The Pistons have just lost the Championship, and I’m feeling just a tad low over it. I’ve just returned home from the watering hole after downing a few next to the angel of my unrequited affections. After a little Ella sings Gershwins, I feel a strange mix of melancholy and bliss.
It’s time to reflect on what exactly happiness is.
Here’s what some other people think about the topic.
If you’ve never heard about the Taco Bell boycott, which recently ended successfully for the tomoto pickers in Florida, here’s a link to a story which aired yesterday on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
The farm workers of Immokalee, Florida have undergone work strikes and hunger strikes in an effort to improve working conditions. The recent boycott lasted nearly 4 years.
I was sitting around this evening after watching the premier episode of “30 days” a new show on FX created by Morgan Sperlock, the man behind “SuperSize Me. The first episode was Morgan and his fiance living for 30 days on Minimum Wage. Sad but true, people.
With a lot on my mind, I got online and saw the latest headlines. in the news today, new evidence from English memos that the Iraq war was basically a foregone conclusion shortly after 9/11. All that needed to be found was a reason that made sense. In other words, we decided to go to war, and then tried to come up with a reason for it. But this isn’t really anything new. It just stings to see more and more evidence of it, especially after G.W. got reelected.
And yes, things are going so well over there aren’t they? Today, another 50 people dead in suicide bombings. I try to picture what that would mean if it was happening here in the States, because at this point we seem to be ignoring it so well. I can hear the arguements already, “better there than here,” and what not. Bullshit. Better nowhere.
Today on NPR it was reported that US officials, Don Rumsfeld included, don’t even know how many people are imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. It’s a virtual black hole, and whoever knows what’s going on in there ain’t talking. And why is that? Hm. We are left to our imagination. What a lovely example for the rest of the world.
And the Patriot Act is back in the headlines. The House voted to block the part of the Patriot Act that lets the feds peek at your library records and bookstore reciepts. But Bush promises to use the veto if he doesn’t get his way.
Then I recalled a joke from the beginning of the war. So I went to Google, and typed “worst president ever” and hit the “i feel lucky” button. You’ll never believe who popped up.
I started shopping at a new grocery store recently. It’s a locally owned gourmet kinda joint. They have lots of organic stuff so I’m happy shopping there. I usually just shop for eggs, milk, juice and bread anyway. I’m a 12 grain Brownberry guy lately, but they don’t carry that at Kingma’s. Instead I found the closest thing. But I was surprised when I opened my Natural Ovens Bakery Multi Grain to discover some paper inside.
It was a pamphet neatly folded to the shape of the loaf. It’s called the “All Natural News Weekly.” It is Volume 3, Issue 21, and contains short articles with titles like “A Healthy Lifestyle Improves Longevity,” “Why Exercise Feels Good,” and “How Can Exercise Keep My Mind Sharp.” This makes me happy.
Belated Happy Birthday to Nat Hentoff, 80 years old and still going strong.
