You're clearly joking, right?

Over the weekend I was reminded of this little tidbit from the past. Remember that turtle, the one with the air raid helmet, which told you that you could save yourself from a nuclear attack by staying under your desk at school. Clearly, most of the population does not remember this PSA (Public Safety Announcement). My parents do remember seeing this PSA. At the time they were young and believed what they heard. I saw this while I was young and remember thinking it was a joke. Don't we all wish that was true?

The joke was clearly on the public for believing such a ridiculous idea. Of course, if you've ever watched the TV programs of day, you may understand why people were still gullible. (Howdy Doody. How was that entertaining?) Sadly the joke goes much further. Let me take you back just a few years ago... to a little country named Iraq and the search for weapons of mass destruction. We went from being speculative about Iraq and it's dictator, while we should have been in a whole different country all together. If you believe Iraq was a just war because of the weapons of mass destruction... Well, you probably still believe hiding under your desk will save you from having your atoms rearranged by a nuclear blast.

So why are we not seriously questioning the news we get. All I'm asking is that we start showing a little intelligence. Folks, we are not setting the bar too high right now on intelligence. It would be an easy time to call out someone on a lie. This is a time in our society when "news" organizations are pandering to political parties, showing opinion programs instead of actual news. (Yes, I'm talking about Fox News.) I would like to have people tell me the truth about what is happening. If experience teaches me anything, the truth is much stranger and entertaining than fiction. Come on! We believed a cartoon turtle telling us that an inch of wood can save you from a giant fireball!

Back to Basics

Making a change can be difficult. Losing focus is a big problem. Focusing on too many things spreads your focus too thin. Or maybe you prefer the carrying too much slows your progress idea. However you put it, getting rid of what is not important can be helpful to bring change. This is a useful way to move an apartment, streamline a business or change your management tactics.

Personally, to mark a new period or change, I clean my place of residence and maybe move some things around. (A new quarter, another semester of doctoral classes and a new year) It is a way for me to clear my head and gain new perspectives. I know. It isn't a mind-blowing revelation, but it does work. Why be all big and fancy about it when a simple solution works just as well? Going back to basics is a great way to refocus no matter what you happen to be doing.