












 Editorial: Ramblings
   by Rick Arnold
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
   Where did summer go? Seems like I turned away for a second and bang 
 -- winter. What is this hand basket and where are we really going and 
 so quickly? The millennium is approaching; in years past I looked to
 the year 2000 with anticipation. Now?  
 
   There seem to be so many problems within our society, that we've
 no future, well, not the "American Dream" future that I envisioned
 as a child, the promises were there but . . .
 
   Maybe in this day and age of immediate communications where the 
 most disgusting abomination can be served to us -- moments after
 happening, the situation unfolding, body parts being quickly shrouded 
 from view, "live" and in color via TV -- served catastrophe along with 
 our supper -- and we simply haven't learned how to cope with these 
 massive amounts of negative information received on a daily basis! We 
 don't have time to grieve and assimilate one tragedy before being 
 inundated by another. Before the advent of telecommunications via 
 satellite, news videos would take at least a day or so to arrive; 
 less immediacy and less of an assault on our senses.
 
   Perhaps, everything is really the same, OK, tolerable with problems 
 that need to be worked through, just like every generation before us.
 I guess the pre-war babies (WW II) were spoon fed similar promises, 
 and those who were pre-WW I were fed the very same promises. Perhaps, 
 the only difference is: it took them longer to hear of the economic 
 woes, political crises, and tragedies that happened around their 
 towns, states, our country -- around the world. I keep hearing, "times 
 were good then," or "it used to be good, but;" what is wrong with NOW?
 
   In the past, tragic news had less impact, a newscaster read the 
 story or you'd receive the information in your newspaper, with little
 video stimulation, a short news clip, or a black and white photo. Not 
 nearly the impact achieved and delivered in stereo with real surround 
 sound, "living color," and with big screen TV, nearly "life" size, 
 right in our living rooms. 
 
   No wonder our youth are traumatized and forming gangs; they have to 
 for self-defense! They see rival gangs taking action across town, 
 across the country. The enemy is there -- right on TV! So it's got to 
 be true, or does it? The KKK is everywhere, the junkies are everywhere, 
 militias are everywhere, radical Muslims are everywhere, criminals are 
 everywhere, the ENEMY is everywhere or is it? 
 
   Who is the enemy? Are we our own worst enemy? The actual numbers of
 drug dealers, killers, gang members, radical terrorists, criminals and 
 other threats to our "American Dream" are minuscule in comparison to 
 our population! Instead of watching sensationalized threats to our way 
 of life and our existence, go to where people are meeting, a political 
 rally, a town meeting, a PTA meeting -- meet your neighbors, make news 
 -- GOOD NEWS! Life is good, make it better -- share that goodness with 
 others. Turn off the TV! Like my father used to say, "Git out and let 
 the stink blow off ya."
 
                               {DREAM}
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 For more Ramblings: http://www.nauticom.net/www/drmforge/index.html
 You'll find DREAM FORGE info, good Links, art, e-zine info and Stuff!
 ======================================================================
 
