Random Channels Week

Madame M:

You will have to quit speaking such eminent sense if you want me to avoid the inclination to emphatically say “Yes!” after reading your points. :)  Suffice to say that the reader will once again do well to review Madame’s points carefully, including (if I have surmised correctly) 1) investment in international travel should be part of our educational system, for every student, 2) nuance is needed to help us bring our thoughts out of the shallows and into full reality (where we may find we need to alter them), and 3) collective/communal IQ—and wisdom!—can be extremely beneficial, and we don’t have to sacrifice our independence to do it, just our radical independence (which is killing us, as you said).

One of Madame’s statements was, “I find that when you really question people, they don't believe the things they think they believe.” Can you expound more on that?

While Madame’s thoughts are focused, my thoughts are scattered this week.  A random sample of the channels playing in the Professor’s head at the moment, without further comment:

“People run around with their feelings on their shoulders, waiting to be offended, and then they can’t hear anything else.” Dr. Ben Carson

We have been acknowledging climate change in official government documents since at least 2008 (National Defense Strategy).

2/3rds of Americans now play video games.

“We are an overworked, overstressed, polluted people.” Bill Maher

There were 23 healthy people to 1 disabled in 2000.  Today, it’s 13:1.

“If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” Dalai Lama

Much of my own writing and thinking is raw—at best, intellectual protoplasm. 

If Mexico started using armed drones over California to target Mexican drug dealers hiding in America, and even if they targeted ONLY drug dealers’ houses, would we be okay with that? 

Brad Manning is in prison and no senior Wall Street executive is—or even up on charges.

There are largely no sick days for employees of non-unionized restaurants and hospitals.  Sickness runs through employees, customers, and patients because sick people come to work.

The more specifics that come out on the anthrax mailings of over a decade ago, the more disturbing it looks.

The amount of quirks and odd behavior in the general population seem so large, is the norm now the exception?

Both the “conservative” and “liberal” stations on satellite radio have the same advertisements to own gold, sell accounts receivable, buy foreclosed homes and property, save big money on taxes, earn big in the stock market, etc.

‎"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.”  Anais Nin