All the Secrets of the Universe and Some Really Important Stuff Too!
What can I say. I wish I had said it first. The perfect mockery of the most absurd problem of the week.
I can’t count how many times I’ve accidentally hit a woman in the testicles. https://t.co/1BRVOWfu1z
— Nick Searcy, INSURRECTIONAL FILM & TELEVISION STAR (@yesnicksearcy) March 26, 2023
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” — that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
John Keats
Did a quick google (Laura Helmuth) and found she’s chief editor of Scientific American. That would be hard to believe if SA hadn’t been totally co-opted 20 or so years ago. I hate it too, I subscribed to SA for decades and absolutely devoured every issue. I remember the issue with the article on the Supernova of 1987 in the Great Crab Nebula. Whoever wrote it did a great job, it was exciting, mesmerizing, illuminating. Back then, the basis of the magazine was purely science
I watched politics and what is now called wokeism creep in. There was an editor change, don’t remember the names now, but that opened the gates. SA hired a new columnist (again don’t remember the name), who on his 2nd column, stated flatly that the verdict of history was now in and the political organizing system of the future was clear and that was socialism.
Oh, yeah? That was it for SA for me. Now you don’t know if any particular article is true or an outright lie intended to mislead you to believe in some woke bulls***t.
Taibbi is a lefty who actually believes in the constitution. And by all appearances is an honest man. Such a rare bird.
In this essay he traces the origins of the information state and shows how Americans may have had enough of it.
But has it had enough of us? Taibbi may be a bit too optimistic about his lefty comrades and their willingness to let go of power.
Does Dwight Yoakam sing anything that isn’t sad, sad music? Well, maybe once in awhile.
The genius of poetry must work out its own salvation in a man; it cannot be matured by law and precept, but by sensation and watchfulness in itself.
John Keats
The trope of the ‘Ugly American’ can be a sad reality at times. What is an Ugly American you ask? From Wikipedia;
“Ugly American” is a stereotype depicting American citizens as exhibiting loud, arrogant, demeaning, thoughtless, ignorant, and ethnocentric behavior mainly abroad, but also at home.
It is important to recognize that applying this pejorative to every scenario that involves a cultural faux pas is incorrect. For example, when dining overseas it is not rude or inconsiderate to ask for clarification on what a menu item is, or what ingredients it contains. For those with food allergies this can mean the difference between life and death. This article on the signs of an Ugly American points to the practice of asking the exchange rate in US dollars for items. This I disagree with as not everyone can always have currency exchange information on their smart phones. Many merchants and businesses helpfully keep currency conversion handy just for this reason. There are however, a few clear-cut examples I recall from traveling overseas that are worth mentioning. These I classify as Ugly American Situational Syndrome, or UASS for short.
I have written before about Guam, but here is another story on island life…
A lifetime ago in the late 90s I was stationed on the pacific island of Guam at the start of my naval career. After purchasing a ‘Boonie’ car whose better days were seen around the Reagan administration I began to explore the island in my time off. Being a naïve 19-year-old sailor, I went pretty much all over the island without regard to islander dynamics in mind.
One weekend, I went to a pool hall by myself and began to play with a group of Chamorros (local Guamanians). I had noticed the bar in passing a few times and decided to finally check it out. After meeting the owner and playing a few games with him, I noticed that I was the only American in this local bar. I asked Richard (the bar owner) if it was ok to be in the pool hall, and he replied, “You are welcome here anytime. You are respectful.”
Back at work that Monday, several fellow sailors asked where I was that weekend. (pre-cell phone era) I explained that I had gone to the pool hall downtown. They expressed shock and dismay that I went there, explaining that they had tried to go a few weeks ago and had been summarily thrown out after being told it was for locals only.
“Were you drunk and being dumb?” I asked. “Yeah,” they admitted.
This attitude of barging into places and acting as if there was a sacrosanct right to be in a space was a common theme overseas. Going into a local bar and trying to take over is textbook UASS behavior.
Spending time exploring the country of Singapore is quite the experience. Located at the southern tip of Malaysia, this small island nation has many attractions. From the world famous Singapore Zoo, to the famed Gardens by the Bay, a $1 billion botanical garden inspired by the three distinct ethnic cultures of Chinese, Malay, and Indian. On this visit, our group of Sailors found ourselves on the famed Orchard road, a retail and dining district. Lining the street were plenty of restaurants to choose from, and we quickly decided on a pleasant outside café with a patio. A large sandwich style billboard on the sidewalk displayed the drinks available for order. Besides Coca-Cola and various teas, the café had three types of beer; Heineken, Stella Artois, and Tiger beer (the local favorite, usually consumed as a last resort).
A polite waitress came to the table and we began to place our drink orders. Everything was moving along smoothly until she came to our traveling companion that I’ll call ‘Don.’ Without too much backstory let’s say that Don was, well, unworldly is the nice way to describe it. On this deployment, he was one who would look for the nearest McDonald’s, or ask nonsensical questions on local culture. Not one to disappoint, he requested a Budweiser. Then a Coors Light. When informed that the café did not carry those he topped it off with, “You mean to tell me you don’t have any American beers?” Maintaining my composure through gritted teeth I helpfully directed Don’s attention to the before mentioned sign on the sidewalk that had the available refreshments. He continued to show his dismay that a restaurant 8800 miles from the USA would not carry his favorite swill.
It is not that difficult to avoid the UASS label while traveling and living overseas. Understanding different customs and cultures will help one avoid becoming a living embodiment of UASS.
Links:
Ugly American Definition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_American_(pejorative)
7 Signs You’re An Ugly American
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/seven-signs-youre-an-ugly-american_b_1952474
Singapore Travel
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/singapore
Singapore’s Orchard Road
https://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/places-to-see/orchard/
Spring has arrived with its endless supply of muck and slop and just in time with it the town has gone topsy turvy. Revolution has broken out. The Old Guard and the Young Turks are having a set to and I’m caught in the middle. I’ll be working more and making a little extra money but being of an extremely lazy nature I’d prefer the opposite. But there are some interesting aspects to this turn of events. New England town democracy in action is a bizarre force to observe. The fact that the Old Guard is putting up a fight is almost unheard of in this neck of the woods. I’ll have a ringside seat for the proceedings so it may make an interesting story when all is said and done but I expect that much angst and hard feelings will spill over into everyday life.
But at the same time, it will also cut into my blogging time, in fact it already has. And on top of that I’ve mended my ways and now have begun applying myself to my fiction writing. I cranked out four thousand words over the last three days and that has also cut into my posting. But that’s all to the good. The story is expanding and becoming more interesting. I’ve definitely decided to nuke my hero’s base at some point. I mean what’s a science fiction story without an atom bomb somewhere? No one calls them atomic bombs anymore. It’s nuke this and nuke that. Thermo-nuclear. Who came up with that name? Thermo- implies heat. Are there any cold nuclear explosions? I guess if they ever figure out an actual cold fusion process, we could talk about it but anyway I think I’m going to nuke my base.
I’ve had to write some personal scenes into the book. The hero gets to see his family for the first time in a long while and there are grandkids and his son’s widow and that was tricky. I think I did alright which surprised me. I’m not a very touchy feely kinda guy but I could see that leaving out his relationship with his family felt fake. So, there you go, human interest. What’s next, an Oprah interview for our hero? I’ve even added an AI character. That’s actually kind of fun. It’s funny once you get going these things kind of write themselves in. Anyway, the story is percolating along.
But all this stuff really just enhances the blogging. You can’t just write about national stories all the time. It’s just too much of the same thing. We’ve got to be in the story too, or what’s the point? I could just listen to Tucker Carlson or some other talking head. That’s why I like when some of the guest contributors have something to add. I like to get some other angles on things and I’m sure that’s the same with everybody else.
I think the whole Trump indictment story is both a ridiculous joke and at the same time an important object lesson. It’s important that everyone on our side realize that this is not our country anymore and it doesn’t work by the rules we were told apply. The people in charge change the rules as needed. They don’t play fair and they play as rough as needed. And if the January 6th prisoners aren’t enough to convince you of that just wait till Donald Trump gets his treatment.
So anyway, busy, busy, busy but still keeping my nose to the grindstone. Wow, that sounds painful!