Harry's Ruminations

Oligarchy This country is an oligarchy--a country ruled by a narrow, incestuous, elite class bent on maintaining their tenuous grip on power. Where once we had a broad spectrum of representative government and limited federal powers, we now have an all-encompassing federal government, controlled by two parties that look suspiciously like one another. Where's the healthy disagreement? Where are the extremist whackos (Libertarians, Greenies, Communists, Socialists, and...heck...Whigs) that are the hallmark of a functioning democracy? They don't exist in this country. What we have instead are two centrist parties bent on maintaining the status quo, keeping the constituents fat, dumb, and happy. That's what grinds my gears--the fat, dumb, and happy part. That's the REASON Oligarchy exists, the REASON Socrates drank the hemlock: Oligarchs can't have an educated, engaged populace. They can't tolerate it, because the plebes just might start questioning them. Ca...

I've been keeping up with twitter, but no so much on my blog. It just seems like such a futile time to be writing much of anything. The world economy is dying. We have (er...had) a super-optimized consumption machine going, with a supply-line stretching from the third world (where stuff was made) through the first world, where stuff got consumed and thrown away. The consumers bought the stuff with their white-collar paychecks funded by the 100,000+ people per year who became finance majors, because only suckers become engineers or scientists (too hard, involves math, can't BS your way to the top). Only...the reality of it was, keeping up with the Jones's destroyed the Jones's as well. Like a vast game of Liars poker--everyone saw what you had, but you didn't know yourself. If everyone else could afford a 4000 square foot house, 3 new cars, 2 vacations per year, why shouldn't we? I mean, THEY could make it work, why not us? Looking successful became all-im...

Maria's second birthday was yesterday, at 10:40pm. At that point, everyone else was asleep and I was at the computer working on our taxes for the year. We're having her party this weekend on Sunday.

As Easter grows near, this particular blog is going to haunt me again, it would seem. In hopes of staving off another storm of firey, hurt emails, here's my open letter those whose ire I've inspired. First, I am sorry if I upset you. If you reread my post, you'll see that I pointed out good and bad points about the particular night I attended a performance. And I stand by those opinions from one year ago. I agree I could've said some things differently in that post. Several comments were contemptuous, and they do not reflect the person I am as I respond to you today. Yes, the Southeast Easter Pageant is a massive undertaking, and in previous years' attendance, I was amazed at the production values and strong message for Christ it portrayed. I've considered removing that post entirely several times. That being said, my blog reflects both who I am, and who I have been. If I remove posts that are a snapshot of a prior time, that defeats why I bl...