As sad and unfortunate as this sort of thing may be I have to agree with "samhain" and say I would rather hear about current events of some weight than the usual celebrity drivel. We are a nation with people dying in a war and spending our children's inheritance to do it. We are facing a series of potentially cataclysmic problems in the near future like transitioning away from cheap energy and facing the simple fact that the planet has hard and fast limits on our growth and lifestyle.

But the main issues in nearly every news outlet for a week was how a couple of vacuous overpaid bimbos were misbehaving. So one flashed her cooter and another did three days in adult day-care. Presumable she was kept diapered. This is par for the course, not news. I'm not saying it can't be reported but there are certainly enough celebrity rags and TV shows for anyone who feels they need to know such things. When I turn on the news I want news not gossip.

The shooting qualifies as news in my book. LEO shoots six in jealous rage qualifies. I wonder about the folks going into law enforcement. Seems to me other western nations screen their police better. Of the ones I have personal contact with many seem to be some combination of insecure punks, drunks, bullies, misogynists and/or borderline personalities. In far higher percentages than the normal populations. Many seem to be looking to compensate for their shortcomings by hiding behind a gun, a badge, a stick and an attitude. Maybe the other nations just cover up their failures better but I really think they are better at screening those they give authority to.

Of course some of the problem is that the US has a culture of quick fixes and easy answers. If you have a problem there is always an easy answer. Often a pill. If a pill won't get it too many turn to the other panacea of the American lifestyle, violence. Usually with a gun. A labor saving modern convenience I suppose.

I'm not pushing for gun control. Just some thought about the culture we have built. One which says if your upset or feeling bad you don't look at your own behavior or ask for help. You go out and hurt someone. Essentially you have a temper tantrum. Make noise and blindly hurt people until you get the love and treatment you you are sure you deserve. A gun is just a really efficient way of making noise and hurting people.