'Loose Talk'
By Benjamin Benedict
Netlistings Columnists
It is difficult to think of a newspaper delivering such a breadth of information and opinion in its entire publication, let alone in four, short articles, each of which takes only minutes to read.
As with my own column, the others have developed their own character over time. Michael Torchia is by far the most specific, but even his single minded promotion of our personal fitness necessarily strays into other areas. His present article (at the time of writing) addresses the influence parents can and should have on their children’s health. This reinforces the growing awareness that whatever the State does to equip children to survive and thrive in the world we live in, it is the parents or guardians who must also bear this responsibility. Fitness is just one aspect of this, but by pointing it out and outlining procedures that can make a difference, Michael not only recognizes the problem but has a very definite take on how to deal with it.
Lynn Paris on the other hand, writes about her world and what goes on in it. I always think that her column would be better titled ‘What Goes On’ or ‘My Life’ rather than ‘In My Opinion’ as quite often, as with her present column on the ‘time suck’ qualities of such facilities as ‘Facebook’, ‘Linked In’’ and ‘Twitter’ it is more about the impact of these networking facilities, than it is about any specific opinion she has about them. And that is why I read her column; to learn what has depressed, obsessed, impressed her – or otherwise. The things she deals with reflect so much on the things we all have to deal with, not necessarily in terms of what she thinks about them, but of their impact on her. Her reaction to life’s circumstance is like a litmus test where the result is not just pink or blue, but any color that you can imagine.
Even the title, ‘The Way I See It’ hints at the contentiousness that comes with Joseph C. Phillips column. Why not, ‘How I See It?’ for instance? Perhaps because Joseph does not just see ‘How’, he sees ‘The Way’ and he sees it very clearly. He is certainly right of centre and you may not agree with all his arguments, but he is clear, forthright and particularly specific. His return to the theme of Global Warming - if it is indeed warming – is particularly refreshing at a time when America seems to have finally bought into the CO2 argument. It is good that someone is there to say that ‘they could all be wrong, and these are the reasons….’ Also, his take on the ‘Stimulus’ package and its impact on previous welfare reform is not only worth listening to; your opinion on the merits of ‘Stimulus’ is not worth expressing unless you have heard this point of view. We are being inexorably supplied with less and less pertinent information and many subscribe to the same general point of view without too much thought. Joseph is the antidote to such comfy conclusions. Agree with him or not, he is a ‘must’ read.
That leaves me, being ‘Stood Up’ by a lady one week and mulling over the ‘Flow’ of our words the next. I have the widest mandate of the four of us, and I need it. If the title of my column was more specific, I would soon run out of something to say, but the way things stand, I can even give our literary endeavor a pat on the back, which may, just may make our Patron; El Patron, as I like to call him – but never to his face – give us a bit more prominence, as you know what? We deserve it. Not because any one of us is a stand-out, but because together we give you a read like no other on the planet.
Email Article
Share Article
