By Don Rush

It’s one thing not to trust a politician when they are high up on the food chain. It’s another thing not to trust ANY politician high up on the food chain. It is still another thing when you don’t trust any media reporting on state and national news.
And, here’s the thing — it’s been sad to watch this deterioration of confidence in authority. Slowly at first, then like a snowball rolling and growing as it goes down the hill, too fast to stop before something explodes, has this confidence been eroded.
Whenever I hear any politician, or broadcast news talking head, my eyes roll up and all I hear is, “blah, blah, blah, blah.” I don’t care what side of the old politician bent they’re on, they all seem to be partisan hacks and is there any wonder why so many Americans have either given up or rising up?
* * *
I’m kinda’ newish to the whole “streaming TV” thing versus watching network television programming. The cable cord running into Casa D’ Rush was cut way back in 2008. From that day until about a year ago the Rush Clan got by by going to the library to check out “new” TV series via DVD. Everything else we watched was from the over-the-air (also known as FREE) TV programming. Whatever that little antenna could catch is what we could watch. It was a money saving, book reading existence.
About a year ago, I bent to the will of the people, and I started to emulate the Jones. I wanted to watch actual new stuff on TV. I wanted to stream stuff like the rest of the country. I purchased a flat screen TV and signed up for the “internet” from our phone company. Viola! For under 60 bucks a month, I can watch all sorts of stuff and actually have a computer at home to do things other than type and play Solitaire on. (I know, look at me . . . The Modern Man.)
I’ve noticed a couple of things that have changed from the days of yore and back when they use to air commercials that would say, “It’s 9 p.m. Do you know where your kids are?”
One of the things I have noticed are the warnings added to the upper left corner of the screen whenever a show starts. I guess, maybe it’s a parental warning? The warning might read, for example, “TV-13: language, violence, sexuality, nudity, gore, drug use . . .”
and,
“ . . . smoking.”
I guess that just struck me as odd.
* * *
Another thing I’ve noticed recently (and I know this will make me sound like an angry old, white privileged, and racist dude — so, no need to send me nasty-grams after reading): When using the little (I almost said “clicker”) remote to scroll through programming options, I frequently click on something that is totally not American. I read the little description (in English), click through to that program which looks interesting only to find out when some actor starts talking that it’s from India, or China, or South America, sometimes even Russia. (I haven’t found too many selections from Germany or France.)
I’m not saying that stuff should not be on my TV, just asking why is it mixed in with all the English language stuff? Shouldn’t those films have their own categories? When I wanna’ watch something funny, I can go to the comedy category. When I wanna’ watch Action, Thriller, Horror, Western or Black Experience programming, all I have to do is scroll down to one of those categories and I can watch my fill because I know what I’m getting into.
Shouldn’t it be the same for the forienge, non-English speaking programming?
I know, I know. Twenty-five percent of the world is starving, and I’m complaining about TV programming. I reckon I just flushed the Modern Man label down the drain for the old standby, Neanderthal Philosopher.
Cut it out, Rush!
Send your comments, slurs and whatever other slings and arrows to DontRushDon@gmail.com.

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