Conspiracy Theories

You've seen movies where aliens invade bodies and transform normal humans into crazed, bizarre individuals or maybe even unearthly creatures.

The M. Night Shyamalan 2008 movie, "The Happening" ... depicted visitors to NYC Central Park suddenly going crazy, committing suicide; originally, investigators suspected a terrorist chemical attack; then it appeared that plants were giving off toxic chemicals because humans were destroying them.
I once met a man who cited that movie as a Solid Source for why our country is "going to hell". He truly believed that forces intent on destroying our nation were using plants and other sources to constantly attack our minds and change our thinking.
Sorry, did I hear you laugh?
That is a common reaction to "conspiracy theories" ... until the theory is one that you accept or certainly don't challenge.
The JFK Conspiracy is still alive and well; there are still those who believe we have never set foot on the moon.
The 9-11 Conspiracy ... claims that our own nation sent those planes into the Twin Towers.
I've always debunked Conspiracy Theories and stated as such in my now infamous KMOV Facebook post, but one viewer wrote, NOW, maybe you believe.

A Conspiracy Theory is like a tiny worm that crawls into your ear and inches its way into your brain. Once it digs in deep, the worm begins to release poisons. You begin to hear and see things that others don't, and then your brain begins processing events in a way that some might see as distorted, but in your mind: It all makes perfect sense.
Be honest. How many times have you heard something that others were calling a Conspiracy Theory, and maybe a few years ago you would have started laughing, but now, you have just the tinest thread of doubt that begins to grow:
Did we hide evidence of UFOs?
Does the government have a device to create and direct tornadoes and hurricanes?
Did President Bush steal the election?
Is Bin Laden really dead?
Is Obama Care going to destroy our country?
Is the IRS being used against political opponents?
Whoops!
Despite the variety and maybe far-fetched questions ... did any of those hit a nerve, raise an eyebrow ... maybe get a quick, YES!

So, back to creatures crawling into our brains, there really is such a parasite.
Toxoplasma Gondii has been documented as changing human behavior. Some scientists believe that maybe 60% of the world's population might be infected by Toxo G.
There are various suspected sources of how humans get this parasite, but the source most named is ... the household cat.
Or is that just a Conspiracy Theory ... spread by dogs?



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Posted Yesterday by LARRYCONNERSUSA

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The Cost of the First Amendment

First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

On Memorial Day, we remember and honor those who paid the price for that collection of words, or at least we should.
The cost of the First Amendment was paid with blood, limbs, death and lasting physical/emotional trauma and the pain for those left behind.
War creates a loss we can never truly measure. Just think of the families that never were; soldiers who never returned to start a family.
Our Founding Fathers created the First Amendment after living under tyranny denying freedom of religion, assembly, speech.
They knew from true experience that those freedoms were to be cherished and protected.
James Madison, the Father of Our Constitution and key author of
the Bill of Rights, wrote in an 1882 letter: We are teaching the world the great truth that governments do better without Kings & Nobles than with them.

So, now in 2013, how much do we cherish the First Amendment?
We love it enough to accept (though not like) some vile incidents protected by freedom of speech. Some examples: a "church" that protests at military funerals --- those who burn our U.S. flag.
Those are just two of the many cuts that we bear because we believe so much in the First Amendment.
There's the story of the man who is in a bar and he gets into an argument over the U.S. being involved in a war; the man's son was killed fighting for our nation in that war so he is angry with those criticizing U.S. action. The argument escalates to the point where the father of the soldier kills another man.
Later, sitting in his cell, the father is grieving over what he's done.
He recognizes that he didn't just commit murder ... he killed another man's freedom of speech ... one of the fundamental rights, his son died trying to protect.

Something to remember about the cost of the First Amendment, but also remember, that right and all of our others are not just under attack on the battlefield.
James Madison also wrote: I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power ... than by violent and sudden usurpations.

MEDIA FACEBOOKS VS CORPORATE FACEBOOKS

My current situation can be a casebook study in the differences between Media Facebook postings vs Corporate Facebook postings.
Corporations are quick to punish and maybe terminate employees who post personal thoughts or information on the company Facebook.   Based on that history, some have suggested that maybe I didn't understand this issue.  It might provide a defense to say ... gee, I'm just stupid, I didn't know.  I can some hear some saying ... oh yeah, you were stupid, but hold the remarks for a moment.
Media Facebooks are different in that reporters are not only encouraged, but pushed to post perspectives, opinions and personal items.  All of  this is to "engage" readers and in turn draw more listeners or viewers. 
In the beginning when my former employer wanted us to get on Facebook, I was reluctant ... not out of fear ... but apathy.  Too many Facebook posts were inane and just plain boring.
Why would anyone care if I wrote:  It is such a nice day and I decided to go out and just watch the sun shining on the Arch.
If that kind of dribble interests you ... well, there are many Facebook posts which you will find compelling.
One former anchor spent a lot of time posting wedding and travel pics and writing about a new pet or favorite shop.
I guess that engages a certain segment of the audience, but that's not what I wanted to do.
So, I decided that to make Facebook viable that I would use it to focus on news stories.  
Sometimes, I would  just post  details of a controversial story, and use Facebook to open a forum; other times, I might post a story and mix in views from those who supported and those who opposed the story.  Still, other times, I would add a personal twist or perspective based on my decades in broadcast journalism or personal connection or history to the  story.
Those kind of postings were doing the job ... pulling viewers to the Facebook and driving more and more traffic.
After taking that approach, my fan base went from maybe 1200 to almost 6,000.
In the world of pop celebrity Facebooks, those numbers mean nothing, but that growth excited station and news managers, and they wanted more of  the same kind of engagement and growth.
And ... that you might say ... is when the fight started.