After a long week of weather fill-in 6 of the past 7 days, I'm ready to get back to the land of Sawdust. First order of business is to pick-up my 5 'kids' from the Folk Art Center in Asheville, as judging took place last Friday, then get to work on a new crop of lower key half-pipes.
As I sit and muse over the news and random thoughts going through my head, several stories and issues come to mind that leave me perplexed as to how to decide which of 2 statements I want to stress more than the other. Regardless of circumstances, the loss of life does immediately make one take the compassionate/condolence route for all the obvious reasons. But I have to admit that the first thought-wave that came up was, "Why are some people SO damn stupid???"
Invincibility? "Oh, it could never happen to me." "I've seen it on TV many times and it doesn't look that dangerous." "I just wanted a little taste of the experience since it doesn't happen too often."
Being drawn to danger...
At Wrightsville Beach, NC alone, over 50 water rescues were carried out Saturday as "Bill's" churning waters pummeled the Carolina coastline. Beaches were closed, rip current warnings galore were posted, lifeguards and police were endlessly busy keeping people away...and yet...and yet, the world seems to be full of complete idiots who went out in the water anyway, risking not only their own lives but those of the rescuers. Rip currents can easily kill.
One 7 year-old joined the victim list, regrettably. A man and his 2 daughters, 12 and 7, went right up on the rocks at Acadia National Park (Maine) to watch the ferocious 15-foot waves (along with thousands of others), and an especially large one washed the 2 into the sea with tragic consequences. At least 11 others nearby went to the hospital for broken bones from being smashed against the boulders. Setting aside the compassionate sentiments, it was stupidly foolish to be there. I don't fault TV and entertainment for helping fuel peoples' sense of adventure, though it does...we are each personally responsible for our decisions, for engaging our brains.
Senseless tragedy. Totally unnecessary. Totally preventable.
And I see where Green Bay, WI hired it's first black police officer in it's 152-year history. Coincidence? I think not. We have oodles of race issues alive and well in this country, moving across all lines and all directions. Once again, it comes down to personal choices and decisions we each should empower ourselves to make. If we want this world to be a better place, then we have to take our own actions and do our part. It's that simple for all, yet it's that difficult for some.
On a cool note, even though I'm not into sports, Eric Bruntlett (Phillies) made a game-ending triple play by himself, the second-time ever it's ended a game (the other back in the late 20s). With a double steal in progress, the line drive up the middle was snagged, the bag touched to get the lead runner, and then a short jump to tag the trailing runner who had zero time to put on the brakes and go back. Over in a flash. Always neat when something truly rare happens like that...
Hard to believe August is almost over...time flies when you're weathering a recession, eh?! May we all think smartly today and every day. It has salubrious benefits.
As I sit and muse over the news and random thoughts going through my head, several stories and issues come to mind that leave me perplexed as to how to decide which of 2 statements I want to stress more than the other. Regardless of circumstances, the loss of life does immediately make one take the compassionate/condolence route for all the obvious reasons. But I have to admit that the first thought-wave that came up was, "Why are some people SO damn stupid???"
Invincibility? "Oh, it could never happen to me." "I've seen it on TV many times and it doesn't look that dangerous." "I just wanted a little taste of the experience since it doesn't happen too often."
Being drawn to danger...
At Wrightsville Beach, NC alone, over 50 water rescues were carried out Saturday as "Bill's" churning waters pummeled the Carolina coastline. Beaches were closed, rip current warnings galore were posted, lifeguards and police were endlessly busy keeping people away...and yet...and yet, the world seems to be full of complete idiots who went out in the water anyway, risking not only their own lives but those of the rescuers. Rip currents can easily kill.
One 7 year-old joined the victim list, regrettably. A man and his 2 daughters, 12 and 7, went right up on the rocks at Acadia National Park (Maine) to watch the ferocious 15-foot waves (along with thousands of others), and an especially large one washed the 2 into the sea with tragic consequences. At least 11 others nearby went to the hospital for broken bones from being smashed against the boulders. Setting aside the compassionate sentiments, it was stupidly foolish to be there. I don't fault TV and entertainment for helping fuel peoples' sense of adventure, though it does...we are each personally responsible for our decisions, for engaging our brains.
Senseless tragedy. Totally unnecessary. Totally preventable.
And I see where Green Bay, WI hired it's first black police officer in it's 152-year history. Coincidence? I think not. We have oodles of race issues alive and well in this country, moving across all lines and all directions. Once again, it comes down to personal choices and decisions we each should empower ourselves to make. If we want this world to be a better place, then we have to take our own actions and do our part. It's that simple for all, yet it's that difficult for some.
On a cool note, even though I'm not into sports, Eric Bruntlett (Phillies) made a game-ending triple play by himself, the second-time ever it's ended a game (the other back in the late 20s). With a double steal in progress, the line drive up the middle was snagged, the bag touched to get the lead runner, and then a short jump to tag the trailing runner who had zero time to put on the brakes and go back. Over in a flash. Always neat when something truly rare happens like that...
Hard to believe August is almost over...time flies when you're weathering a recession, eh?! May we all think smartly today and every day. It has salubrious benefits.
4 comments:
You know what my views on race were, in my "post-liberal" haze I thought we (by we I mean those of a fairer complexion) were beyond race and that the others (mostly those of a darker complexion) were still holding on...
After Obama was elected, and now that we've had all these town hall meetings, I've done a complete 180. I read something interesting on one of those political sites the other day. All those people who are shouting Obama is a socialist, terrorist, Nazi... all they really want to shout is that Obama is a n*#@&r.
The Right-Wing's assaults are very tell-tale. Sadly, I have personally witnessed individuals show their 'true colors', which seems to be the old-school conservative white. I firmly believe Obama is exactly what this country needs...to coin the famous quote by George Bernard Shaw, "All great truths begin as blaspehmies." I think that's exactly where we are. Obama is the 'blasphemy' we need to shape things up ASAP, before we self-destruct.
George Bernard Shaw also said ""Some men see things as they are and say, Why? I dream things that never were and say, Why not?" As time goes on "things that never were" will become fewer and fewer, hearts will soften and minds will expand. At least, we can direct our energies to that end.
Yes, Ann, and thanks for the words and additional GBS quote. Personally, I think that's why there's a lot of overly-zealous bantering from the right wing, for that very reason of positive change coming, which makes the negative nellies flare up. All great journeys begin with a first step; all great ideas begin with a positive thought.
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