I know, no one is actually listening to me, but I can’t help repeating over and over again how major media outlets continue to frame headlines and reporting to influence readers to believe their narrative. Good grief, I’m so very sick of it!!
Social media is different, you guys. You have a bajillion people spouting their opinions and exercising their 1st amendment rights. Normal people already understand the commentary is skewed per individual.
Major media outlets SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD!
A few examples from major media and social media…
The screenshots from The New York Times are self-explanatory.
The Thomas Massie screenshot is obvious too if you remember that we are not actually engaged in “war” with Iran. We’re in a major undeclared armed conflict with Iran, yes — but Massie’s wording was intended to manipulate the poll to his advantage. After I captured the screenshot above, the “No, trust the President” percentage of votes surpassed the “ending the war” percentage of votes so he closed the poll and removed the post.
The Internet is forever, don’t forget.
The Ilhan Omar screenshot is circulating as fact that she warned Iran before the attack. Many say that’s an act of treason. Common sense says she’d find a different way to pass along intelligence besides her certified X account.
It’s too hard in today’s times to get unbiased information.
Hugo tried to sniff out some unbiased reporting, but he couldn’t find a single major media outlet that didn’t smell like manipulation.
I’ve had decades of experience reading our local paper where news is reported, and opinions fall under a heading that indicates exactly what is to follow. I guess it’s too much to expect the same from major news outlets. 😞
Now you know: The original iPhone that Steve Jobs famously showed on stage in 2007 barely worked and could only just get through the keynote. A stable, final version of the iPhone was not developed until just weeks before global release.
I’ve never traveled to the Middle East, but I have booked speeches there for my favorite brother. I’ve worked with those coordinating events — from one of the largest communications companies in Bahrain — to a world tour partnering with companies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other locations in the UAE.
Of course, I’m thinking about the people I know that live in these areas, and praying for their safety.
Everyone has an opinion on the current military action in Iran.
I understand that Iran has been building ballistic missiles at an alarming rate, and the sooner they are shut down the less effort it takes. Other than that, I’m certainly not privy to information that those currently in power have, and it doesn’t matter if you or I agree… it’s happening.
Crazy that we can watch live cams of the areas in real time and hear the sirens warning of launches from Iran in Tel Aviv, Central Israel, and Jerusalem.
My strongest opinion is this: Any foreign student tweeting “death to America” should be deported immediately.
My 2nd strongest opinion is that Rachel Maddow is goofy and should get a job as a dog walker. I have one hound that could use the exercise, but doubt I’d trust her to even handle that. Her theatrics are pathetic… too over the top for my smart canine.
Since it’s out of our control…
I’m all for being informed on current events and what’s going on in the world in which we live, but I realize that we can not allow things out of our control to consume us.
Looks like I’ll be walking my own dog. 😉
Now you know: In 2016 researchers observed a female orangutan enlist the help of a male to kill another female. This is the first time a female orangutan has been observed killing another female. It’s “highly unusual” that the female enlisted the help of only one other individual & also one of a different sex.
Don’t believe the T-Mobile commercial that tells you how easy it is to switch to their carrier. While it might be that easy for someone… it wasn’t like that at all in my case.
It IS the squeaky wheel that gets the grease!
We started the switch from AT&T to T-Mobile on 2/10/26. Two new phones arrived on 2/12/26. Ben’s phone came the following day. Everything was GREAT until we started doing the actual switching. It’s like we could SEE the sky at the end of the barndo, but it was far, far away.
I’ve met a bunch of people at T-Mobile throughout the process:
Person #1 switched me to “a better plan for the same price.”
Person #2 said don’t activate the 2 phones until the 3rd one was chosen.
Person #3 and Person #4 said you can’t order phone #3 until the first 2 are activated.
Person #5, a supervisor, said to add a line (and walked me through it), then said to call and cancel the extra line after receiving the phone. Said it would be easy.
Person #6 added phone #3 and ported the number, but said the supervisor would call me to cancel the extra line.
He never did so I call back AGAIN.
After more than 5 hours on the phone trying to straighten out the mess, my call was automatically escalated and routed to Alex, who claimed he was “as high up as you can get.”
By this point, I wasn’t the only one that was tired of the runaround…
We all love our phones and I THINK Alex fixed us. Sort of…
Alex changed our plan (back to what I had before rep #1 changed it), performed a whole bunch of other slight of hand tricks, and we now have 4 lines for 3 people with 3 phones… and the price is (AT LEAST THE PROMISED PRICE) is reasonable. Alex explained it would cost $49 more to remove the 4th line, so there’s that. 🙂
The T-Mobile commercial says it’s a 10-minute process… ours was more like 10 days. Let’s hope it was worth it.
Now you know: United Airlines Flight 232, despite 112 out of 296 onboard dying, is considered to be one of the most impressive landings in aviation history. Pilots failed to copy the accident & landing on simulators. UA232 helped make Crew Resource Management, a new concept, standard practice in airplanes.
There’s something pretty amazing about brainstorming small kitchen design ideas with a tool powered by artificial intelligence.
Recently, I asked ChatGPT for backsplash ideas for my small kitchen.
I wasn’t looking for a complete renovation plan — just inspiration. Something fresh, clean and timeless. A backsplash is essential above a stove in my opinion… I’m sick of scrubbing the wall paint.
I took a quick photo and uploaded it…
Within seconds, I had two examples — both were light-reflecting subway tile to open up the space. One in cream, (which is more muted and earthy), and one in white (like the ceiling I guess?).
Instead of scrolling endlessly through Pinterest or second-guessing samples from our local Home Depot, I was able to refine ideas in real time. Home decor used to mean stacks of magazines and hours of searching. Now, it can start with a simple conversation.
The problem now is that I like them both!
When technology meets home decor, it doesn’t just save time — it builds confidence. There is a point; however, that you can’t just ask AI which one THEY prefer.
Well… actually, I guess I can…
Me: Hey Jack (the name given to my ChatGPT robot dude), which one of the two colors of tile do you like best? Jack: With the coloring of your cabinets, I actually prefer cream over bright white for your backsplash. Cream complements that warmth instead of fighting it. Bright white next to pine cabinets can look stark and slightly “builder basic” or unfinished.
And then… ChatGPT told me to check out one more option…
Do you have a preference?
Stay tuned because I’m going to be ordering tile later this week!
Now you know: During World War II, a Great Dane named Juliana was awarded the Blue Cross Medal for extinguishing an incendiary bomb by peeing on it. Good girl!
There was a time when it was normal for people to tune in to their favorite TV station for news at 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Often times, experts in the field of whatever was being discussed (talking heads) would be on the panel. News anchors would ask questions and these experts would share their knowledge and experiences.
The sun has set on those days…
Talking heads have their own platforms now.
The days when you could watch your favorite TV news anchors for free is no longer enough. So you pay for Internet and most likely a streaming service to go with it. (Either that, or you pay for cable Internet/TV.) You still get commercials when you pay… just like when it was free. And talking heads get little traction because they’re out there giving those same thoughts away for free on social media platforms.
Retired FBI agents, non-practicing criminal defense attorneys, retired law enforcement… the list goes on and on. You can simply follow them on X (formerly Twitter) and get their opinion long before it airs on news channels. You can subscribe to their content and hop on their daily chats — and ask them questions yourself.
If that’s not enough, you can also follow the reporters as they’re in the field — they tell you what’s going on before it’s ever reported in the “news.”
So what will the future look like?
I certainly have no clue, but changes — and chaos — seem to be ramping up in real time.
The only thing I know for sure is almost all the snow here at the barndo has melted. There are only a few spots in the shade that have a bit of white hanging around.
Now you know: In 2013, a Burger King cook (who’d worked there for 24 years) was fired for taking home a sandwich, fries & a drink after her manager claimed she had only asked permission for a sandwich & accused her of stealing. However, a judge ruled that the cook did not intend to steal the food & awarded her $46,000.
