The Decline of the Printed News

 

Whenever I read a news article, I tell myself - that's  how decline of journalism looks and feels like. One of the major  reasons for this decline is the rise of the competing digital media platforms (internet, mobile phone), but not only.

There seems to be no critical, experienced eye on the material before it gets published - and that  sometimes leads to shameful spelling errors, and factual inaccuracies.  

We would expect a true journalist to ensure that the facts are correct, verified , balanced,  and objective, that the  sources on which the published story is  based are available to the reader, to make it credible to him. But in most cases, no such thing.

Recently, two well-known journalists were sued by the PM, for writing  lies about his health. I'm rather surprised.  After all, they,  the journalists, should know better than us, the ordinary people, what's possible and what not in this defamation game.

To write about someone's health you should have before your eyes a valid document, such as a doctor's report. They probably didn't have one, but based their assumptions on rumors and speculations.

So, they'll probably pay compensations to the suing party, unless they can convince the judge that a man in the PM's position should perhaps directly disclose his real health conditions to the public. 

We don't have to guess about it or rely on various questionable sources to reach a conclusion.We should know the truth, and nothing but the truth, about the man that runs the country and its people.

                                                                                                *(AI image generator)

The Inseparable Bond

 

As a young boy, my elder brother Hersh (diminutive version: Hershole),  spent a lot of time in the kitchen alone or with Mum. He liked the place and learned in it all aspects of food preparation.  

He also liked to be close to Mother, and she to him. During the Holocaust, they got separated ; he as a child of four was put in an orphanage whereas my mother was placed in ghetto Mogilev , Ukraine to face hunger, beating, sickness.

After returning from the Hell of Ukraine,   mother and son  became inseparable. 

Despite his obvious preference for the kitchen, he was not encouraged , though, to choose a culinary profession; it was not considered proper for young men .  At that time, young men were persuaded to acquire a technical or commercial line of profession.

Hersh (official name - Herman), liked neither of the above two categories. Besides  attraction to culinaria (and to amateur soccer), he had musical aptitudes, and wished to study music, precisely, violin playing. The sad truth was that we lived in a small town with no musical school and possibilities.  Culinary professional school or courses were inexistant either. My parents didn't have the means to keep him at studies in another town.

 So, he went on studying the violin with a private teacher, and in the meantime studied commerce and accounting to get a certificate that would enable him to start working and earn a living.

Years later, in Israel, he acquired a technical profession too, but lost any ambition for culinaria . He liked to cook for friends and family, displaying  his great skills on the matter, but nothing more. 

The inseparable bond between mother and son tragically came to an end,  in 1998 when Hersh died untimely (at  age 58.5)  during a tour abroad with his wife. The tragic irony was his final collapse  - while watching the Mondial  (Soccer World Cup) on TV (soccer being a great passion of his).

After his death I wrote a few words in all my three languages : romanian, hebrew, english.

"Hersh, my beloved brother  /Tall, handsome, a real charmer. Suddeny taken away from me, while on a trip to Hungary.

As a Holocaust child survivor/ You should've been given more years/  To wipe out your childhood suffering and tears".

Paper Shredder

Several years ago, I bought a small, cheap paper shredder to dispose of confidential documents.  I've barely used it in the past. Now,  with my decluttering projects, I've discovered it.

It shreds 2 minutes and  rests....45 minutes !

That's even written (in small print) on a label placed on the front  (shredding cycle 2 min, pause 45 min). Haven't seen the label till now.    I checked the instructions. Unbelievable! It's written there too.  

Who sells such a device? Who's the stupid person (Me, me) to buy such an item?

0f course, it soon got on my nerves , and I decided to take care of my documents, manually. 

I've learnt two things from this experience - both already known to us :1.   cheap is expensive 2. one should carefully read instructions before starting work (I could have immediately returned it to the store) and pay careful attention to any label on the front or bottom of the device.

Anyway, I might have to buy a more solid  shredder that will do proper work for old CDs  floppy diskets, credit cards. ( buying a new item?!  - here goes my decluttering principle).

I know things could be destroyed manually, but it's not that effective, and not without risks. 

Perhaps the better devices also have the same working cycle (which is probably meant to prevent motor overheating). Who knows? What a disappointment!

Paper  Shredder  (AI  picture generator)