Friday, November 16, 2007

News of Today....Shocking Stuff....and a Sad Commentary on Our Nation's Unwillingness to Help the Less Fortunate

Today's Headlines:


Okay. May I just say....fascinating story. Really. Another Hollywood starlet drives drunk, again, and is harshly punished by having to spend less than an hour and a half behind bars. For those of you who have failed to keep up with this riveting case, let me recap: Ms. Lohan was cited for drunken driving offenses twice, the first time when she crashed her Mercedes into a tree. Both instances, Ms. Lohan was found to be in possession of cocaine. But hey, they were small amounts of cocaine so let's not get too carried away with the condemnation of the poor dear. The judge, a severe taskmaster if ever there was one, sentenced her to four days in jail, which is the mandatory minimum for a second drunken driving offense. (He then gave her credit for 24 hours already served.) Ms. Lohan then opted to complete 10 days of community service (would love to know what that entailed!) in lieu of 48 hours in jail (thank goodness she was given that choice!), thereby bringing her total plea deal to this: she had to enter treatment (and goodness knows she could afford the best in rehab/spa locations), spend a day in jail (since when did a day translate to 84 minutes????) and perform that mysteriously unknown community service. Wow. When I think of that pitiful child languishing behind bars (or rather, in the inmate reception area) for those long, painful 84 minutes, I get all choked up. Luckily, I've become nearly immune from the outrage I used to feel at the way our justice system treats sad, defenseless girls like Lindsay and Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton. I mean, after suffering along with Paris in her tribulations and then witnessing the degradation that sad little Nicole endured with her 82 minutes in jail (also for her 2nd DUI conviction, but who's counting, right?), well....I'm pretty much drained of my ability to stand up and fight against such atrocities. That's what happens when we, as a society, don't stand up and defend the first victim...it becomes that much easier to stand silently by when the next person is targeted. And the next. And the next and so on. Soon, we've lost the ability to defend even the most precious amongst us...like Little Lindsay Lohan. (heavy sigh, heavy heavy sigh). Seems like our nation's willingness to show sympathy and support for those less fortunate has gone the way of my Christmas Decorating spirit...that is to say, into a black hole from which I fear it may never be recovered. Ah well...what can you do? Lindsay, Paris, Nicole...they're all young and strong and I'm sure they'll bounce back from what our country has done to them. Now Britney? Whoa, now. That's a whole different story. Just don't even get me started!

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P.S. I have got to quit reading the news online. Remember when your mom used to tell you that if you "kept rolling your eyes like that", they'd stick that way? I'm afraid that's what's going to happen to me if I read one more piece of "news" like this. And what is "news" anyway? I thought it was stories of things we needed to know. But I was wrong, Scooter. "News" is whatever titillates our senses...the dumber, the more salacious and the more vacuous the better, apparently. Geez. I weep for the future of our country. I truly, truly do. The good news is, we'll be too stupid to realize we're sinking into oblivian because our I.Q.'s will have been lessened so much by garbage like this "news" story. Hey, who says there's not a silver lining in everything, eh?

23 comments:

  1. Well let's just hope that Lindsay has the same life-altering experience that Paris had after her unfortunate incarceration. She's a down model citizen now, right? Right???

    Love,
    Julie

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  2. This is terrible! Imagine 84 whole minutes! What hell she must have gone through. How could the judge have imposed such a severe penalty?? My heart just aches for her - and her friends who have also had to suffer this hardship. Is there no one who will step up and stop this madness?? Someone must protect these lovelies. What is the world coming to?

    Now excuse me while I barf!!!

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  3. Yes, I thought that was just pathetic when I read about it myself!!! What is that teaching her? What does that say about the power of celebrity? What does that do to help her whatsover? Just sick!

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  4. 84 minutes! WOW What happen to that cute little girl who was in the Parent Trap movie? Do you remember how cute she was? Really sad. Too much - too young and where are their parents?

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  5. kari~ I is so sad to think that these are the idols our teens try to be like. Speaking of idols... did you see cute Kelly Pickler on smarter than a 5th grader? She is Not!
    Bless Her Heart =D

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  6. OH I love your music player...may have to stay a while...as to Lindsey and Mel and Paris and all the rest...you did know they call it Lala land, right? MADD should take them on, but what would be the point, the judges out there apparently don't give a rats ass if these twinkle toed idiots kill someone while they are snorting, smoking or popping...just spell their names right...
    love ya
    Aunt Sandi

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  7. Just another reminder that having it all isn't that great of a lifestyle after all...
    Hope you have a great weekend Kari! (try not to read the online news!)

    Annie

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  8. It never ceases to amaze me what people with money can get away with.

    If it had been me, I would have ended up in there for a lot longer than 84 minutes!

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  9. I know this makes me sick. My hubby lost a sister and niece to a drunk driver. It just boils my bllod. Our youth look up to these ladies..what kind of moms???what kind of ladies???
    Sad Sad

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  10. Way too much attention is paid to this little "you know whats"...one of the reasons I don't watch "entertainment" shows any more...

    I hope your day got better!

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  11. Oh what a horrible thing for sweet little Lindsey had to endure. I can only imagine the fear and pain she experienced...the loneliness...the trauma. I hear she had to go 84 whole minutes without a cigarette, a beer and a man. AND they made her take out her navel ring. Shameful treatment of
    an actress. I mean, when will our judges learn that ladies of HER ilk are ABOVE the law? For her to do 84 minutes of torture is unthinkable. I do hope she can rally and find the strength to go clubbing tonight. What would we do if we did not have Brit and Paris and Nicole and Lind to read about? We would be reduced to reading books. BOOKS! Books with no Hollywood celebs in them. I can not imagine that.

    OH geezie whizzie have I ever missed you!! I am loving catching up here and promise to do better in the future. I have been thinking about you though. Thank you for not forgetting me!

    Love,
    Sue

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  12. Lindsay who?

    Say, you just keep listening to your fabulous Christmas selection and you'll be back out of that black hole in no time.

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  13. Ok the music player wasn't up when I posted before. WOOHOO!!! I'm sure you've seen the video of the house lights choreographed to the Trans Siberian Orchestra. Everyone has. BUT...if for some reason you haven't, let me know. I saved it.

    Love,
    Julie

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  14. I just found this too!! Thought you would love it. A Star Wars Christmas!
    http://www.blueharvest.net/sound/songs/meco-christmas_in_the_star

    Love,
    Julie

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  15. Sad, sad, sad! Sickening too! That's just one more reason I don't watch much TV.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

    Hugs!
    Kat

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  16. So sad for them to be wasting their time this way. I love your awesome Christmas music. Noone could stay in a bad mood after all that beautiful music. I plan to visit and listen to it whenever I am down. Thanks Mary

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  17. Very well said! It sickens me to know the things that "celebrities" get away with. I think there should be much harsher punishment for anyone who commits DUI.

    Great Christmas music!

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  18. I've never quite understood why we, as a society, revere these people so much.

    I guess it's kinda like watching a trainwreck...what's going to happen next. Ugh!

    I have to agree about the music...I usually can't stand music on blogs, but this is awesome!

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  19. Though I see how unfair this is, all I can think about is how I always get the feeling that they don't know a single person in their lives who actually cares about them~ that must be absolutely horrifying to live with...
    Though I do agree, they should be given fair sentences. I just wish it could be done privately, not as gossip page or "world news" fodder.

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  20. It's no wonder they think they are above us mere mortals - laws apply to us but not to them - they think they can do whatever they like & get away with it.

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  21. Okay, more news stories please!!!Also, go over and get the recipe gift I have for everyone...baby girl, even you can make this one!
    love ya
    Aunt Sandi

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  22. One of my coworkers is organizing to send some things to the soldiers and she asked me if I knew anyone there and their address and name and I thought about you, you must know. Please let me know, she is collecting journals, cameras, etc.
    Please...

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  23. I too get so sick of this stuff. Who cares, really...not me! Mostly they all act like brats. They should be treated like average Joe but think they can get away with anything.

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