Miscellany

Thanks to my good friend, KBO, for sharing these thoughts yesterday:

I was just reading The Times and saw this quote from a congressman in Texas from today's hearings: “Just because God created the world in seven days doesn’t mean we have to pass this bill in seven days,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. Forget about the politics of this for one moment (and disregard the fact that this man is apparently even ignorant of the teachings of his own religion- one which says that god created the world in SIX days, resting on the seventh). Think of what it means that a United States Congressman, in the midst of a major, perhaps catastrophic moment in U.S. history, believes that the earth was created in seven days and is informed about issues, existential and historical, by a 2,000 year-old book; talking snakes, winged horses, arcs with two of each species, etc.

This man is an elected official, sent to Washington D.C. to solve real problems- not to engage in an high-stakes game of theological Dungeons & Dragons in which one's fantasies can be reality. There are real problems to solve which require intelligence and education and knowledge of earthbound reality. So back to his statement, since he had no qualms about saying this on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives... Did "god" make the world in 7 days? Okay- where did he get that information, and will this source also help provide us with some answers about how to manage the realities of the terrestrial financial mess that these people have gotten us into (presumably, a book ghost written by the lord might be our best bet for answers to all our quandaries)? Maybe it will please and appease him if we do a rain dance to ask for good crops this year? Or perhaps he will smite us should our offerings fall short (offering up a virgin could help)?

Do you think that someday, in our lifetimes, we'll see an end to talk like this? I mean, that saying crazy shit in public will be embarrassing and sound just as weird to people's ears as saying "Zeus commands us...." would today? Religion = willful ignorance of reality. Willful ignorance of reality = the huge fucking mess that these religious half-wits have put us in by electing incompetent leaders because they're "good Christians."

Fortunately for them, this is self-perpetuating: the more religious people get, the more ignorant they become; the more ignorant they become, the worse things get in reality land (where I and my friends like to live); the worse things get in reality land, the more religious people get. If only I could find a business model so self-sustaining. I bet I could make 700 billion dollars.

Now for a thought of my own, if you'll indulge me in a brief departure from politics. I really hate to let parenthood issues creep into CP, but I have to say this...

If you can't handle the normal range of behaviors exhibited by children while flying on commercial air carriers, you need to consider other, more private modes of transportation, such as chartered jet or your own automobile. Flying, especially if you can't afford first class, is for the masses now. It is a fast, efficient, affordable way to travel long distances. You are not special just because your job requires you to fly every other day. Your sleep requirements are not the concern of anyone else on the plane. It is a public place, just like a bus, a train, or the subway. So get the fuck over yourself and spare me the dirty looks and melodramatic sighs. You'll survive these two hours just like you've survived your miserable job, your loveless marriage, and your erectile dysfunction.

Comments

[slt620]

CP, I wonder if you would have these same thoughts about children on planes if you, yourself, did not have a child. Have you not rolled your eyes at a screaming child before? Have you not given dirty looks to parents who appear to not have control? Not saying that you or your child were falling into either of these circumstances, but I can tell you that one of the 322 reasons I choose not to have children is because they kick, scream and act-up on airplanes. Just as you might get annoyed at a loud cell phone talker on the bus or a slow driver in the fast lane, to do these things are their rights as human beings, but it is also your right to get annoyed by it. I therefore find it an acceptable right to become annoyed by a screaching child when I'm trapped in a 100 ton steel tube for 3 hours.