NewsHound

I'm not usually glued to the news.  I do check on CNN most mornings but I get the general headlines and move on with my day.  But in the last week, I've been obsessed with checking for updates on all of the stories going on in the world.  Between the start of the Olympics and all that's going on with the security issues, the Joe Paterno/Penn State conundrum, and the heartbreaking tragedy out of Colorado, I've been hooked on reading all the updates and opinions. 

The Olympics obsession is a usual bi-annual (does that mean every two years or twice a year, I always forget? you know what I mean) occurrence for me.  I'm not much on sports but I get wrapped up in the pomp and circumstance of the event and will usually cry at least once as some unknown American stands at the podium with a gold medal around their neck crying and singing the National Anthem and makes their way into the hearts of millions of Americans. So I'm used to reading and re-reading stories about that.  It's magnified this year because it's in London which is a city I just happen to love.

The stories coming out of Colorado on the other hand are heart-breaking and painful to hear. My heart goes out to the families that have lost so much.  But it's also uplifting to hear the stories of bravery from fellow victims, as well as the SWAT team members that took him into custody. The whole country is riveted and repulsed by this one man who used his intelligence for evil.  If people, like the shooter, would focus their powers on the good instead of hurting so many families, think what they could accomplish.  It is a powerful story that I'm sure will be headlining for sometime to come.

It's this new darn Penn State fascination I seem to have acquired that's perplexing to me.  I knew just about nothing regarding State College PA, up until about a year ago.  Then the horrible stories broke and I somehow became an expert.  How does this happen? Today, I was glued to CNN when the sanctions were announced.  Here's my issue and I promise not to harp, I just have to get it off my chest and everyone else is tired of listening to me : )  The kids that are entering Penn State this year who are bearing the brunt of the astronomical fines and fees were about 4 years old when everything with Sandusky started.  Why are we punishing them?!  Also, the 60 million dollars that the NCAA has taken from the school should go into a trust for the families affected by Sandusky.  That is all I have to say about that.

Honestly, I am really not usually this well informed.  But I think I may have drank the 24/7/365 news-cycle KoolAid, because I'm hooked.  What's depressing to think about is that when these stories have floated from our memories, I'm sure that stories equally affecting and terrifying will be there to replace them...and I will most likely be reading about them.