Are restaurateurs the most important Americans for young female journalists?

The issue isn't really with the hospitality industry. The real problem lies with us—a nation of just 330 million people living in a massive country where we simply don't have enough substantial, meaty topics to actually fill our daily lives. Life here can feel incredibly stagnant, and frankly, the media landscape is a mess; there are too many journalists, and most of them lack any semblance of professionalism. When you factor in the endless barrage of notifications, constant talk shows, live broadcasts, and news cycles on every single network—from local coverage in Aurora or Springfield to those late-night specials on MTV or even the NYC skyline segments—you start to realize how bored we've become, and how much we're struggling. Actually, no—I realize that *I'm* bored. When the nightly news lasts twenty minutes and they stretch it out by covering everything from fire department festivals in some small town, USA, to retirees gathering for a fish fry in Central Park, it's obvious they are just killing time. Quality? It’s clearly an afterthought at this point.mentalitetacro

dustytinker56 said:The issue isn't really with the hospitality industry. The real problem lies with us—a nation of just 330 million people living in a massive country where we simply don't have enough substantial, meaty topics to actually fill our daily lives. Life here can feel incredibly stagnant, and frankly, the media landscape is a mess; there are too many journalists, and most of them lack any semblance of professionalism. When you factor in the endless barrage of notifications, constant talk shows, live broadcasts, and news cycles on every single network—from local coverage in Aurora or Springfield to those late-night specials on MTV or even the NYC skyline segments—you start to realize how bored we've become, and how much we're struggling. Actually, no—I realize that *I'm* bored. When the nightly news lasts twenty minutes and they stretch it out by covering everything from fire department festivals in some small town, USA, to retirees gathering for a fish fry in Central Park, it's obvious they are just killing time. Quality? It’s clearly an afterthought at this point.mentalitetacro

There are plenty of real stories out there, but they usually come with a side of layoffs, threats, being blacklisted from the industry, or even worse... baseball bats and actual executions... if you're into that kind of thing, be my guest... ☕

silentridge3 said:Do you even grasp what this thread is actually about?

The point isn't whether 5,000 people in America should be struggling because their little coffee shops are seeing a dip in foot traffic—not that those folks are any more important than the other 330 million Americans dealing with their own stuff. The whole issue is why these specific 5,000 people are suddenly the most vital subjects for the news media, why their minor inconveniences are framed as national tragedies, and why we have to see them plastered all over the front page of every news broadcast every single day.

I mean, if 50,000 people are out of work entirely, while 5,000 just have slightly lower margins and are weighing whether to close up shop, I guess I’d much rather spend my time hearing some well-founded grievances from one of those 50,000 unemployed souls, instead of listening to some boutique cafe owner complaining while sipping a latte in front of an "ambitious reporter."

Because it's trending! Unlike some workers constantly whining—which, by the way, also gets airtime—about how they haven't been paid on time for 20 years, keep losing jobs, or watching companies go belly up.

Bottom line: after two decades, that kind of News is just plain BORING. Media outlets cover what actually grabs attention, not the same old story we've heard for 20 years just because this time instead of 1,000 people losing jobs, it was 1,050, or instead of a textile plant closing, it was a woodshop, or the owner is German instead of Italian.

Since you totally ignored the rest of my post, I'm assuming you're on board?

@DarkRyder

By that logic, anything besides farming is useless and just a byproduct of automation, meaning every other industry is basically just a drain on agriculture. As for helping the country—anyone paying taxes is helping the state, regardless of what they do for a living.

And if we're talking about who actually creates value, it’s simple: if someone is willing to pay for the service or product you offer, then it’s definitely valuable.

In that sense, one coffee shop selling its service is way more valuable than a furniture factory that can't sell a single piece.

restlesscrane152 said:Because it's trending! Unlike some workers constantly whining—which, by the way, also gets airtime—about how they haven't been paid on time for 20 years, keep losing jobs, or watching companies go belly up.

Bottom line: after two decades, that kind of News is just plain BORING. Media outlets cover what actually grabs attention, not the same old story we've heard for 20 years just because this time instead of 1,000 people losing jobs, it was 1,050, or instead of a textile plant closing, it was a woodshop, or the owner is German instead of Italian.

Since you totally ignored the rest of my post, I'm assuming you're on board?

@DarkRyder

By that logic, anything besides farming is useless and just a byproduct of automation, meaning every other industry is basically just a drain on agriculture. As for helping the country—anyone paying taxes is helping the state, regardless of what they do for a living.

And if we're talking about who actually creates value, it’s simple: if someone is willing to pay for the service or product you offer, then it’s definitely valuable.

In that sense, one coffee shop selling its service is way more valuable than a furniture factory that can't sell a single piece.

Good grief...

I mean, sure, it’s a bummer that 50 people lost their jobs today, but it isn't exactly groundbreaking news, is it? It's the same thing we saw yesterday, and the day before that... just some local restaurant owner sitting there talking about how his revenue dropped by 20 or 50 percent. Does anyone actually want to sit through a segment like that every single day? Like, do you personally find yourself tuning in specifically to watch those little human interest stories? Is that really how you spend your time?

Morgan Rodriguez57 said:There are plenty of real stories out there, but they usually come with a side of layoffs, threats, being blacklisted from the industry, or even worse... baseball bats and actual executions... if you're into that kind of thing, be my guest... ☕

I mean, I honestly think a network like FOX is massive enough to tackle much more interesting stuff than this. If they're really that obsessed with pushing the exact same narrative day after day, maybe they could look into what's happening at Huntington Ingalls Industries—they've got witnesses coming forward right now. Or maybe something involving ExxonMobil, or Duke Energy. Or even the national forests, or the whole mess with agricultural subsidies. Or... well, anything else, really.

As for the restaurant industry, we already know everything there is to know about that; it feels like there isn't a single person left who hasn't been dragged through a prime-time news segment ten times over to talk about that supposed US economy crisis regarding declining sales in the service sector.

silentridge3 said:Good grief...

I mean, sure, it’s a bummer that 50 people lost their jobs today, but it isn't exactly groundbreaking news, is it? It's the same thing we saw yesterday, and the day before that... just some local restaurant owner sitting there talking about how his revenue dropped by 20 or 50 percent. Does anyone actually want to sit through a segment like that every single day? Like, do you personally find yourself tuning in specifically to watch those little human interest stories? Is that really how you spend your time?

Look, they cover different professions every few days. Honestly, both sides get equal airtime.

I guess if you're the type who watches TV from sunrise to sunset, you've probably heard it all already...

Morgan Rodriguez57 said:There are plenty of real stories out there, but they usually come with a side of layoffs, threats, being blacklisted from the industry, or even worse... baseball bats and actual executions... if you're into that kind of thing, be my guest... ☕

Lol, buddy, you don't have it that hard. You act like you're living in Kabul. Seriously, what are we talking about here—hits? executions? baseball bats? It’s all incredibly hyperbolic, isn't it? Though, I suppose when our President looks like he stepped straight out of Afghanistan, one does find themselves wondering exactly which country we're inhabiting. As for everything else, people are really starting to grate on my nerves with these kinds of topics—because let's be honest, one little news segment isn't going to do a damn thing for the people who have already lost their jobs. We need to stop the constant whining, the pity parties, and the endless criticism; none of that actually helps anyone.

silentridge3 said:I find myself scrolling through the daily news on Fox, or CNN...

I honestly can't wrap my head around why every single headline seems to revolve around smoking bans and bar owners. Yesterday, it was "someone said something regarding smoking legislation" (which I guess is just vital information to lead with), today it’s "someone responded to that" (as if we all need this urgent update), and tomorrow it'll be "some tavern owner is complaining about something" (so we absolutely have to see it on TV), and it just goes on and on like that forever...

In America, maybe 30% of people smoke, while 70% don't. And there are roughly 20 thousand small business owners in the hospitality sector—not just coffee shops, but everyone
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Just imagine if business for everyone dropped by 30%. Or suppose 30% of the local spots close down, meaning 6 thousand business owners—who are probably doing better financially than most teachers or blue-collar workers, given they likely own property and nice cars—have to lock up for good because those 6 thousand people simply can't attract customers unless they allow smoking
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On the flip side, you have people in America losing their jobs every single day. Furniture factories are crumbling, the textile industry is basically on its knees, and 50 thousand workers in shipyards and steel mills are either nearing the end of the line or are already out on the street...

Why don't Fox or CNN talk about them every day? Why isn't there daily coverage on "what the current situation is in American furniture manufacturing"? What did a factory worker say today, or what kind of tax incentive proposal is being discussed for that specific industry? What is a factory hand complaining about today, or what will the owner be lamenting tomorrow? I don't know, why not?

Is it just because it's easier for these young, talentless reporters (and the same kind of editors they work under) to just wander into a nearby pub, where they can grab a free cup of coffee and interview some bar owner, then whip up a little segment featuring his "tragic story"? All while 100 people from some factory are walking home for the last time—likely without their last six paychecks—and this bar owner, who probably bought beachfront property and a luxury car instead of investing in better ventilation, stands there with a tear in his eye talking about how hard his life has become because of the smoking ban...?

What kind of "News" is this, really? What kind of "Daily Reports"? It's just a cycle of smoking laws, followed by ads for Tom Bradley, then ads for Donald Trump, then updates on Kim Kardashian... and then back to smoking and bar owners, over and over again in a circle...

It’s because Americans are basically sheep, and honestly, they’ve been getting their brains washed by propaganda for almost two decades straight now.

It’s honestly wild to watch—you see these kids in their early twenties nowadays and it’s like they have this singular obsession, right? They can't think about anything else except slathering themselves in Vaseline before they even step foot out the door. It’s all they know!

And when exactly are you planning on becoming parents? I mean, what year are we talking about here, and more importantly, how on earth do you plan to raise kids in this day and age?

These parasites, my dear friends, have dragged this entire country fifty years back into the dark ages! They’ve absolutely gutted this nation, leaving nothing but ruins in their wake.
And now even our neighbors over in the Midwest are laughing at us! It’s honestly getting ridiculous how everyone seems to be looking down their noses at what we're doing lately.

I really don't want to start a whole new thread just about these local "business owners," so I figure I'll just keep riding this one.

The other day, some "hospitality pro" went and beat up a group of tourists again. Apparently, this German family—who, mind you, have been vacationing here in the States for years and basically fund our entire local budget—made a little comment to the guy about him parking his Mercedes-Benz on the sidewalk. So, what does our "hospitality expert" do? He comes back with a bunch of buddies and just starts bashing them with metal rods.

Since this isn't exactly an isolated incident, I guess I’m wondering what kind of "hospitality mindset" our local business owners actually possess?

What do you think the actual percentage is of people who are true professionals—you know, folks with actual training or at least a shred of decent service ethics—versus the crowd that calls themselves "hosts" simply because they happen to own or rent a dive bar?

silentridge3 said:I really don't want to start a whole new thread just about these local "business owners," so I figure I'll just keep riding this one.

The other day, some "hospitality pro" went and beat up a group of tourists again. Apparently, this German family—who, mind you, have been vacationing here in the States for years and basically fund our entire local budget—made a little comment to the guy about him parking his Mercedes-Benz on the sidewalk. So, what does our "hospitality expert" do? He comes back with a bunch of buddies and just starts bashing them with metal rods.

Since this isn't exactly an isolated incident, I guess I’m wondering what kind of "hospitality mindset" our local business owners actually possess?

What do you think the actual percentage is of people who are true professionals—you know, folks with actual training or at least a shred of decent service ethics—versus the crowd that calls themselves "hosts" simply because they happen to own or rent a dive bar?

Exactly. And let us not forget that lion from Martha's Vineyard who threw Italians into the ocean, or that Tiger from Venice who went after the director.

To add a bit more context to this discussion. Every single one of our news outlets kicks off their coverage with the President declaring that we need to ramp up current production levels, eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks, and bolster existing resources. Hahahaha.

Though, honestly, I find the "moneybags" even more entertaining—those wealthy elites who get handed shows on a silver platter just so they can staff them with their hand-picked commentators. For instance, Ana Jelušić has made a habit of bringing on Jergović. It’s the kind of guy who claims to understand the motives behind historical figures like Drag Mihajlović, only to spend his airtime lecturing everyone about fascism. And don't even get me started on the Italians and the rest.

At the end of the day, they are nothing more than pathetic mercenaries. They have to think and act exactly how their bosses dictate; otherwise, they lose their paycheck.

Just so this doesn't go unnoticed:

Yesterday (Sunday, Sept 27th), during the main evening news on Fox, they hit us with the third segment in a row—and by far the longest one, lasting maybe three minutes!

The big "breaking news" was that larger restaurants and bars will soon have to comply with these new regulations, specifically those under 50 square feet... (honestly, I don't know who hasn't heard this a hundred times already)... The "financial wizards" over at Fox decided to serve up this sensationalist scoop for the 101st time, and what’s truly wild is that for this (this endless repetition of "news" regarding smoking laws affecting hospitality businesses) THEY ACTUALLY SENT MOJMIR PASTORCIC OUT INTO THE FIELD!!!!!!>

It was just like when a train wreck happens somewhere, and you see a reporter standing right next to the tracks and the wreckage; that’s how Mojmir Pastorcic was yesterday, STANDING IN A BAR, while the screen flashed that she was reporting live from Brooklyn (a neighborhood in Washington, D.C.)!!!!! So—reporting from the scene, from inside one of those Washington, D.C. bars, we got to "learn" this "bombshell news" for the 101st time (news we've been hearing day in and day out for months now) about how the smoking ban is crushing the hospitality industry, how the law changed, and how bigger bars will have to provide a separate room (without service); or rather, make a choice...

I suppose I'll keep watching Fox news with great interest; maybe Mojmir will show up today with that exact same story from some other bar in Washington, D.C....