Month: January 2016

I recently heard of a recommendation by some health professionals that a routine physical should include a “depression survey”. I can’t think of anyone who would be enthusiastic about the final “examination” of the check-up. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t lie, and tell their doctor that life has never been better. Leaving that doctor’s office with your low self-esteem intact is the only sensible course of action. Allowing  your doctor to unearth and bring to light your sadder nature, can only bring about one outcome; you will have to be medicated. Now you won’t know if you are truly sad or not. Better to hold on to your sadder dispositions, and a couple of doses of low self-esteem along with them, than to become a medical zombie of sorts. Doctor Caligari will see you now.

Now we have a new show about another league of comic book superheroes. Ever since the original “Batman” movie, there has been no end to these movies or television series centered around comic book heroes. If one works, then they all will work. Years ago, the television shows “Superman” and “Batman” were easy, campy. Now, these new television shows and movies explore the depths of the superhero’s soul and psyche. A couple of frames in the comic book took care of displaying the hero’s emotions. Now it takes two or three hours, and in the case of television, years to explore it all. We need superheroes who are above all angst; otherwise, they are only too human. Man strives to be a superhero, if only in his own mind. Why strive for more of the same?

The big news of the day–Sean Penn and his secret meeting with El Chapo. Shaking hands with the drug cartel leader, Sean has a look of supreme accomplishment on the front cover of the New York Post. A great coup for Rolling Stone magazine, hiring Mr.Penn to find El Chapo and conduct an interview. Now they only need to find readers to read this riveting piece. I suppose the capture of El Chapo will only diminish Sean’s effort. El Chapo, incarcerated, now has an abundance of time for interviews, when he is not fighting extradition to the U.S.. Sean will not be on the list of interviewers, seeing as he most likely led the police to the druglord. Now, Rolling Stone magazine will have to send someone to locate Mr.Penn. Those druglords play for keeps.