Another Kennedy is gone. I heard the news on Democracy Now! the other day, and it makes me sad. Don't get me wrong. I don't think the man was a saint or anything, I'm just sorry to hear that a good guy is gone. Sure, there are things for which any politician could be criticized, but, for the most part, he did good things with his time, even if only dissenting from the majority. More importantly, he intended good things, regardless of how many of these things the rest of his cohorts permitted be done.
This relates to what I recently realized about how one side of the political spectrum so frequently paints the other side as having intentions akin to the worst of those that ever ruled (Hitler, Stalin, etc.). It is critical that compassionate elements of our populace be cast as hateful and mean. If they are not, it becomes obvious that those for whom the dollar is savior are the truly hateful and mean. For example, it's laughable to think that those that support universal health care only do so because they wish ill-will upon others in our country, but insurance companies wish exactly that, since that is what makes their shareholders more money. It is surreal that those that wish a reasonable standard of living for all are not thought of within a pertinent context. It is as if the hyperbolists assume history has taught us nothing and that we are doomed to go down the same roads already traveled by those from other countries, during other decades, within different economies, and subject to any number of other confounding influences. In other words, communism can never become something better, socialism will always be a bad thing, and anarchy can never be improved upon. Capitalism, however, is considered flawless, and is not held to the same standard, regardless of the horrible things people have done to one another in the interest of earning more money. If anything, those that whine the loudest about how great dollar-worship is seem bent on going backwards to those "glory days" before the few, meager checks and balances we now have existed.
Continue to learn and grow. That is all I wish for my parents, and my brothers and sisters in this world. I don't care if your goal is to earn millions of dollars, just realize that there are sustainable and humane ways to do that. As Seth Tobocman's book proclaimed, "You Don't Have to Fuck Over People to Survive." The extension of this is to define the word survive, which should include not only good food, clean water, solid shelter, and clean air, but theater, literature, stimulating conversation, paint, dance, and one thousand other free and necessary things. I don't mean to imply that we all need "merely" survive, I mean to imply that there are different degrees of survival, and most of us are reasonable people...until we stop learning and stop trying to see things from new perspectives (don't worry, you can always crawl back into your shell if it gets too uncomfortable).
It is this I harbor after having watched "The Garden" online, yesterday. Man, what an important movie. Go watch it and see if it changes your view on property rights. If nothing else, it will make you think long and hard about setting up a community garden in your own area (if one does not already exist). Around here, I'm hoping we can get something going on the edges of the West Ashley Greenway, since it is wide enough to accommodate a road, and I'd like to think that getting neighborhood gardens in place would help prevent any future stupidity from making this local treasure into just that...another ribbon of asphalt.
Also, I watched some of the town hall meeting S. Hoyer did in Maryland on CSPAN last night. All I can say is that it was like watching a trainwreck...so disgusting was the behavior of our fellow "Americans" that I couldn't look away. Example of the lunacy: after explaining how her son and daughter are provided health insurance through the state after losing their jobs, one idiot-in-attendance went on to say the "government" needs to get "out of our business, now!" Go ahead...watch the downfall of western civilization. In particular, watch the question from her majesty of the miniscule mind at around 46 minutes: http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/09/01/HP/A/22720/House+Maj+Leader+Rep+Steny+Hoyer+DMD+Health+Care+Town+Hall.aspx
As a result of watching this kind of painful pinhead-ery, I'm considering political appointments, again. I'm trying to get into the Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee, currently. I filled out applications for the Forestry Board and one of the Park and Playground Commissions, but I think I'd rather dedicate my time to something about which I'm, currently, more passionate and knowledgeable. Besides, there are just too many stupid things happening, lately. They just put in solar-powered flashers for two greenway crossings up the road. Yes, they are nice when I'm carting the girls, but I'm responsible. I always come to a stop, anyway, to check for traffic. Nobody else will have to develop that habit, thanks to these new eyesores that were a waste of money (how about resurfacing the severely eroded and buckled section of the greenway that winds through the black neighborhoods in our area, for example?). As well, and I'll follow up on this one for sure, they just added bumps (rumble-shoulder type garbage) to the white lines on some of the roads we use for our shop rides on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Again, this will prevent drivers from developing the quite safe habits of staying awake while at the wheel and paying close attention to traffic on more shaded, winding roads. For riders, it presents an obstacle to quickly getting out of the way of the now-lazier drivers when they stray too close (which they will). At worst, it is something riders do not see in the dark and/or rain that causes them to lose control of their bicycle and crash on roads that regularly have car traffic traveling at speeds of up to 50-60mph. Somebody needs to be more involved in helping these road "designers," as they are clearly only considering those in cars when they pull this kind of jackass move.
As for the media candy section of this entry, see below:
Trials riding isn't really my scene, but I am in awe of this guy's ability (good musical choice, too): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o
This was mildly funny, so I thought I'd throw it in, too (my favorite part is the foggy glasses when he's inside):
Also, check out the latest on the insane happening in Asheville that Garrett clued me to:
Hoping to make another trip to FATS before too long, here, and teaching a Road I course the first week of November. Off to the doctor with the girls in the morning, and watched about 30 minutes of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 with Andree before wandering in here to finish this, finally. Have a great night and don't forget to ride tomorrow. You'll feel better. Smoking status: down to 1/2 a day, but only 2 or 3 left in pack. I'll try to make it a week before buying another...if I do. The tea tree oil toothpicks are really helping out this situation, by the way.
Watch the babies...watch the cute, cute babies. The trailer is the summer-modified Tiger from Burley (I'm pretty happy with it, aside from the lack of carrying space for the jogging kit or a leash for towing them around when once we get to the store). Oh, and the maypop, Passiflora lutea, is growing on the lamppost in front of the house. I just saw a gulf fritillary laying eggs on it, today, so I'll try to photograph the life cycle.
