Jersey joke; objectivity; 'a cool moment'

   We've become a nation of sad sacks, more interested in gleaning glee from someone else's misery or abject ineptitude than we are in improving our own lot: "Well, at least I'm not as much a loser as that guy (pick any cast member of Jersey Shore)." And this is how we recharge our esteem enough to get up the next morning knowing that there are millions who are 'below average' in the USA and we are convinced we are not one of them.
   Another example of our sad sack state of affairs is the laziness with which we apply political solutions to real problems.
   The goals of the Democrats and Republicans are the same: controlling power.
   They will bend over backwards to demonize their adversary in order to pocket your vote, but when it comes to easing the boot off the neck of the small business person or entrepreneur (i.e. everyone who has been 'furloughed' or fired, or fought for years to build up a niche), neither of the parties are to be found.
   I do not know how the small guy is doing it and coupled with the uncertainty of what the real dollar cost will be to employers next year regarding health care reform businesses are going to wait and see. This leaves many potential hires on the sideline, waiting for someone ahead of them to croak because no one is hiring anyone new — at least they are not being hired for work in America.
   Left foundering on their own, sifting through the barrage of ever-slanted presentation from all media, the electorate falls back onto what sounds good to them, seeking some kind of comfort to soothe their outrage, hence Jon Stewart, Glenn Beck, Kieth Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly. {I mean CNN has just caved-in to FOX when it comes to smarmy sensationalism; it's incredible — they are a ghost of what they used to be.}
   I was sad to see Charles Gibson leave ABC News this year, but not surprised by his reasoning. He's washing his hands for what's here and what's to come (see previous entry). Gibson worries whether broadcast networks will be able to support sizable editorial staffs in an era of declining audiences, when cable news channels are louder — and more profitable. So far, the networks have cut costs across the board. [You know, close bureaus but spend more money on self-promotion.]
   "Objectivity — or the extent to which we strive for objectivity — is less of a marketable commodity," Gibson says. "People seem to want to hear news presented according to their own beliefs, and I don't understand that.
   "I'm so much of a traditional, over-the-air broadcaster. I'm aware that it's changing, and I'm not adapting fast enough with it. Having hit the perfect arc of this business, I think it's time to move on."
   On a much happier note, the Rays took two of three from the Skankees this weekend, shutting out no other than CC Sabathia, and even a late-inning appearance by his limp-wristed teammate Alex Rodriguez to aiming for his 600th home run came up short. He struck out.
   And here is why the Rays have the best manager in baseball. His take on the Trop showdown between A-Roid and James Shields (from the AP):
   The Yankees intended for Alex Rodriguez to take a day off. But with Shields (10-9) sailing along with a three-run lead in the seventh, manager Joe Girardi inserted the slugger as a pinch-hitter with a runner on and two outs.
   Much of the sellout crowd of 36,973 stood throughout the at-bat — Yankee faithful rooting for history, Rays supporters cheering on Shields — as Rodriguez took a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch. He remained in the game at third base, but didn't get to the plate again.
   "I knew they had that card in their back pocket. I didn't know if they were going to play it," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "They played it right there and it was a pretty cool moment, especially since we came out on top of it."