INTERESTING TIMES

I got enough responses to my bit about preparing to resist radiation that it occurs to me to wonder, is the media really working so hard to inflame panic? Or are they trying to keep us from panicking so that we will all just go to the mall and buy movie tickets instead of concerning ourselves with radiation? I have no idea what the media is up to, because aside from this outward mental spew I participate in it very little. I do not watch TV. I do catch a few minutes of NPR from time to time, and last I heard was some expert saying that the situation at the plant there has surpassed the level of the Three Mile Island meltdown. That was enough for me to know that radiation has already been emitted. I'm not panicked....but I'm interested. These ARE interesting times. I'm fascinated, in fact, with the homogenaity of the responses I've gotten. So everybody thinks it is a hoax? What is informing you of this certainty? And what makes you so sure you are right? I'll have to wait for my other bit a media---a weekly called The Week---before I will have any more media hype to pass on.

Here you can see the offending clip in which Williams admitted that he feels nervous when he sees people in Muslim garb on an airplane. I hadn't seen it until just now. Williams has a long history of working for human rights, and he is black. After he made this admission, NPR fired him, and he promptly got hired by FOX to the tune of a $2 million contract.

What happened here is in a way a repeat of something I observed in church a few Sundays ago. The pastor said that homophobia is a sin. Fear is a sin? Now NPR is saying the same thing. Nervousness around strangers in clothing representing so much = sin. This is ridiculous. This is a trap that liberals have fallen into. This is the disaster of PCism taken so far that people cannot even express their unbidden and unacted emotions. It's not even an opinion, it's an EMOTION. The opinion, being something concocted of reason in a quality man such as Williams, will not be bigoted. But emotions? I suspect that any reasonable person in Arab dress would understand that Williams is not a hater, he is simply human. We would all get along better if we allow each other to be human.

The most astute diagnosticians I encounter on a regular (weekly) basis are "Click and Clack, the Tappitt brothers", on NPR. They are immediately assessing every variable for any possible cause the moment they begin talking to a person with a car problem. They are insightful and compassionate about the foibles of people. They know their shit about cars. And they are funny. Every time someone tells me that they just can't stand Car Talk, I start wondering what their issue is with Italians, or with automobiles, or WHAT?
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Big news in Europe: the Swiss have consitutionally banned new minarets.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091129/ap_on_re_eu/eu_switzerland_minaret_ban

I heard the story on NPR, and until then I had not realized that minarets are supported mostly by the political arm of Islam. There is some dispute among ardent Muslims about their use. I am proud of the Swiss. Those who pine for diversity may not realize that wolves are diverse among sheep.

Listening to an old This American Life program (you can download them online) called Harold. It's about the first black man to serve as governor, in Chicago. It gives a little bit of history about Democracy in our country that gives me hope for Obama. Harold was "fairer than fair" and gradually began to win over racist whites by being a plain old human being, by doing his job, by really being fair. When he said it was "our turn", it really was. I am getting ready to step up myself, and claim a turn. Harold was a hero of Obama's, and just knowing this bit of history and knowing that Obama is aware of it gives me hope. It is our turn.

Go get the link yourself if you care.
I also recommend the TAL program on testosterone.

Here's an example of a person who reacted with kindness instead of hostility when someone tried to do him wrong. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89164759

On NPR this morning, a report says that in 2001 16% of US drivers surveyed said their next vehicle would have a manual transmission. That percentage has fallen, in spite of the fact that standard transmissions are 10-15% more fuel efficient than automatics. One commenter noted that teenagers don't want stick shifts because "they can't talk on their cell phones and drink their starbucks" while they drive. YIKES!! It is cell phone talking idiots who most often fail to notice me riding my bike wearing bright colors in full view. The report noted that many people don't know HOW to drive a stick anymore. Just like most people don't know how to grow food anymore. When the shit hits the fan in this country, it is going to be UGLY. Ignorance of basic life skills is rampant, but we all know how to use a cell phone while driving.

The first time I saw this cocky little man play, he played with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. No doubt, he rips on the electric bass. His band tonight included a percussionist, keyboardist, two other bass players, and two babes one who mostly grooved on stage. One sang with gusto and the other could also play bass. The bass playing chick had one good short rap about women hanging onto their souls. There were a few other messages of love and acceptance that I liked. All in the band were black skinned. Their tour and recently released CD is called the Soul Circus. I think.
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