I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.
Edgar Allen Poe

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so
-Bertrand Russell

What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...
-James Branch Cabell

May 02, 2017 - 11:02 a.m.

It's Their Fault!

I just found out my plans for today were postponed until tomorrow. I'll be recording my radio show then. This is becoming like the Mets winning their next World Series. It's always tomorrow. Let's see if I can get the energy up to do some sightseeing today, see "Fearless Girl" at Bowling Green and the new 2nd Ave Subway stations. Don't make book that I'll do that. I'm sleepy.

Yesterday adventure was smooth sailing commuting. I had to go to the hospital in Harrison to pick up my meds. Jane drove me to the MetroNorth station. We left late, we arrive just late, but the train was late so I made that with a short wait. I made the bus to the hospital. It took 20 minutes to get my prescription but as the bus runs once an hour that was fine. I got to the bus stop with great timing. The bus was late but so was the train so I had no wait for that. I went shopping at Stop & Shop and finished 10 minutes before the bus was scheduled. I waited about a minute for the next bus. The whole thing went like clockwork. Jane couldn't believe I was home so fast. One failure; I forgot to put dishwasher detergent on my shopping list.

Wasn't that exciting? I always complain when things go wrong but most days things don't. Just like the news media I leave the impression that things are worse than they are as I report when things go wrong. That is the one big media bias and it's based on the bias the news consumers; we want drama and drama needs conflict.

Speaking of conflict and bias (how's that for a segue) in these polarized times there is one thing that most people agree on, "It's all their fault." All we disagree on is who is identities of us and they. Trump is the embodiment of this attitude. His supporters are good people who don't have to change a thing. All their problems are causes by those people, immigrants, elites, other countries, and the American leaders that sold out OUR interests to help THEM. Problems aren't caused because situations are complex and many things must be weighed. No, they are caused because THEY are malicious or stupid.

Sadly, I see the same sort of reasoning by the opposition. Because my friends are in the opposition, because I'm in the opposition, I see that more often than I do from Trump supporters. Not more than I see it from Trump. He's an illogic volcano. It bothers me more from my friends. It bothers me most when it's from me. When you find yourself thinking like that try putting yourself in their shoes. Don't reflexively say that you would never act like them. You'll find most of the time that there's a tough problem at the core and the unfortunate fact is that when there's a tough problem people will give themselves the benefit of the doubt and prefer the understanding that's best for themselves. Don't be Trump saying, "Nobody knew that health care would be so complicated."

I had planned on writing about why Trump supporters still support him; people resist saying that they are wrong. Paul Krugman beat me to it. The fiend committed the unpardonable sin of doing it better than I could. I love My Gentle Readers and want you to be informed so I will link to his column, On the Power of Being Awful.

Now for something personal. Yesterday I wrote about my digestive problems. They seem to be easing up. I only had to get up once from my sleep and that was at 7:30 this morning. I'm having minimal discomfort and my intestines are not gurgling. I'll be careful what I eat today. I'll be careful how much I eat too. I have been overindulging. Bacon and matzoh brei are beckoning me now. For me that's careful, they have no history of upsetting my digestion.

Now go forth My Gentle Readers. I won't say, sin no more; I'll settle for making an effort to not be biased.


I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge:
please hold me accountable.





Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
Wise Madness is Now In Session - May 28, 2018
The NFL and the First Amendment - May 27, 2018
On The Road Again - May 26, 2018
Oliver the Three-Eyed Crow - May 25, 2018



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Horvendile May 02, 2017
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