When I read the news...

My routine when I log on to Google is to look a the new headlines before anything else. Living in Cleveland this year has been a good time, the Cavaliers winning the championship feels good, after 52 years. But I've only been here for 40 of those 52 years. But it still feels good.

Later on, by now, soon, we will have the RNC in town. Ever since I've been here, Cleveland has wanted to host a political convention. Now we have it. And now we are all holding our breath because it seems, this will be such an unconventional convention. First, there's Trump, then the protesters, Then will Trump be replaced and what reaction will that cause? Will there be guns on the street, some have promised to bring them, as a show of freedom, not as a reaction to a threat, I hope.

And again, Mr. Trump seems to be picking fights with prominent people. His latest target is Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He seems to thrive on that kind of controversy. I don't like it. I can't see how this will serve him if he becomes president. Maybe he thinks being president is the ultimate reality show? If he becomes president, how will he handle the day to day life of the president, dealing with world leaders, making policy intentions that aren't popular or are criticised by congress etc? A twitter fight?

There are things about Donald Trump that make it hard for me to see past the maybe superficial issues. Of course, they said Ronald Reagan was an actor.

Then there is the bigger issue of globalism vs. nationalism. Does it have to be one or the other? Can we find a balance? I don't know. Sometimes I am inclined to think, does it matter anymore? Is it forward vs, back, progressive vs, tradition.

With all the terrorism going on the argument become freedom vs. security. To keep from being blown up or shot, we have to be watched all the time, by all our devices and cameras on every street corner. We're there already and don't have a promise of security. Are we being manipulated and don't know it? If we are, can we participate in such a way that it can make a difference without public unrest and riots? Or are there elements in place, big elements, that we cannot change and it doesn't matter, it's too late, and there's nothing we can effectively do?

 The last point; does popular media show us our circumstance and we just look at  it like entertainment? for example; the book 1984 by George Orwell, the movie The Matrix and popular tv shows like House of Cards and Mr. Robot, just to name a few. Is our just trying to survive keeping us distracted from what is really going on?

Just something to think about.

Thanks for reading.