Bad enough that John Edwards cheated on his wife while she was battling cancer (how Newt Gingrich of him!), but to continue a run for President while this was going on was the absolute height of selfishness! What if he had come out on top in the primaries? Then the GOP would now be poised for an easy win in November! As scummy as it is to cheat on a sick spouse, lots of people have done such things and that's largely a marital issue, but to continue that campaign... what a selfish fuck!
In other happy news, the former Soviet republics of Russia and Georgia are at war. I hope the hostilities come to a swift end, but the very thought is disturbing. As bad as any war is, the idea of Russia going on the attack brings back Cold War memories. I know some young friends of ours wouldn't remember such things (don't worry, Matt, another 20 years or so and you'll be telling younger guys, "you know, when I was a kid..." *grin*), but I remember all too well how we were taught in elementary school what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. Yes, like anything would help if that happened, but we were taught the best places to take shelter, that we should stay away from windows, how to sit and curl ourselves up, etc. Ah, the good old days.
So let's hope for better news in the days ahead. We should have fun this weekend. Deidre is coming to visit, and we're planning to head out to the east end of the island.
By the way, we were watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics earlier this evening, and I'm wondering something. As impressive as much of it was, was anyone else somewhat disturbed by parts of the presentation? Perhaps I'm too much of a history buff (and remember things like the huge Chinese human wave attacks in the Korean War), but the mass of drummers and such had a disturbing quality. Perhaps it's not history bothering me. Perhaps it's more recent stories of China's ongoing attempts to control the masses. Whatever the case, something bothered me... but it still was a good show.
Okay, now on with the weekend!
3 comments:
The drummers - the commentator even said they were told to smile to make it less intimidating.
I thought it was odd they kept breaking out the bagpipes during the team marches.
Did you catch Shrubby and his body language? He looked bored. It was way past his bedtime too.
12,000 individuals were used in the ceremony -- none of them were repeated in any of the acts.
The giant LCD screen was impressive.
The little boy who was the lone survivor of the earthquake was so cute. Nice he was included in the opening ceremony.
I think the masses of performers in each and every category are somehow quintessentially Chinese. Other than the fact thaqt they are immoble, the terra-cotta warriors in their precise
ranks and lines stretching into infinity are conceptually exactly the same as what we saw on TV for the opening.
Somehow I didn't think to find the drummers intimidating. Perhaps I've seen so many spectacular drumming groups from Japan, Korea, China and Africa that I'm used to the noise and unanimity of ensemble.
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