The Late Peter Thatcher.

Thankfully this is not an obituary but some musings of the day concerning myself. I have always prided myself on being up to date with current affairs. For years now I have been infuriated with media comment that is passed as news. Much of what I have read in newspapers and heard on radio or even watched on tv that has been declared to be the news has been far from news only. It is comment (usually as far as I am concerned from the BBC) on what is the news of the day. It has been my practise now for a number of years to listen to BBC Radio 2 whilst driving and so I have heard "news bulletins" on the hour many times a day but that did not satisfy my thirst for more of what is going on. Watching the 6 o'clock news became standard practice (as did at 1 o'clock if I happened to be eating lunch at the same time) and the news at 10 followed by newsnight were essential. 

More and more I would become infuriated as I watched goofy reporters in their wellies standing in puddles whilst telling the nation of the floods that they were experiencing. I laughed for ages at the goon that stood in a blizzard with trusty microphone in hand telling the nation what they already knew: "It is snowing!!!!"

Then there were more serious and worrying reports that absolutely incensed me. The day of the disgraceful bombings of the twin towers of New York became a feeding frenzy of nonsensical comment on out televisions. We had a Cuban friend staying with us who was convinced that this was the beginning of the apocalypse. Whilst he was glued to the "news???" report I was more amne more disgusted at what I saw on my screens. It was awful what the terrorists had achieved but the BBC were doing something far more sinister. In the corner of the screen costantly being shown was a 10 second footage of clips of the planes fying into the buildings and later followed by people jumping from upper story windows and finally the towers collapsing.

This is not news:

It is profiteering to the n'th degree! It was garbled comments from media appointed experts, constantly talking about the worst man made disaster on USA soil. It was talk and tell clap trap as 3000 people died. There was no real compassion for the victims or their families. Privacy was invaded and the most private time in a persons life (the passing from time into eternity) was being screened around the world by media magnets who have become rich by their interpretation of  current affairs.

As you can discern I am not the greatest fan of the press who wholeheartedly believe that they are honest brokers (how can the believe such delusionary lies? Especially in the light or recent court cases???). It is said that we have a free press, that is more true than the average punter will ever know. The are free to re-wright our modern history and give it the political slant that pleases their bosses. That to me is a freedom that is in the hands of tyrants and a bondage that the reporters find themselves in. 

I could wax lyrical on these issues all day but must stop being the "grumpy old man" that I am and come back to reality. After all it is the season of mistletoe and holly and all will be jolly. I even went to see the "old man in red" arrive TLooe via a multi reindeer powered lifeboat on Friday evening. It was a great evening of fun and good music from local group "the Huckleberry Finns." Thank you Rob for telling me of the event and to Nathaniel for giving me the excuse to go. If you are in Looe and the "Hucks" are playing give them a hearing they are a blues style band with a great bass player. That in perfect keeping with the subject of this article is my slanted view of the group, you see I know Rob who is THE BASS PLAYER.

There have been 2 events in the last week that have happened without my knowledge. Ever since coming to Looe I have only turned on the tv 3 times (in almost 6 months ) and so I am hopelessly out of touch with current affairs. I could not tell you for instance what is the current value of the £ against the $ or even the Euro (sorry I could not find a euro symbol on the keyboard!) I do not know what the ftse 100 closed at or what the weather is going to do in the next x number of days. All of this means that it was Monday before I heard of the tragic helicopter accident in Scotland. Nelson Mandela died 24 hours before it was drawn to my attention and so in this respect I am 

The Late Peter Thatcher

This now gives me the opportunity to be a new man. I can at last be me without being a slave to an unscrupulous media. I am certainly not saying that it is wrong to be up to date and I am sure that very soon I will redress the balance but I can now live life in the light of what is around me without all of the issues of the world flooding into my living room and moreimportantly into my experience.

I am sure that I am a better  for this and am far more relaxed. As a Christian it is also beneficial. I have enjoyed reading the "Good News!" far more, I have been able to pray more and also am more concerned about local issues than I have ever been. I should not be too surprised at this because I am not filling my mind and spirit with the thoughts and shemes of an ungodly media who are intent on getting their doctrine into the minds of their devotees, thanfully of which I no longer belong.