As I’ve written before…people shock the hell out of me!It happened again.
Irresponsible journalism set a new standard yesterday when Matt Drudge of The Drudge Report published the news of Prince Harry’s location on the front lines in Afghanistan. This shocking, appalling, and reprehensible leak of information placed not only Prince Harry’s life at even greater risk, but also placed the risk of all of the soldiers serving along side him — ALL of the soldiers serving alongside him.
The Internet is an interesting place. It allows us to travel throughout the world without ever leaving our home town. It provides ways of building bridges without ever pounding a nail. It opens doors of opportunity to meet people who speak a different language or live under a different set of stars.
Yes, the Internet is an interesting place. Given all of these incredible possibilities to create unlimited growth in life what do most people do? Hide behind a fake moniker.
As I sat waiting to discover why the engine light in my car came on the other day, I picked up a copy of Entertainment Weekly sitting on the coffee table inside the dealership. Flipping through the pages I came across a review of the CBS show Jericho – a show I happen to like very much. It didn’t take long to determine that the reviewer was not of the same mind set. When he wasn’t declaring his dislike for the show’s lead actor, Skeet Ulrich, he was obsessing with his idea that the show is based upon conspiracy theories – of course, none of which he buys into.
What became blaringly clear in his writing is that he’s never read, nor is he obviously aware of Pat Frank’s 1959 classic American novel, Alas, Babylon.
Growing up during the Cold War, the threat of a nuclear attack was very much a part of every school kid’s life. We learned that our desks were to be used for protection and that images of mushroom clouds could haunt our dreams.
One of the best books I’ve ever read is Alas, Babylon. I was first introduced to the book in 1977 and to this day, it continues to remain on my all time favorite list. The setting is Fort Repose, Florida and the United States has just been attacked with nuclear bombs. Communities are isolated, the majority of the country’s leaders are dead, communication is almost nonexistent, food becomes scarce, disease flourishes, and those you once trusted become those you must fight for survival. Sounds like a good plot for a television show!
Jericho is Alas, Babylon set in the 21st Century.
Kudos to Starbucks.For three hours today, all 7, 100 Starbucks stores will be closed for barista training.
Granted, I do not like the taste of Starbucks coffee, but in a time when customer service seems to be at an all time low, I’m pleased to see a company take action to improve their customer experience. Plus, I believe this type of corporate action builds employee spirit. When employers understand that an employee who cares is one of the businesses greatest assets, customer service always improves.
Now, if Howard Schultz will, once again, have a Starbucks store on Main Street in Park City, Utah and, once again, become a significant sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival, I will really be pleased! No two ways about it…coffee and independent film go hand in hand. And kudos to Starbucks…they always did it right at Sundance.
Soul mates.
The very words conjure up images in my mind of Rick and Ilsa, Rhett and Scarlet, Jack and Rose, Nick and Nora, Sam and Molly, Luke and Laura, Ennis and Jack.
Many of my single friends talk of finding their “soul mate” and funny thing…so do many of my married friends. I believe most of us desire to be in a “Jennifer and Jonathon Hart” relationship. Many people dream about and long for that one specific person God has for them…that perfect person for you and only you…a soul mate.
All MUST be done to stop this horrible, horrible, disgusting hunt. No human being should ever take pride in this type of a hunt or profession. Canada MUST stop permitting the slaughter of defenseless seals. Please take action NOW. The next hunt begins in March — PLEASE ACT NOW!! Visit the Humane Society’s website today and sign the petition to Canada’s Prime Minister asking him to put a stop to this horrendously cruel hunt. A hunt only for the purposes of creating designer accessories.
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/global_harper_protectseals.
Thank you.
February has proved to be a successful month for the Bush Administration. While millions of eyes — including the media — are focused on the desire for change NEXT January, the Bush Administration has continued to strike hard against the environment and for illegal court proceedings.According to the Anchorage Daily News, on February 6, 2008, the Dutch oil company Shell paid a record bid of $105,304,581 to the U.S. Government for a single tract of land in Alaska. The day’s auction for 2.8 million acres of federal land in Alaska’s Chukchi polar sea brought out the BIG GUY oil companies. Record breaking bids between Shell and Conoco Phillips transpired much of the day.
The Gary Cooper Spirit of Montana Award
by Penny Ronning, creator of award
Dreams are like a river. They start with a drop of inspiration, travel a long and winding path,
and end up somewhere they could never have imagined their journey would take them. Dreamers are like the current that makes the river flow. They are the gravity pulling the river to a final destination, but every dreamer knows unseen forces can come into play to cause that river to shift, turn, overflow, or even dry up. Montanans know all about rivers. For the agriculture industry, rivers are a needed water supply for crops, animals, and the long-term health of the industry and our country.
Two days ago I received a FWD to my inbox that I’d received once before, but deleted it after reading only the first two lines. This time I read it in full.
YIKES!
A feeling of disgust that I’d deleted the FWD the first time washed over me. Why didn’t I read it and respond to the sender then? If I were at a party and heard someone actually saying the words written in the FWD, I would constructively and in love respond to the storyteller. So, why did I not do that with an email?
