Carole Simpson

FaceApp Promotes Ageism

Jul 22, 2019 | Ageism, Something. To. Say., Technology | 0 comments

FaceApp Promotes Ageism

Hello Everybody. I have something to say about the incredibly popular FaceApp.

You’ve probably heard about the FaceApp…the mobile phone application that will show what you’ll look like when you when you get older. Now there’s widespread concern about people sacrificing their privacy to use the application and they’re being urged to delete the app from their phones because the Russians developed the program.

     Well, I have a concern too…that the FaceApp is promoting ageism.  I understand that people are anxious to see how they will look at 75 or 80.  Younger folks probably look at themselves and laugh at their white hair, and wrinkles, and saggy jowls.

       But later, on reflection, they probably think, “Oh, my God, I’m going to look like that. I don’t want to look like that. Then, I’m going to be sick and then I’m going to die. Oh, no.”

      So younger adults will avoid older people because they don’t want to be reminded of what may befall them. They won’t hire older people or socialize with them or live next to them. And that’s just wrong.  So I say delete the FaceApp from your phone for the privacy reasons and for my fear that it is increasing ageist attitudes.

     We all have to stop worrying about what will become of us. That is in the future. All of us need to live the best life we can live, NOW. Tomorrow is going to take care of itself.

      See you next time.

Cheetos Gone Wild

Jul 21, 2019 | Health, Something. To. Say. | 0 comments

Cheetos Gone Wild

Hello Everybody. I have something to say about fried chicken and Cheetos. Yes, fried chicken and Cheetos.

I was driving around and saw a KFC advertising “New. Cheetos Sandwich.” Why would anybody make a sandwich with Cheetos?  I was curious.  I went inside and asked for the chicken Cheetos sandwich. They were sold out. I asked the clerk, “That popular?” She said, “Oh, yes.” I begged for one for educational purposes and she agreed to make me one. I went all out and got the super-duper Lovers Box that came with extra Cheetos stuff I decided you might want to see me try it. So here we go…

Doesn’t taste bad. But, why do it? I guess nobody was thinking about heart disease and the obesity epidemic in America.

If you want one better hurry. It’s a limited time offer. But I think I’ll eat my chicken sandwich by itself and eat my Cheetos out of the bag.  See you next time.

U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Dazzles the World

Jul 15, 2019 | Sexism, Something. To. Say., Women | 0 comments

U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Dazzles the World

Hello everybody. I have something to say about the world champion U.S. women’s soccer team.

     I haven’t been feeling very patriotic lately. But all of that changed when I watched the Women’s World Cup final. I saw the ladies from the USA vanquish the ladies from the Netherlands, two to nothing. They won their fourth World Cup for America. The stadium erupted in cheers and the soccer players, hugged and cried and laughed.  It was beautiful. I felt a tear. I was a proud American once again, but that was short-lived.

      The cheers from the crowd changed into chants of “Equal Pay.” I had forgotten that last March, twenty-eight members of the women’s soccer team had filed a lawsuit in federal court charging the U.S. Soccer federation with gender discrimination.

      The women are demanding the same pay and the same treatment that male players get on the men’s team…a team that didn’t qualify for the World Cup this year and has achieved none of the success the women have. Listen, if men won the World Cup, they would win just over a million dollars. The women have to settle for a quarter of that, 250-thousand dollars. That’s wrong and in this country that’s against the law.

       Perhaps the spectacular Gold Cup win by the women will shame U.S. soccer officials into doing the right thing: paying the women, the same money as the men.  Better still, because they’re so good, pay the women more than the men.

Until next time.     

Impeach Trump Now

Jul 15, 2019 | Something. To. Say., Trump | 0 comments

Impeach Trump Now

Hello Everybody.  I have something to say about impeachment. It is time.

Ever since he was elected president, Donald Trump has boasted that he is making America Great Again. Well, if you haven’t noticed—and I have noticed– he has made America great for some people, rich people.  But for ordinary Americans, not so much. This “president” took our nation’s core values of equality, justice and freedom and shredded them, letting them fall where they may.

So why hasn’t Congress begun impeachment hearings to get him out of office? The Mueller report didn’t exonerate him from the impeachable offense of obstruction of justice. What else does he have to do? He’s played footsie with dictators, taken us to the brink of war, used racist comments and even been accused of rape. He said himself that if he shot somebody, he would not lose any voters. What does he have to do?

In the House of Representatives only 80 Democrats out of 235 support impeachment. Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, is one of the wisest old women there is, but she doesn’t support impeachment.

If the holdup is about the 2020 Elections and the future of the Democratic Party, then that would be a shame. The Congress would not be serving We the People but serving themselves and their elections. Nancy, say it ain’t so and get on with it. The longer Trump remains in office the more havoc he will wreak on our democracy.

See you next time.

Democratic Debate Surprises

Jul 1, 2019 | 2020 Election, Politics, Something. To. Say., Women | 0 comments

Democratic Debate Surprises

Hello Everybody.  I have something to say about the two Democratic Debates.

First of all, there were too many darned debaters. To accommodate the twenty candidates running for President, it took four hours over two days. Well, I watched every moment, and I came away with a winner for each night.

The first debate I gave to Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. As she has been saying on the campaign trail, “I have a plan for that,” she did have a plan for all kinds of problems in our country. And during the debate she explained how her plans would work. Her nine rivals couldn’t touch that.

The second debate went to California Senator Kamala Harris. Hands down. She beat frontrunner Joe Biden and she did it with smarts and a forceful delivery. Her most effective moments came in her assault on Biden’s record in the Senate. He tried to defend himself, but he got all flustered.

After I chose my two debate winners, I realized they were both women. It was a wonderful feeling.  They proved to be better than the 14 men they were up against.

I thought after Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump, it would be a long time before a woman would be elected president.  But thanks to Warren and Harris, I think it may not be long at all.

See you again.

 

Good Riddance to Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Jun 25, 2019 | Bad Behavior, Politics, Republicans, Something. To. Say., Women | 0 comments

Good Riddance to Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Hello Everybody.

I have something to say about Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. Yes, go home to Arkansas because all you did was make the job of White House PressSecretary a mockery. Only three women have held that vaunted position, but you took it and destroyed it.

Oh, I know her beloved President Trump, was behind it because he hates the press. But she marched in lockstep with him. And who suffered the most? The American people she swore to serve.

She was supposed to give on a daily basis, pertinent and truthful information to the White House press corps so they could in turn, report the news to the public. But she just stopped talking to the press in any formal way and left that to the President. She used the White House driveway to dribble out a few answers to waiting reporters. And the worst? She lied.

Trump thinks she should run for governor of Arkansas. It is one of the poorest, hungriest and least educated states in the country. Sarah—got any good ideas on improving Arkansas? I didn’t think so. So long Sarah, Huckabee Sanders, and thanks for nothing.

 

Welcome to My New Vlog

Jun 15, 2019 | Something. To. Say. | 0 comments

Welcome to My New Vlog

Hello, I’m Carole Simpson.  Welcome to my new video blog that I call W.O.W.—an acronym for Wise Old Woman. You may remember me as the anchor of the weekend news on ABC, or maybe as the first woman and first minority to moderate a presidential debate.

Why do I think I’m wise? Because I’ve been a television journalist for more than 40 years. I have traveled to 48 of the 50 states and 70 countries on five continents. I have covered death row inmates and heads of state, 4 presidents and Nobel scientists. When I watch what’s happening in our country, I sometimes I want to scream from the rafters. Better I should express my opinions, analysis, and criticism on a video blog.

I retired from teaching college this year, at age 78. It was suggested I might want to spend the rest of my life in warm and sunny Florida. Not me. As I fought race and sex discrimination, I have been fighting ageism. Older women have been shunted aside by our culture. It’s been said that an old woman could steal everything she wanted from a grocery store and nobody would have seen her.  Women over 65 are invisible in our society. But that is changing because older women are working into their seventies and remaining active in civic and public life.

Our voices need to be heard. I hope you will listen to mine. A different take on the issues of the day.  WOW. Check it out.

4th of July, Hijacked

Jun 12, 2019 | Politics, Something. To. Say., Trump | 0 comments

4th of July, Hijacked

NOT HIS 4TH OF JULY.  IT’S OURS!

Why does Donald Trump have to go and change everything?  Now he wants to change the Fourth of July celebration that has been held on the Washington Mall exciting millions of Americans for the past 50 years. It’s been going along just fine.

But back in February, Trump posted this tweet: “Hold the date on July Fourth for a major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite president. Me.” Ewww….. The 4th of July is not his. It’s ours.

 I lived in D.C. for more than 30 years and it was a tradition in our family to cookout in the afternoon and then head down to the Washington Monument, and join the huge crowd of people to watch the fireworks. There were Americans of every color, nationality, ethnicity and religion. It was a unifying event.

 But Donald Trump is commandeering the celebration and politicizing it. He envisions himself as the star of his new, “Salute to America” event. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned it into one of his campaign rallies, busing his supporters in, to pay homage to him.

 Trump plans to speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I can’t even imagine his standing where Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. Dr King tried to unify Americans.  I’m afraid Trump will further divide us.

Happy Fourth.