(no subject)

I sometimes feel bad that I live so far from my father. My sister and I are his only family. All the other members of that side of my family have died or are quite distant in relation. I feel bad because my dad is a wonderful guy and both my sister and I are so far away from him. It's not something I think of often, but it is a concern of mine.

Lies and Treason

Okay, I've just recently finished Al Franken's book Lies. While it makes a number of interesting points, on the whole, I didn't end up liking it. While it is important in my opinion to point out misleading or deceptive statements by ANYONE who is making public policy or reporting the news, I also think it is important to try and find some sort of way to move forward on the issues that face the United States right now.
Right now, Congress is getting almost nothing done other than stumping for or against the president. Both major parties are rife with hypocrisy, as they work hard to "win" elections, often through deception and attack. Parties flip sides of issues depending on what best serves them at the moment. That is just not what I want from my politics. I want leaders who will congratulate the country when it does well and criticize it when it does poorly, regardless of political party. I want people to celebrate America's victories as America's, not as Republican or Democratic victories. Alas.

wow moment of the day

about 11:00-about 13:00 in the Herbert von Karajan/Berlin Philharmoniker version of the 9th symphony, final choral movement. It's a musical orgasm of the brain.