Non-Authorities as Authorities

In "Within the Context of No Context," George Trow states: "Only an expert can deal with a problem. Only an expert or a pleasant man on television with access to experts. Only an expert or a man on television who knows how to welcome an expert or a problem or love for a problem. An expert or man on television or---in certain cases, an expert trained in the modes of action---a matron. In the age of no-authority, these are the authorities."

This comment from Trow makes me think about our love of talk shows, hosted by the likes of Dr. Phil, Oprah, Montel Williams, and Maury Povich, whose programs often feature various problems experienced by today's society. The guests are counciled, sometimes admonished, and questioned before millions of viewers. Yet for such personal insights into their lives, how much are these displays really worth to the audience, many of whom are seemingly addicted to these shows for the entertainment value? While we may actually learn something from their programs or feel some sense of superiority for not having the same hardships experienced by the guests, the displays, to me, seem to trivialize the suffering of those with the same afflictions, taking the programs down to the level of circus shows. I've always felt such matters should be kept personal and handled accordingly. I will allow that in some cases, the airing of a problem is beneficial to society, expecially if the problem is a rare one that needs to be made known to the populace to facilitate greater understanding. However, great care should be taken when choosing the expert to work with.

When you throw in the likes of Jerry Springer into the mix, the credibility of talk show hosts becomes even more questionable. With so many followers waiting for their hosts' next words and recommendations, should such loyalty be indicative of their (the hosts') expertise in any given matter? How did we become so reliant on talk shows to help us solve our problems?

Johnny

Rita's most recent blog entry inspired this. Besides, he's too irresistable to not show off!

My obstetrician's delivery bill: $1700

39 months-worth of diapers: thousands

The little boy that's been locked up inside finally coming out to greet the world: Priceless!

Lullaby

As Hurricane Gustav pounds New Orleans and the surrounding area and the political scene gains momentum with more mudslinging and dirty laundry, I am reminded of a song by Loreena McKennitt that blends the sweetness of a child's lullaby with the stormy words of William Blake as narrated by Douglas Campbell. It seems appropriate for the moment.

At this time, Gustav not only pounds the Gulf Coast, but also pounds against my head in the form of high barometric pressure (I'm a human barometer down here), bringing me painful sinus pressure and the early signs of a migraine. Tonight, I'm more inclined to rest than to work. Since I'm not able to transfer the video to this entry, I've at least supplied the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xBLYMSgxCE

Finishing What You've Started

One of my worst habits is beginning a project and failing to complete it. I become distracted by other tasks that call for my attention then I forget about what I was doing before. In my spare room, I have two or three projects that sit unfinished and collecting dust. I have my genealogy research project that is an ongoing labor of love and will take years before it is ever completed. I have also been compiling family photos, which compliment my family research. The third project was initially begun as a way to entertain my friends via internet but started to take on a life of its own. It is a ghost story which now languishes in purgatory like a real spirit in a little cubby at my computer desk. I currently have about nine pages of text, but it would be much longer than that by now had I kept up with it. Being my first attempt at story writing, there's much room for improvement, but my intended audience was pleased with my work all the same. I was in the middle of the story when I learned that we would be moving to Texas. I had to drop the story and focus on preparations for the move. I've never gotten around to returning to my tale. I admit that I was having fun doing the third project; I love to write fiction, and ghosts are my favorite subject matter. I keep telling myself that I need to finish what I've started, but I always find other things that need attention: dishes and laundry needs washed, my son's school gear needs to be readied for another day, etc. My distractions are many. Of course, I'm also a classic procrastinator and always have been, so that trait doesn't help any. Perhaps like this blog, I need to make myself get into the habit of spending a short amount of time on it each night.

All of us have some sort of unfinished pet projects sitting around. What's your unfinished project, and why does it remain unfinished?