"In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked at as something shocking
Now heaven knows
Anything goes"
That song was written in 1934. Where are we today?
As far as the glimpse of stocking and the other sexual mores it implies, we are now in age of "anything and everything goes". Sexuality abounds in virtually all aspects of our lives. And while occasionally it goes beyond my personal taste, I think it is generally a healthy development...greater freedom, confidence and honesty in our sexual feelings and expression.
But the 77 year-old song, sorry to say, must be rewritten:
"In olden days a glimmer of immorality
Was looked on as something shocking
Now heaven knows
Vice, evil, wrongdoing, unvirtuousness, unrighteousness, ungodliness, impurity, waywardness, prodigality, delinquency, scandal, infamy, knavery, nefariousness, baseness, vileness, villianousness, deviltry, corruption, debasement, degradation, depravity, goes"
One line of that popular song remains strikingly relevant today, even more than it did 77 years ago:
"The world has gone mad today"
What goes next, I wonder.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
APP FLAP
The fuss being made over that "Jew/Nonjew" app which identifies whether a celebrity/political figure/etc. is or is not Jewish...and the labeling of it as racist...is totally misguided. Whether or not a person is Jewish or an American or 30 years old or older, etc. are facts...and facts are not racist. Quite the contrary: racism is the assigning of traits to an individual simply because he/she is a member of a group to which those traits have been assigned...whether they are or are not factually true as to the particular individual.
In other words, racism is at its core a denial of individuality. That is why it is wrong. We may be a member of a particular race, religion, ethnicity, whatever...but from the day we are born to the day we die we are, first and foremost, individuals.
In other words, racism is at its core a denial of individuality. That is why it is wrong. We may be a member of a particular race, religion, ethnicity, whatever...but from the day we are born to the day we die we are, first and foremost, individuals.
Monday, September 19, 2011
WINDOW TIME AGAIN
This country was founded on a unique in the history of the word concept: equality of all people (yes, the initial application of that concept was defectively applied to slaves and women, but that has since been cleared up). The Founders had in mind a classless society, no royalty, no special privileges to special groups. And equality UNDER THE LAW...the government to treat all the same.
Apparently, many people do not know what the word equality means, so here it is: parity, equivalence, correspondence, parallelism, likeness, levelness, evenness, balance, the same.
So, the next time you hear the president (sorry, no respectful cap) or any of his political supporters talk about "limiting tax deductions for those making over $250,000" or whatever other proposal that sets up classes in our society, you will OPEN YOUR WINDOW AND SCREAM LOUD AND CLEAR: "INEQUALITY, INJUSTICE, BIAS, PARTISANISM, FAVORITISM, DISCRIMINATION, WRONG, UNAMERICAN."
One other thing: THROW THE BUMS OUT.
Apparently, many people do not know what the word equality means, so here it is: parity, equivalence, correspondence, parallelism, likeness, levelness, evenness, balance, the same.
So, the next time you hear the president (sorry, no respectful cap) or any of his political supporters talk about "limiting tax deductions for those making over $250,000" or whatever other proposal that sets up classes in our society, you will OPEN YOUR WINDOW AND SCREAM LOUD AND CLEAR: "INEQUALITY, INJUSTICE, BIAS, PARTISANISM, FAVORITISM, DISCRIMINATION, WRONG, UNAMERICAN."
One other thing: THROW THE BUMS OUT.
Monday, September 5, 2011
HONOUR
Today is Labor Day, so I was thinking about our so-called national holidays ("so-called" because each state determines what holidays are celebrated in its state).
Labor Day, meant to celebrate and honor the achievements of America's workforce, does not, for most people, I guess, celebrate anything. It's a day off, end of summer, back to school, thing. Shame.
Same for President's Day, Flag Day, Columbus Day. Even on Independence Day, I hear no one consciously celebrating the enduring and beautiful achievement of the American Patriots who gave us our freedom.
I think what is missing is the "our". We are not as united as our name suggests. We are yet, predominantly, a collection of smaller groups. I hear little talk, reverence and honor for "our" workers, "our" Presidents, "our" flag, "our " country, "our" freedom. And it seems to me that our President, who came into office championing a new wave of unity, has, in fact, exacerbated the situation, and has driven the different groups even further apart.
Let's start spelling the word "honor" the way they used to in the old days...honour...it has the word "our" in it. Perhaps that will remind us what's missing in our holidays.
Labor Day, meant to celebrate and honor the achievements of America's workforce, does not, for most people, I guess, celebrate anything. It's a day off, end of summer, back to school, thing. Shame.
Same for President's Day, Flag Day, Columbus Day. Even on Independence Day, I hear no one consciously celebrating the enduring and beautiful achievement of the American Patriots who gave us our freedom.
I think what is missing is the "our". We are not as united as our name suggests. We are yet, predominantly, a collection of smaller groups. I hear little talk, reverence and honor for "our" workers, "our" Presidents, "our" flag, "our " country, "our" freedom. And it seems to me that our President, who came into office championing a new wave of unity, has, in fact, exacerbated the situation, and has driven the different groups even further apart.
Let's start spelling the word "honor" the way they used to in the old days...honour...it has the word "our" in it. Perhaps that will remind us what's missing in our holidays.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
JUST WONDERING
When the doctor prescribes a battery of tests for you, is he/she thinking of your health or his wealth?
When a college requires you to take courses not directly related to your career major, is it thinking of your education or its financial situation?
When the auto mechanic says your tires need alignment, is he thinking of your car's balance or his bank balance?
When the carpenter says your roof must be replaced, is he/she thinking of your leaks or his vacation weeks?
When the accountant says the short income tax form isn't good for you, is he/she thinking of what your tax would be or what his/her fee would be?
When the dentist says you need a crown, is he/she thinking of your looks or of his bank books?
When the auto insurance guy says you need greater coverage, is he/she thinking of your possible car crash or of his personal cash stash?
When a college requires you to take courses not directly related to your career major, is it thinking of your education or its financial situation?
When the auto mechanic says your tires need alignment, is he thinking of your car's balance or his bank balance?
When the carpenter says your roof must be replaced, is he/she thinking of your leaks or his vacation weeks?
When the accountant says the short income tax form isn't good for you, is he/she thinking of what your tax would be or what his/her fee would be?
When the dentist says you need a crown, is he/she thinking of your looks or of his bank books?
When the auto insurance guy says you need greater coverage, is he/she thinking of your possible car crash or of his personal cash stash?
Friday, September 2, 2011
A BURSTING BUBBLE?
There are a few rumblings that a segment of society's stampeding herd may be about to "break away and go their own way". The college bubble...built on the premises that (a) you can't get anywhere without a college degree, and (b) college should begin immediately after graduation from high school, may be about to burst.
The realities set to burst the bubble include:
1. Tuitions, rooms, food and books have pushed many schools to the financial breaking point for many people...$40,000 or more per year
2. Many students do not, upon high school graduation, know the specific career they wish to have
3. College curriculums require students to take a host of courses unrelated to any specific career, and which seem to have little, if any, relevance, to the student's future life
4. More employers are coming to the realization that a college degree is not a prerequisite for many successful careers (salesmen, secretaries and other office staff, customer service representatives, artists, writers, etc.)
5. Many colleges have become a hotbed of partying (drinking, drugging and sexual activity).
Almost all colleges are businesses and it is in their interest to keep the stampeding herd and their golden bubble intact. Hopefully, each member of the herd will choose his/her own course.
The realities set to burst the bubble include:
1. Tuitions, rooms, food and books have pushed many schools to the financial breaking point for many people...$40,000 or more per year
2. Many students do not, upon high school graduation, know the specific career they wish to have
3. College curriculums require students to take a host of courses unrelated to any specific career, and which seem to have little, if any, relevance, to the student's future life
4. More employers are coming to the realization that a college degree is not a prerequisite for many successful careers (salesmen, secretaries and other office staff, customer service representatives, artists, writers, etc.)
5. Many colleges have become a hotbed of partying (drinking, drugging and sexual activity).
Almost all colleges are businesses and it is in their interest to keep the stampeding herd and their golden bubble intact. Hopefully, each member of the herd will choose his/her own course.
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