Much to my amusement I found a friend's work on the Internet this afternoon. I am seldom pleasantly surprised, I am according to my nature a hasty pessimist, it's not because of unhappiness but rather dissatisfaction.
I ventured onto the links this afternoon for the same reason someone would go to a museum of "oddities" or a "Ripley's believe it or not" I wanted to laugh at the weirdness. Instead I found a sincere, albeit foreign, interest in the art that was being pursued. There was a surprisingly large amount of information available, and an obvious progression in the quality of work, and the impact said work made on someone not even familiar with art in a technological medium.
Now this is not to say I would venture to emulate this type of work. I lack the creativity, and have enough hobbies, and avenues to pursue my artistic side. But what I saw was an individual, sides of the person I rarely ever saw in person, became the predominate expression of their art.
I want to cultivate this type of expression, not through technology, art, cars, words, but rather through authenticity. Not to say I have been acting, or disingenuous, that's not my problem. My problem is a predisposition to be too quick to classify others, or to concern myself with upholding my version of being "cool". These traits have fenced in boundaries of my expression.
This blog is an example of cultivating that expression. Just putting words into space, not to fulfill an assignment, or to complain aimlessly. But, to develop my ability to express in words, what is rolling around in my scattered mind. It's always surprising to me that the clarity in art doesn't show in the art, but rather in the artist.
I will try harder to admire the art, and artist in all.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
money and writing
I am concerned about the direction our country is headed. Not for fear of socialism, or want of conspiracy. I believe the truth is much more gradual and bleak.
Two examples; cash and cursive.
First cash, no one carries it. I myself am guilty. But if the power went out, or banks closed their doors, I would have no ability to transfer funds, or have any way to purchase goods. Does this concern anyone else? The suits have my money, and it scares me.
Second cursive, and not just cursive all writing. Handwriting, keeping journals, actually composing a sentence. People now can hardly read. When they do read or write it's in an abbreviated short hand. LOL, BRB, FML and so on ad nauseam. Libraries and newspapers are disappearing, what access (and I don't mean Internet) will future generations have to the incites of those who passed before? How will we preserve our culture? How can we survive past our short lives?
Now don't get carried away, it's not practical to keep all your wealth in cash on you, or in your mattress. However, use some currency. Don't always write in calligraphy, or in Elizabethan English, but abandon shorthand, and expand your vocabulary. How could it hurt?
Two examples; cash and cursive.
First cash, no one carries it. I myself am guilty. But if the power went out, or banks closed their doors, I would have no ability to transfer funds, or have any way to purchase goods. Does this concern anyone else? The suits have my money, and it scares me.
Second cursive, and not just cursive all writing. Handwriting, keeping journals, actually composing a sentence. People now can hardly read. When they do read or write it's in an abbreviated short hand. LOL, BRB, FML and so on ad nauseam. Libraries and newspapers are disappearing, what access (and I don't mean Internet) will future generations have to the incites of those who passed before? How will we preserve our culture? How can we survive past our short lives?
Now don't get carried away, it's not practical to keep all your wealth in cash on you, or in your mattress. However, use some currency. Don't always write in calligraphy, or in Elizabethan English, but abandon shorthand, and expand your vocabulary. How could it hurt?
Friday, March 26, 2010
Healthcare
Allow me to preface my rant with my acknowledgement and respect for the opinions of others, even others who I may not disagree with on this subject.
You know, I thought about it. You're all right. We should leave 32 million tax paying Americans without health insurance. I mean that's what we're saying, right? Because we're not talking about the illegal immigrants that you vilify in your little social gatherings, and degrade on your forwarded blackberry texts. We're talking tax-payers. Small business owners, pre-existing condition sufferers, the unemployed, and students over an age determined by insurance companies.
Really? You would deny them care today? I know some who would... but many of you who would argue with me would do ANYTHING to help someone who was ill, much less in danger of loosing life or limb. But is it so different if they're quietly suffering out of view. I have had to rely on the mercy of others. I have had samples of prescription medication given to me at a doctor’s office because I could not afford an antibiotic. I have been run through the ringer by insurance companies because I answered their questioners wrong. And I am a middle class American.
I ask you humbly look inside yourself, if you can honestly say that nothing should be done. Than I have no leg to stand on. If you say that your brand of President or Congress could do it better, why didn't they even address it? And lastly look at who's is telling you this is a bad thing, what is their health care like? I'll bet you most of them have been enjoying the perks of wealth (i.e. talking heads like o'reilly, hannity, limbaugh) or the perks of a government run healthcare (republican senators, former presidents, state attorney generals, governers). Why should they be upset, they felt only echoes of the problem?
I'll acknowledge my role in life, I'm no one special, I'm a servant, a worker-bee. I am busily trying to do things to set a life for my little family and existence. But if I were in a position to have the ears of Attorney General Shurtleff of the State of Utah, as well as the co-plaintiffs of the Various States Vs. The United States on the Question of Federal vs. State's rights regarding healthcare. I would ask some poignant questions, first was/is 32 million Americans without basic healthcare a problem? If this is a problem, and it is a States' right to address it, why haven't they even mentioned it during campaign promise season? The answer I'm afraid isn't because it's clearly within the domain of the Federal government, it’s because they simply do not have the power. States cannot care for their constituent’s healthcare needs without dabbling in some "socialistic" practices, or unpopular realms.
The fact is left laissez-faire healthcare has become nearly criminal. Insurance companies are among some of the top grossing companies in the United States and not because they do a good job. They have invented terms like "pre-existing condition", "waiting" and "exclusionary" periods. So they don't have to do their job, to save a couple bucks. At what cost? I would scrap every health related legislation in the world for the promise my family would always be covered, we all would. But because I'm not naive, and I consider that I share this planet with others who need care too, I support imperfect men with an imperfect plan. I don't however think my state and others, suing because they don't like the plan, in a recession conceived at their party's turn at the helm, is fiscally responsible or prudent to do over something so politically motivated.
I'm no genius, my thought process is simple, "all that evil needs for its success is that good men do nothing". And we have literally done nothing about something so basic, so essential for far too long.
You know, I thought about it. You're all right. We should leave 32 million tax paying Americans without health insurance. I mean that's what we're saying, right? Because we're not talking about the illegal immigrants that you vilify in your little social gatherings, and degrade on your forwarded blackberry texts. We're talking tax-payers. Small business owners, pre-existing condition sufferers, the unemployed, and students over an age determined by insurance companies.
Really? You would deny them care today? I know some who would... but many of you who would argue with me would do ANYTHING to help someone who was ill, much less in danger of loosing life or limb. But is it so different if they're quietly suffering out of view. I have had to rely on the mercy of others. I have had samples of prescription medication given to me at a doctor’s office because I could not afford an antibiotic. I have been run through the ringer by insurance companies because I answered their questioners wrong. And I am a middle class American.
I ask you humbly look inside yourself, if you can honestly say that nothing should be done. Than I have no leg to stand on. If you say that your brand of President or Congress could do it better, why didn't they even address it? And lastly look at who's is telling you this is a bad thing, what is their health care like? I'll bet you most of them have been enjoying the perks of wealth (i.e. talking heads like o'reilly, hannity, limbaugh) or the perks of a government run healthcare (republican senators, former presidents, state attorney generals, governers). Why should they be upset, they felt only echoes of the problem?
I'll acknowledge my role in life, I'm no one special, I'm a servant, a worker-bee. I am busily trying to do things to set a life for my little family and existence. But if I were in a position to have the ears of Attorney General Shurtleff of the State of Utah, as well as the co-plaintiffs of the Various States Vs. The United States on the Question of Federal vs. State's rights regarding healthcare. I would ask some poignant questions, first was/is 32 million Americans without basic healthcare a problem? If this is a problem, and it is a States' right to address it, why haven't they even mentioned it during campaign promise season? The answer I'm afraid isn't because it's clearly within the domain of the Federal government, it’s because they simply do not have the power. States cannot care for their constituent’s healthcare needs without dabbling in some "socialistic" practices, or unpopular realms.
The fact is left laissez-faire healthcare has become nearly criminal. Insurance companies are among some of the top grossing companies in the United States and not because they do a good job. They have invented terms like "pre-existing condition", "waiting" and "exclusionary" periods. So they don't have to do their job, to save a couple bucks. At what cost? I would scrap every health related legislation in the world for the promise my family would always be covered, we all would. But because I'm not naive, and I consider that I share this planet with others who need care too, I support imperfect men with an imperfect plan. I don't however think my state and others, suing because they don't like the plan, in a recession conceived at their party's turn at the helm, is fiscally responsible or prudent to do over something so politically motivated.
I'm no genius, my thought process is simple, "all that evil needs for its success is that good men do nothing". And we have literally done nothing about something so basic, so essential for far too long.
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