Morning News
It has become my habit since buying a Google Nexus 7 Tablet a year ago to begin the day by making my coffee and breakfast, then settling at the kitchen table to read the news on one of the news apps available to Android. I usually with start with the Fox News app, which might make you think I’m a staunch conservative. Politically these days, I’m not a staunch anything but I’m a stauncher libertarian than anything else and the right seems a bit more libertarian than the left. Worry not … I read a variety of pages in search of a balanced view. I like to have a sense of what’s going on in popular culture, too, even if I choose not to participate in most of it, so I usually check out the Yahoo Home Page. All you have to do is scan the Yahoo headlines to realize that their so-called news department has mostly abandoned serious news for Entertainment-Tonight-on-steroids fluff. Examples from this morning? How about Mila Kunis and Aston Kutcher Attend Her Brother’s Wedding? Meet Ryan Seacrest’s nerdy older brother? Pregnant Megan Fox’s Baby Bump Peeks Out From Fitted T-shirt? Jeez.
Anyway, I’d estimate that on 3 out of 7 days, what I find makes me wish I’d stayed blissfully oblivious and played Mole Word instead of reading the news. That’s my subject for this Top Sites Tuesday#233, where I give you my Two Thoughts on Tuesday. In the interests of fairness, I’ll give you one example from each of my favorite sources. On Fox News this morning, I found this headline: Colorado boy, 6, suspended for kissing girl. On the cheek, by the way. The school administration is accusing the boy of sexual harassment and wants it put on his permanent school record. The boy’s Mom says her son was suspended once for kissing the girl before but the girl did not object to being kissed. She said the two children like each other. Are 
we actually discussing consensual cheek-kissing with respect to six-year olds? You are most likely familiar with the work of Kim Anderson, who became famous for photograph little boys and girls in romantic poses, sometimes (gasp!) kissing. Perhaps there should be a warrant out for her arrest for pornography. See what I mean? News like this makes me feel like a stranger in a strange land. Thought Number One: How the *$&^&# can someone be accused of sexual harassment when they are too young to know what sex is?
Then, I found a string of articles about the so-called Jingle Ball on Yahoo. The
Jingle Ball is series of concerts sponsored by FM radio stations at Christmas time featuring a variety of pop performers. One article featured Mariah Carey stuffed into a strapless red dress approximately two sizes too small, channeling Roger’s girlfriend, Dolores, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? I found that Arriana Grande changed her hairstyle (stop the freakin’ presses) and that Selena Gomez got caught lip-syncing and dropped an F-bomb. Such is the price of staying in the spotlight in today’s talent-poor pop music market, I suppose. But how about Miley Cyrus twerks Santa at KIIS Jingle Ball? Could we possibly have a pop music event without the Slut-of-the-Season rubbing her overexposed body parts on the Symbol-of-the-Season? So, here’s Thought Number Two: If only Mrs. Claus had been nearby with a shotgun to fill Miley’s skinny ass with rock salt.
Hypocrisy, perhaps more than any other human foible, makes me nuts. We … as a society … tolerate our air waves and our online media to be dominated by an assortment of characters that continually expose our youth to inappropriate material. Yes, I’m a libertarian. I believe adults should be able to watch Miley’s skinny ass if they so choose But let’s not complain about an over-sexualized society if we allow our children to do the same. And let’s not be surprised if the over-sexualized society we tolerate begins to judge innocent childhood behaviors as sex.
So, what do you think? Do you wish I’d remained oblivious? Let me know in my comments section, right after you push my button … gently … to make me Number One on Top Sites Tuesday #233.
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Tags: celebrity, curmudgeonly rants, entertainment, feeling older, humor, Jingle Ball, memes, news, perspectives, Top Sites Tuesday
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Older Eyes 
December 10, 2013 at 11:01 am
I think you are right on in ever word. I wish I had written this myself. People getting all freaked out over the little ones innocent kissing makes me furious. Yes, if you want to explain to them that this behavior is not “appropriate” in school, fine, but let’s stop acting like they were breaking the law for goodness sake. sigh
December 10, 2013 at 5:46 pm
I saw the article about the boy and I too was a bit shocked. Little boys have been kissing little girls since.. forever. This is not a sexual act but something we are all taught to do to show we like or love someone. It’s not like her tongued her *roll eyes* I worry about society today, has everyone really lost touch that much?
As far as Miley, I think you say it perfectly. “Could we possibly have a pop music event without the Slut-of-the-Season rubbing her overexposed body parts on the Symbol-of-the-Season?” Can I get an AMEN!?!?!
Clicks!
-Trina
December 10, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Hi Bud,
Wow. Just Wow. I can’t believe they really did that. Do you think that the school was trying to punish the boy to gain national attention? You have to wonder if there was more to this cheek kissing or if the school officials really overreacted that much.
Great Thoughts, although I wish I had remained oblivious.
Wolf
December 10, 2013 at 6:46 pm
I think you are spot on with your viewpoints. It is just ridiculous at the inconsistencies in our current culture. Little kids being punished for normal behaviors such as kissing but then constantly exposing them to over-sexualized media. It’s especially interesting that there was this kind of over reaction in a state that seems very liberal in other ways.
I would consider myself a conservative libertarian, as well. Unfortunately, the way things continue to spiral into idiocy, I might make a conscious effort to become oblivious. It would be less stressful.
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