RADIO NEWS

As I drive about in the Washington, D.C. area, I usually am tuned-in to a radio station that provides traffic, weather & news. Traffic updates are plentiful, so I'm forewarned. The service provided is good.

However, the news part suffers from a basic lack of "news sense." It's a station that desperately wants to inform about "lone wolf" terrorists around every corner, especially "home-grown" terrorists. When not reporting on "lone wolf" terrorists, it likes to focus on the "Iranian threat." Often Israeli "experts" provide balanced assessments. It also likes to talk about anti-semitism and "hate-crimes" against Blacks, Hispanics and Gay-Bisexual-Transgender people. Anti-abortionists are presented in terms otherwise used for Iranian leaders.

The sad case of Trayvon Martin has been featured lately. The man who shot him was originally described as "white" and subsequently as "Hispanic" and "Catholic." Because the shooter graduated from an area high school, there have been some effort to unearth data about him from locals who knew him.

In the reports that I've heard on this radio station, the shooting took place in a "gated community." It occurred at night. The weather was rainy. Trayvon Martin wore a black hoodie, carried candy, carried a cup of tea and was talking on his cell phone to his girlfriend.

He was spotted by a community "watch guard" and followed. The spotter was George Zimmermann, who alerted police that a suspicious Black man was in his community. Against the advice of authorities George Zimmerman, who was armed with a hand gun, followed Trayvon Martin. The latter noticed Zimmermann and informed his girlfriend that he was being followed. Apparently, some brief confrontation occurred just prior to the fatal shot.

A material piece of information was left out of all the reports to which I listened. Did Trayvon Martin intrude into the "gated community" or was his home part of that community? Because of the rainy weather, did he decide to take a "short-cut? Had this "gated community" suffered from crimes committed by intruders? Were there instances of previous intrusions in which the police were called but slow to appear? Were there any signs indicating that the property was "for members only?"

To understand the shooting better, the reporters should have developed such information. As far as I can learn, they did not, preferring to "talk up" the racial angle.

Incidentally, this station - last I heard - was owned by a group of Mormons. 40% to 60% of its news reporters and "experts" seem to be Jewish. It was previously owned by the reprobate The Washington Post Company. Hence, there is a sort of historical imperative in its reporting to "explain what's important" to the "great unwashed" of D.C.

It will be interesting to see if the concept of "gated communities" falls under attack as elitist and undemocratic.

OFFICE PROTOCOL

Today, I made a delivery to an office in north Arlington (VA). The item happened to be a blue truck with flowers. It wasn't a subpoena or any other legal document. I didn't feel obliged to be grim and terse. In fact I decided to be a bit flippant, composing a fictional origin for the sender of the item I carried.

My destination was a business that styled itself "Imagine Schools" (or some such). I took an elevator to the appropriate floor and entered the office of Imagine Schools.

"Here is a gift from Yoko Ono and the spirit of John Lennon," I announced to the young woman at the front desk. As she looked at me with a deadpan expression, saying nothing, I further ventured, "It is intended for L--- E---. Does that ring any bells?" She replied, "Yes."

I had her sign for the gift as a proof of delivery and left. As I waited for the elevator, I saw her walking from her front desk area, holding the blue truck bearing flowers.

Later, I was to learn that she had emailed the source of the blue truck with flowers to complain that she had suffered a racist remark from the delivery man who, she alleged, called her "Yoko Ono."

I assured the source that that was not the case, accurately repeating the expression I had used to humorously preface my delivery.

I explained to the source that "Imagine" is the title of a song by a famous singer, John Lennon. His wife and soul-mate was Yoko Ono. They had declared that they were two bodies with one soul. They were really tight.

Hence, I thought that a business that styled itself "Imagine Schools" might find some humor in my referencing Yoko Ono and the spirit of John Lennon (he's deceased now). For all I knew, the business title may have been a homage to Lennon's famous song. No way Jose! (Oooopps!)

The woman manning the front desk was deeply offended and down right pissed. Hence, her email to my business associate who was the source of the gift.

Incidentally, guess what this woman's last name was? Sing! I kid you not.