Football is like a bad joke with fans (fans is short for fanatics) cheering for their surrogates to inflict brutality on others. Not far removed from the days of the Roman gladiators.
As always, follow the money. It is the advertising dollars spent by the alcohol cartel that provides the money and the spin to keep it going.
When you feel the sting of the whip on your back does it matter if the whip is held by management or labor? I have worked for many styles of management and to name a few: benevolent, respectful, absent, incompetent and evil. Regardless of the type of management, the whip was in play.
I was a union member (Retail Clerks Local 876 AFL-CIO) while working for a grocery chain in Michigan from 1969 -1976. This merely transferred some control of the whip handle from management to the union but the sting was the same.
There was some else, that was at first subtle, but over time was undeniable. The union rules required that the individual submits to the will of the masses and that was always the lowest common denominator. Initiative and hard work was “busting rate” and overtly punished. This inherently impacts an individual’s self-esteem and eventually devalues them to the status of a mere cog to be controlled – and always with a whip.
Now that I am self-employed I see that the whip is now transferred to the government and inflicted by a maze of laws and regulations.
Oh well, who is John Galt
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.
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!
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”!
Football is like a bad joke with fans (fans is short for fanatics) cheering for their surrogates to inflict brutality on others. Not far removed from the days of the Roman gladiators.
