I'll admit that I watch far too much television....not good for the brain or the waistline. I enjoy the National Geographic, PBS and History channels. I try to watch the news at least once a day, but that seems to be like sitting through a horror flick at times. I've come across those 'reality' shows, and some, (albeit few) have lessons to be learned. These programs run the gambit from sad to silly, boring to belittling, inspiring to insipid.
MSNBC portrays the life of inmates that are incarcerated in jails or prisons. I've learned that the U.S.A. has nicer facilities than many countries... that there may indeed be such a thing as 'evil' and that prisons aren't for the weak of stomach. The networks are big on the disease of Addiction- food and prescriptions, chalk eating and animal hoarding. I've learned that just about anything and everything can be the source of debilitating compulsions. There are broadcasts profiling people with myriad disabilities. Often, these people are shown striving and doing well...inspiring others to keep on trying. Then there are hours on the rearing of large families and dysfunctional domestic mammals. It seems that cows do much better when on a set daily schedule and that twenty-nine children are truly too many.
Do you know that a man became pregnant? ('He' was really a 'she', originally.) And did you know that kangaroo tails are an Aboriginal staple... french fries aren't French and pizza is not Italian?
Oh, I could go on for pages, but you might become bleary-eyed or nauseous. Now though, Channel 67931 is airing the rerun of "A Visit to Downtown Philly." Popcorn, anyone?
