Strange Beauty

Photo captured by my fiance on a trip to Henry's in Pacific Beach. This is looking down the alley towards the coast. Somehow I think the power lines make it a good photo.

Quote of the month

I was downtown last night, walking in the Gaslamp District, and a guy walked by talking on his cell phone, and the only thing we heard him say as, "he had unprotected sex??? ... with a manequin???"

Everyone in earshot started stopped their conversation and looked around and started laughing, as if to say, "Did we all just really hear that?"

Just a thought

I caught a clip on the radio on my way into work today which got me a little peeved. It was just one more example of how ridiculously arrogant Americans are, more specifically Bill O'Reilly.

It was a clip from O'Reilly's show, and his guest was Phil Donahue. O'Jackass was complaining about Cindy Sheehan and Donahue came to her defense. Anyway, I won't bore you with the details, but the part that got me going was when O'Shitstain said that Cindy Sheehan was essentially saying that insurgents have the right to kill Americans, and he thought this was absurd.

Regardless of what she said, why shouldn't it be ok for insurgents to kill Americans? It's not ok in our eyes, because we're Americans. But we're killing them. They have a right to fight just the same as we do. I'm not saying that I think any American soldier deserves to be killed. They don't. They're risking their lives, and they're somebody's son or daughter or brother or sister. But, NEWSFLASH, those insurgents and those Iraqis and those Afghanis are somebody's son or daughter or brother or sister. And if anyone has the right to fight and kill, it's them. We're in their country, and they're defending what they believe in, whether we think it's right or not.

I would liken it to the US being invaded, then US citizens banding together to fight the invading armies. It would certainly be justified in our eyes then. So why is it so hard to reverse the situation and realize we're the invaders, and that these "insurgents" are just trying to protect what they believe in?

Chalk up another one for Bush and Co.

So as if screwing up New Orleans wasn't enough, now our government got shown up by India, who prevailed in a similar situation. Not to say anything is wrong with India, but if they can save 140,000 of their people, why shouldn't we be able to?

In case you don't know, here are the details.

India got massive rains and flooding today. According to this article, "helicopters plucked people from danger in the worst hit areas of Andhra Pradesh state and delivered thousands of tons of food, medicine and blankets to camps for the displaced."

"Relief workers evacuated more than 140,000 residents of low-lying villages to 465 relief camps set up in government buildings and schools located on higher ground."

Two rivers "breached their banks at several places, flooding farms. Floods demolished more than 77,000 homes and damaged another 7,800 homes."

"The surging waters washed away or damaged 254,000 acres of tobacco, rice and vegetable fields".

Sounds pretty bad. So why did we have people dying in New Orleans three days later?

Ordinary?

The title of my blog is "Contemplations of an Ordinary World", but I have to say, most of the time I don't feel so ordinary. It's kind of strange. I'm in every way a normal middle class white guy who grew up in the suburbs of Connecticut, with a fairly normal family and a fairly normal upbringing, and you probably couldn't tell the difference between me and the next guy.

But every day I feel less and less "normal", but not in a bad, or disturbed sort of way. Rather in a way that makes me feel like a sort of social outcast. There are many things I disagree with about modern society, and in many ways I long for the sort of days of old which I can only imagine. When there were no Walmarts and no Targets and no such things as cars or computers. I know it sounds strange, but that's what I'm getting at. That's why I feel such a connection with nature and the environment, and that's why I look at developing countries and people who've never heard of television, and rather than think they have it rough, I think they might just have it right, and I hate the fact that the western world is creeping in on them. Don't get me wrong, there are things about modern life that are great, like my contact lenses and running water and antibiotics, but that's not really my point.

I started thinking about this today because it's my birthday. And people make such big deals about birthdays, but to me it's just another day. And because I hate the commercialism of every sort of holiday, it might just give me one reason to wish my birthday was another day. I think I said this last year, if I could have anything it would be the gift of time. Of simplicity. Of a day in the park with my fiance, doing whatever it is that people do when they don't watch TV and aren't checking their voice mails.

At work today they had the monthly birthday celebration, and the guy running it didn't have any singing or games, he simply put out pie and ice cream and said have at it, enjoy. To me that was great. I don't like attention drawn to myself. Afterwards someone came up to me and asked if I felt slighted because no one sang to me. I said no, I preferred it that way. He said well then you probably are waiting for the gifts to enjoy. He asked if I had gotten any good gifts. I said no, not yet. And (to myself) I honestly prefer it that way. I got a phone call from my mom and my fiance's mom, checking to see what I did and if my day was special and what my plans were. I was just hoping for time to go for a bike ride before the sun went down.

Am I that (un) ordinary? I don't want anything special. I just want to be ordinary, and live a simple life. But sometimes that doesn't seem so ordinary.

Sneaky Bastards

I get this newsletter from Michigan Congressman John Conyers every so frequently. Back when I heard about the Downing Street Memo, I signed a petition and got signed up for this newsletter. Normally I just delete it, but today's topic got my attention.

Apparently there is a privately funded commission which is organized by former Bush-Cheney campaign lawyer James Baker, III, and they have proposed a national ID requirement to vote. This doesn't sound bad initially, but if you think about the fact that if you don't have a drivers license, you probably don't have a photo ID. Who doesn't have a drivers license? Well, many poor people who live in cities, people just like the ones who lost everything in New Orleans. People who need help the most from the govt. And also, most of these people tend to vote Democrat.

In addition, this means that people essentially have to pay to vote ... a poll tax. According to his newsletter, this means that up to 10% of voters would be disenfranchised. Read about it here

Waste

I noticed the other day as I was driving down the street that there is quite a bit of trash along the side of the road. Not trash that was dumped together, but trash that slowly finds it's way into the weeds and grass on the side of the road. And the sad thing is, I can't say I've ever seen a "clean" road, unless you're in a neighborhood or something like that. What I can't figure out is what sort of person throws their trash out the window. What's the logic? "Well that double quarter pounder sure was good, guess I'll just chuck the bag out my window to finish that quality meal off".

I mean, is it that difficult to drive home and throw it in the trash? And this doesn't even begin to consider the sort of person that packages their home trash up and drives down the street to dump it. A while back I was driving down the freeway and the guy in front of me threw a water bottle out the window. Not even onto the side of the road, but right out his window as he was zipping down the middle lane.

And speaking of trash, has anyone else noticed how insanely wasteful businesses are with their excessive packaging and extra bags for everything. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've told the checkout person that I don't need a bag for the one item I am purchasing. It's just insane. And I don't think you need to be a left wing liberal sandal wearing hippy to notice these things.

Great hike

I went hiking today, up near Idyllwild. It was a great day, and even though I do a lot of hiking around the San Diego area, this was probably one of the first "real" mountains I've hiked, and definately the highest at 8850 feet. This is the mountain.





Click here to see all the pictures I took.

Quote

"It smells like a mixture of death ... and toilets"

Bruce, host of Going Tribal on Discovery when the tribe presented his "dinner" to him.

Maybe I'm too simple

A few years back I bought my parents a coffee maker. The kind that you and I use every day. They actually returned it because they didn't think they'd use it. They each like their coffee different strengths, and they have one those simple little things that you put right over your mug and pour the water through. It's kind of like this but not really.

So anyway, eventually they warmed up to the concept and bought a coffee maker, just like they one I gave them that they returned. But the point is that all along I told them that just because it's capable of making 6 cups, you can still just put in enough coffee for one cup.

My fiance drinks decaf, and I drink regular. A few days ago she told me that she wants to get some coffee maker called The Pod or something, so it would be easy to make two different kinds. She said you just throw a baggy in and it makes a cup. I said, well how does that get around having to still do two cycles to get regular and then decaf. She said, well it doesn't, it's just easier to make two types because they're little baggies.

I'm confused. How hard it is to just make a cup, put a new filter in, then make another cup?

It reminds me of the stupid SkyMall magazines on airplanes, and the all time most useless product they sell, the Hot Dog Toaster. Come on, are we really that lazy and spoiled? We can already cook a hot dog in the oven, the toaster oven, the microwave, the grill, and the stove. Is five ways not enough?

I don't watch much TV...

... But I have a new favorite show.

Going Tribal on Discovery. I love it. Go ahead, laugh at me. I'm a dork. But at least it's educational.

I have nothing against smokers

But seriously, what's up with all the people I work with going out for a smoke break every hour? I kid you not, where ever I go during the day, not matter what time, I pass the smokers group outside the employee entrance. Roll into the office at 8:47, smokers outside. Show up late, at 9:10, smokers outside. Step outside to take a personal phone at 10:18, smokers outside. Take lunch at 12:30, smokers outside. Return, 1:15, smokers. No wait, leave for a late lunch, 1:40, smokers out on the patio next to the deli. You get the picture... Every time I walk into the building I feel like I'm walking into a bar, there's always a group of them right outside the door.

They get all the breaks -- well, aside from that hacking cough, that sneeze that sounds like a gunshot, the allergies, the stink, the phlegm, and the deadly cancer.

Talk about f*cked up

These people are claiming that God used the hurricane to purge wickedness from the sinful city of New Orleans. These people think they are doing God's work, and although I don't believe in God, if I did, these people would be the devil. I can also honestly say that if God really causes things like this hurricane and last years tsunami to punish non-believers, then he's way off the mark and I don't want anything to do with him. If there is a God, those fucked up people should be struck down.

social responsibility

I've been having a serious urge for a while now to be more socially responsible. (It started long before Hurricane Katrina.) And not because I'm not socially responsible already. But I'm revealing more and more to myself that I'm a happy hippy at heart. The more I recycle, the more organic food I buy, and the more I research the products I use and incorporate those bits of knowledge into my life and future consumption, the more I want to do more.

It's kind of becoming a transformation. It's addictive in a way. But it's frustrating too, because the more you learn about the world around you, the more in tune you are with it, the more frustrated you get when others don't share your views. I was raised to be concerned, you know, always recycling, being financially responsible, not acquiring useless crap. But I always ate big fat juicy steaks, I used to have the weekly fast food binges, I used to shop for the lowest prices... But since I've learned about the environmental destruction and negative health effects of eating commercial beef, I've nearly eliminated it from my diet. Since I realized what companies like McDonald's and Coke are (ir)responsible for around the world, I steer clear. And I've come learn that there are reasons for the low prices at Walmart, and now am willing to pay more to support local business and healthier and more socially responsible practices.

I also think I've found a good balance between my morals and ideals, while not isolating those who are important to me and may not feel as strongly about these things (my fiance).

The last bit that kind of bugs me is my choice of profession. I work as a software engineer, which is not very hippyish, and doesn't really appeal to the environmentalist in me, although I am good at it and it provides a pretty decent paycheck. I've been thinking more about things I'd like to do. Well, I really think I'd like to work for a non-profit or some humanitarian organization, but I'm not so sure that that really pays the bills. I always hear about people who have to go back to the private sector after doing non profit work because of the pay. I'd really like to give it a shot in a socially responsible job, but I'm a little apprehensive because I don't want to lose my "in" in the tech world.

Here are some other interesting and hippyish business ideas that I could feel good about:

• Opening a restaurant which serves only organic food; in addition and any meats would be free range


• A coffee shop selling only fair trade and organically grown coffee

Of course, the best thing would be for my travel website to become successful, then I wouldn't have to worry about money and could do all of the above without financial consequence. (Psst! If you're interesting, stop by and add some interesting tidbits about your favorite cities, or even share some cool restaurants or places to stay right in your own city.)

Has everyone got it figured out now finally?

That our president is a massive piece of shit. One of the worst natural disasters in the history of our country hits New Orleans, and he spends Monday (or maybe it was Tuesday, I can't quite remember) afternoon playing golf, after giving some bullshit cheerleading session here in my city of San Diego. Then he proceeds to take his sweet ass time, goes for a flyby over New Orleans a day later, and remarks how it really is pretty bad. As if it takes a fly over to figure that out. And now it's Friday, and there are still thousands of people who have not eaten or had any water in days. I realize the situation is dire and things can't be fixed perfectly and immediately, but we have a military who trains for wars and who can fly emergency relief to people around the world, in the middle of warzones, and drop them food and supplies. And you're telling me that FIVE days after the fact our government can't get supplies to people a half days drive away? Give me a fuckin' break!

Not to mention the fact that in 2000 and 2001 there were requests for money from the government to fix and reinforce the levees around New Orleans, and they were denied and disregarded, just as was the intelligence that terrorists were going to fly planes into the World Trade Towers.

And oh yea, although it has never really been said outright, everyone knows we went to war in Iraq to secure cheap oil, and what do we have? Oil that is over $3 a gallon in cities around the country. (Sidebar: Personally I think this is a good thing because it may light a fire under people and industry to make a harder pursuit towards renewable and alternative energies.) People are going to be struggling to pay for oil to heat their homes this winter.

So if you haven't figured it out yet, this administration and your president (he sure as hell isn't mine) don't give a shit about you. And if you're one of those people who still think this clown is a good patriotic president, you've got some serious problems. Take a step back and look at what's really going on.