Headline Surfing

Here are headlines from today's USA Today newspaper. You don't have to go far to find something interesting/irritating/amusing/boring. Headlines in bold w/commentary.

• Poll: GOP voters far more fired up--Says that the "enthusiasm gap" seen as bad for Democrats. Oh, really? The Democrats are going to lose badly to the right-wing crazies in a few days. Why? Because Obama has proven himself just another tool of the corporate state. He has betrayed too many Democrats by being just like the Republicans on war and torture, and because he has wasted two years trying to work with people who hate him, and because he's compromised himself out of an energy bill, and because generally he comes across as just another politician full of air and empty promises. I mean, really, what difference does it make in your life who is president? Oh, if I have to have one or the other, I'll take a Democrat, but when it's all said and done, nothing changes. The Democrats just aren't as blatant about screwing the rest of us. They pretend they're not doing it. Republicans don't bother.
• Teens say bullying is widespread--The numbers are horrifying. A large study on the subject finds that 50% of students "bullied, teased or taunted someone at least once." 47% had been "bullied, teased, or taunted in a way that seriously upset me at least once." Also 52% have hit someone in anger; 28% (37% boys, 19% girls) say it's OK to hit or threaten somebody who angers them. I got bullied in high school. I still haven't forgotten it.
• Health care law's Medicate trims altering seniors' views--In short, a lot of seniors are pissed because the bill cuts $533 billion from Medicare over the next ten years. So now we have the ludicrous spectacle of the Republicans higher than the Democrats on the poll question of which party would do a better job dealing with Medicare. 
• At least 10 dead in attack on Tijuana rehab center--horrific drug-related killings in Mexico, why, that's pretty unusual, isn't it?
• Lingering issues in France (picture caption)--Marseille has 9,000 tons of garbage piled up on the streets because of strikes by municipal workers. Continuing strikes by the workers over the raising of the retirement age from 60 to 62 (we should have such problems here) are costing the country $557 million a day.

And this was only four pages in.

Related articles

• Teens, Bullying & The Need To 'Draw Your Own Line' (ypulse.com)
• Take A Stand Against Bullying (psychologytoday.com)
• Rand Paul Gets in Trouble on Medicare (swampland.blogs.time.com)