Will mankind ever really change? We like to think we live in an enlightened age. We understand so much more now, about so many things. Yet, you look at the news around the world and you see hatred and strife, violence everywhere. Since 9/11 we see even more terror, manifesting itself in ever-changing ways.
But don't you think that everyone always thought they lived in an enlightened age? Having the hindsight of history as their guide, mankind has always looked back to see people much less enlightened (and intelligent). Ah, the arrogance of the present. I am sure we will all look quite barbaric to future generations.
Growing up in the sixties and seventies we thought that the great evil of our age (and all time) had been vanquished, and we just had to wait for the world to become even better. Vietnam was only a small distraction, compared to the two world wars. Hitler and the horrors of the holocaust were the worst of the worst that man had ever seen. The Nuremberg trials showed us that the world had vanquished evil and that we survived. Boy were we wrong.
I know we all just want to feel safe. I used to think if I retired to Europe and I bought a home in the country, that I could leave this messy world behind. Now I can't think of anywhere in the world where I might stay and just watch the world go by (while living in relative safety). Bird flu, terrorism, Republicans, all ever-threatening and striking fear in the hearts of right-minded people.
Maybe I can found the land of Homoslavia, where non-violent (and oh-so-tasteful) people could go and live in peace and harmony??? Where your biggest worry would be what to wear, or what to make for dinner. I am sure it would be a very neat and tidy place.
If people living a thousand years from now look back on us, what will they see? The dark ages, an age of change, an age of enlightenment, boring times? It is so hard to get any kind of perspective while living in an age of uncertainty.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Not Politics as Usual
Well, it looks like some of the Republican leaders in Congress are waking up to the fact that maybe, just maybe, Mr. Bush is missing a few marbles when it comes to our homeland security.
It is one thing to have our ports run by an Arab-owned company, it is quite another to have them run by a company owned by an Arab (or any other foreign) government. Ally or not, I don't think we would want a company owned by the British government running our ports either. The fact that the Bush team sees no problem speaks volumes. This from the same team that brought us hurricane disaster relief.
I still can't get past the fact that the press barely mentioned it when Bush consulted with the Saudi government before the invasion of Iraq. Even before he consulted with his own Secretary of State. Talk about family ties. It was mentioned by a few media outlets, but it should have been a major story.
Then there is the Dick Cheney story. At least the press got that one right. I know the Daily Show had a field day with this one, as did many other late-night comedy shows. It was just too good to pass up.
When the guy Cheney shot apologized to the VP, I about had a cow. What kind of world are they living in anyway? It has gotten to the point where I don't even try to understand it anymore. I just know that if a Democrat gets in the White House in 2008, there had better be a lot of indictments for members of this power hungry administration. It is like they know no bounds. We will do whatever we want, it really doesn't matter what any law says. We're at war, doncha know.
On a personal note, I am still lovin' my new PC. I still can't seem to part with my old one though. I know I need to sell it, because I already have two. I know I need the money, but it has so many memories (and files) I can't seem to let go of. Sniffle.
It is one thing to have our ports run by an Arab-owned company, it is quite another to have them run by a company owned by an Arab (or any other foreign) government. Ally or not, I don't think we would want a company owned by the British government running our ports either. The fact that the Bush team sees no problem speaks volumes. This from the same team that brought us hurricane disaster relief.
I still can't get past the fact that the press barely mentioned it when Bush consulted with the Saudi government before the invasion of Iraq. Even before he consulted with his own Secretary of State. Talk about family ties. It was mentioned by a few media outlets, but it should have been a major story.
Then there is the Dick Cheney story. At least the press got that one right. I know the Daily Show had a field day with this one, as did many other late-night comedy shows. It was just too good to pass up.
When the guy Cheney shot apologized to the VP, I about had a cow. What kind of world are they living in anyway? It has gotten to the point where I don't even try to understand it anymore. I just know that if a Democrat gets in the White House in 2008, there had better be a lot of indictments for members of this power hungry administration. It is like they know no bounds. We will do whatever we want, it really doesn't matter what any law says. We're at war, doncha know.
On a personal note, I am still lovin' my new PC. I still can't seem to part with my old one though. I know I need to sell it, because I already have two. I know I need the money, but it has so many memories (and files) I can't seem to let go of. Sniffle.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
New Toys
Well, Scotty got a new toy last week. A brand new HP desktop computer. You would think that would bring joy to the land, but noooo. I can't get half the things to transfer over from my old PC, even with an external hard drive. I lost my videos on iTunes and I can't find my bookmarks for Firefox. I am not a happy camper.
I see the President signed the budget bill for the rest of this year. Isn't that nice that he cut Medicaid, Medicare and student loans, while still managing to give tax breaks to the rich? Now if your parents need to go into a nursing home, Medicaid will be even harder to get. Sometimes I just want to bitch-slap the press and ask them why they are not making this a big news item. Today they are still fixated on cartoon violence (it ain't what it used to be).
As I hear more and more about these cartoons and the way the violence is being spread, I have to respect the Danish government for their standing up to the Islamists. I also respect the editor of that paper that first published the cartoon for what he said about freedom of the press. If these Islamists don't like the way Western countries work, then they should head back to the peace and quiet of their own countries. Europe was not designed as a melting pot, like America, and there is no reason those countries should not restrict their immigration. They have native peoples there who still run the country and if these Islamists have brought an atmosphere of fear and intimidation to those lands then they should be booted out, pronto.
The Christianists here wish they had the power to incite riots every time someone says or does something they don't like. With Bush and the Republican guard, they are half way home. Fear can spread so quickly, just look was happened with Janet Jackson's wardrobe incident. Suddenly everyone was afraid to say or do anything the least bit adult on TV (not cable).
Interesting news today about some Evangelical leaders signing a document that states that humans have caused global warming and that humans should work to solve the problem. They state that we are destroying God's creation (Earth) and should reverse course so as to save the planet. Of course, James Dobson and the other hard-liners refused to sign, saying that no one really knows what causes global warming (if it exists at all). Sounds like both sad and happy news. So maybe all American Evangelicals aren't idiots after all.
I see the President signed the budget bill for the rest of this year. Isn't that nice that he cut Medicaid, Medicare and student loans, while still managing to give tax breaks to the rich? Now if your parents need to go into a nursing home, Medicaid will be even harder to get. Sometimes I just want to bitch-slap the press and ask them why they are not making this a big news item. Today they are still fixated on cartoon violence (it ain't what it used to be).
As I hear more and more about these cartoons and the way the violence is being spread, I have to respect the Danish government for their standing up to the Islamists. I also respect the editor of that paper that first published the cartoon for what he said about freedom of the press. If these Islamists don't like the way Western countries work, then they should head back to the peace and quiet of their own countries. Europe was not designed as a melting pot, like America, and there is no reason those countries should not restrict their immigration. They have native peoples there who still run the country and if these Islamists have brought an atmosphere of fear and intimidation to those lands then they should be booted out, pronto.
The Christianists here wish they had the power to incite riots every time someone says or does something they don't like. With Bush and the Republican guard, they are half way home. Fear can spread so quickly, just look was happened with Janet Jackson's wardrobe incident. Suddenly everyone was afraid to say or do anything the least bit adult on TV (not cable).
Interesting news today about some Evangelical leaders signing a document that states that humans have caused global warming and that humans should work to solve the problem. They state that we are destroying God's creation (Earth) and should reverse course so as to save the planet. Of course, James Dobson and the other hard-liners refused to sign, saying that no one really knows what causes global warming (if it exists at all). Sounds like both sad and happy news. So maybe all American Evangelicals aren't idiots after all.
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