6-29-04

When I was in high school I remember reading about how we were entering the age of the “global village” and won’t it be wonderful to be in some kind of touch with everyone in the world, all linked by the great advances in telecommunications and transportation. Except now we see it more clearly for what it is, a world that is ridiculously divergent in wealth, religion and culture. And, furthermore, a world which now has advanced explosives and many types of WMDs besides the simpler tools of death like guns, with many angry zealots, groups and nations willing to use whatever they can get their hands on. A world, in short, in which it appears that the peaceful center cannot long hold.




Most people forget that England was once a colony of the Roman Empire, and that some of their bloodlines crossed during that age. Noble examples still exist of that proud heritage, an obvious example being that magnificent specimen, actor Rowan Atkinson.




The environment of casual spiritual corruption in Western society is so pervasive that many people are breathing its moral pollution without realizing that there might be something wrong, without cognizance that a lowering of standards has occurred. Whether it’s in “mainstream” TV and movies -- wherein about one-third of the dramas have heroes or sympathetic characters who are deeply flawed, if not outright evil -- music, with its saturation of sex and instant gratification, or even sports like football and basketball, which at every opportunity glorifies an over-the-top arrogance.





I had mostly resisted watching the reality shows, but during the passed week I viewed The Bachelor, Survivor, American Idol, Bachelorette, The Swan, Average Joe and several others. Also, in the daytime, I watched Jerry Springer, Maury and 6 or 7 court shows. Their has been all this buzz about how these shows reduce IQ and stuff like that, but I did’nt notice much of a change in the way then I was previosly.




Over-self-consciousness is the bane of action, composure and, ultimately, success itself. It stymies spontaneity and any chance at the kind of forcefulness that gets things done.




Regarding weight loss, if I had to put it in one word, that word would be exercise. If allowed two more words, they would be portion control. Three words you ask? Let's see. OK, here it is: Chew your food. Four, you insist?. Drink lots of water. And if allowed to ramble: Persistently avoid pizza, pastries, potato chips and peanut butter.