Too many outrages, too little stomach to write about them
Lately I've been working fairly hard, and enjoying it. There's been lots of stuff I like on TV lately (with the Stanley Cup playoffs right around the corner). I've read several good books lately (The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, one of the best books ever IMHO; The Sweet Hereafter, by Russell Banks; the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, by Phillip Pullman; and many others), aided and abetted by my smartphone and Bluetooth headphones, which allow me to "read" while riding the bus--and walking to and from it, as well as while running and at the gym. My brother is coming to visit, my soccer season is about to start, I'm still trying to study Spanish everyday, and there's a bunch of other stuff I wish I spent more time on.
Meanwhile, the outlook for Planet Earth is so dreary that I find it hard to even focus on just one outrage to blog about. My usual favorites--Chris Floyd, Jonathan Schwarz, WIIIAI, and Michelle's recently-revived You Will Anyway--have been blogging up a storm on all sorts of topics: The US-sponsored disasters in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia (see Floyd's multiple posts on the almost completely unpublicized regime change in that poor country oft blighted by Uncle Sam). Michelle has been following the revelations surrounding the US attorney firings. While I don't believe that the firings themselves are that much of a scandal (the real scandal is that those jobs are political at all), the coverup has seemingly, if paradoxically, uncovered all sorts of other slimey manipulations by the Repugs to turn our government into Repug campaign headquarters.
Then there's the ongoing demonization of Iran, the Democrats total unwillingness to do anything to stop the war, John McCain's stupid statement(s) of the day, global warming, etc., etc., etc. It's just too much. But I go in phases on this--you never know when I'll just go off!
BTW, I have almost decided to take the biodiesel stickers off my car and turn against biofuels because of two Georges: George Monbiot, because he's against them; and George Bush because he's for them. Monbiot writes convincingly about the many ways that biofuels have become a threat, both to the food supply and the environment. Of course, Bush, McCain, and other kooks now think that any "solution" to our energy woes has to involve more nuclear power (except in Iran, of course). The one thing these morons won't mention is the only thing that will really work--massive conservation, using WAY less energy than we do now.
Like I said, it's all too depressing. But if I'm not depressing you sufficiently lately, chase those links above--you'll get there!
Also BTW, Michelle liked my comment on her blog, which featured this true-if-misleading headline: "Bush shot by FBI after being questioned by Patrick Fitzgerald about Osama bin Laden." Read her post and follow-up for the explanation.
Meanwhile, the outlook for Planet Earth is so dreary that I find it hard to even focus on just one outrage to blog about. My usual favorites--Chris Floyd, Jonathan Schwarz, WIIIAI, and Michelle's recently-revived You Will Anyway--have been blogging up a storm on all sorts of topics: The US-sponsored disasters in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia (see Floyd's multiple posts on the almost completely unpublicized regime change in that poor country oft blighted by Uncle Sam). Michelle has been following the revelations surrounding the US attorney firings. While I don't believe that the firings themselves are that much of a scandal (the real scandal is that those jobs are political at all), the coverup has seemingly, if paradoxically, uncovered all sorts of other slimey manipulations by the Repugs to turn our government into Repug campaign headquarters.
Then there's the ongoing demonization of Iran, the Democrats total unwillingness to do anything to stop the war, John McCain's stupid statement(s) of the day, global warming, etc., etc., etc. It's just too much. But I go in phases on this--you never know when I'll just go off!
BTW, I have almost decided to take the biodiesel stickers off my car and turn against biofuels because of two Georges: George Monbiot, because he's against them; and George Bush because he's for them. Monbiot writes convincingly about the many ways that biofuels have become a threat, both to the food supply and the environment. Of course, Bush, McCain, and other kooks now think that any "solution" to our energy woes has to involve more nuclear power (except in Iran, of course). The one thing these morons won't mention is the only thing that will really work--massive conservation, using WAY less energy than we do now.
Like I said, it's all too depressing. But if I'm not depressing you sufficiently lately, chase those links above--you'll get there!
Also BTW, Michelle liked my comment on her blog, which featured this true-if-misleading headline: "Bush shot by FBI after being questioned by Patrick Fitzgerald about Osama bin Laden." Read her post and follow-up for the explanation.
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