Just Thoughts

A few days ago I made a list. Lists are good. My list was issues that I intend to write about. Then I wrote about Energy, one of the items on my list. I guess no one is listening, which doesn't surprise me. I write for my own enjoyment. And I'll probably keep writing, whether anyone reads or not.
In a way, this situation is a lot like the runup to the election. Few are listening. Few are paying attention. There are a million reasons why people don't pay attention. One reason might be simply that when you DO pay attention it will drive you absolutely nuts. Claims, counter claims, outright lies, half truths, mostly trues. I had a thought (unusual nowdays) - wouldn't it be nice if every broadcast and live personal appearance included a truthometer? Right on your TV screen, a gauge to indicate just how much truth is contained in the current statement. Actually there could be two gauges, one for the current statement, and one that averages the truth over all the statements made so far. Conceptually it's an interesting concept. But truth is relative, especially in politics, so it probably wouldn't work.
Still, isn't that part of the role of the 'newscasters' when they conduct interviews? If the person being interviewed makes a statement that is clearly a lie, should not the interviewer call the interviewee on it? Right then and there?! I remember a time when I thought that is what we did. I've always thought the British did it, even to excess.
Much of the time it is easy to determine the FOS quotient (you figure it out. First word is 'Full'). If you just listen. You could take the position that since this person is a politician I will assume every statement is a lie and only change that decision when it is very obvious to me that the statement is true. Actually, I think that is the position those who listen at all take when listening to the 'other side'.
But when listening to the side you like, you take the opposite attitude, don't you? Assume everything is true unless proven otherwise. So I suggest figuring it out - is it innocent until proven guilty, or vice-versa? Then apply the same techinque to both candidates and their spokespersons.
The Obama campaign asked me for advice. I said something like "tell the truth, don't lie - you've been doing a good job, keep it up. Don't get dragged into the gutter". In my opinion, that meter that averages the truth of all statements over time swings heavily in favor of Obama. I hope it stays there. I wish both meters would read very high, but I see no indication that that can happen.
When I started this entry I had no idea where it was headed. I guess I wanted to talk about true lies, or something like that.