Information

Are we as a society on information overload?  There's Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, a gadrillion blogs and news sites that people like me spend hours reading.  Curiosity is going to kill me.  And yet, with all of that information that is available, we still seem to be ignorant about so many things.

The healthcare debate is out of control.  And I know that we tend to pick the news outlets that support our own personal opinions but somehow I think we're doing ourselves a disservice.  Not only are they out of control but debate in general has become mean, mean-spirited and just downright nasty.  Today, I read that some of those opposed to the overhaul of healthcare are equating it with Nazism.  My god.  Seriously.  Nazism.  So, OK, if we can't debate rationally and intelligently we'll just denigrate into name-calling.  That's mature. 

I believe that the media is partially responsible for that but I also believe that each individual has to be held more accountable.  Not necessarily but their fellows in the media but by us, the people.  WE have to tell them that this ugly discourse is unacceptable but we aren't.

There are things that need to be fixed but it will never happen as long as we're standing across the street from each other screaming at each other.  Who hears that  after a while?  Nobody.

Healthcare needs to be fixed.  Crime needs to be fixed.  Children having children needs to be fixed but it won't happy until all sides agree to sit at the table and talk about it rationally.

Where has the anger come from?

Gawd.

Venus

She's one of our cats.  I think of her as the oldest but she may not be but only by days when compared to another cat that was adopted at the same time.  She's been diagnosed with sarcoma.  We're going to keep her comfortable but know that before the week is out we'll have to make the "decision." 

She's had a really good life.  Soft bed to sleep in.  A family that has loved her.  Other cats to play with.  A garage to hide in.  Rats, mice and cicada to catch.  Raw hamburger meat to eat.  There's no way we could let her linger and suffer.

Isn't it funny that in the name of being humane, we have the option of a peaceful exit via euthanasia but we can't do that to our human loved one.  We can't be humane to humans.  We make them linger and suffer and hurt and lose their memory and lose control of their bodily functions.  How is that humane?  How is that human?

Out with the old and in with the new.

Herenton's gone.  We can sing a little song and do a little dance.  Lowry is in.  We can do another little dance then stand on the sidelines for a bit and watch what he does.  So far so good.  I find it funny that those who supported Herenton are singing the loudest about how the city is going to hell.  And this thing with Jefferson.  I'm confused.  He wanted to quit under Herenton but wasn't allowed to.  Now, the new Mayor Pro Tem wants Jefferson gone but Jefferson doesn't want to leave.  Figure that one.  Did Jefferson know something that Herenton was doing which Jefferson wanted to get away from and now that Herenton isn't doing it anymore, he wants to stay?

Sounds like an abusive relationship to me.  The abuser is gone and the abused wants to stay.  Baffles me.

I'm just ready for a new day in the city.  Lowry has invited those who left to come back.  I heartily agree.  We need those good folks back.  This city can be great but it's going to take work and dedication and and smart people.  I'm hopeful.  This city has great in it.  This city has great people in it.  This city won't make progress until the old guard is gone so that the new guard can make progress without pulling the old guard's caboose.  I'm ready for that progress.