Ignorance abounds

It's the kind of news day where everything just feels like more of the same insanity. I lack inspiration. There's a new report out warning that Iran is farther along with their nuclear program than previously thought. Pakistan is in an existential struggle, its nukes in the balance. D.C. stupidity never ceases, but has ceased, for the moment, to amaze. Yawn.

For some inexplicable reason, Obumbler's popularity has, once again, sprung back from the brink of going negative - it was at +1 just a few days ago (an all time low), and is now back to +7, a level unseen since the middle of last month. Guess eating hamburgers (with Dijon mustard) with the Veep is good for the image. I was cruising the web, looking for something worth thinking about. All I found was bad news. Rasmussen, in addition to the numbers above, informs us that 38% say the U.S. is headed in the right direction - a five year high! How could anyone think an accelerating spiral into fascism is the right direction? Too depressing for words.

Then it hit me. Looking at Fox News, the top headlines spoke of a student being killed and a gunman on the loose, double trouble in Afghanistan, a new nuke warning on Iran and "Islam Day" in Hawaii. All stories that certainly don't indicate that anything is headed in the right direction. Scrolling down a bit, I came to their "Latest News," "Most Read" and "Urgent Queue" tabs. Bored, I decided to see what others had been reading...maybe there'd be something interesting there? So I clicked on "Most Read." There I found the wisdom of the ages. Or at least a bit of enlightenment. Want to guess what your fellow citizens are interested in? Keep in mind that this is on Fox News, that notoriously right-wing lunatic website. Here's the list of headlines:

Face Transplant Recipient: 'I'm Not a Monster'

Giant Spiders Invade Australian Outback Town

Ten Years Later, Boy's 'Hand of Hope' Continues to Spark Debate

You're Fired? Carrie Prejean Awaiting Verdict Over Provocative Pictures

Missing New York Teen's Mom 'Not Satisfied' Police Cleared Boys

Surgeons Suspended for Abandoning Patient in OR

British Charity Worker Wins 'Best Job in the World'

Patch of Israel Desert Is Oldest Place on Earth

U.S. Navy Unveils New High-Tech Ship Called USS Freedom That Can Fight Pirates

'Dancing With the Stars' Results: Lil' Kim Is the Big Bootee

Now I understand. It's pretty easy to think that the country's headed in the right direction when you have no idea whatsoever what is going on in the world! Ten stories listed as the most read, on the website voted "Most Likely to Start a Revolution" by Homeland Security, and not a single one would give the reader the tiniest inkling of what's happening around them. Ignorance will surely be the death of us all.

I've decided that I'm not going to allow those around me to remain ignorant. At least not completely. Effective immediately, I hereby pledge to enlighten at least one person each day with some piece of real news. As I see it, there are two possible outcomes. Either they appreciate the information and seek me out for more in the future, or they are offended or annoyed by the information and avoid me for all time. If the former, I've helped the cause. If the latter, I'll have one less pain in the ass liberal around to piss me off. Win-win, don't you think?