Sunday, July 11, 2010
A Truly Great Thriller...
07/11/2010
Sometimes great stories come from everyday occurrences and are transformed into best selling novels, like “The Hunt for Red October.” The tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico is exactly that, a tragedy, but it offers someone a huge opportunity to promote a conspiracy-theory novel like those of Tom Clancy with his protagonist Jack Ryan coming to the rescue. Allow me to lay out my idea for one to you?
A “future” administration wants to get legislation passed to encourage (force) the development “clean” energy, of course this story is purely fiction. The desired result of this new law is be accomplished by charging co-called atmospheric polluters, as described by the government, with huge fees based on the amount of carbons their manufacturing operations and processes release into the air. This program, as proposed, will probably cause the loss of thousands of jobs, not to mention large increases in the cost of energy to American families and businesses. The president, due to the overall costs and wariness of the program, doesn’t have the votes in congress to get this legislation passed, so one of his aides comes up with a covert plan to cause an accidental oil spill at an off-shore drilling rig, one big enough to cause the public to cry out for regulating the oil industry, but not large enough to cause any real environmental damage. The administration believes this incident, along with the vilification of the coal industry, will sway public opinion to support passage of its program. Unfortunately the execution of the plan goes awry when the oil rig explosion causes a huge loss of life and results in the rig sinking to the Gulf’s floor. The planned oil spill turns into an environmental disaster with oil gushing into the Gulf at an unprecedented rate nearly a mile below the water’s surface causing billions of dollars worth of damages to the local economy and environment. The novel would be a story about how the government manipulates the real truth and constructs a cover up, with a “Jack Ryan” discovering it and exposing the truth.
Sound a little far out? Perhaps, but the government has done this kind of thing before. Are you old enough to remember Viet Nam and the Gulf of Tonkin incident? It was distorted by the government and Lyndon Johnson used it as a basis to garner support to attack North Viet Nam. While this story would be a work of complete fiction, one has to wonder exactly to what degree that might be.
I can visualize this being made into a film. We could use some “conspiracy theorists” as cast members: Danny Glover will play the President, with Sean Penn as the VP. Janeane Garofalo, because she is such a people person, could be the first lady, and Rosie O’Donnell, with all her infinite wisdom, could be the Secretary of State. We might also cast George Bush as the oil company’s inept CEO, along with Katie Couric as the irate governor of gulf-coast state affected by the oil spill. The film would have to be directed by Mel Gibson, but only when he is not having one of his dramatic break downs. We might even find a part as a religious fanatic for Sarah Palin. Oh, I forgot one character…the part of the “Jack Ryanesque” hero extraordinaire could only be played by Alec Baldwin, since he played this part before.
I am thinking Oscar, for sure! Perhaps, a Pulitzer, too?
And that is all I have to say about that…
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
The Joy of the Knife
07/07/2010
At seven this morning I reported to War Memorial Hospital here in Beautiful Downtown Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, population 711 to be on the receiving end of Dr. Williams’ surgical training. Somewhere at some time I must have done something or lifted something causing a slight tear in my abdominal wall allowing a portion of my intestines to protrude through said tear. “We” in the medical industry call this sucker a “hernia,” and mine needed attention.
I remember being in the hospital in 1971 for another procedure. I was incarcerated there for a couple of days, and I can remember a number of guys on the floor that were there for hernia repair. They, too, got to spend a couple days in the hospital as they mended. Not so these days, I arrived at 7am and was on my way home around 11am. Even with a stop at the local pharmacy for pain meds, I was at home before noon.
The site of the incision is a little tender, but no real pain. On a scale of 1 to 10 my assessment of the pain is maybe a 2, perhaps a high 1. Truthfully, when I attempt to stand it is a little painful, but not too bad. I can deal with it; afterall, I am a man. When I fart it really hurts, but the screaming helps to subdue it. I suppose without the meds I might it might be in a little worse, so I am diligently following the doctor’s instructions and taking them as prescribed. I took a Percocet and an 800mg Ibuprofen at noon and was amazed at how quickly the pain was reduced to almost nothing at all. There are, however, some side effects. The colors throughout the room are so vivid, and I discovered a Unicorn grazing in the field west of the house shortly after the swarm of locusts devoured my garden. I discovered flying is not that difficult if you flap your arms really quickly, and sleeping is really quite easy.
You know, this surgery things does have its up side?
And that is all I have to say about that…
Monday, June 28, 2010
"Quietude" and Southwest 770
06/28/2010
It’s just a few minutes since the flight attendant announced the aircraft had reached ten-thousand feet and we “can use portable electronic devices.” I immediately grabbed my laptop and my iPod. With the Bose earphones in place and the laptop warming up, I began to listen to the 9th cut on the CD “Migration” featuring Peter Kater and Carlos Nakai.
I believe it was February 1992 when I first heard “Quietude,” my former wife and I were visiting beautiful Sedona, Arizona. Sedona is full of gift shops and galleries and the town is surrounded by some of the most truly unbelievable scenic venues. While tooling through one of the shops I heard the most wonderful sounds coming from the speakers throughout it. It was this CD and it was this song. I thought it to be the most beautiful music I had ever heard. It lifted me up and transported me into another dimension, into another world. Some years later I found the CD in a store and scuffed it up. I have had it well over ten years and have enjoyed it countless times, and each time I can feel the emotion creep over me – it is that beautiful. Even now as the notes enter my ears for the third time since I put the earphones on, this utterly magnificent piece has me on the verge of tears of inconceivable joy.
It is a gorgeous day to fly. It is The Best Day Ever. The vast blue skies are filled with huge cotton-ball shaped clouds, the earth lay below them, and it is “Quietude” for the fourth time. This music has to have been inspired by God (much to the chagrin of some non-acknowledgers of the Universal Presence some of us refer to as “God”), the spiritual aspect of it is beyond what I can imagine any human capable of creating alone. I so wish I could share it with you as you read this, for this music will bring piece to your heart.
It is time to finish this and hit the replay button one more time. I want to enjoy every note, every key stroke. I want to suck it in as I commune with the Universal Presence some people refer to as God.
And that is all I have to say about that…
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Reading Manuals and Directions...
06/24/2010
I am more than a regular guy, I think, at least I believe I am given my limited mental capacity; therefore, I have little if any need to read manuals or directions, and more than “therefore,” I do not.
There is a tenet in Murphy’s Law that reads, “There is never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.” That pretty much describes how I have always conducted my life and more likely will continue for the rest of it. God only knows why I am this way, but it is what it is, I don’t screw around with nature.
If I had to guess, I highly suspect I am a visual learner. I have never had a high level of reading comprehension, perhaps because in my youth I did not read anything other than comic books. In the seventh grade I was placed in a remedial reading class taught by Mrs. Mills, a teacher who looked more like Olive Oyl than Olive Oyl. Her looks were a distraction for me, and, very frankly, as an under-achiever I didn’t care about my reading comprehension level, and I have no idea whether or not it improved. I can, however, vouch that through periodicals such as Playboy my visual learning skills are much improved; I am a keen observer of the feminine form.
All of this leads me to where I wanted to go when I began to type this. You now have an idea of who I am. You also know this is leading to something totally meaningless, inane and silly. So here it is.
I took delivery of a 2009 Jeep Cherokee in December 2008. It came with a GPS system with Sirius radio capability (which I use) and a crap load of other gadgets built in it (which I do not use). If you have seen the ignition keys to one of these Chrysler vehicles you know they are really funny looking, and loaded with a number of buttons. You also have probably guessed the vehicle’s manual is still wrapped in the plastic bag it was shipped in.
Sunday morning The Nancy and I were leaving Suffolk, Virginia. As she was finishing her two-hour daily routine to prepare herself for presentation to the masses, I toted some items to the car. As I approached it I took my key ring from my pocket, and as I looked at it to locate the button to unlock the doors I noticed one I had no idea what it was for, so I pressed it. Please, try to imagine my utter shock and surprise when some seventy-five feet from where I stood the horn tooted twice followed by the engine starting?
I have had this vehicle for a year and a half, and the time period includes two winters. I don’t think I could count the number of times in both winters and now into the second summer when I trudged outside to start it to warm it up or cool it off. To think I could have merely pushed this particular button from the comfort of my home to arrange for a heated or cooled car is mind boggling. The Nancy has had great fun teasing me about this (though she hasn’t read the manual either) and both of us wonder if the other Jeep Cherokee I had for three years prior to this one had the same feature: I pray it did not.
One might think this has taught me valuable lesson? I can verify unequivocally this has not occurred. That adage about the old dogs and new tricks seems to fit yours truly nicely, and if need be, I can always fall back on Murphy’s Law.
And that is all I have to say about that…