Some recent musings

1. Generally, I like watching the Olympics. For all the corporateness of it, it's in some ways the purest of sporting. And every few years is just about enough. But this time I've watched less than an hour total. I don't know why I'm less interested. Maybe it's just because I'm in a climate without a lot of snow. Anyway, I've figured out that every thing is about either ice or snow, so really it's about watching people fall down. From figure skaters to snowboarders, when I do watch, I'm just waiting for the crash I can't turn away from. And sadly, I find myself laughing at their misfortune.

2. Howard Zinn passed recently. A People's History of the United States is one of the most interesting books around. If you were raised in American schools learning American history, this book turns a lot of that stuff on its head. He served in the air force. He went to school after he got back and realized most of what he'd been taught growing up was pure crap. I guess his main point is that joe the plumber has a history very different from the elites in America. Natives got screwed. Immigrants got screwed and the poor always get screwed. Good times and bads that's always been the case, and a careful look at history proves it. Some people hate this book, and I hear some places are actually teaching it in high school now. Poor kids. It's a thick book.

3. Little S is continuing to improve. She's just about done with the steroids and is a lot happier about it. She's getting more stamina for exercising and her vision is improving. It's hard to say much more right now, but there are good signs.

4. I missed the family guy episode with a crack about Palin. How offensive it was, I can't judge. But I find it pretty ironic that she would go on FOX and say, "This guy MacFarlane who did this is a hater. Makes a lot of money for Fox, but I think there should be some standards sometime, but apparently there aren't." Really? She said this with a straight face?