pay attention people!

United States
June 26, 2009 11:53am CST
All the news agencies in the US and probably many parts of the world are focused almost exclusively on the death of Michael Jackson. Meanwhile, North Korea has threatened to NUKE the United States, Iranians are dying in the streets, government policies are on the verge of being implemented that will effect every American's life, finances and freedom - stuff is happening all over the world and in our own country, IMPORTANT SYUFF - but the ONLY thing in the news right now is that Michael Jackson has died. I used to get the New York City Paper, the NY Daily News, each morning on my way to work. I saved the one from the day our world changed forever, so I could show my kids someday what idiots thought was important at that time. The full page cover story on the 9/11/2001 NY Daily News was "Mariah's Meltdown". A few hours later, over 3000 innocent people were slaughtered on our own soil in the worst terroist atttack in the history of the world. See what happens when you stop paying attention? WAKE UP PEOPLE! Americans have become complacent again, yet again they are paying more attention to the petty dramas of retarded celebrities than they are to the very REAL threats and hazards we are facing. Don't say I ddn't warn you! PAY ATTENTION!
7 people like this
11 responses
@clutterbug (1051)
• United States
26 Jun 09
Hey, I agree with you; some really bad stuff is lurking around the corner, I can feel it in my bones. The government policies that are being snuck through right under our noses means that no one can complain about it when it happens. Rush Limbaugh just now said that electric prices are going up by 90 percent when this Cap and Trade goes through. It's not good with Korea either, although with them I sometimes think they are all talk and no action; at least I hope so. This is a great point you brought up. It's time to wake up and smell the higher taxes and nuclear waste.
3 people like this
• United States
26 Jun 09
I'm glad at least somebody out here gets the point I was trying to make.
3 people like this
• United States
28 Jun 09
Some have already summed it all up. We have North Korea - not Korea - North Korea - who probably has a nuclear bomb ready to shoot off. We also have our current administration who's probably going to speed up the spiraling down of the American economy. With the Russian & Chinese governments as "parents" of the North Korean administration, (so to say) urging them back to the negotiating table, the threat might just very well be real. However, if anything, North Korea would probably declare war & try to get two staunch allies, South Korea & Japan out of the way first. At the same time, with that huge American debt owed to China, I am sure that if North Korea tried anything, China does have the resources to wipe North Korea right off the map before the news of that spreads around the world, as easily as flipping a finger. I also believe that to try to maintain peace in the region, they would not hesitate to implement it either. The United States decifit is money owed to China, & I'm sure that they would like to see it. Also, American companies / big businesses have manufacturing factories in China. Same with Japanese companies & big businesses. I am unsure about Russia - if they could or would try to stop North Korea from causing trouble. As for Obama & his environmental thingie, I believe that it's till being fought over. If it hasn't been passed yet, it is pretty much summed up here. http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2051279.aspx
2 people like this
• United States
4 Jul 09
WTF happened to your stupid star? It's been red or blue for YEARS! Now I shall have to stalk you and go on a plussing rampage because I DO NOT LIKE CHANGE! Your star needs to be the color I am used to seeing it I DON'T LIKE CHANGE! ++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Jul 09
Uh - maybe I ran into too many tribbles?
2 people like this
• United States
4 Jul 09
The Trouble With Tribbles was always my favorite old Star Trek episode. They were so cute!
1 person likes this
• Canada
4 Jul 09
This is EXACTLY why I play the hermit and don't watch the news. Because they never dramatize the REAL DRAMA and they overplay EVERYTHING. It is just too depressing. I have never cared what the celebrities are doing EVER. I never buy nor read the rags, as it is all B.S. anyway. And frankly, I don't care to dramatize their lives any further as they already think they are above us all because they have so much money. The politicians do nothing but lie to us, too. We elected our friggin mayor because he was AGAINST a particular issue in our area, he got elected the Warden, which is the spokesperson for all the mayors in our County, and promptly VOTED FOR the very thing he said he was AGAINST. So, I have no faith in politicians, nor the MEDIA. They are all just out for themselves, period.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Jul 09
Sorry I already gave out BR! I totally agree with you, celebutards and politicians all pretty much suck, as does the moronic media who devote so much focus to their trivial shenanigans while completely ignoring the IMPORTANT issues.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
26 Jun 09
Well we're not totally celebrity obsessed. Farah Fawcett's obit was only on page 13... But yeah, North Korea sure got mouthy with the threats this time. Question is, do they have the ability to follow through? The meanness, sure, but do they have the hardware to back it up? I sure hope not and I sure hope our government is taking this much more seriously than the media appear to be!
• United States
26 Jun 09
Show me a US newspaper printed today that DOES NOT have Michael Jackson on the front page (and probably a full color multipage spread inside) if you can. I'm not too worried about N. Korea at the moment, but the point is that there is a LOT more things we need to be concerned about besides the crap about celebrities and the media is dangerously irresponsible by IGNORING real world issues in favor of sensationalizing stories about famous people. For instance, the government is voting on Carbon Tax legislation that may DOUBLE the amount EVERY American will have to pay o their utility bills. Where's the coverage about that?
3 people like this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
26 Jun 09
I'll show you one, but you have to show me bigfoot first!
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Jun 09
He's probably in the same paper as the ONE paper you found not talking about MJ! LOL
3 people like this
• United States
27 Jun 09
Kitty we are taking time to morn someone that we respect. People in other countries are always gonna be out there wanting to do us some kind of harm like they did on 9/11. We can't sit and be scared of our shadow 100% of the time. I don't think that we have become as complacent as you think we have. But putting down the passing of people that our nation grew to love over years is not good either. You need to have some compassion for the family's of these people that are now gone. They have children that are morning their loss and calling them 'retarded celebrities' is really in bad form. I know you have been here way longer than me and I respect that you have a right to voice your opinion, but I think that might have been a tiny bit harsh. I think we are "Paying Attention" we know that other countries are watching every move we make. But at the same time we have this loss. Like the discussion I posted we have launched in Ft.Lauderdale a new ship with new capabilities called the USS NEW YORK it is maned by 360 Sailors and 700 Marines and ready to fight at a moments notice. So yes the country is ready and we can do two things at one time. We are smart as a country. We can stand ready for terrorist and we can morn for our Stars when they die all at the same time without missing a beat because we are very smart Americans!!
• United States
27 Jun 09
Oh please nobody believes that! Get real! We Are a Stronger smarter Country than that and anyone doesn't think need's to really think about it really hard.
• United States
1 Jul 09
it is a shame kitty you don't think the people here in the us can do two things at one time is what you actually were saying in the discussion. you wanted us to pay attention. like i said in my original answer. those of us that are paying attention can do more than one thing. we do klnow what is going on and can morn the loss of people and watch our back at the same time. and i feel sad for your grandmother that you used her reference in such vain. she must be turning in her grave. i am sure such a loving person would not have wanted you to use her in this way and so crewely.
@Riptide (2758)
• United States
1 Jul 09
Yup, what Mare said. And just to add that cookie, I hope you are prepared for what you just brought upon yourself, because you just went too far! How dare you even mention Mares grandma. You are so lucky I can't reach through this screen.
3 people like this
• United States
27 Jun 09
I couldn't agree more. I remember a conversation I had over my cubicle wall a few years ago. The water cooler talk at the time was who was going to win american idol. I said "i don't know, and I don't really care, did you know north korea is developing nuclear weapons?" they looked at me like I was crazy. Funny how some things never change. I don't know if the media or the masses are to blame; I mean the media chooses to report celebrity news over political events, but would the masses by the paper if the front page wansn't some easy to escape into dreamworld of celebrity gossip? Maybe it can all go back to education! Glad someone else out there is not buying it!
1 person likes this
@Riptide (2758)
• United States
27 Jun 09
Sometimes I wonder if the media is OWNED by the celebrities. Or worse yet, by the government who pays them to run trivial shitt so to take our focus of what goes on behind closed doors in politics.
2 people like this
• United States
27 Jun 09
CONSPIRACY!!!
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Jun 09
Thank you for your terrific response, it's reassuring to see I am not all alone on this. I too have watched people's eyes glaze over when I try to divert conversation away from the likes of Paris Hilton towards some important potentially life altering issue.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
1 Jul 09
I get what ya saying AngryKitty--I notice this discussion is five days old and the news media is STILL talking about Michael Jackson--maybe a few smatterings still of Farrah Fawcett, and Billy Mays. They are also still harping on South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford unfaithfulness...like oh, gee another politician caught with his pants down. Like after awhile do we really care if a politician has an affair or turns out to be gay? As a btw....the gassing of the geese here in NYC is still going on yet no one is covering that...an estimated 1,500 have already been gassed...the only way I'm keeping track of it is via a MySpace site "Save The Geese"---too many New Yorkers are still not even aware of what is going on--okay maybe not as earth shattering as a possibility of us being nuked by Korea, but all news has been put aside for MJ--like enough already!
1 person likes this
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
27 Jun 09
I understand your concern however it's a waste of time because no matter how much you try to ring the alarm and warn people or try to get people to take action on something the matter of the fact is humans are lazy and dumb. they'll choose a great distraction over reality any day because they are easily brainwashed and manipulated. until people decide to wake and smell the coffee nothing is going to change.
• United States
27 Jun 09
I know, but f I have something to say, I'm gong to say it. People can choose to do with it what they will.
2 people like this
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
27 Jun 09
I understand your concern however it's a waste of time, because no matter how many times you ring the alarm and try to warn people the truth of the matter is humans are lazy,scared, ignorant and sheepish. they would choose a distraction any day over reality. well I hope you can get through but don't try so hard if people aren't really listening or if they don't care at least you did your part.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
27 Jun 09
well that is what i hate with mainstream media. but i and others have no choice because they are the most convenient. the north korea i think is probably bluffing. they don't have that many nukes to destroy the whole US. And dont have enough missile lauch sites to hit all of them without a fast counterattack. If north korea i think will launch a missile, they will have only a chance to launch 2 missiles. 1 missile because of sudden attack and the other one because they will need to confirm it
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Jun 09
I don't think N. Korea has anything to back up their rhetoric either, as you say, they'd only get like one shot before we mopped the floor with them. My whole point is that there are other things going on that the media should be reporting on, like Cap & Trade for instance, that are more important that what rich people who we will likely never meet are doing. On September 11, 2001, the NY Daily News thought the most important story to run was that Mariah Carey had a nervous breakdown. A few hours later, we experienced the slaughter of 3000 innocent people on our own soil in the worst terror attack in the history of the world. Looking back, there was likely certainly something MORE important than Mariah Carey we should have been paying attention to, too bad the press didn't think so.
2 people like this
@54susan (281)
• China
27 Jun 09
It's so lucky that I'm a Chinese!
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Jun 09
What's front page news where you live today?
1 person likes this