More Random Grumblings

What Obama Doesn't See
Back in mid-March, I wrote this piece on what Obama saw that Hillary didn't, and promised a followup posting on what he doesn't see and what that might mean for the future.  I am now so over the idea that I have any idea what Obama might see or not see. 

Back sometime in the '70s, I read a novel the "message" of which left a lasting impression.  I don't remember its title, and I've just discovered I don't remember its author either.  I would have sworn it was by Paul Theroux, but I think that was because it was about railroads, since I can't find anything in his bibliography that comes even close to the story I'm thinking of.

In any case, the story line goes something like this:  Guy invents time machine.  Guy wants to be JPMorgan-rich.  Guy travels back in time to before locomotive was invented with detailed plans for locomotive and enough gold to kick off development of first transcontenental railway.  Meyhem ensues.  As I recall, it was a decent read, and the lesson learned has stayed with me:  There can't be a railroad until it's time for there to be a railroad.

In other words, change is a process and because of the interconnectedness of "it all," simple knowledge of a different (better?) way is insufficient without everything else being "ready" for the new way.  Bearing this in mind, and having watched Obawan in action over the last few weeks, I'm now convinced I have no idea what he gets and doesn't get; sees and doesn't see. 

My criticism of him has to do with my wanting him to go a whole lot farther than he seems willing to go in almost every program he's proposed.  What's keeping my mouth closed about it most of the time is that I'm pretty certain that what I want him to be doing pretty much falls into the category of trains whose time hasn't come yet.  Still, I do think he's being overly cautious, but we're coming off 8 years of no caution whatsoever, so Mr O can't be blamed for taking things very slowly.

Other Random Stuff
MSNBC rolled out its third player, Ed Schultz, in its nightly left-leaning trifecta of Olberman, Maddow and now Schultz.  Schultz comes to MSNBC from talk radio and brings with him everything I hate about talk radio.  If tonight was an example, he does it well, and while I'm not a part of his target audience, he's a welcome voice to MSNBC lineup.

Why do we call it "Adult Language?"  And while we're at it, what about "Adult Content?"  I'm an adult, and while I play host to an inner potty-mouth on a par with the very best, there's nothing particularly adult about him.  He, along with everyone else who's titilated by "dirty" language and necked bodies, is every inch an adolescent and the only times the adult me lets him out is to add his shock value to the discussion.  (He's also my resident expert at verbal shorthand when I'm feeling lazy and impatient.)  Maybe I'm overly sensitive to this because I live on two continents and regularly see BBC programs first on the BBC and then on BBC America with all it's beeps and screen-fuzzying, but please America, it's time for us all to grow up!

Things About Me
The other day, I was filling out a registration form for a web site, and it got me thinking in lists.  Here are some that I came up with that pleased me:

Some labels I wear with pride:  Fundamentalist Civil Libertarian, Socialist, Progressive, Agnostic, Communitarian, Gay Rights Activist, and Realist

Some other labels I've worn with minimal embarrassment at various times and with varying degrees of success and accuracy:  Son, Grandson, Student, Teacher, ADHD Patient, Friend, Enemy, Hippy, Auto Mechanic, Clerk, Secretary, Alcoholic, Paralegal, Radio Announcer, Journalist, Editor, Author, Educator (see "Teacher" + gravitas), Counselor, Mediator, Programmer, Boss, Employee, Landlord, Tenant, Victim, Perpetrator, Leader, Follower, Stage Manager, Director (theater, corporate, & charitable), Musician, Guru (lol), Author.

Some unarguable rules in my playground:  1) The U.S. Constitution means exactly what it says.  No exceptions.  2) Each consenting adult being free to marry the consenting adult member of the opposite sex of their choice does not satisfy the equal protection requirements of the first section of the 14th Amendment.  Each consenting adult being free to marry the consenting adult they love does.  3) "The Bible says . . ." is not a valid argument for any purpose.  Neither are tradition, historical precedence, conventional practice, nor any other appeal to authority unless it has a firm constitutional foundation.

Not bad for a start, eh?

My apartment in Spain raised $4,200 for the Campus YMCA at its annual dinner and auction Friday night.  One of the things that's been bugging me about the recession is that I've had to cut way back on my little efforts at philanthropy.  Being able to do something like this with an asset that's just sitting there doing nothing feels really good!!!

Travel plans are in the works.  I had been keeping the latter part of April and all of May open, hoping I'd get over to Spain for a few weeks this Spring.  Now that I know that's not going to happen, I'm playing with plans for a road trip here in the states.  For sure, I'm dropping down to Atlanta to meet the newest Snook once John's had time to recover from his little adventure.  I'd like to visit the newest Klugs, too, but that's a lot of miles.  We'll see.