I’ve heard the title of the film “Hurt Locker” mentioned several times this week. Are we supposed to get snow today? Or just this little dusting? Maybe it was the same guy – a funny little man (not old, not young) who likes to talk a lot – a lot about comic books and multi-player computer gaming. Maybe it was also in here that I last hear ‘Hurt Locker’ mentioned before. Have you seen it? Oh yes, I saw it on Joe’s recommendation. I usually don’t go to the movies except in the wintertime when I’m just trying to survive the blahs. I told Ila when I called here after getting her message about her recent surgery, “Sorry but I haven’t been in touch with anyone as I had the winter blahs.” “I know what you mean”, she said. She was getting cabin fever taking it easy while she recovered. She is in love with her doctor – Dr Rubby – Jerry said. He said, “She does everything he tells her to do. Jerry is even changing the cat’s litter box while she recuperates. (and god does he hate cats - that's what I call love). I had been kind of hibernating – I hadn’t returned Robin's call from before New Years Day – I hadn’t congratulated Carla and Dan on the wedding – got the winter blahs, as if that excused it all –yeah, Ila replied, I know what you mean. And yesterday ‘Hurt Locker’ got billing along with Avatar in the Academy Award nominations. I told Sweet Cat that I hadn’t responded to her Christmas greeting as I had just woken up from my hibernation and god was I hungry – Ghrrr? And she replied “Good luck with your travels and get somthing to eat”. “You been here quite a while now,” Joe said, “are you ever going back on the road?” “Oh yes,” I replied, “I just had the road atlas out today, checking out possible routes.” “It’s going to be hot down there in Florida by the time you get there,” Jeff had joked. And just this weekend the East got a load of snow dumped on it. I’ve camped in the snow, but without a lot of wood to burn it can be miserable. Cold drizzling rain is even worse.
No fog – no rain – what a change
No rain, no fog for the second day in a row – but the cold has come back – and now it is beginning to snow again.
GIRL SCOUT COKKIE TIME
They get organized – the mothers
Send out the kids – Wanta buy
Some cookies, Mister
How much? They rush back and she
Tells Atticus – Three dollars
And a half
He’s an honorary Girl Scout, she says
They hop about waving cookie boxes
Wanta buy, wanta buy
A box of cookies, they shout
You’ve already asked everyone back there
Only ask the ones who come in the door
They’ll come back next week
They have until February 5 to turn in
Their money, she says
You can not dismiss canned drama with a shrug of contempt, here is an industry to be controlled, and influence to be reckoned with – Walter Eaton (1909)
Nearsightedness as increased from a 28% indecence rate for the early 1970s to 42% in the first decade of this century. Research has linked nearsightedness to both a genetic predisposition and to excessive near work
We are drawn to the person product who seems to fit effortlessly into a society organized around the principle that people can and should be reduced to hits, ratings, views, box office gross. In such a system we are encouraged to believe that our participation could lead to us being recognized and lavishly rewarded just for going about our lives – Ned Niedziecki – The Peep Diaries, 2009 p2
Factoid: 65% of Republican voters say that would seriously consider voting for Sarah Palin for President but on 58% of Republican voters thank that she is qualified.
What makes the chimney swift approach the sky / Is ecstasy, a kind of fire / That beats the bones apart / And lets the fragile feathers close with air. / Flight too is agony / Stupid and meaningless. – James Wright – Collected Poems, 1971 p24
Factoid: 17% of Fox News viewers say that the network is “mostly liberal”
There is a profound discomfort about the whole process of trying to fit the square peg of humanity into the round hole of product – Ned Niedziecki – The Peep Diaries, 2009 p41
Factoid: Five times as many US veterans die due lack of health insurance as do US soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan combined
We happily perceive ourselves as rebels even as we actively seek to join the system in evermore cyborg-like symbiosis – Ned Niedziecki – The Peep Diaries, 2009 p51
Factoid: The chance that a female US street prostitute will have sex with a police officer is twice as high as are her chances of getting arrested
The market does not economize on moral capital; it depletes it – Herman E Daly – For the Common Good., 1989 p140
They are having a business meeting. The blond arrives first. “I got Paul’s information in two different messages”. She is wearing beige - Woman’s Business dress for success attire - jacket and skirt, brown high heels that barely conceal her toe cleavage. She sits cross-legged. Two men join her. They sit with legs splayed to occupy maximum territory. Her laptop and mobile phone occupy the tabletop. She has her scheduler open and a blue pen lying on top of it. She is ready to record appointments. She sits cross-armed with a big engagement diamond showing. The talkative man is attired in a suite and tie. The other man is dressed more casually. He is wearing a gray ribbed sweater with black slacks. She says “Did you get my message …”
Suit now has his calendar open. They are almost ready to conduct business. They are getting the last of the small talk out of the way. All three of them are good smilers – lots of bright white teeth show. There is a moment of silence as the suit pursues his calendar. It starts…he…this new shipment…she…on Monday…pens are poised. Suite gets some details from gray sweater and makes a calendar entry. Gray sweater… I’d say… Suit …What was the address?…She… Sutter S. Two hours and ten bucks…do you get an early bird special?…Oh you are talking about a different one…we’re talking about…Suit (to sweater)…you’re going to be alright You’re not going to get any flashbacks…She…I’m surprised that they don’t have it. I’ve got a question for you … Something catchy…Sweater who now has his laptop open is pointing to some icons on his screen…She …I want to put something that…Suit to Sweater…Did you run over your computer? Is it different?…Sweater to Suit…X31...She…do you know…Sweater…I do, but … they mads this switch … so when do you go on the road …
Suite is good at listening. He is now looking at the blond with his head tilted back so that he is peering down his nose and her. He nods his head as she talks…that is in our favor, he says. “Right” Nod, Nod. “Right”. The hierarchy is suite, blond, then the sweater. Blond to sweater “we don’t want them to think…” Sweater “You can put a prime character...” Lap tops close (blond and sweater that is, suite does not have one). Sweater is the first to close his. I missed their signal to close lap tops. Suite is writing something into his appointment book. Sweater, “We really don’t have … “ Suite continues to jot down appointment details. Blond, “I just didn’t want to …color…” Suite is wearing a wedding ring. Sweater, “Right. Right”, to blond. They are discussing the technical details for a presentation. Blond, “We have one hundred fifty targets and of these forty five are… We each have …Still….” Suite is functioning now in strategic mode. Both Blond and Sweater are in tactical mode. Sweater lists the number of targets in the Bay area. Blond, “When we are done we an always go back and see another doctor … What’s funny is …” The three of them have not hanged changed their leg posturing during the entire meeting. And now the meeting is nearing its end. They are switching from business talk to shop talk. They are talking about co-workers. Blond, “We learned some really interesting things … we went to two hospital pharmacies …
The patient just wants to know ‘Is it cancer. Is it serious…He knows all of us, he knows all of the rap…It’s hard to talk to him…We’re seeing a lot more of…That was probably the biggest eye opener…They were saying…
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