Stereotypical R Us

Debbie and I had lunch at a coffee shop by the FAIR Plan office. It was not a Starbucks so I was curious if the customers were just as stereotypical as at a Starbucks. There were–just with less Apple products. Also nobody with thick-rimmed square-framed glasses holding tiny lenses with their hair pasted into a carefully created tousled look.

There was the aging (65ish) male hippie with a very long braided ponytail of gray-silver hair. Every coffee shop in the world has one of these guys.  His companion appeared to be less hippie-like as she had dyed blond hair,  plenty of makeup and dressed “business casual”. They scarcely spoke as they sipped their coffee.

A couple sat by a fireplace in separate armchairs in lieu of the more intimate sofa. I speculated they were on a first date. He had a loud voice that allowed anyone to listen in if so inclined. After hearing a few sentences it was apparent he was an “all about me” blowhard. He dominated their conversation and she made a good choice to limit this date to lunch.

My Read Again List

You are what you read and I like to read. Here is my list of my “must read again” books and authors:

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. In this fictional novel, Rand explains her philosophy of Objectivism. She describes a society collapsing as the government increasingly and ineffectively asserts control and the most productive citizens go on strike in protest. It is no longer fiction!

The Source, by James Michener. This is historical fiction that traces the descendants of a family from prehistoric times to the 1960’s in what is now Israel.  A great insight into the birth of the many religions that started or matured in the region. 

Battle Cry of Freedom, by James McPherson. There is no possible way to understand current American politics without a complete understanding of all aspects of the Civil War.  This is a comprehensive review of the events that led up to the war in a style similar to a modern day weekly news magazine but with the advantage of the passage of time. 

I Am a Strange Loop, by Douglas Hofstadter. This is his sequel published 19 years after Gödel, Escher and Bach which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980. I am fascinated with computers and programming, especially expert systems that claim artificial intelligence. Hofstadter explains how we process information, how, through the miracle of self-reference, we create an identity and how far we are from true artificial intelligence.

Le Ton Beau de Marot, In Praise of the Music of Language by Douglas Hofstadter. Hofstadter uses an obscure 28 line poem from an obscure 16th Century poet, Clement Marot to demonstrate the complexities of language, communication and culture. I took a stab at translating the poem myself. Show me yours and I’ll show you mine!

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M Pirsig. This is a philosophical novel about the “Metaphysics of Quality”. Pirsig has been quoted to say, “it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It’s not very factual on motorcycles, either.” The sequel, Lila, is worth reading too.

Stick and Rudder, An Explanation of the Art of Flying, by Wolfgang Langwiesche. This book, written in 1944, is still the best on the topic about flight and what it means to be a pilot.

Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux. In this 2008 travelogue, he retraces the steps of the journey he took in 1975 and wrote about in The Great Railway Bazaar. I also like The Old Patagonian Express (a train trip from Boston to Patagonia), The Kingdom by the Sea (A walk around Britain), The Pillars Of Hercules, A Grand Tour of the Mediterranean and several others.

The Jack Ryan Series by Tom Clancy. 

A Short History of Everything and At Home by Bill Bryson.  A Des Moines native and gifted writer. His travel books are good reads too.

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.  Try to wrap your hear around the Big Bang, black holes, light cones, and space-time. Then try to explain it to another person.  Good luck, it is a quantum leap!

Freedom Trail

Debbie and I are planning to do a “Full Grassley” with Luis and Ronna in 2015. The Full Grassley is named after Sen. Chuck Grassley. He has held at least one meeting in each of the 99 counties every year since 1980. 

Most of the aspiring presidential candidates do the same during caucus season. The 2016 campaigns for president have started and in Iowa, we are already inundated with 30+ potential candidates. So we will run into them as we travel the state.

I thoroughly enjoy the political process and jump in with both feet. I am amazed at the percentage of Iowans that do not participate. Perhaps worst is the one on the margin that participates by following directions from a handler. If you are still reading this post you likely participate in the process (good for you).  If you do not know what I mean by a “handler” you probably have one.

Debbie and I were just talking about our recent Boston trip and the thrill it was to walk the Freedom Trail. Just a few people with conviction and courage, along with some luck, can change the world! 

Perhaps the Full Grassley should be called the “Maintaining Freedom Trail”!

National Bike Month

I wish more people would ride their bikes to work or take the bus.  

Then the freeway wouldn’t be so crowded for me.

Jackson and Allison just fly their B-52.

This Land Is My Land…

I have noticed several stickers on cars that proclaim “NATIVE” inside a silhouette of the state of Iowa. I first noticed these types of stickers many years ago in Colorado. Then and now I find these stickers slightly tacky, a bit arrogant, certainly xenophobic, and perhaps racist. Just recently two of these stickers have attracted my attention.


The first was applied to the car at an angle. Nothing clever like putting it at a 90-degree angle to the left or right to signify a political leaning by the driver or the state. It was not upside down like a distress flag. It was just a sloppy job of applying it.

The other one was on a car with Iowa plates but the frame around the plate proclaimed the University of Nebraska Alum, the car was a late model Hyundai Santa Fe (made in South Korea) with a dealer sticker from Topeka KS. Way to support your “native” state!

I do have one good thing to say about the “NATIVE” stickers: They are a little less obnoxious than the stickers with the little boy urinating on the logo of a car company.