Giving-thanks...Something We Ought To Do More Often.

     As we approach Thanksgiving week, forever my favorite holiday time of year, I find myself doing a little internal audit on my frequency for "Giving-thanks" and I must say, I could do a lot better.  I'd bet a lot of us could do a lot better, but in todays avalanche of news, the so-called explosion in information technology, there's damn little good news out there....UNLESS.....you go looking for it!!

     Oh it's there...but you've got to go looking for it.  My family recently lost my Mother-in-law at the age of 102. (bad news)  My Mother is about to celebrate 93-years and all things considered, she's doing well. (good news)   I don't need to tell which of the two events above made the newspapers.     One guy tells a TSA worker at the airport..."you touch my junk I'll have you arrested." (bad news)  Five thousand other passengers accept the TSA scrutiny at the same airport, leave on their trip without incident (good news) and I ask you again, which of the two scenarios above made the newspapers, radio, TV, the internet  and everything viral?

     This is not a new phenomenon however.  It pains me to say it, but I can take you back close to fifty years when I was covering student street demonstrations in Boston.  I remember one riotous situation at  Boston University, in the late 60's when about fifty students were trying to take over the B.U. Presidents office and overturned a car out on Commonwealth Avenue.   I heard from the public...."there are at least 15,000 students at Boston University and you jerks in the media are focusing all of your attention on a hundred of them who are just  idiots causing trouble....why???"    Answer:  "Because 14,900 students in their dorms studying....(good news) is not news...a hundred jerks causing trouble...(bad news) is!"

     Alright, enough of my pontificating (good news) but again as we launch into Thanksgiving week, I'm going to continue my internal audit, give thanks for the many good things in my life and my world, and I sincerely wish you and yours the most wonderful Thanksgiving possible.   Give Thanks.......it feels good.  We'll share another complaint session (bad news) soon.