Olympics!

The Olympics open today! 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China!

Say what you will about China. Say what you will about the games. But this is pretty much a big deal, boys and girls.

Freedom-loving people don't need to think about whether or not they'd want to live in China (can I get a HELL-no?). They've done some pretty nasty stuff recently. In Tibet ("Beat the protestors until they get happy!"). In the alleys of Beijing ("Destroy all the housing and move the residents elsewhere so we can build the pole-vault"). And they've simply been criminally negligent in maintaining rural infrastructure ("It's just a school full of children. We have too many of those anyway, so if it falls down no biggie").

But...I think you can argue they've come a ways from the reign of Mao. I heard recently on NPR that the Olympics is often a stepping stone towards becoming a functioning democracy (except in cases like Hitler's Berlin...but say no more), instead of a reward for achieving it. The fact they're having to deal with the public saying, "Wait, you're assholes...why shouldn't we boycott the Olympics?" has shifted the perspective for China.

It's made them aware of the international spotlight...and I don't think you can just ignore the effects of that sort of scrutiny, even after it stops. So go watch the shotput, and don't feel guilty about it. It's all part of the bigger picture.

110th Congress? Useless

I know that's a strong statement. But...it's pretty true. I mean, how many major issues are there facing this country today?

There's an energy crisis. An environmental crisis. We have several major diplomatic crises. Two wars we're losing. A credit crisis. A housing crisis. An economy driving itself off the cliff. And others of greater or lesser stature, such as how college is getting increasingly out of reach for the average American kid.

What has Congress done in the past year? Let us consult Google.

(Several Days Later...)

I've been stuck on this for the past few days because I WANT to dig through the list of bills. But even tho a tiny portion of Congressional bills became useful laws (a large portion were things like renaming post offices) there's still thousands of them.

I don't have that kinda time. I encourage you to peruse...just fifteen minutes spent checking out the written record of what Congress does is very enlightening...but I can't do a comprehensive search.

So here's a list the Washington Post has put together on key votes. It covers the meat and potatoes of what was accomplished, and the added bonus of seeing how various reps and senators voted.

Time to put my perfectionism back in the box for another day...

Hope?

I've had a series of conversations in the past few weeks about the Presidential election. The usual, "Oh, yeah, well, who you gonna vote for?"

I decided a while back that my vote is probably going towards Obama. He's more of a course correction than McCain. And...could there be something else to it? I mean, that whole campaign slogan of Obama's?

The whole...hope theme?

Typically, when I'm discussing the election, I try to keep it cynical. I don't want to appear swept up in crazy passion, or making an emotional decision. "They're ALL politicians," is a refrain of mine.

But I should admit it. Obama does give me hope. Hope that he won't be just another politician. That things might actually start to improve. Energy is contagious, whether it be negative or positive. That guy is dumping a whole lot of positive energy on things, and I can't help but like it.

I like how he doesn't side step many issues. How he acknowledges obstacles and challenges. And then goes on to say, "We can handle that." Almost like it's all just a secondary concern. Like he's keeping his eye on the prize, not ignoring the badness but not focusing on it either.

I like that.

Batman: The Dark Knight

I realize I'm behind the times here...but I just saw "The Dark Knight" last weekend. Since I work about a week ahead, that means we're looking at a lag time. Apologies if that bends things out of shape for you.

This blog isn't about movies, so I won't bore you with a review. Heath Ledger...it's a shame. One of the best Jokers I've seen. That's all I have to say in reaction to the movie itself, aside from "GO SEE IT" if you haven't.

This one was a little darker, and I think it raised some interesting issues. The way human nature's darkest elements is brought out by the Joker's terrorist actions...seems to be a good metaphor for today's issues.

Terrorists elements we hunt for around the world are the Joker. They have managed to scare the country enough that our better natures have been abandoned in the name of "Staying Safe." We, as a society, have reverted to torture and crime in the name of protection and order.

Batman did that too. He became some just shy of a monster. Batman broke the Mob don's legs by throwing him out a window to get information. He beat the living daylights out of a helpless prisoner. He rigged the city's cell phone system into an incredible spy tool.

And he won in the end, keeping Gotham safe.

And then he blew up the giant spy machine. THAT is the pivitol difference between Batman and the protectors employed by the federal government.

Governments do not destroy their weapons when danger passes, no matter how awful, unethical, immoral, or just plain wrong they are. That's because the danger never passes for the government. A government needs to stay in power, and when they find a tool that helps keep them in power they will make sure they have a reason to use it.

Even if it means manufacturing a new danger. And then another. And another.

Because George W. Bush is not Batman. A very simple, almost too-basic thought. One that the House of Representatives and the Senate should have remembered before passing the new FISA bill, with the abortion of justice "Immunity" clause intact.

You'd like to think those men and women are smart enough to remember that Batman, with all his morals and rules and strength to follow them, is fiction. They may have acknowledged that fact, but they put their hopes on George W. Bush anyway, hoping for some Batman honor from the Administration.

And I hope it will cost them their jobs in another four months. Every last one of them who felt issuing blanket immunity for crimes against civil rights BEFORE the investigation was an acceptable course of action. Because they let the Joker win that time, just like every other time since 9/11.

Jury Duty

I was summoned by the Franklin County court for jury duty, receiving the letter just before leaving on vacation. The date was set for August 1st (I thought it was odd they'd be picking jurors on a Friday...but what do I know?), but just yesterday I received a letter saying to disregard the notice. The case I was chosen for was resolved out of court.

I'm actually a little disappointed about missing out on this. I mean, it's a day out of work for one thing. It's a new experience for me. And it'd be a chance to do something I've read about in a few books. Through in a little bit of that civic duty nonsense...and you've got me being disappointed at missing out on jury duty.

That's not usually the case, from what I've gathered. A lot of people seem to dread jury duty, doing everything they can to get out of it. It doesn't seem to be easy to get out of the initial summons (it's like the draft...if you can get out of it easily, the system would break down). However, depending on how you answer the survey and the questions during voire dire, it can be easy to get oneself dismissed by the attorney from one or the other side.

That's all I have for today...it didn't happen, so I lack any more first hand insight into the issue!

Back in the Saddle Again?

One of the things that annoys me lately, in a totally irrational way, is the way Time magazine is doing Presidential Election coverage.

Picture it: A normal TIME cover. The art. The titles of key articles. All normal, well and good. But then, two of the articles will definitely be a point/counter point written by McCain and Obama.

Part of me goes, "Wonderful. We need to know what they're thinking on issues like the war in Afghanistan."

Another part goes, "Why the hell do they get to babble about this? I read TIME for expert insight."

Yet a third part: "It's just campaign rhetoric in print. They aren't saying anything they'll actually act on. Which means they're wasting paper that could be printing useful insight."

So while I like to see the candidates' positions getting put out there to a demographic that is at least semi-informed on the topic, I'm worried about their stances being confused with news and informed analysis.

Or am I just feeling ornery?

...And Now for Some News...

No Drugs for Depression

Senate Blocks Energy Bill (The best part? The Dems added the ammendment about off shore drilling that the GOP wanted, and they STILL filibustered)