chasing answers #14
chasing answers #14
I'll let Lewis say it, Common Sense, and breakups can be complicated
“I don't know if you've noticed, but our two-party system is a bowl of shit looking at itself in the mirror.” - Lewis Black
Hello and Happy Sunday!
If you’re new, feel free to check out previous editions here.
For those of you who’ve been around for a while, Thank You for coming back!
I’m slowly getting back to the grind after my vacation a few weeks ago. It usually doesn’t take me this long, but as I said last week, this one was a little different.
But I’m getting there. So, let’s dive in and see what we’ve got this week.
I’ll Let Lewis Say It For Me
Over the July 4th weekend, there was another mass shooting in the US. Actually, there were eleven of them. Yes, eleven.
One has grabbed most of the attention, a shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, that left seven dead and 46 others injured. Still, the others are just as important and play just as significant a role in shaping our behavior and thoughts.
This article in the Washington Post describes the scenes in several cities across the country where there were mass shooting false alarms.
You read that correctly. Mass shooting false alarms.
In several cities, where there were large gatherings for fireworks displays, people actually panicked at the sound of the fireworks, mistaking them for gunshots, causing unnecessary moments of chaos around the country.
What does it say about the state of our society when people gathered on July 4th to watch fireworks default to “I need to run for my life” when they begin to hear the booms and pops of those fireworks?
I can only imagine this metastasizing into every part of our everyday lives as mass shootings increase. Will the default action of customers in a supermarket be to run for the doors when someone drops a jar of pickles on the floor in aisle 5? Will kids in a classroom dive under their desks because the lawn mower outside their classroom backfires?
The mental toll of events like these is not always immediately measurable, but make no mistake, it is there.
I have already written my piece on this topic, so I’ll let Lewis Black do the talking this week. Few get their point across as well as he does.
A Little Common Sense
Now for something a little lighter and more encouraging.
I’ve always said, “sometimes there is a difference between what’s right and what’s legal.”
Check out this judge using a little common sense in letting this 96-year-old gentleman off the hook for speeding in a school zone.
A little common sense can go a long way.
What do we have to do to get this judge on the Supreme Court?
It’s Not Me, It’s You
It looks like Elon Musk has officially broken off his courtship with Twitter.
The on-again, off-again relationship between Elon and Twitter was a staple in my early newsletters. This story unfolded just as I began my writing journey, and like a good car wreck, I couldn’t look away from it. There have been several twists and turns, and it can be difficult to keep up.
Now, Elon is doing his best to pull out of the deal to buy the company, but for those who aren’t aware, Elon has fathered ten children. So, his ability to successfully pull out of anything is questionable at best. Making things more difficult is the fact that Twitter leadership isn’t ready for the relationship to end. This one’s complicated, so it may be a while before we know for sure if Elon can really walk away.
For that reason, I’m going to hold off diving in too deep this week and see what unfolds over the coming days. Everything could change by the time this newsletter goes out.
That’s all for now.
I hope you all have a great week!
As always, I would love to hear from you.
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randy