The Buzz

***Hey, I promise I'll learn how to use Blogger again and make my page a little more interesting! They've changed a few things and I haven't had time to learn how to do some things.

***I've been reading about Irma and the wildfires this morning - keep these people in your prayers, sounds like it's gonna get ugly down in Florida in the next few hours.

***Did you know Democrat Senator Bob Menendez is on trial for bribery? I would be willing to bet you don't, because he's a Democrat. Think a sitting Republican Senator would be getting this kid glove treatment from the press?

It’s the first time a sitting United States senator has faced a federal bribery trial in 36 years, but CBS, ABC and NBC News did not devote any time to the trial in their Thursday night newscasts.

What a surprise.

***And now for some good news:

Hard to believe? Well, here are the facts: Swedish historian Mark Norberg breaks down global indicators of human flourishing into nine categories: food, sanitation, life expectancy, poverty, violence, the state of the environment, literacy, freedom, equality, and the conditions of childhood. And in nearly all of these categories, we've seen vast improvement in my lifetime.

Nicholas Kristof wasn't too far afield when he called 2016 "the best year in the history of humanity." This year may see even more progress.

So why do these cheery pronouncements strike us as inaccurate—even outrageous? Why—according to a recent poll by YouGov—do a vanishingly small six percent of Americans think the world as a whole is becoming a better place?

Burkeman lays much of the blame on the press. Thanks to a 24-hour news cycle that actively seeks out and overplays the worst stories, our perception of the world is skewed. "We are not merely ignorant of the facts," he writes. "We are actively convinced of depressing 'facts' that aren't true." And no wonder! It's hard to sell papers and get Web traffic with good news. No one reports when a plane takes off. They only report when they crash.
 There is good news out there. But don't expect to see it on the evening news.

***



***
Light House and Stormy Sea.

A Beacon of Hope

When out on a ship in the stormy sea,
filled with fear and anxiety,
seeking a refuge in the night,
a strong and steady guiding light
to reassure and relieve the fright,
a lighthouse offers security.

As the lighthouse stands on a distant shore,
giving hope where there was none before,
providing a light that is steady and true,
helping the ship come safely through,
a strong fortress to navigate to,
it's a beacon of hope as the waves crash and roar.

When overcome by life's stormy sea,
frightened and filled with uncertainty,
God is a refuge in the night,
a sure, dependable guiding light,
providing a love that is always bright,
a beacon of hope for you and me.

~ Connie Arnold ~
[ by: Connie Arnold Copyright © 2009 (beautifulmomentsofjoyandpeace@yahoo.com) -- from: Connie Arnold
***
"The American dream has now morphed into an expectation. And if it isn't provided, or if it doesn't happen, then people feel cheated." -- Rush Limbaugh

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