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(Lovely photo of flowering quince via Kathryn in MA.)
It feels like fall outside this morning. Yesterday afternoon, we got a slow, steady rain, that sort of precipitation somewhere between a drizzle and a downpour. This morning, the cool front behind the rain has moved in, and it's sweatshirt weather.
I spent a lot of the afternoon sitting in our sunroom, all the windows open, with a cup of hot tea and my journal, and track sixteen of the Spirited Away soundtrack playing on repeat on the CD player. (It's the scene where Chihiro is riding on the train [YouTube here]...this particular track is instant calm for me.)
Had some blueberries that needed to be eaten, and fast, so I threw together a batch of lemon poppyseed muffins and added the cup and a half of blueberries to the batter. With a little lemon juice mixed in with some powdered sugar as a bit of a glaze, drizzled along the tops of the just cooled muffins, they were nummy. Mr. ReddHedd gives them a thumbs up, anyway.
I was doing a little research yesterday afternoon, and ran across a quote from Martin Luther King, from Remaining Awake Through A Great Revolution -- included in this book of sermons -- which I wanted to throw out for some discussion this morning. Here it is:
Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made of this world a neighborhood and yet we have not had the ethical commitment to make of it a brotherhood. But somehow, and in some way, we have got to do this. We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the way God’s universe is made; this is the way it is structured.
John Donne caught it years ago and placed it in graphic terms: "No man is an island entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." And he goes on toward the end to say, "Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." We must see this, believe this, and live by it if we are to remain awake through a great revolution.
Let's talk a bit this morning about building more ties that bind. I'm going to grab myself a muffin and a fresh cuppa coffee. Pull up a chair...
PS: So he doesn't think he's both gone and forgotten, here's a song for Gonzo...enjoy.
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Good morning Christy!
Morning all. Having one of those grateful for coffee mornings. *g* We’re taking The Peanut to swimming lessons later this morning. How fun is that?
We’ve had a hummingbird feeder up most of the summer, and several of the little critters live in the copse that borders our back yard. They compete for the feeder, swooping in when they see a fellow sitting at or flying toward the feeder. Last night, while we were eating supper, two of them were dancing around the feeder, hanging suspended in the air, darting at each other, and trying to land at the same time. After two minutes, they reached a stasis point, one on either side of the feeder, gradually sinking towards the perch, and each got a brief drink before speeding off. Reverend King would have made this a telling analogy, I can only report.
Good morning Christy! Sounds like a fun day for the family. I still remember going for swimming lessons when I was kid at this local lake.
It was at that point that I discovered I was part fish and loved the water.
And I have goldfinchs!!! You don’t know how happy they make me. They are so fun and gregarious.
Morning Christy,
Great MLK Post. He could be talking about the here and now. We’ve built the neighborhoods closer together yet shun humanitarianism.
Good morning all.
Woke up early. Still pondering and trying to piece together my sermon for tomorrow. There’s a responsive reading taken from the Reform High Holiday prayer book Gates of Repentance written over 30 years ago. It pains me that it was so prescient:
emphasis mine.
Will we ever be able to put these words aside because we are no longer guilty of them? I’m not optimistic.
Mornin’ all
I really truly believe this. A society can’t be great until it embraces this concept and boy howdy are we off that track.
A great sentiment to start the day with Christy-thanks.
“Over the past 2 1/2 years, I have seen tyranny, dishonesty, corruption and depravity of types I never thought possible,” Gonzales said Friday morning. We have too, Gonzo…
http://www.latimes.com/news/pr.....-a_section
nonplussed @ 9
And any Democrat involved was prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and sometimes even more.
G’morning. Getting ready to go to The March here in DeeCee.
When I woke up it looked overcast, but now it’s looking glorious. Not too hot, either.
We’re going over to some friends for a pre-march snack, and then all of us are heading out to the WH.
There’s been NO publicity re the march in the venal WaPo. It will be interesting to see how many turn out.
The front page of the Guardian has news of the upcoming US/Iran war. I was thinking there might be some bombs exchanged, but it probably wouldn’t get out of hand. Guess the experts, and a lot of people here, are telling me to wake up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran.....98,00.html
Mauimom @ 11
w00t, give a shout for me!
Well, yes, but some of us are peninsulas. Or, at least, we feel that way with the neos in charge.
Christy, thanks for this quote. I share a birthday with MLK, born just two years after his death, and my family made sure I knew and appreciated from an early age the prophecy he brought us and which was taken from us too soon.
Although I didn’t know this quote, it resonates with my view of the world–and in an era when we’re surrounded by presidents, politicians and pundits spouting self-serving babble on every cable channel, we could do worse than to go back and reread some of Dr. King’s sermons and other writings. We remember the fight for civil rights: Montgomery, Selma and the March on Washington, but his anti-poverty and anti-war voice of his final years is no less powerful and prophetic.
BTW–I seldom have a chance to comment while sneaking peeks from the office or catching up on posts long after the discussion’s over–I finally remembered to check into PUAC real-time! I am the guy who remarked earlier this year that I knew you back in our NMUN days. Mind if I drop you an e-mail to identify myself?
Christy, What a nice start. I love poppyseed treats. Ummm. Just finished reading On the Road, the longing for community and experience. Then heard early commentary on the week’s events: the lies of the W claims of success and the destruction of Iraq so the folks who remain are basically contained in ghettos. Success? What sad days in our country when we do not demand the truth: the lies about the war, reason, progress, and more; lies to the 9/11 Commission; lies about Gonzo, FISA, and on. Impeachment could be an initial step to disclosure and truth; a national lesson that to our spoiled brat Pres. that he sits where the buck stops but has never had that lesson. The truth will set you free: therein lies our hope, I think. Enjoy your family outing. Thanks for getting us up.
Already, there is lots of talk out there about the draw down of different troop levels from Iraq, with Secretary Gates coming out with a figure today. What this says to me is that the Dems. are once again losing the Iraq issue. When they had a chance to end this war, they did not. I wonder if this time around the Dem. leadership will be counting on progressives to help dig them out of this pending political mess.
Mauimom @ 11
My son and I are visiting DC from sunny Cal. We’ll be headed downtown soon.
We’ve got to show those in power that we care that our military is being misused as a foreign policy tool.
rar3 — Please do. Try ReddHedd AT aol DOT com. I’ve been having a hiccup in my FDL mail the last coupla days, and I’m getting e-mails sporadically from there for some reason.
The march will be shown on C-span tomorrow at 0930, they just announced.
A powerful quote Christy, thank you for that today. I am at a loss when I hear wingnuts talk about self reliance, responsibility, the free market or any of the other bullshit they spout. I simply provide them with example after example of contradictions to chip away at their cognitive dissonance.
Michigan-Notre Dame is being called the battle of the Titanics-a race to see who can hit the iceberg first!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 3
Your rain came to Long Island over night.
Coffee is heaven today.
Littleprop has her very first soccer refereeing gig this afternoon. (Ex-Mr. Prop and I met inthe NY Rugby Referees Society, to the “whistle” is in her DNA)–I hope her game doesn’t get rained out
From an op-ed piece Harvey Fierstein wrote for the NYT earlier this year (alas, now requiring login on their website):
I urge you to look around, or better yet, listen around and become aware of the prejudice in everyday life. We are so surrounded by expressions of intolerance that I am in shock and awe that anyone noticed all these recent high-profile instances. Still, I’m gladdened because our no longer being deaf to them may signal their eventual eradication.
The real point is that you cannot harbor malice toward others and then cry foul when someone displays intolerance against you. Prejudice tolerated is intolerance encouraged. Rise up in righteousness when you witness the words and deeds of hate, but only if you are willing to rise up against them all, including your own. Otherwise suffer the slings and arrows of disrespect silently.
nonplussed @ 9
You left out the best part:
Later, Gonzales was feted at a standing-room-only Justice Department ceremony attended by, among others, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and former White House chief of staff Andrew H. Card Jr. Outside, protesters who had dogged him for months blew party horns and shook tambourines.
wooooohoooooooo
nonplussed @ 9
My God! Do you think he even has a clue about the irony that he is talking about himself, and about the decent folks at DOJ who tried to stand up to him?
Un-freakin’-believable
g’morning firedogs!
builing ties that bind, bridges that unite and interests that require inclusion
right there christy, an incredible platform for the next democratic candidat
they would then back it up with their policies;
“both republicans and democrats want a smaller tax load, the republicans have been promising that lower load but all they have done is raise taxes for everyone but the very wealthy
they have stolen the assets our working class have been aquiring over generations, they have given those assets to the wealthiest people on the planet by eliminating successful programs that we have invested, by raising tax on the working class and by taking away those investments we have set aside for our retirement, our kids education and our parents health care
the democrats intend on ACTUALLY lowering taxes, and the method is simple, AND IT IS SURE TO LOWER TAXES
we will RE AQUIRE the working class assets that were given to the wealthy friends of politicians.
we will rescind personhood for corporations
we will RE ESTABLISH the formula that BUILT the middle class.”
wow, talk about ties that bind, that would bring quite a few of the republicans over to the democratic side I am sure
I’m gonna vote for me if I run…if I don’t run for president then I am happy to lend that bit if writing to whichever candidate stops by to read it
off to work
Mauimom @ 11
Jonathan is there also. He told us last night.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 19
Will do–but first, the pancakes are warm, so I’m going to step away for a bite o’ breakfast! Enjoy the swimming lessons…
Mauimom @ 11
You made arrangements with someone to be you “one phone call” and they know what to do to bail you out of jail? If not, make those arrangements before you leave for the march.
ccmask @ 27
kathryn in ma also.
Twisted at 21 — There’s an intriguing article in the NYTimes this morning about Greenspan and his relationship with Ayn Rand. At least, that’s how it starts, but it’s more a love letter to Rand and her influence on business leaders who are successful. I say intriguing because more of them reference her emphasis on excellence in Atlas Shrugged as a precursor to success — which was the point that I chose to take from my reading of it as well when I was in junior high — and to de-emphasize the more selfish aspects of the book, which apparently are to just be ignored and discarded, or brushed under a rug from public discussion altogether.
But the Greenspan quote was priceless from a letter to the editor he sent into the NYTimes in Rand’s defense from a bad review:
Telling on so many levels, isn’t it?
Kiddie swim lessons. There’s a lovely memory. I hope you and the wee lassie have a great time, Christy.
Alecia @ 17
It sounds like they are after a “symbolic” victory that will give them at least a little influence over Bush’s policy and then they hope for Republican help. It’s lame, but that’s what it looks like. But, seriously, unless they were going to impeach Bush, he’s just not going to listen.
Good Morning !
Hi selise ;)
Twisted, I’m rooting for Michigan this week!
It is, and it fails to take into account that her ideal system is executed by flawed, shortsighted greedy human beings. Of course they would take the parts they liked and use them, and discard the rest, just like they do with the Bible.
Greenspan is a fool and a coward, just like Powell, for criticizing the Gambinos now instead of standing up to them when he could have made a difference.
looseheadprop @ 29
i really don’t see this march as being any kind of problem but it’s not a bad idea to have a phone number in your head (or written on arm).
the NLG will be there with legal observers… the call in number if you are arrested is: 202-544-3496 (for today only, and only if you are actually arrested)
Thanks Elliot, we need all the love we can get!
Here’s some Michigan-ND humor for you this morning…
Go Blue!
hi elliott.
pardon my rudeness. should have started with - good morning all!
need more coffee this morning. i make a lousy insomniac.
Don’t know if I enjoyed the song or the hair and clothes more…
But would like some of those muffins!!!!
Yesterday was our wonderful day, today rainy.
Indoor projects instead of closing the pool, a job I hate.
Have a good day everyone.
Did anyone read John Dean’s knew book yet? Good review via an article in Salon.
He strongly suggests not voting for ANY REPUBLICAN
stating the party in BROKEN.
selise at 38 — I went through a massive bout with insomnia the last few weeks until just this week. I started journaling again, because it helped to dump all the fretting on the page before I went to sleep. And I found that a mug of warmed milk, with a pinch of nutmeg and a little sugar was a good relaxer as well. Hope you get back on your sleep track — it really sucked for me while I was having trouble. (Too much in the brain, too little ability to shut it off. SIGH)
ardens @ 18
Good on all of you!
Have a great day.
My wife and I recently took our kids to NYC, their first experience flying on an airplane. There is really no way to adequately explain the pride I feel for my country, when I find myself surrounded by people of every corner of the planet, who’ve come to New York to have a life.
It’s so obvious, this is the glow of civilization, I sit on the train, the glow lights up the subway tunnels and I see it reflected in my children’s eyes.
New York City never fails to rekindle my optimism that we can do this, we are doing this.
Christy,
This is pre-coffee, and perhaps a bit grouchy therefore
A very very small carp, goldfish-in-a-bowl- sized one:
re: “Scandal” as a good bye song. Patti remembers “the good times too.”
Did Gonzo gives us any? In Texas, in Washington? At least we are alive, which is more than can be said the death row inmates whose cases he presented, the tortured, the imprisoned on evidence “less than thin.”
Until we see him or one of his co-conspirators brought to justice, until we see the constitution repaired and restored, the word good should not be used in his company.
No, there is one good that I can stomach, the “long good bye” of Chandler’s novel/movie.
The good bye, in fact should be long, a long impeachment trial, a long special prosecutors investigation, and although this may shock some, even a long “perp walk” for those indicted on crimical charges.
“any notions of friendship and loyalty are meaningless” from below. Add truth and truth under oath, and he’s our man.
from wiki:
The film is “a study of a moral and decent man cast adrift in a selfish, self-obsessed society where lives can be thrown away without a backward glance…and any notions of friendship and loyalty are meaningless” (Daniel O’Brien, “Robert Altman: Hollywood Survivor”).
nonplussed @ 9
At first I kept reading this as “I have seen tranny…” and I thought he was talking about Rudy.
Mornin’ Christy!
I must admit that I have a racial bias; I’m biased towards the human race.
The Rev. Dr. King’s presence among us was much too short.
on topic - jane smiley’s review of naomi klein’s “shock doctrine”
Gosh, I’m glad I won’t have to go OT to talk about this one I just heard from that idiot Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN.
Bush is proposing a 145million dollar cut to the WIC (food vouchers for low income women with children). I guess this has come up because the program heads wanted to add veggies to the voucher program which funds more fatty stuff )cheese, bread, cereal, crackers).
But here’s how Gupta put it: (I wrote it quick verbatim)
“If Congress doesn’t cut WIC, and if the veggie vouchers are OK’d, that’s good news!”
Now I’m headed over to CNN to give they guy a piece of my mind!
masaccio @ 4
For anyone who’s into feeding hummers, try googling David Perlmutt & McClatchy & “Hummingbird feeder made by Carolina doc flying off the shelves”. Haven’t bought one yet but according to the article, the Dr. is supposed to have developed an especially good one. Sorry no linky; taking info from dead tree copy.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 40 -
oh wow… i’m so glad you are back to sleeping better.
mine hasn’t been so bad, until last night… hopefully it was just a one off.
today, after drinking some more coffee *g*, i’m going to make tomato sauce for freezing. yesterday, i got an extra 10 lbs of tomatoes from the organic farm where i get my CSA share. if it works out ok, i’ll do a bigger batch next weekend.
Oopsy, here’s the inventor’s website:
http://www.drjbs.com
Ratz, the video from Spirited Away is no longer available
You’re both inspiring me - I’m staring at the clean canning jars, pears, peaches…off to the market this AM for tomatoes.
And dang it I’ll need a lot of coffee to get this done…
Christy Hardin Smith @ 40
I know that feeling too. Drugs got me through YKos and the move but the sleep wasn’t good sleep. It took a while to get back to natural sleep and even at that it seems that I can only get 5-6 hours/night. Not good. But when I wake up in the middle of the night I have an under pillow speaker hooked up to either a small radio or my ipod and I listen to NPR which is BBC late night or a podcast. That usually works to get me back to sleep quickly.
I fear that some of the sleeplessness comes with aging and hormonal stuff but sadly the state of the world isn’t helping one bit.
I hear that napping is a good thing. Wish I could do it but my body won’t let me.
Waccamaw @ 48
Feeder here
Thanks Waccamaw. It must be good because they are sold out. I have never seen a hummingbird where I am but I have had lots of other birds. If I buy one and hang it, will I see one do you think? I’ve always wanted to get one.
RevDeb @ 53
what kind of exercise to you do?
ccmask @ 55
IANABE (I am not a bird expert) but lots of people here are. If they know your approx. geographical location, am sure they could tell you if hummingbird country.
looseheadprop @ 29
Wow! I’ve haven’t needed my mom to bail me out of jail for more than 30 years! ;^)
if anybody didn’t read Digby yesterday be sure and get over there. She had two “rock ‘n fire” posts.
fahrender @ 56
packing and moving has been the most intense exercise I’ve had in a while. Exhausting work. Didn’t matter.
I do plead guilty. I’m not a physical doer.
breakfast calls. Then back to work.
See you all later.
selise @ 36
Selise, good for you for finding this. I was looking on Answer’s site and they don’t even have the NLG number in their legal section.
But good news - along with the great folks at the NLG, the DC- based Partnership for Civil Justice will provide legal services.
In addition to doing great work, PCJ’s co-founder Mara Verheyden-Hilliard is a legal goddess. They can always use support for their great work (as can the NLG).
Once again, I don’t expect any significant problems for the permitted demo today.
The permitted demo is separate from today’s 4,000 person “die-in” civil disobedience action, where the participants are expecting arrest risks.
And congratualtions to today’s marchers on their incredible good fortune: despite ANSWER’s participation, the march opening is “rally-free”.
No loud harangues! Woo-hoo! Y’all lucked out.
Alan come lately: He skewers Bush in his new book, praises Clinton. This should help HRC a little, I imagine. Funny how they all save it for their books. Selfish lot they are:
Alan Greenspan, who served as Federal Reserve chairman for 18 years and was the leading Republican economist for the past three decades, levels unusually harsh criticism at President Bush and the Republican Party in his new book, arguing that Bush abandoned the central conservative principle of fiscal restraint.
What took him so long, I wonder?
Good morning Christy! Have fun teaching your tadpoles to swim today. How cute. ;-)
RevDeb @ 7
RevDeb, I was thinking about how progress is often made, at least in the Western world. Most of the time, it is gradual and incremental and not terribly glamourous. Sometimes, it occurs as a reaction to the excesses of evil taken to their illogical conclusions. Sometimes, it occurs when the people get out in front of their leaders and rulers and say: “Enough”.
For this last to happen, there must be a) a widespread understanding of what is wrong, and b) a knowledge of the root causes. (Whenever you hear people talk about “not wanting to ‘play the blame game’”, you can bet your boots that they are the ones to blame.)
How many people are expected at the march?
Mauimom @ 11
Just remember for every one person at the march there are at least a thousand of us who cannot be there. I understand there will be a group of Viet Nam vets who support the war on the sidelines. When you see them remember that you know one hard-assed Viet Nam vet who is with you in spirit. Give ‘em a thousand yard stare and they’ll know you’re not alone. Oh, and don’t forget to have a good time in my home town.
Rev Deb (at #60):
the body responds to rhythms and patterns. i do best when i keep a schedule that is pretty regular. i’m NOT an athlete but i do find that jogging (30 minutes, five days a week) makes a big difference. i don’t mean running, just the easiest possible jog. i might push it a little bit after i slow jog for twenty but not every day. i started out only doing 10 minute jogs (runners world magazine will tell you how for free, on line). i’m sure swimming or any other aerobic would work. anyway, at 70 i can vouch that it works.
kirk murphy @ 62 -
i am on the NLG’S email list for legal observers… that’s where i got the phone number. i’ve volunteered with them several times, and it’s a good way to keep in touch and know if there is any need for legal observers i can help with.
with i was in DC today… blessing to all who are.
St. Greenspan speakes:
In a withering critique of his fellow Republicans, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says in his memoir that the party to which he has belonged all his life deserved to lose power last year for forsaking its small-government principles.
“Small government” is the same old mean and vicious propangandized diatribe that Norquist and the rest of his bathtub drowner cronies promote. Greenspan: Fuck you.
Your sun room with the music sounds very calming. I often sit in my one bedroom apartment wondering why I don’t make enough money to have a place with a sun room. This activity is also calming…actually, more mind-numbing.
fahrender @ 68
here’s the ultimate alarm clock, making the most of your body rhythms
Oklahoma kiddo @ 70
Without elaborating, he writes, “I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.”–Greenspan
Oh Christy, What a good issue here and sorry I haven’t read all the comments.
The world consists of many very distinct groups which are all interested in maintaining their own purity or integrity… be it religious or ethnic. It would be wonderful if they could get along together, but many of them are somewhat “predatory” to say the least. They either want to convert others to their ways, or destroy the heathens as being “sub par” for some reason.
Add to that that economies seem to run through all groups, and international communications as time advances there is more and more interactions which seems to fuel the animosity not abate it.
We were taught about the great melting pot where differences blended into something new. Next came the alloy of stew concept.. all the groups mixed up without losing individual identity.
This is not working out as hoped, because of the predatory nature of some groups. Gays, for example are thought of as blasphemers and so on by the Xtian right.
I don’t see this getting better, I see more entrenchment and hardening and return to fundamentalism in all groups.
Really who cares? Well we all do… because it is ripping the magnificent quilt apart.
Most of my family is ‘drilling’ (planting) winter wheat today. Hundreds of acres.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 70
he’s also a lying sob. do you read the excellent blog calculated risk? they have great analysis and snark… and greenspan is regularly held up to be the toady that he is. here’s a recent example (be sure to check the comments for more)
The idealist in me can’t help but to think how great it would be if we all did something to help out in some way everyday.
As far as sleeping goes, I found giving myself a half hour before I go to sleep to let go of the day or life events before I try to sleep helps. This includes getting a handle back on the fear or anxiety that I have allowed to take hold.
For me it helps me to remain aware of having control of my emotions.
Also, I don’t eat anything after 7pm, so my digestion is at rest for the most part while I’m trying to sleep.
ccmask @ 63
But, but, our conservative policies really do work, it’s Bush’s fault for not implementing them correctly…. /snark
ccmask notes and it is sooo true:
Greenspan: “I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.”–Greenspan
Your a little late Alan. Just like Colin.
Morning Christy! Quick note before I read the comments. Love love blueberries. I’ll eat ‘em straight with a wee bit of creme fraiche mixed in. YUM.
It really is appalling how many people we relied on to guide and govern us were absolutely silent when it mattered the most but then tell all when they get paid the most.
Let me guess, Greenspan and Andrea Mitchell will be guests on Meet The Press
Matthew Continetti’s take on the Rudy/Move On extravaganza, called (wait for it….) “Rudy Hits the Trifecta!!”
snip
More, Giuliani upped the ante. He called upon the Times to sell him ad space at MoveOn’s discount rate, which would allow him to run an ad of similar size praising Petraeus’s efforts in Iraq. “We are going to ask the New York Times to allow us tomorrow to print an ad that will obviously take the opposite view,” Giuliani said. “We believe, unlike Hillary Clinton, that General Petraeus is telling the truth.”
This bold move is classic Giuliani. Hizzoner practices the politics of confrontation, in which he chooses a position and relentlessly pursues those who hold the opposite view. In this case, Giuliani’s position is support for the war in Iraq and General Petraeus’s counterinsurgency strategy. And his opponents make up a trifecta of liberal bogeymen: MoveOn, the Times, and Clinton. By raising the stakes, Giuliani emphasizes to conservatives that he is on their side–something many are not quite ready to believe.
It’s unclear whether the New York Times will sell the space to Giuliani as requested. But one thing is clear. Giuliani has reminded his opponents, Democratic and Republican alike, that he remains a wily and combative contender for president.
Well it seems like the big craft show in town is on, despite the rain, (and they have a rain date) which means I will getting wet this afternoon on my volunteer shift at the local theater’s booth. I doubt I’ll melt.
Elliott @ 81
“Appalling”. Isn’t!
Linky to Rudy hitting the Trifecta.
How many times have you heard the exclamation:
“We can put a man on the moon, but look how we can’t do ‘X’”.
Usually, “X” is some sort of social problem, or organizational problem, rather than one of technology or engineering. King’s statement is one such observation.
While technology (especially energy technology) has made these huge leaps, human societies have not changed their structure–changed how they organize themselves–since the invention of agriculture.
I’d suggest that making social change is much, much more complex, difficult, and disruptive than technological change. One reason for this is that changing society in any significant way is like trying to build a boat from the inside, while you’re at sea.
Because everyone has an interest in the ship holding water, the occasional genius who appears on the scene with a radically new idea regarding human organization has a tough sell. His new idea about how the boat should be designed or managed might put everyone in the drink, being circled by sharks. So we either end up throwing such folks in jail or we kill them. Nail them to crosses, etc. etc.
An engineer inventing new ways to collect solar power doesn’t quite face that kind of reality.
Guess everyone has already seen Greenwald’s take-down of the media (9-14):
http://www.salon.com/opinion/g.....index.html
Apologies if already linked in prior posts/threads but I was in too much of a funk yesterday to keep up.
Millineryman @ 83