cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

The power of the media, Classic Vinyl and the Times, landfill your TV and plastic women

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Well, back for another week and things are rolling along okay at cktimes.ca. I'm working hard day in and day out to try to make this little project work. It ain't easy, folks, trying to establish a regional newspaper all by your lonesome. But I believe Chatham-Kent and planet earth need a positive alternative to the negative, sensationalist mainstream media. The community of Wallaceburg learned firsthand last week how the media can gang tackle you on an issue. A game-ending fight that cleared the benches in a minor hockey game quickly found itself in the national spotlight with reports of 400 fans involved in the altercation and a real mayhem. Of course, the real story was a bunch of high-spirited young hockey players who couldn't hold their emotions in check, but it was quickly blown out of all proportion and took a couple of days to straighten itself out. Strange how the media works – or doesn't work, as the case may be.

And then there's the power of the internet. This past week, I received a letter to the editor from New York City. A New Yorker with an interest in the electric blues of the 1960's had stumbled on my Classic Vinyl column on Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield. He took the time out to e-mail me to tell me that he thought I was right on the money with my comments. He also said he was going to contact the New York Times to let them know where they could find some good journalism. Strange, but true. So, it's possible that this week cktimes has made it to the editor's desk at the Times. If we keep at it, folks, it's only a matter of time before we start to break through and make a real mark in the world of journalism. We need to try to create some positive vibes in this old world. There's way too much negative junk out there and it's dragging us all down. Think about it and do what you can to change things.

This week, while visiting a friend, I got to see my first five munites of Fear Factor. Man, is that a disgusting piece of TV and it left me wondering if there's anything that people won't do for money. I mean, let's get a life people – is money that important that you'd eat bugs for some of the green stuff. It just makes me angry that people are forced to resort to these grotesque actions just for cash. It's sickening. So are all these other things that people are doing in reality shows these days. Check out Brian Horrobin's Pastoral Lens this week to read about another reality show and how Brian feels it's corrupting the morals of society. It really is too bad that there's no such thing as a corporate conscience – in other words, it would be nice if corporate America (read Canada as well) would make some effort to police itself and place some limits on itself. Take a show like Friends which appeals to young people. In the little bit of the show I've seen, the characters seem to take turns sleeping with each other. Take Seinfeld. Now admittedly, I've not seen too much of this show either. But in nearly every episode I've seen, the main storyline has revolved around George, Jerry or Elaine getting into bed with someone. Thank heavens for Kramer. The point is that while these shows may be funny, they are also helping precipitate the moral decline of our society. And the people running the big TV networks have to know what they're doing. They just don't seem to care. As long as they're continuing to make money, anything goes. It's a sad testimony to our society and something I wish could be set straight. It's weird, but back in the 1950's when television was new, it was hailed as a great new innovation in the world of education. It could have been such a positive force in our society. Now the best place for your TV is in the town landfill site. It's the truth.

Remember the people around you. Life can be a difficult place for a lot of people and most of the time it's other people who make it difficult. I continue to think that we could straighten the whole mess out with a little cooperation and togetherness. I keep hearing that this is just the way of the world and I should get used to it. Well, I won't get used to anything about this planet until things start to get a little more fair for more of the population. It's just the way I feel.

How about all the awards shows that are currently making the rounds. And, man, are there a lot of them. I can't even begin to keep track. But have you watched any of the openings to these shows when the stars arrive. Man, what a plastic, fantastic bunch! I know that guys like me are supposed to flip our wigs over Nicole Kidman and the rest, but these ladies don't do a thing for me. They are too perfect. They look like they've been molded not born. I know it's weird, but I prefer ordinary people, women included.

Pretty well out of time for another week. Glad you're continuing to read along with cktimes. Plenty of great writing each week and lots of positive stuff going on in our community. Take care and count down to spring.

And remember....."Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may."



John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.