Sunday, June 28, 2009

Dealing with My Lack of Outrage.

It is difficult for me to get indignant anymore.

I'm not sure why. I think I have eco-global-9/11 overload. Nothing bothers me.
  • Landfills full? Who cares.
  • New war in Iran/q/Korea? Yaaaawn.
  • Melting glaciers? Call me when the water rises.
The probable cause of this burnout? Too damn much news. Too many cable news networks with too many "rise up, the sky is falling stories."

When I was a kid, yea, every once in a while a Cuban missile crisis would come along, we'd build a couple of fall out shelters and practice crouching under our desks, or march single file into the school basement. No biggee. Just a nuke or two from Khrushchev. Piece a cake.

Now, with the 24/7/365 news cycle we get a new indignator every day -- and I for one have had it.

So, listen up fear mongers. You pitchmen of panic.

I'm off to the beach. With no TV.
.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Why We Like This President.

<--- I am not the white guy playing the President.


It will surprise many of you that I like this President. I do. Not that my disposition matters, but when you get enough of dispositions like mine you get an approval rating in the mid-sixties, which he has, and you get things done, which he does.

Not that I like what he is getting done. I don't. But that's not the point.

This President has high approval ratings because he is liked. A few occurences last week illustrate why:

First is the fly swatting incident. President Obama killed a fly that had been swarming him and had landed on his arm. Swat. During a White House interview. Cameras rolling. If you haven't seen it, it is pretty impressive. It is something every guy has done or has tried to do and to be quick enough to get the fly gets points from me. Then there was the Father's Day address. He talked about the necessity and obligation of fathers to their children. I like that, too. Pretty basic stuff. Swatting a fly and talking about family. But that is, in essence, why he is given the okay sign from the average guy or girl . The fact that I disagree with him shouldn't keep me from treating him like anyone else I like.

President Obama's political ideology is a rebirth of Democratic party ideas that, I think, do us far more harm than good. Some of them are just flat wrong. But my disagreements notwithstanding, the President is a deservedly likable fellow, and he will have my respect and prayers while he holds the Presidential Office.

Elected officials do not establish the kind of people we are, the opposite is true, elected officials are the effect of the public disposition. They are a reflection. If you don't like them, change yourself.

I do wonder, though, can I get in on that game of one-on-one?

Friday, June 26, 2009

The Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington


Have you been?

The Star Telegram ran an article yesterday with this title:
New stadium is expected to become a tourist spot, even when idle.

No surprise there. A 1 billion dollar building of any kind is going to attract attention, add the Dallas Cowboys name to it and you have a mega-magnet. In Arlington. I will be one of those tourists at some point.

My daughter and I got a tour of the Omni Hotel a few weeks ago and it is pretty impressive, especially the out-of-doors bar on the south end of the hotel. I think the Omni was around 125 million to build. Multiply that by 8 and the Dallas Cowboys have one helluva building. How many billion dollar buildings get built anywhere?

Now the Cowboys need to bring a winning team to this building. Fans love the new stadiums but if they had a choice between new buildings and winning teams they will take the latter.

I am still shocked that the City of Dallas let the Cowboys of Dallas out of their reach, but they did. And I believe they will regret it until the day this stadium gets too old and another needs to be built . . . say in 2050.

The tours start today and tickets are $15.

Editor's note: actually $3 until everything is completed, see comments.