"Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear which is inherent in a human situation."
Graham Greene
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A Pariah State No Longer
Today, after at least five years as a rogue state, reviled around the globe, we the United States have taken a major step towards making amends with the rest of the world by swearing in Barack Obama as our 44th President.
These images of people around the world, celebrating with America on this historic day, are overwhelming after years of darkness via the Bush-Cheney criminal regime. I shed tears of joy, relief, and hope as I contemplate how the American electorate has staved off a police state (for now) and has started down the road to restoring intellectual rigor, compassion, maturity, science, and The Constitution, among other endangered virtues and institutions, to The White House.
As President Obama (how sweet it is to write that phrase) pointed out in his powerful inauguration speech, we have a lot of hard work and sacrifice ahead of us as a nation. For today, however, we can all raise a glass to this historic shift, as patriots, and see a glimmer of hope for democracy, rule of law, and the future we leave to the next generation of Americans.
Thank you, America, for waking up.
These images of people around the world, celebrating with America on this historic day, are overwhelming after years of darkness via the Bush-Cheney criminal regime. I shed tears of joy, relief, and hope as I contemplate how the American electorate has staved off a police state (for now) and has started down the road to restoring intellectual rigor, compassion, maturity, science, and The Constitution, among other endangered virtues and institutions, to The White House.
As President Obama (how sweet it is to write that phrase) pointed out in his powerful inauguration speech, we have a lot of hard work and sacrifice ahead of us as a nation. For today, however, we can all raise a glass to this historic shift, as patriots, and see a glimmer of hope for democracy, rule of law, and the future we leave to the next generation of Americans.
Thank you, America, for waking up.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
SHP Heavy Rotation, Week of 8/10/08
1. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
2. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
3. Spank Rock - Yoyoyoyoyo
4. Sly & The Family Stone - "Dance to the Medley:"
5. Isaac Hayes - "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalmistic"
6. The Broken West - I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
7. XTC - "No Language in Our Lungs"
8. The Rolling Stones - Some Girls
9. The Gossip - "Standing in the Way of Control"
10. Stevie Wonder - "All Day Sucker"
2. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
3. Spank Rock - Yoyoyoyoyo
4. Sly & The Family Stone - "Dance to the Medley:"
5. Isaac Hayes - "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalmistic"
6. The Broken West - I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
7. XTC - "No Language in Our Lungs"
8. The Rolling Stones - Some Girls
9. The Gossip - "Standing in the Way of Control"
10. Stevie Wonder - "All Day Sucker"
Friday, August 8, 2008
And Now For Something Completely Different...
Since my last two posts were on the negative tip, here's Sly tearing it up and rousing the stoned masses at Woodstock:
Monday, August 4, 2008
We Get the Leadership That We Deserve
John McCain's campaign, seemingly in shambles and headed over a cliff just a short while ago, seems to have found its mudslinging groove through racist and apocalyptic ads (Britney and Paris, "The One") and rolling out the usual bald-faced lies (claiming Barack Obama didn't visit wounded troops in Germany because he couldn't bring cameras). Team McCain is now ridiculing Obama for correctly pointing out that keeping one's car tires properly inflated and getting regular tune-ups can increase fuel efficiency and thus save oil and money (how outrageous of Obama!), something that Republican governors and NASCAR have also urged. Republican shills have received the memo and are relentlessly repeating the message that Obama's entire energy policy consists of urging us to keep our tires inflated. McCain's campaign is so proud of their new line of attack that they are handing out tire pressure gauges to reporters and donors so that they can all share a self-satisfied chuckle. The Republicans seem to think they've found the equivalent of Jimmy Carter's cardigan and his suggestion to turn our thermostats down to use as a cudgel against Obama down the stretch.
This is the substantive and respectful campaign McCain promised? It's not surprising that Republicans would resort to red herrings and juvenile taunts; it's what they do. The amazing thing, to me, is that these tactics are so successful with a majority of the American electorate. McCain has already closed Obama's lead considerably since he ramped up the hateful and petulant rhetoric after Obama‘s tour of the Middle East and Europe.
Republicans and Independents: please explain why you support John McCain. I want to understand the mentality of those who are swayed by McCain's dishonest ads and smears against Obama. How do you think a McCain presidency would help you and your family, or add to the public good in any way? Though Obama is not the answer to all of our problems and is certainly a flawed candidate, how is McCain a better choice? Why do you feel that, in the midst of a serious Constitutional crisis, you have the luxury of being willfully ignorant and lazy when it comes to thinking critically about the issues we face as a nation?
Follow-up question: if any of you found it funny when delegates at the 2004 Republican Convention wore purple band-aids on their faces to mock John Kerry's Purple Heart medals earned in Vietnam, do you feel any remorse for slandering a decorated war hero, since you and your party constantly claim that you “support the troops“? Or maybe you look back fondly at the band-aid gag, and this year you look forward to snickering knowingly when your party’s delegates proudly brandish anti-Obama tire pressure gauges at your convention this summer?
It's commonplace for Democratic politicians to assert "We Deserve Better" after the 8 years of hell wrought by Bush, Cheney, Addington, Rove and the rest. But do we really deserve better? We elected George W. Bush as President of the United States, not once, but twice. After comparing George W. Bush to Al Gore and John Kerry, with full access to all the facts and information concerning their respective platforms and thus able to compare and contrast their differing visions for the country, we chose George W. Bush both times; we "felt more comfortable" with Bush and would have preferred to have a beer with him over Gore and Kerry because we were told that they exaggerated, flip-flopped, and were too educated, French, and effete for our tastes. McCain, who has changed positions repeatedly on every major position, who wants to wage perpetual war and continue Bush economic policies, and who has serious anger issues, is almost tied with Obama in the polls with only three months left until Election Day.
I would say that we Americans get exactly the leadership that we deserve. If John McCain wins in November, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
I'm Mad as Hell (Bring on The Smile-Manner Squadron)
As a regular Seattle Metro bus commuter, mainly on the dodgy 358 Express route, I read with great interest this bit of news from Japan.
While it is possible that, as I get older, I am becoming the stereotypical grumpy older dude, incredulous at the younger whippersnappers' lack of respect and values, there is no doubt that etiquette and decency are steadily being eroded in our society, even in supposedly polite Seattle . Riding the bus each day and working downtown provides a first-hand view of what social conservatives call the "coarsening of the culture", one of the few points on which this left-wing blogger and the right-wing culture warriors are in agreement.
Waiting for the bus at the notorious 3rd and Pine corner, one is confronted by all the symptoms of the MySpace generation's F.U. attitude: spitting, littering, cursing, young thug-wannabees blocking the entire sidewalk, aggressive panhandling, and worse after dark (Seattle is pathetically lacking beat cops, but that's a whole other post).
Some of this antisocial behavior, of course, makes its way onto the buses, especially the 358. In addition to the activities outlined above, on any given day one can encounter people taking up two seats (even if the bus is standing-room only!), eating and drinking disgusting fast food and other crap (I have had a Slurpee-like drink spilled on me by a homeless man who was allowed on the bus with a lid-less container, in flagrant violation of the posted rules), loud cursing and altercations, and the aforementioned thuggery and posturing, usually in the back of the bus.
If all that weren't enough, there is the amazing lack of self-consciousness of so many bus riders. People loudly yak on their cell phones, shamelessly discussing all manner of personal topics. Women feel that the bus is an appropriate place to apply make-up during the morning commute, in full view of the other passengers. Teenagers chomp on greasy burgers or munch bags of neon-orange cheese doodles, oblivious or disdainful of others.
When did so many Americans come to feel that a public place is no different than their living rooms, an appropriate environment to let it all hang out? What happened to the social compact of living in a major urban area, putting on a public face out of respect for one's fellow citizens (and bus commuters)? Have the concepts of privacy, decency, and a modicum of modesty become quaint relics of a pre-Facebook generation when each private moment wasn't captured on YouTube or a reality television show?
It's heartening to know that in Yokohama, Japan, at least, someone is saying enough is enough and has mustered the wherewithal to start fighting back. Seattle (and undoubtedly many other American cities) desperately needs a program like this. Public shaming is a vastly underrated, and underused, public policy-tool. If ever a society needed to have a mirror held up to itself and be forced to acknowledge its excesses, exhibitionism, and rudeness, it is the United States in 2008; bring on the elderly manner police (with younger bodyguards to back them up).
Or at the very least, bring on Howard Beale to help rouse us from our collective stupor.
I'm not suggesting that we impose a quasi-fascist nanny state, à la Singapore, here in the U.S. I'm just urging that we decide what type of city, and country, we want to live in and take the steps necessary to realize that vision. Do we want to continue along a solipsistic and vulgar path towards instant gratification? Or perhaps we could strive to achieve the goals outlined in the following, an exercise recited by students at Adams School in Ballard, Seattle, in 1927:
Maybe after we elect Barack Obama as the next president, we will be in a good collective mindset for change in this country. We need it now more than ever, from the 358 Express to The White House.
While it is possible that, as I get older, I am becoming the stereotypical grumpy older dude, incredulous at the younger whippersnappers' lack of respect and values, there is no doubt that etiquette and decency are steadily being eroded in our society, even in supposedly polite Seattle . Riding the bus each day and working downtown provides a first-hand view of what social conservatives call the "coarsening of the culture", one of the few points on which this left-wing blogger and the right-wing culture warriors are in agreement.
Waiting for the bus at the notorious 3rd and Pine corner, one is confronted by all the symptoms of the MySpace generation's F.U. attitude: spitting, littering, cursing, young thug-wannabees blocking the entire sidewalk, aggressive panhandling, and worse after dark (Seattle is pathetically lacking beat cops, but that's a whole other post).
Some of this antisocial behavior, of course, makes its way onto the buses, especially the 358. In addition to the activities outlined above, on any given day one can encounter people taking up two seats (even if the bus is standing-room only!), eating and drinking disgusting fast food and other crap (I have had a Slurpee-like drink spilled on me by a homeless man who was allowed on the bus with a lid-less container, in flagrant violation of the posted rules), loud cursing and altercations, and the aforementioned thuggery and posturing, usually in the back of the bus.
If all that weren't enough, there is the amazing lack of self-consciousness of so many bus riders. People loudly yak on their cell phones, shamelessly discussing all manner of personal topics. Women feel that the bus is an appropriate place to apply make-up during the morning commute, in full view of the other passengers. Teenagers chomp on greasy burgers or munch bags of neon-orange cheese doodles, oblivious or disdainful of others.
When did so many Americans come to feel that a public place is no different than their living rooms, an appropriate environment to let it all hang out? What happened to the social compact of living in a major urban area, putting on a public face out of respect for one's fellow citizens (and bus commuters)? Have the concepts of privacy, decency, and a modicum of modesty become quaint relics of a pre-Facebook generation when each private moment wasn't captured on YouTube or a reality television show?
It's heartening to know that in Yokohama, Japan, at least, someone is saying enough is enough and has mustered the wherewithal to start fighting back. Seattle (and undoubtedly many other American cities) desperately needs a program like this. Public shaming is a vastly underrated, and underused, public policy-tool. If ever a society needed to have a mirror held up to itself and be forced to acknowledge its excesses, exhibitionism, and rudeness, it is the United States in 2008; bring on the elderly manner police (with younger bodyguards to back them up).
Or at the very least, bring on Howard Beale to help rouse us from our collective stupor.
I'm not suggesting that we impose a quasi-fascist nanny state, à la Singapore, here in the U.S. I'm just urging that we decide what type of city, and country, we want to live in and take the steps necessary to realize that vision. Do we want to continue along a solipsistic and vulgar path towards instant gratification? Or perhaps we could strive to achieve the goals outlined in the following, an exercise recited by students at Adams School in Ballard, Seattle, in 1927:
I am a citizen of Seattle, of Washington, and of the United States. It is my right and my duty to make an honest living and to be comfortable and happy. It is my privilege and my duty to help others to secure these benefits. I will work hard and play fair. I will be kind to all, especially to little children, to old people, to the unfortunate, and to animals. I will help make Seattle a clean, beautiful and law abiding city. These are the best services I can render to my city, my state and my country.
Maybe after we elect Barack Obama as the next president, we will be in a good collective mindset for change in this country. We need it now more than ever, from the 358 Express to The White House.
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