“FAKE News” has been the battle cry of the Trump Presidency, especially in regard to the media that most consider reliable, hones and unbiased.
The latest fake news seems to concentrate on the election result which was not what Donald Trump wanted even though nearly all the polls predicted this although overestimating the lead.
Most of the time it is easy to determine what is fake or real news although the latest incident ‘Landscapinggate” is beyond understanding. The online rumors, gossip, and perhaps straight out lies or maybe even the truth suggest the announcement for a Four Seasons media conference by Rudy Giuliani was moved as the hotel didn’t want it, so it was reannounced as Four Seasons Landscaping, specifically the car park.
There is much symbolism in that apparently there is a crematorium on one side reflecting that the plans for a second Trump presidency are now just a pile of ashes. On the other side is a “Sex” shop, reminding people of the rumors, unproven, of some misdemeanors in the private life of Trump.
The venue itself is an industry that can supply as much manure as any politician could throw around. The business may need to get more manure given that it is suddenly world-famous.
The only true news that can be relied on is that President-Elect Joe Biden will provide a more stable presidency. Well done, Sir.
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Strange civic disobedience
Today I went to the library to pick up a book, the John Bolton book “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir”. The library has been open since Monday as the COVID restrictions are eased but this was the first appointment time that I could get, for a 20-minute visit as only 10 are allowed in at any given time.
I had to wear a mask and provide proof of who I was, and hand sanitize before I got in. This may seem a bit extreme but our state of five million people has had no new cases or deaths for 12 days so it may be worth it.
I was annoyed to see a person trying to bypass this restriction, not really a capital crime and yet not wearing a mask could lead to people dying.
There are also more people just carrying their mask rather than wearing it and a number of anti-COVID restriction people who refuse to wear them and then complain when they are fined. For some it is just laziness but for some it is a conspiracy-driven rebellion.
Like most. I find the masks annoying but wear them as they are compulsory by law in Victoria (Australia) with five million people, and masks being worn no new cases for almost two weeks. In America with over 300 million people and masks often not being worn, over 100,000 new cases a day.
I know it is a world of fake news, but this is simple – wear a mask and save lives. Please. (dfitzger@melbpc.org.au/PN)
