And now for Something Completely Different

I suppose I should introduce myself as well. Unlike Jazz, and the other gentlemen, I don't read a lot of blogs. I don't read a lot of the news. I just don't like to. What goes on tends to make me worried and depressed, and then I'll fret. So I tend to ostritch about what is going on. I watch the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and I read the editorial funnies. If I find myself going, "huh?" in response, then I go research what I am not understanding. Or I'll peek at pertinent link that Jazz or Mu feel like sharing with me. Otherwise, I avoid the news.

I used to work for a newspaper. I was a copyeditor and page designer. I mainly did the Living Section, but I've helped with every section. I have watched the newsroom while a big story is breaking, and chatted with the editorial staff. Yes, I still have nightmares. But I did love doing that kind of work on a deadline like that.

As far as my beliefs go, I do think that if you don't vote and you are able, if you don't vote, you shouldn't complain. Even if you are just writing in Bill and Opus, like I did for the first election I was able to vote in, at least I exercised my right to vote. I strongly encourage everyone to do the same.

I have three layers of belief. The nearest and dearest to my heart is the ideal way things should be. How things really ought to be if everyone just followed the rule of being nice to one another. I try hard to get things more like this, but I'm only one person. I can't move a lot of things, but I what can do, I usually do. It is easy to talk about the ideal situation and how things should be. But this isn't very realistic. The 2nd layer tries hard to blend what my ideals are with what is. And the third layer is more along the lines of Jonathon Swift.

For example, I do not like the death penalty. What right have we to kill anyone? How does that not make us a killer too? And what if they were wrongly convicted? (Yes, I realize you've seen all of those arguments before). The realist in me understands the costs involved in separating the convict from the rest of society for the protection of society and the hope of reformation, and I'm willing to pay it. And yes, I still have hope of reformation. And the cynic that can agree with the death penalty as a deterent to other crime, thinks that these criminals ought to be executed publically and to heck with cruel and unusual punishment laws. Perhaps we could have them do some sort of extreme sport with messy results, or just pay per view hangings ala concerts. Unfortunately, I think that would only encourage really stupid people to commit more crimes, in order to appear on television. Perhaps allowing the victims' families to determine punishment may be a better option- it may be even better television.