Manns Medium

​ There is an article titled “ Everyday words and phrases that have racist connotations ” written by Scottie Andrew and Harmeet Kaur, CNN with a contribution from CNN's Anna Bahney. It begins with “Master bedrooms" in our homes. "Blacklists" and "whitelists" in computing. The idiom "sold down the river" in our everyday speech. Many are so entrenched that Americans don't think twice about using them. But some of these terms are directly rooted in the nation's history with chattel slavery. Others now evoke racist notions about Black people. "Words like 'slave' and' master' are so folded into our vocabulary and almost unconsciously speak to the history of racial slavery and racism in the US," says Elizabeth Pryor, an associate professor of history at Smith College. But America's reckoning with systemic racism is now forcing a more critical look at the language we use. And while the offensive nature of man...

If you have ever wondered if Fox News was truly “fair and balanced” then this will be the test for you.  If you have ever wondered if MSNBC was biased or if CNN was just following everyone else then pay close attention to this little bit of news.  We learned yesterday about this “no Child Left Behind” bill signed into law by George W. Bush which gave the federal government more control over underachieving schools by taking that power away from the states.  We didn’t hear much fuss about it when it happen, since so many who claim GOP affiliation always seems to claim over reach by the federal government and has co-oped the saying of “smaller government”.  Well since the worst president ever, according to some has now reversed their representative’s action and gave back the power over their schools, what will they say now? The article is titled “ President Obama to sign 'No Child Left Behind' overhaul bill ” posted by Joseph Edwards for our local TV station WREX....

After reading so much about this coward who shall remain nameless within my portion of this article, I have heard several speculative observations but the one that seems quite consistent is the one which says he targeted Christians.  Now many who repeat this are also quick to point out that the targeting of Christians was his main focus along with becoming famous and like so many others, all this reading has given me a speculative observation that I would like to share.  My observation is born after reading several things about this coward but mainly comes from an article titled “ Oregon shooter said to have singled out Christians for killing in ‘horrific act of cowardice’ ” by Eli Saslow, Sarah Kaplan and Joseph Hoyt for the Washington Post.  In it you shall find “ investigators including cyber-experts and hate crime specialists peered Friday into the life of a 26-year-old gunman whose massacre across an Oregon campus may have been driven by religious rage and a fascina...

Consider the possibilities that the world’s number one retail store would suddenly have to close stores and those who can see nothing more than a conspiracy saying it is because of the livable wage debate currently raging all over the place?  Could they be right?  According to an article titled “ Wal-Mart suddenly closed 5 stores and laid off thousands of workers and no one knows why ” written for Reuters by Hayley Peterson that may be the ultimate question. The article states that “Wal-Mart suddenly closed five stores in four states on Monday for alleged plumbing problems.  The closures could last up to six months and affect roughly 2,200 workers in Texas, California, Oklahoma, and Florida, CNN Money reports.  Wal-Mart employees say they were completely blindsided by the news, having been notified only a couple hours before the stores closed at 7 p.m. Monday.  All workers will receive paid leave for two months. After that, full-time workers could become el...

I consider it quite ironic that many of those who claim to love this country so much would do whatever may prove beneficial to them or their cause to achieve that goal at the expense of anything and anyone else.  Image in one breath saying how much you love your country and in the next, using language that gives those who don’t the ammunition they need to prove to their followers just how bad your country is.  And to top this off, those same mouthpieces has the audacity to say that their truth is not what anyone should be focused on, it should be their enemies’ faults. Take for example and article titled “ Giuliani in WSJ: 'I Didn't Intend To Question President Obama's Motives'  written by  Catherine Thompson in which she reports that  “former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) on Sunday took to the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal to try to clarify his comments about President Barack Obama's love for the country.  Giuliani told a conserva...

To say that this president does not get the credit he deserves is a gross understatement and many in the media and the public blames it on his refusal to truly toot his own horn.  He doesn’t have a mass amount of people waving a flag and announcing how much has changed since he took office and to be honest many in the public don’t really care to hear about it anyway.  Not when it is better to hate and despise this president when makes many think raises page views or viewership numbers.  Controversy sells like sex which is why you see so many barely clothed women in advertising for men.  Sad to say but to be completely honest with you, none of this works in today’s world anymore.  As a matter of fact, it often backfires but you would also never hear that coming from ad executives who find it easier to stay with yesterday’s trends instead of being creative.  Barely clothed women in today’s society only make men disregard them more and search for those wearin...

Has anyone else noticed that journalist’s deaths follow closely after news reports about that individual and posted interviews with that journalist’s family.  I thought at first it was just another one of my senior moments but think about it.  For over a year, Luke Somers were held as a captive in Yemen but no one knew anything about it in the public domain because no one was reporting on it.  Only after news agencies began to paste this man’s photo and story all over the news did he lose his life.  Makes me wonder if those who held him were privy to the information media had accumulated. Another tact that the media has taken is to consider this a failed rescue attempt implying that the rescue attempt caused Mr. Somers’ death.  I’ve got to wonder what makes this rescue attempt a failure.  Was it because they did not bring him back alive or was it because someone knew they were coming before they got there?  There must be something because many new...

There are stories like this happening all over this nation but why it is not breaking news or any television stations lead in is quite evident.  We call ourselves a nation of Christians but we act as though we are a slave to Satan and cannot resist him.  Breaking news is always news that shows us as callous, selfish, arrogant and righteous but we are all but one of those and that is righteous.  Our local and national news are often about the bad things happening in this country so no wonder people think that is all we do, so who wishes to step up and take responsibility for their actions, simply put no one.  Those in charge will say that if they do not have viewership then the ratings will drop off and they will have to close their business.  What they forget is the amount of true love and righteousness that exist within our society and would propel any business to the top if these were the stories that gets the attention.  Business and mostly everyone has...

So much has been made by the media as to why larger more ample forces in the Islamic World does not wish to get more involved with defeating ISIL.  I am quite surprised that many of them are not saying what Vice-President Joe Biden has said about those Islamic countries but then why should they.  They already have a scapegoat in Barack Obama so like many police forces, once you have a primary suspect why search for anyone else.  Just gather enough innuendo and speculations to support your position even if and when many of those have been dispelled. The question is why Saudi Arabia which was described by Senator Bernie Sanders in his interview with Candy Crowley on CNN as “Saudi Arabia is the fourth largest defense spender in the world,” he pointed out. “They have an army which is probably seven times larger than ISIS; they have a major air force. Their country is run by a royal family worth hundreds of billions of dollars.”  They appear to be a major player in t...

Not much surprises me these days but nothing makes me shake my head more than those whose job is to inform finding hit and miss messages to spread thinking that only controversy sells.  Much like advertisers think that a good product will never reach millions of consumers unless it is attached to barely clothed women or some handsome hunk without a shirt.  Contrary to Wall Street wisdom, sex does not sell, it only directs the mind toward sex and demises the product you are trying to sell but that’s just a layman’s view and apparently it doesn't count. Take for example the recent uproar presented to us by Ed Mazza of the Huffington Post who found it important to waste ink and print room on “President Obama Criticized for 'Latte Salute' While Stepping off Marine One”.  Personally I can think of a billions things that could have occupied this space and our time better than this but then I am not the one who chooses what is plastered on the pages of so-called news magazines....

I say so often that many refuse to admit that media plays a really big part in keeping this nation divided as all other factors reported on.   Media seeks division because it sells and when there are no blow-ups, media can be found to light a few fuses or their choice of those they interview.   CNN choose Donald Rumsfeld to get his opinion about the Syrian airstrike.   Donald Rumsfield, are you kidding me?   Knowing that he would say something to get someone heated was a “no-brainer” and would continue to help sell their brand.   Major known newspaper now publishing an OPED authored by Russia President Putin as if what he has to say is in any way of the slightest importance to the American public. And not let us forget how now the media seems to also be playing games with this administration, giving them something to complain about regardless of which decision or any decision he makes.   Case in point, the same journalist who complained that this ...

When President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize, millions of people began to look at him as weak and many thought that their mantle of Keeping America Safe was safe.   That was until his first major test of the pirates taking over an American Ship and holding the captain hostage.   The normal workings of other countries were to negotiate with the pirates, give them what they wanted and get back their ship and personnel.   That was until Barack Obama stepped to the plate to take a swing at that ball. To many surprise, he ordered the killing of those holding that captain hostage and in the end not only got back the captain, crew, ship and cargo but made all those dreaming to one day become a pirate in that region quickly choose another line of work.   Somali Pirates used to be in the headlines almost daily until they picked the wrong ship and the wrong president to test. Next came the Osama bin Laden raid where many had spoken tough about getting him but ...

Now we all know that one news agency’s mishaps should never be used to paint the entire news industry but it does make it a little bit harder to believe what you hear.  This is another reason why news agencies should wait until they get the whole story before opening their mouths.  Some say that so-called news agencies like the Drudge Report are the cause of much of our discourse but truth be told, it’s now affected larger news companies like ABC. In a rush to make breaking news, journalists are willing to do anything to get the story, even if it causes them to lie.  Someone must be held responsible and take accountability for these actions.  Firing of the journalist is not the solution because they are probably only responding to the pressure from management to get the story.  In the article below written by Alex Seitz-Wald for Salon.com titled “ Watchdogs: ABC “in danger of losing a lot of credibility” on Benghazi saga, “you will proof of this.  ...

Republican National Committee (RNC) offers Political Action Committees (PACs) “access to top RNC leadership throughout the Convention and an opportunity to network with other Fortune 500 Companies and Trade Association executives,” for a fee.   The fee is “a contribution of $15,000 to join the Majority Fund for 2011 and making an additional contribution of $15,000 in 2012.”   The two year membership commitment opens PACs to access to “four credentials and two hotel rooms in Tampa.” What does that really mean and how does this prove how money has taken control of our politics and election?   It is quite safe to assume that any entity that pays this much to have access to our political representatives will eventually get something in return.   No one will pay this much and get nothing in return.   This contribution promises contributors a “Grand Majority Fund status and will be invited to attend and receive premier credentials to special events at the 2012 RNC Co...

For the past few weeks since the protests have been going on in Syria, I had withheld my opinion until I heard Senator Joe Lieberman speak on State of the Union with Candy Crowley.   What was most disturbing about the rhetoric spewed by Mr. Lieberman was asking President Obama for the same type of action that led us into the Iraq War.   The same “go-it-alone” thinking that has so far cost more in lives than it was ever worth. Based on this article written by Bassem Mrque of the Associated Press titled Syria Targets Activists in Pinpoint Raids in which he reports that “e arlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Assad to say he was "greatly disturbed" by the reports of violence. Many Western leaders, including President Barack Obama, have condemned Syria's harsh tactics to quell dissident.   Britain's Foreign Office advised against all travel to Syria because of the violence. It added that "in light of the deteriorating security situation, Br...

The announcement of hiring over 50,000 workers today as provided McDonald’s with news coverage and much hype these few days but what is spoken about is more about image and hat this will do for the unemployment rate.   That’s not the big story because the big story is more about market share. We all know that McDonald’s is the most popular fast food chain in the world to many it is for good reason.   Lately fast food has come under some heat for the kinds of meals that they offer and each time they would adjust but this move is so much more than that.   Annalyn Censky of CNN Money reports in her article titled McDonald's hiring 50,000 workers today that “t he new openings are available across 14,000 restaurants and include crew and management positions, part-time and full-time jobs. The average starting wage is $8 an hour, a McDonald's ( MCD , Fortune 500 ) spokeswoman said.”   This announcement alone would improve any companies’ image but let’s look into the marke...

Lately I have found myself quite bothered by the cable news group and those who are depended on to give us the full story giving us only speculation or flat out lies.   Then this article crossed my path.   It was written by the CNN Wire Staff titled Source CIA operating in Libya, in consultation with opposition. In it they reported that “CIA operatives are providing intelligence from Libya, where opposition forces are on the run and the defiant government suffered the embarrassing defection of its foreign minister Wednesday.   According to the Reuters report, Obama signed the covert aid order, or "finding," within the past few weeks. Such findings are required for the CIA to conduct secret operations, the report said.”   My most trusted information source, MSNBC, made it sound like breaking news and even called it such.   For some who may read this, I am sure you question would be why this is not breaking news?   Simply, it is not breaking news because it ...

It’s time to be real about the small number of political junkies in the country.   I believe those numbers could be greatly increased if cable news shows would adopt one simple change in their presentation of the news. They all present the same news every show and after a while, it becomes not as interesting as it was when it first aired. Many cable news shows think that bringing on the same or a different guest than the previous one will somehow make the story better or more interesting.   It seems that they believe that by providing a different take on the subject, they provide the public with a different view.   That is not the case and to some viewers who seek more from cable news, they are being completely disappointed.   Yes I am a political junkie but I am also human and a few other stories that may not have anything to do with political news could be the difference between increasing your viewership and ratings. Take for example Countdown with Keith Olbe...