Has anyone else been having weird weather? The other day, I took my daughter for a walk around the block because it was so nice and warm and sunny. We weren't even halfway done with the walk when it started raining and the temperature began rapidly dropping. I ended up picking her up and jogging home with her in order to get home quicker because we were getting so cold and wet. The clouds were coming in so fast that it looked like special effects, later the wind got up to 75 miles an hour.
The temperature ended up dropping 50 degrees that day and finally it began to snow. It snowed 8 inches, which is more snow than we have had in the last 10 years. Then by Monday, the temperature was in the 70's and all the snow melted, when me and my daughter attempted another walk (this time we made it!) the snow was melting so fast that there were little rivers going down the streets and sidewalks and you could hear the water rushing through the storm drains. By tonight or tomorrow, it is supposed to snow again.
Super Tuesday!! I'm hoping for some good news as I guess we all are. Who do I want to win the Democratic nomination? Obama. I like Obama and Hilary, but I think that Obama has a better chance of going up against the Republicans than Hilary does. I don't think Hilary could win. I was driving the other day and there was a young girl outside on the road holding a Vote for Obama sign. She was happy and grinning and I caught her eye and gave her a thumbs up and she did a little jig! If he wins methinks there will be lots more people dancing.
I saw a comment on a blog the other day that surprised me. It surprised me because it made me realize that this person was a hardcore conservative and I just never would have pegged them that way. So, I went to their blog and read for a little while and I was really confused. There were lots of comments on liberals and I thought, "Who are they talking about? I'm liberal and so are a lot of people that I am close to and I don't recognize anyone I know in this description." Maybe aspects here and there but that's all.
I even saw one comment in which someone said that a relative of theirs, away at college, had become liberal. They were razzing him about it and someone told him, "You may say your liberal but I'll bet you would never marry a liberal girl." And he was apparently chagrined by this comment and agreed with his family I was completely bewildered by this apparently inside joke that you I suppose just can't understand unless you are conservative as well.
But you know, we all caricature each other. I've seen liberals do it to conservatives as much as I have seen conservatives do it to liberals and either way it makes me uncomfortable. It does not create dialogue, it destroys it. And I find it interesting that each side tends to accuse the other of the same things. Each side thinks the other is trying to control the media, and each side think that the other is trying to destroy the middle class, for instance. Each side also seems to have it's own version of history which is interesting, sometimes I wonder how much a lot of people really do know about history, even if they think that they do.
My son graduated from Saint Louis University and went to school with kids parents who were...well....much wealthier than me and so he was exposed to lots of kids who have more of a Republican outlook. It is interesting sometimes to talk to him, since he is young--history is just that to him--history. He doesn't remember--he's only read about it. He knows the facts but not so much the why's and since he's a computer major, he really didn't have a lot of classes in it.
One night he was complaining about and making fun of polical correctness. I told him that I wish that he would remember that a lot of these things were begun for a very good reason. Yes, some of it has gone too far, sometimes it gets petty and silly, sometimes it bogs down discussion but if he looked into the past and saw what people used to say before, he would understand why it came about. (I'm imprinting him.) Somehow the lessons of the past had been lost with only the results apparent, sort of standing alone without people remembering why other people thought they were necessary at one time. We all do that to each other.
My mom has always been into the Tao. She taught me to see how everything is always striving for a balance and how the further things get out of balance, the more they will swing in the opposite way to compensate. Sometimes I can understand politics better if I stop thinking of everyone as having their own evil agenda (though I know that there are people who do) and just see it as society trying to reach some sort of balance. It's easier for me to think of it that way. ( I guess my mom imprinted me too.)
Been reading a lot of Biographies lately. Biographies about writers. I also read a fun book about famous literary feuds. Ernest Hemingway vs Gertrude Stein. That one was a gas! They were both so sly and sarcastic and genteel about cutting each other down. Truman Capote and Gore Vidal. That one was a lot of fun as well. And finally Tom Wolfe (Bonfire of Vanities) vs. everyone. I got an interesting insight from that one, one that really affected me.
In summation, Tom Wolfe's writing style is journalistic. And according to other writers, this does not constitute true literature. Tom Wolfe differs with them all saying that the standard is what is flawed, not his writing. He says that literature has become too introspective, that plot is sacrificed and that nothing ever happens.
And you know, he's right! Around the turn of the century when the study of psychology really started to influence societies view of reality, literature did turn introspecive. A type of writing called impressionistic writing became popular and has never really gone out of style. If someone writes a book containing action and plot, it will be on the paperback rack. If someone spends 200 pages writing about how they felt when their childhood pet died, that is literature. Of course, I'm exagerating but I think Mr. Wolfe is onto something.
10 comments:
I think our political system is nonsense, but I'm with you on Obama.
I don't recall where you live, if I ever knew. It's gets down to just at freezing here many nights during the winter but always gets to at least 40 during most days.
We've had snow once 3 inches, it was gone in a few days.
Can't put a label on me, I jump all over the chart, depending on if I'm using my right or left brain. I believe in conserving but that is not the same as being a conservative. I thought it did, discovered I was wrong.
It's raining, but I'm going for a walk anyway. I walk my thoughts around. :-)
Yep - I have Blue Tits and a Robin family nesting - far too early. I'm making them a house at the weekend otherwise I read they may die if we get a freeze which is likely - they won't survive in a nest until late March usually. We have rooks nesting too - very early for them but they are too big so I can't really make them a house! All my spring and some of my summer flowers are sprouting. I keep telling them to go back to sleep but it's too late. It has all gone upsidedownsideways I tell you.
So - Obama or Hillary? I remember being told by an American politics professor that the US would never have a female or a black president. So what now? Which way do you think it could go? It's exciting.
BBC-I don't have a lot of faith in the ability of government to act quickly. though they seemed to be able to act quickly enough to get the war started....so apparently they have the ability when needs be. I try to listen to both sides with an open mind but I have some pet issues...one of them being health carefor instance, and I can't go for a party who cuts healthcare benefits to the elderly and doesn't think it's important for poor children to have access to healthcare. I wonder how the accomplishments that the Democratic party achieved during the civil rights area have become so garbled and now to hear people talk you would think that they didn't accomplish anything. I think it is shameful that as much as the United States has that they can't take care of our own people better. And I just can't really get past that.
It must be nice where you live.
Rockmother-I have a stray cat outside of my house that I've made friends with. I worry a lot about her when it snows but so far she has done okay. She will actually let me pet her now and if I could get her inside the house I would let her stay so she won't be cold but she won't come in. I'm thinking of doing that capture and release thing with her...have you heard of that? You capture the cat and they spay her and then you let them back out. I'm afraid she might already be pregnant though. Stupid Tom Cats!
It is amazing that we have a woman and an African-American running isn't it. Going back to what I said about the civil rights era and why I'm confused as to why conservatives won't give democrats any credit for this....it is a direct result of the civil rights movement that this has happened. Just think.....50 years ago....black people were completely marginalized in our society in every way and now Obama...who was a direct recipient of the civil rights movement, who is brilliant, articulate and brings a much needed perspective is in a good position to win the democratic nomination.
When I was young, once I commented that a black guy I saw was built good and my friends mouths fell open. And now only 20 years later that would be a ridiculous reaction. (Well, it was then too. But now everyone would know it was ridiculous!) I believe that one of the things that has made such a difference is television shows for kids where the African American kids are portrayed as being successful etc....I would like to see this happen with hispanics too. Anyway, I am meandering and have certainly gotten away from politics. But it just goes to show you that government can make a difference if we are patient enough to wait.
well, Id be really happy to see Obama win.. bcos, he is what you can have in America but not in India...
In india too, we have young polliticians.. people who really want to make a change.. but by the time theyre let out of the shadow of the real 'polliticians' there hair will be quite grey, and have parochial instincts...
Im not sure how real Obama is with his change agenda.. but atleast there's something to look out for. hillary is just going to be an another run of the mill pollitician.. a democratic Bush.. oh maybe a littl better than Bush.. but still a pollitician more than anything else... iv felt all the other 4 currently in the race are fakes...
the republicans speech still shows theyre like Bush.. claiming that theyre gonna be in White House when everyone knows they wont even win he nomination... exactly wat Bush was doing for the last 7 years... claiming he was winning... ya, I follow the campaign even from here.. and looking from a untinted glass of my own (and only my own) opinions, i think Obam,a is still the leader..
one he conducts his campaign like a movement rather than a pollitical stunt.. and hey, hes a damn good orator... does Hillary even come close?
ab
The weather her is strange , very little snow since Christmas, everybody’s wondering if there’ll be enough for their winter holiday, not obviously the higher income who will travel north to more scenic places.
I don’t know much about Obama - the Clintons, I feel something’s not quite right there. Bill (and I’d imagine Hillary) took the position: the U.S. should control space for military purposes, slightly different from "Head in the Bush," who wants to own it, and probably thinks he does already. I can’t put my finger on it, I guess you might call it intuition (I remain reserved) but yes Obama, the money is on him as my favorite.
When asked what party or political view I have I say non, but I do believe in the ”common sense way,” and when I sense a little of that is a party or person I tend to go that way till I realize otherwise. I don’t think we are clever enough to have any particular or clear view. We would have to live a life time (lives) to know what is what for sure, and even then, well… well … well!
I try not to buy into peoples past. However, I will be caught by certain aspects if they fly too much in the face of taboo, and alert basic instinct to run away from them. I have no problem with drugs as you know by my comments of late. We all take drugs in one form or another- stimulants, (a component part) of coffee, chocolate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate#As_a_stimulant to amphetamine and …. so on.
The plot thickens- we all like the rush, the thrill, and suspense. I must say I tend to be guilty, except when I write, then I tend to indulge in boring everyone, ha!
I admire you BBE for your interest. Really glad I came across you in the blog world.
Thanks for being you.
The methylxanthines(found mainly in chocolate) are even milder stimulants. Unlike the amphetamines and methylphenidate, which are synthetically manufactured, these compounds occur naturally in various plants and have been used by humans for many centuries. The most important of them are caffeine, theophylline, and Theo bromine. The strongest is caffeine, which is the active ingredient...
(1) I'm not a big fan of Mr. Wolfe, but I do think that diversity in expression is the critical thing to maintain, not a single standard of "excellence."
(2) The weather here has been strange in that it's been unsually warm during the winter months. We've had a couple of sharp temperature drops, but nothing close to what you've experienced.
(3) The problem is that what liberals and conservatives know about each other doesn't come from interaction with said parties, but from themselves. In media studies, we call this an "echo chamber," made more possible nowadays through narrowcasting.
I laud your attempts to be fair. But for someone on the far left who actively engages in dialogue with varying degrees of the political right, I'd have to say that liberal portrayals of conservatives tend to be more accurate than vice-versa. In fact, part of the thing about the populist right is that many of its good ideas actually come from leftist, and socialist paradigms.
Still mild here. 41 degrees this morning.
I think that labels like liberal and conservative are nonsense. Everyone jumps all over the chart.
i loved the electric koolaid acid test by tom wolfe, which was both journalistic and literary. wolfe and hunter s. were both poetic journalists, great writers.
the weather is always wonky where i live. we're known for it.
you might enjoy 'the turning point' by fritjof kapra, who also wrote 'the tao of physics'. he talks a lot about pendulum swings, and how we're due.
Everyone-Sorry it took me so long to comment.
Ab-That's really neat that you follow our elections from over there. Mrs. Clinton has been in politics since she was very young. She is actually incredible! Over the years she appears to have lost some of her forthrightedness (Is that a word?) and I suppose that she has because she has learned that she won't accomplish anything without being controversial. And that is sad. As far as Obama....I think he has a better chance of winning the presidency than Mrs. Clinton and it's just exciting to wonder what is going to happen if he is elected.
Sean-(I still want to call you Paddy!) It seems to me that no matter how much you know about the candidates, in the end, it always comes down to some gut feeling that you have. I feel the same way as you, I feel sort of ridiculous trying to say that I really understand anything. I think that we can only understand in in retrospect....we don't know what goes on behind closed doors at the White House and we never will. Alas, I have a coffee addiction...I try to limit myself to 2 cups a day but I only manage to control myself some of the time. I will go on the website that you suggested and read about it, you've gotten me curious...I always wonder about coffee, there are many conflicting reports on it. But ultimately, it is a drug.
X-I'm actually not a big fan of Wolfe either. I've read his books and I enjoyed them but they are not my favorite. But as you said, I do like his idea that what defines literature should not be so narrow. And I actually tend to like books that are more introspective but I also need a plot to enjoy a book.
As for conservatives, I would just like to be able to hear what they have to say in an environment that gets outside of this 'echo chamber'. I would be very surprised if I found myself agreeing but I would like to have a better idea of what they have to say.
BBC-A lot of times that's true as least regarding the politicians.
Benji-Electric Koolaid acid test is the only one of his books that I've never read and you know, I have never gotten around to reading Hunter S. Thompson yet...I need to get on that!
I have read the Tao of Physics, I think it's one of the best books that I have ever read. It influenced me a lot...and guess where I got it? From my mom's bookshelf!
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