scandal – ZiaLink Ink

Illustration for Home Digest by Rui Ramalheiro — Illustration by Rui Ramalheiro

Kind of odd and creepy that I’ve been writing about Charlie. One of the main characters in my fiction (work in progress) is named Charlie. He’s a robot repair guy, not a journalist and not intentionally named after Mr. Rose. However, I’ve spent a lot of time with Rose over the past couple of years. He’s the first person I see every day (on CBS Morning) and I’ve watched his late-night PBS show for at least 20 years.

With current comparison’s to the Pandora’s Box myth, I feel compelled to say that the aBoP (listed on my pinned post, of books and projects) is a reference to that myth. I’ll post an excerpt of my intro that explains why, but first I want to say how #SAD I’m feeling to learn of this dark side of Charlie Rose.
We all wrestle with addictions and kleshas (Buddhist term for our habituated tendencies) but so tragic to see a lifetime career in shreds over uncontrolled behavior.

Rose has discussed turning to meditation (over the past year or so.) Let’s hope he continues and that it provides relief and insight. As I posted on twitter: “We are definitely at an inflection point. Constant focus on sex and power in movies, TV and social media needs serious analysis and contemplation.” We must also look at the intense violence that we constantly feed our youth. These issues are all inter-related and entwined. A society that favors explicit pornography, horrific violence and rarely focuses on positive values is doomed.

History does repeat, so take a look at the downfall of past great civilizations like Rome and Greece to see where we are headed.

With that, the Pandora story is very apropos so I will share how I explain it in the intro of my in-progress fiction:

“In the famous Greek myth, the god Zeus had a daughter named Pandora. When the time came for her to be wed, the king of fate and thunder gave his daughter, and her husband-to-be, a locked box (actually it was a large clay jar or pithos, but in translation it’s always been called a box.) The important part is the admonition that Zeus gave the couple: to assure your happiness, DO NOT OPEN! Pandora couldn’t believe that her father would give her a gift she could not enjoy. So sometime after the marriage, while her husband was away, curiosity got the best of Pandora and she opened the gift. The most horrid things came flying out. She had unleashed all the evils of the world.

There are many variations of the story known as Pandora’s Box. I like the one that implies Zeus had locked up all the world’s troubles and entrusted his daughter to keep humanity safe.

What are the consequences of our 21^st Century society’s lust, greed, and endless obsession for more (of everything)? How far can we go before everything collapses? Can we change our fate by changing our attitude? and what if we don’t? Perhaps this story will prompt you to ponder these possibilities.

So, why did I choose to call my story “a Box of Pandoras”? One of our favorite New Mexico governors, Bruce King, once warned our state legislators, ‘If you pass that bill you’ll be opening up a whole box of Pandoras.’ It became one of his trademark sayings. Rest his soul, we still laugh about it. But he (and Zeus) were right to warn about unleashing the world’s troubles.” (c) 2015 – 2017

Now, I better get back to writing…

Seriously if the news media, or more importantly our Senators, cannot discern the difference between a silly prank and true perversion then it IS time to send all the bums home– reporters and lawmakers– and start over. We have enough idiocy in the WH.

Let’s start with FACTS. This photo of Al Franken is from 2006, during a USO comedy tour to the Middle East to “entertain the troops.” Notice the woman, Leeann Tweeden, another “performer” (she calls herself a “model” and sportscaster in her bio), is wearing a flak jacket. FULL STOP. While it may be considered poor taste to pose in the manner shown, that is not groping. As one who was groped as a young TV reporter, I know the difference; most women do.

As for the alleged forceful kiss, that’s more complicated. While our so-called “President” admitted on video tape (in 2005) that he could “grab women by the pussy” and couldn’t stop himself from kissing them, he’s not under investigation for that. Yet Senators, both Dems and Repubs, want to investigate Senator Al Franken over this “comedic” controversy. It’s a huge difference that Franken, a popular comedian at the time of this photo, quickly apologized for his actions and actually welcomes an ethics investigation. AND, Thursday (11.16), during a 45 minute segment on CNN’s “The Lead with Jack Tapper”, Tweeden accepted Franken’s apology, tearfully saying she did not want to ruin his political career. If Franken is investigated, then Trump must be also. If Franken is taken down over this, then Trump must absolutely be removed from the Presidency for admitting to far worse sexual assault violations.

At this same time we are hearing that 93-year old past President George H.W. Bush groped women when he was President and in his later years. Do you want to pull him out of his wheel chair and investigate him? Bring.It.On as the real pervert Roy Moore says.

What constitutes a pervert? Child molestation, is certainly at the top. That’s what Roy Moore is accused of– preying on and attacking under age girls. I just heard Dana Bash on CNN discuss a “Creep List” that is well known in Washington, DC. I doubt Senator Franken was on it, but I bet Trump is. It includes politicians and lobbyists who reporters and staffers (mostly females) do not want to be alone with on an elevator. If we’re going to open this long-hidden can of worms, then air it all out!

Finally, Mr. “Reliable Sources” Brian Stelter, how can CNN do a political week in review (as Dana just did) and not even mention that in the House of Representatives a half-dozen Congressmen introduced FIVE articles of impeachment against so-called President Donald Trump, accusing him of obstruction of justice and other offenses. I call him “so-called POTUS” because I am not convinced he won legitimately. I await the results of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 election. That, my friends, is the primary issue we cannot be distracted from by cons, perverts and those seeking to sensationalize the news. The entire White House administration is truly a “house of cards” scandal.