the top of others.  It doesn’t bother me that he is a partisan Republican since I prefer balance, but is it very annoying when someone else is commenting and he interrupts.

Other morning alternatives include CNN, Current TV and FOX and Friends Clowns.  So, I generally switch over to Current and catch a little of Bill Press, fully aware of the bias in his program.  It is a striking difference from Morning Joe and his show looks like it is being produced in a phone booth.  However, he at least makes a concerted effort to have guests with intellect.  

No matter the source of the news, I think so long as we think independently and recognize obvious bias (i.e. FOX and Current), we have an obligation to be informed.  So, I’ll keep checking the morning news.  Just one day more ...

MEDICARE

For anyone approaching eligibility for social security (a topic for another day) and medicare, it is a major task to work through the details, with medicare being the worst.  I have a few years until I will be eligible for medicare, but trying to understand the mix of Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, enrollment periods, Supplemental Parts A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N is frustrating.  I don’t pretend to know all the details of the Affordable Care Act (so-called Obamacare), however have been a proponent of national health care for years.  Once you get through the hype and scare tactics of those against national health care (including the insurance lobby) it is clear that it is doable.  It is sad that the United States chooses to politicize health care and will not take a lesson from Canada.  I wish we had the same zeal for health care that we have for going to war, including the huge sums of money wasted overseas.  But, until I am eligible for medicare, I’ll spend time trying to learn the process.  Just one day more...