Lately there have been stories in the news that are distressing me in the few moments when I have the luxury of time to be distressed. On some levels they serve to remind me of how sensationalized and celebrity driven the news has become.
This week the Canadian media has been awash with the plight of the 'Canadian Afghan War Widows': they and their soldiers spouses purchase houses. They buy insurance on the mortgage but the banks, knowing full well that the spouse is a soldier on active duty, do not point out the exclusion for 'acts of war'. They are happy to collect the premiums for years. Hmmm Hubby later is killed in Afghanistan and the banks refuse to pay up. These same banks record multi-billion dollar profits every year. Would it be so much to compensate these women?
Shame!
Lately all of the news from Ottawa seems to be blame. The Tories blame the former government for not doing enough on the environment. The Liberals blame the RCMP for their election loss. The NDP doesn't blame anyone because no one is listening to them Grrr Blah, Blah, Blah. Guys (and the paltry few gals who manage to get elected - another blog that!) stop blaming one another and start governing a bit.
Shame!
Is anyone else sickened by the way comics and even the mainstream media has latched onto the story of the 'astronaut love triangle'? What we have here is clearly a very unwell woman who was not in control of her actions. How about getting her some help? Watching her treatment in the hands of the 'popular' media would make anyone with an emotional illness even more afraid to disclose it. Have we all fallen so low that we enjoy National Enquirerlike stories?
Shame!
Finally - poor Anna Nicole Smith. This woman was a victim. She is dead. Her daughter is without a parent and all anyone can do is to wrestle over the estate. Not a day goes by when some sad sap doesn't declare that he is the baby's father in hopes of claiming the inheritance. Everyone is speculating as to how she died; when the autopsy was underway it was as if there were hourly press briefings. Stop! This is the tragic death of a tragic woman - let her have some peace in death.
Shame, shame, shame, shame.
There, now I am cleansed and I can go forth with my day.
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