Date posted: January 4, 2008 - Friday
Title: TW3 - 01/04/08
Current mood: okay
Feeling the need for some kind of structure in my life, I have been thinking of committing myself to doing something on a regular basis, something that will at least exercise my writing muscle a little bit.
So, I propose to do something like a weekly wrap up and post it on Friday night or Saturday. Just things that strike me during the week. Not necessarily news of the week, although it could be, but just things that occur to me. Let's see if I can keep it up. Feedback is welcome. And if people just aren't interested, let me know and it will go away.
Another Strange Gesture
I saw a commercial a while back that made me scratch my head in confusion. I can see it was a well-meaning gesture, but I wonder about its' focus.
The essence of the spot was there were girls in the Third World who were missing school and thus the chance at an education because they did not have feminine hygiene products to use during their monthly period.
So the company that makes Tampax is sending it to Third World countries to keep young girls in school.
All fine and good, but aren't there probably some girls in this country's poor areas that have the same problem?
Why is it we can spend time, money and effort to attack 'problems' we see in Third World countries while ignoring situations and circumstances in our own backyard?
Along this same line, there is a charitable organization which has expended a huge amount of time and energy to develop a 'laptop' computer for use in the Third World. It isn't a traditional laptop because it doesn't have a hard drive (the part most likely do go bad on a laptop), but it is sturdy, uses a small amount of power and has immediate wireless connectivity. It is loaded with applications that will stimulate creativity and communication in children and it has an open structure that will allow programmers to develop even more software applications that will help children develop.
The organization, One Laptop Per Child, will produce the computers for about $200 and hopes to eventually get the cost of the computers down to $100. They want people to donate money and then the computers will be donated to places like Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, Mongolia and Rwanda.
Back in November they offered people the chance to get one of these computers for a donation of one to the Third World. You paid for two computers and one was sent to you and the other donated to a foreign country.
I admired the goal of the organization. I even participated, partially through curiosity about the laptop and partially through wanting to help.
But again I ask the question, why not do this for people in this country? While these may not be the kind of computer that will fulfill all the needs and desires a young user might have, they still will stimulate the same aspects of creativity and communication in children in this country they will in a Third World country.
I think we need to concentrate more of our effort on solving the problems here before we try to be the big brother to the rest of the world.
But Will They Do Anything About It?
I see the Attorney General has finally decided the CIA destruction of interrogation videotapes has reached to level it warrants a criminal investigation.
Duh!
At what point did the destruction of evidence not rise to the level of criminal activity?
The question now becomes if the investigation will get anywhere and if anyone will actually have to answer for the illegal actions.
I remain skeptical.
Recent history has shown us the people in Washington D.C. who are supposed to be serving the interests of the American people rarely have to pay a penalty for stepping over the line. Given the brashness of the current administration, I suspect this probe will dither along for an indeterminate period of time and then just produce a report that lets everyone off the hook.
Cynical? Yep, but with good reason.
Here We Go Again
The Iowa caucuses were held this week and I couldn't care less, but I'm not thrilled with the results either. Ambivalent might be a better way to put it.
I know, a very poor attitude for a citizen in a democracy, but with all the hype and crap that has gone on already I just can't drum up any interest in any of the political hacks wanting to be our next president. Hillary scares me, but not as much as Barack and the idea that Oprah might get a cabinet position for all the help she has given him. And, on the other hand, can this country stand another Republican puppet of the conservative right practicing manifest destiny while the general population suffers?
The elections are 11 months away and I'm already tired of the backstabbing and sniping between candidates.
I saw something the other day about how the interest of the American public is growing smaller with every election. Over the last few years the candidates have sullied the political process so much people are just tuning out to the whole thing.
I'm just wondering if there is any hope these politicos will learn from this disinterest and shape up this time.
Only time will tell.
The Ultimate Pimp
OK, I'll confess. I watched part of the New York Giants-New England Patriots game.
I knew it was a forgone conclusion, but it did have it's drama for a while. I bailed out when New England scored several unanswered points in favor of a movie I wanted to watch.
I hold no love for the New England coach and his lack of ethical behavior. Yeah, so he's a great coach. So what? The flap created by his use of a questionable tactic (videotaping the opposing team to steal their signals) just turned me off in the extreme.
So I overcame my distaste for the coach and all the hype that surrounded the team for the last 17 weeks and watched a little. And discovered the depth to which the NFL will sink in pimping its' product.
There is a battle going on between the NFL and cable networks across the nation. The NFL wants the cable companies to carry their product; and carry it as a part of a basic package instead of making it a premium channel or part of an expensive sports package.
So the football game was filled with hypes about calling your cable company and asking for the NFL network to be carried and signing up for it. And there was a 'special' segment at halftime which hyped how great the NFL Network was in their coverage of the sport. They bragged about 24-hour coverage all year long.
Good Lord! Who wants to spend that much time watching football? Or watching things like the NFL draft? Or the combine testing of college athletes before the draft?
