Post Script

There was a recent article where a writer tried to rip apart the Toyota Prius (and not to subtly Obama too).  Oddly enough i only considered writing back a comment for a moment and quickly lost any knee-jerk reaction i had. Maybe it is that i am growing older (and hopefully wiser) and realize when a situation is an argument with a person who will not change their mind as oppose to what is a discussion where there is something to be learned by either side.  Maybe it is just the pill i swallowed last night.

For quite a few years after becoming a vegetarian i got into arguments when people attacked my decision.  i took the bait and thought i could explain my reasons for making the decision and might even help them see what it was that i saw.  i thought i could teach them what i learned.  

After several years i became more self-assured in my choice and realized that the people who where aggressively attacking my choice where just defensive about their own choice.  Those who attacked me the most were the ones who felt the most threatened by my choice.  Those who felt guilty because they could not adequately justify their own choice to themselves let alone to me.  These are also the people who will never change because they care not for facts or logic.  They do what they do because it is what they have always done.

Maybe after five years with my hybrid i have finally reached that same epiphany i had as a vegetarian.  Maybe i am getting too old to want to join in on comment threads that last three pages or more.

Most likely, however, as i age i have started to realize that idiots are no longer worth my time.  Every day that i wake up i am another day closer to my death.  Every day that i wake up means i have one less day to do all the things i want to do.  One less day to accomplish all the things i want to accomplish.  Any time wasted on idiots is time i no longer have for myself to do what i need to do, to do what i want to do.

Newspapers are a dead institution.  People will hold on to them for some time to come the way people hold on to old typewriters;  out of a sense of romance.  The institution is outdated and it knows it.  Newspapers are now doing whatever they can to get people's attention so they can try to claim readership so they can try to get advertising dollars.  They are nothing more than useless typeface crammed between ads.  A waste of time and an unnecessary bait for me to take.  Anyone who still thinks that they are relevant is not worth debating.

So i am not mad about the article, but i do feel myself getting saddened by such misinformation.  i thought we were better than that.  i thought we could evolve faster than that.  i thought we could change.  Maybe it is me who is the idiot.

PS ...if i had written a response it would have gone like this:

"...eventually the Earth changed and became less conducive to supporting the dinosaurs.  A small, four legged, relatively new creature found, however, that it was well equipped for the changing conditions.  i am sure the dinosaurs growled at, poked at, and even ate many of these earliest of mammals right up until the point were there were no longer any dinosaurs left to growl, poke, or eat.  

We all know who survived in the end; the smaller, more efficient of the two. i only wish that the inadequate, overcompensators in our current society saw that proverbial asteroid that is screeching our way."

PPS maybe i should just skateboard everywhere...

I Have So Many Questions For You...

Ahhh, snow!  It seems that snow makes most of you feel like a kid again.

This week's survey is a bit more sinister.

i went and saw "The Day The Earth Stood Still" recently.  It got me thinking.  i guess Hollywood is thinking 'third times a charm'.  If they did not listen to Gore, and they did not listen to DiCaprio, well maybe they will listen to Keano and Jennifer Connelly. Well, i know i would listen to Ms Connelly say just about anything. We will have to see what the viewing public thinks.

This movie has me rethinking my stance on the auto industry looking for a bail-out.  My heart and head have been wrestling back and forth on this while my soul seems to be sitting this one out so far.  My compassionate heart looks at the effect of a collapse of any one of the US automotive companies.  The actual company employees would be out of jobs: management, office workers, designers, engineers, factory workers, and more.  Then there are all the associated dealerships.  The auto companies and even more so the dealerships are HUGE advertisers.  How will this effect television, newspapers, and magazines? Newspapers are already struggling, but how about the other two?  Will this result in some of their employees being laid off as well?

My brain, however, says 'screw them!'  A little tough love if you will.  They have produced horrible products for far too long.  They have retarded progress at every possible opportunity.  Their lobbying has compromised our democracy.  But then, the environmental part of my brain kicks in.  Our economy may not be able to handle the US auto industry's collapse but our planet cannot handle their survival.  We are currently AT the tipping point.  We cannot wait ten years for better cars, we cannot wait 5 years for better cars.  Something HAS to happen NOW.  The US auto industry is counter-productive to any forward momentum.  When we need new technology they bring back muscle cars.  When we should have gas-free autos they try and introduce hybrid SUV's years after the technology has been perfected overseas.  

So, while i wait for my soul to step up and break the tie i will look for your input.  What is your call?