In my 69 years on the planet, it has occurred to me  to me that pathetic people make pathetic art. You can't go around analyzing every person that you meet to any degree of perfection, but judgment is an envelope we place around people that helps us to predict human behavior and decide who we want to run with. Judgment is made better by experience in related matters, by one's track record, by appearance, by one's first hand experience with another and more. If there were such a thing as Evolution School, it would include studies in in how to judge outcomes or behavior.

If I lend Joe 100 bucks and see Joe a month later, wearing $500 plaid suit, (I may not always be right)  I will tend to assume a couple of things about him.  Like Joe doesn't pay his debts and has very bad taste in clothes. The next time someone wants to borrow money and he's wearing a plaid suit, my judgment would tell me that he may not be a good risk. This is not a perfect system but you have to start somewhere.

In life I have observed that people who “tool” others could use a refresher course in in Evolution School. When I say “tool” I mean that the one who tools talks a certain way in the beginning stages, then delivers the final line, in word or deed, For example, on American Idol, the judges and/or the announcer will tell the contestant at the moment of truth something like, “You know, this is really tough. We love you guys and we think you're great but (slight blink, as if wiping away tears, slumping body language), You're through to the next round, baby!”  To be more graphic:

Let's say in the 100 meter final in the London Olympics the finis was so close between Fred Jones and Willie Smith that only the analysis of of the finish photo can tell the tale.  The men are gathered by the winners podium and the and the announcer says, "Fred  Jones, ran an amazing race and your dive at the finish could  have have been a new world record. I'm sorry to say that you were just shy of that record by 2/100ths  Willie Smith you were ... two inches shy of winning.  Fred Jones is the new Olympic Champion of the 100 meters!"  (Continued to the right)

(Contiuned from left column.)  I have some faith in humanity, but I regretfully believe that the USA TV viewership and advertising revenues would go up if the winners at the Olympics were announced this way.  

Another popular show show features the rant offerings from Chef Ramsey, who rarely misses a opportunity to abjectly humiliate someone who has overcooked a steak of or failed to garnish a meat loaf to Ramsey's liking as if it were the end of the world. Chef Ramsey will make weeping sounds (with sound edited out and lip hiding graphics) and curse the cook, leveling him in front of millions. Who needs Grand Theft Auto to lower the IQ's and human spirit when we have Chef Ramsey? I wish he would respond to this, even more I wish he would let us interview him. But like the oil billionaire who knows that that his product will insure that his grandchildren will not live to fifty, why change a winning combination. But what the heck? It's legal, right?

Notice that the most successful competitions on TV typically feature:

1. The Walk of Shame
2. The Dance or Song of Shame
3. Gratuitous humiliation
4. Spoiled child-like TV wrestling reactions

What does your judgment tell you about those who are entertained by he American Idol bait and switch?  Well it's not all bad.  The network hosting the show Fear Factor, turned down airing a recent episode because the the part where the the contestants swallow ridiculously outrageous substances.  Guess which one it was:  1. Found dog carcass   2.  Cow chips  3. Donkey sperm.  You guessed it, 3. Another celebration of the human spirit.- crn

Mini Editorial

In the 2004 Democratic Convention a man was introduced to make an introductory speech.  I had this sudden intuition that his strikingly handsome man, who seemed to speak from his heart, who in the middle of the latest Bush regime was a ray of hope that there existed someone with an agenda that would benefit all the citizens of our once fair land..  I didn't know who he was but he said the right things and looked like someone with a proper agenda - Barack Obama.  I supported him even through the seeming continuation of all the W corruption of cronyism and pathetic leaders.  I lost all faith in him when he increased the Afghanistan "war."  But now I think he is still our only hope for a decent leader. In his second term I think he wll reverse much of the fascist agenda that has been growing leaps and bounds.- because now he is free to do the right thing.