Some issues that this writer finds to be of particular interest and/or concern this week are:

• Overthrow of the government in Yemen
• Terrorism both in the U.S. and abroad
• Climate change and its effects on the global environment
• Airline safety
• Tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel
• Increased racism and racial tensions in the U.S.
• Homophobia in the U.S.
• The faltering economy of oil-producing nations
• Vladimir Putin’s seeming desire to re-establish a Soviet-style empire
• Immigrants to the U.S. in danger of deportation
• Radical conservatives in the U.S. Congress
• People starving world-wide
• The cost of a college education
• Incompetence within the medical community

While this is by no means a comprehensive list, the point I would like to call to the reader’s attention is that nowhere on the list do you see “under-inflated footballs”. And yet, for several days that story has seemingly dominated the news in print, television and online media, leading me to seriously question the priorities and values of said media and their audience.

Typically I am long-winded when I feel strongly about an issue. I do not feel strongly about how many PSI of air are, or should be, in a football. I do feel strongly that the media owes it to us all to report on issues that have more overall significance than footballs.  I simply wanted to make the point that it is, in the grand scheme of things, unimportant and irrelevant. I believe I made that point, so I will now turn my efforts to topics more deserving of my thoughts and time.  Please stay tuned …