Is it that I am just getting old? Who knows? I still
haven’t gone to Swiss Chalet for the early bird dinner. I still like loud
music. I’m not having any problems with my plumbing. I don’t get in anyone’s
way at Costco. I’m still driving at the same speed I always did. I’m not on any
medicine. I still like to light up a fatty every once in a while. My pants are
not up to my nipples. I’m still curious.
Where do I start? I mean about the things I wonder about
today?
The
Zimmerman Trial
Most of us have heard about the Zimmerman trial in
Florida. Personally I think he should have got manslaughter. Whatever happened
to two guys being in a fight with a winner and a loser? I was in lots of fights
when I was younger and killing the other person was never an option. Almost
nobody ever dies in a fist fight. Most of these fist fights are about trivial
things and honour. The honour part can be a bit fuzzy. A broken nose, a few
scrapes here and there. You take your chances and then you walk away in victory
or defeat. None of Zimmerman’s injuries were life threatening and it wasn’t his
first rodeo. His ex- fiancé once put out a restraining order on him. He was
once charged with assaulting a cop. He has taken some martial arts courses.
Some have opined that the 17 year old Martin smoked pot and had trouble in
school and at home as if that is enough reason to die. So Zimmerman pulls out
his gun and shoots Martin as close to the heart as you can get. Not at an angle
but straight on. He didn’t want to wound, he wanted to kill.
Zimmerman never took the stand in his defence. Video
shows him claiming Martin stepped out of some bushes when there were no bushes.
He was told by police dispatch not to follow Martin who had every right to be
where he was. Who wouldn’t confront someone who was following them? Why wasn’t
Zimmerman held overnight after the murder by the police? Why were no tests made
on him for alcohol or drugs?
It may be 2013 but racial inequality still exists in the
US. These days it is just sometimes more subtle. Code words are often used. We
hear stuff regularly from right wing types that makes you wonder what progress
really has been made in the area of race relations in some parts of the US.
Obama has been accused about everything one could imagine including having a
fake birth certificate. Black voter suppression is common throughout the US
south.
US prisons are packed with black people. Ever wonder why
crack can get you 20 years in the slammer if you are black but if you are white
and get caught with powder cocaine you very likely can get off with rehab?
Twitter
One nice thing about getting older is that you can pretty well speak your mind with impunity. I’m kind of enjoying that. I really don’t give a ratsazz if someone disagrees with me. What are they going to do to me, shun me?
Is there any technological advancement as useless as
this? If I wanted to listen to someone’s inane ramblings why not just take a
visit to the local asylum where I could listen to crazy in more than 140
characters. Who else sees Twitter followers as sheep? Getting a signal that someone
is tweeting is kind of like some lab experiment where animals or birds respond
to a sound.
Facebook
A few years ago my daughter suggested to me that Facebook
might not be my kind of thing and that it was better suited to younger people
who wanted to keep up with their friends activities. My daughter was right
about me using Facebook.
The first thing I did when I joined Facebook was check
off some of movies, TV programs, and music that I like. From then on I was
flooded with stuff pertaining to these choices.
One of the things that really throws me off about
Facebook and other similar media is the inability of people to have an actual
conversation. It is as if people are afraid to provide any content. That they
will be labelled as a gasbag or know it all. Sometimes it seems like a
communications contest where both parties provide as little info as possible.
If you haven’t seen someone in 40 years you might think “I’m living in Hawaii”
might not exactly be overly revealing.
A while ago a Facebook site asked me if I would like to
join and I declined. First of all I’m not fussy about crappy jokes, thoughts
for the day about how to improve your life, dog and cat photos, or people
trying to mine a Facebook site for potential cruise ship bookings of which I
guess they get a cut.
I recently discovered that a Facebook site I had looked
at a few times was now closed to members only. Members only? Its Facebook for
chrisakes not a country club. Could these folks be any more narrow minded? Kind
of reminds me of high school. I’m partial to Groucho Marx’s old line….”I would
never belong to a club that would have me as a member.”
I have to confess that a few times I have browsed through
names on Facebook with the idea of seeing if someone was still alive and if so
what they were up to. I also have to confess that I haven’t a clue of how to
send them a message without the whole world seeing it.
And what’s the deal between Facebook and YouTube (which I
love)? Why does Facebook pop up when I go looking for a tune?
Tattoos
Years ago I was in a video store in Vancouver that was
owned by newly arrived Iranians. A guy came into the store with a 3rd
eye tattooed on his forehead. The store owner said he felt bad for staring and
should he apologize for doing so? I told him hell no! If someone wants to shock
you and finds others staring that’s their problem as far as I’m concerned.
I’ve wondered a few times why people don’t get temporary
tattoos. It would cost a lot less and you could always change your mind about
your choice. I guess the ritual of having to endure some pain is some kind of
throwback to primitive times.
A tattoo has little to do with who you really are. Still
people are entitled to their choices I guess.
The
NHL
And then Ilya Kovalchuck buggers off on his contract and
goes back to play in Russia. Last year he had 11 goals in 37 games. He was
being paid about 9 million per year in the NHL.
It’s all crazy I tell you!
Harper
and the Conservatives
One nice thing about getting older is that you can pretty well speak your mind with impunity. I’m kind of enjoying that. I really don’t give a ratsazz if someone disagrees with me. What are they going to do to me, shun me?
That’s my rant for today, another hot summer’s day in
beautiful BC.
138 hits so far today on my blog. Keep them coming!
No comments:
Post a Comment