I thought I knew how to swim. I grew up at the shore and spent many summer days at the beach, playing in the ocean. One summer, I even had gainful employment as a lifeguard, albeit at small apartment complex pool. The truth: I didn’t really know how to swim. I knew how not to sink.
Unhappy with the mainstream media these days? Having trouble with the fact that the paper of record helped drive the country to war with misleading stories on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction? Disappointed in their coverage of the "issues" in the recent US presidential election? Choose a different source for your news. Or, should I say, let let Google choose your news for you.
The lead headline on The New York Times website today: “Bush and Republicans Celebrate Victory; Mandate Is Seen for the Next Four Years.” Read further, and it only gets worse. Todd Purdum’s analysis? “It is impossible to read President Bush’s re-election as anything other than a confirmation that this is a center-right county.” Get me to a vomitorium, pronto!
Though I’ve been to the World Trade Center Site many times, until yesterday, I had not taken the Path train. Past trips to the site flood me with memories from that day. I remember the fear, the burning smell, the plume of dust, and the sirens. I know that this suffering is not unique in the world, but 9/11 was closest that I’ve ever been to it. So coincidentally, on the same day that Osama Bin Laden released his video message to the American people, I visited the site he ordered to be destroyed. Remote control violence–give an order on one continent, bombs drop on another. It’s easier to forget about humanity when one frames the debate in terms of objectives and platitudes. (Jonathan Glover’s Humanity, A Moral History of the 20th Century illuminates this grim topic and offers solutions.) But now the World Trade Center site has been scrubbed clean, turned into a bit of a memorial and an efficient construction site. I still felt the site’s power, but felt it less keenly than on previous visits. I don’t know if I was overwhelmed, numb, or if I’ve grown so used to the sensation that it’s no longer the same. Going down into the station took me closer than I’ve ever been and yet 9/11 never felt further away. Go figure.
If only people were as transparent as computers.
Timothy Wilson, Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, in his book, “Strangers to Ourselves,” introduced the idea of the adaptive unconscious. In essence, some 80% of your thinking happens automatically. Think of the adaptive unconscious as that generator in the basement that powers your actions–instead of what you consciously will. Similarly, your computer also has lots going on in the background beyond the few programs you’ve asked it to run, but unlike the adaptive non-conscious, it’s possible to learn exactly what your computer doing.
Yesterday I gave blood for the first time, momentarily overcoming my fear of needles and all things surgical. I had promised myself that I would do it after the triathlon season, and Columbia was hosting a blood drive so yesterday after work I went over to Uris Hall to tap a vein. You complete a form with lots of health questions, which a nurse reviews. Your blood is tested for iron levels, your pulse and blood pressure taken. My pulse was about 20 beats per minute over its normal resting rate–my fear of needles is alive and well. After that’s all done, you get in line to lie on a stretcher and donate.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Bechtel Inc, the engineering firm selected by the US Agency for International Development to rebuild the infrastructure in Iraq, gave $1.3 million in political contributions to Democrats and Republicans between 1999 and 2002 . Not a bad investment considering the contract is immediately worth $34.6 million and could cost over $680 million over 18 months.
1) Kerry was presidential. The president seemed like a cartoon caricature of himself. Think Cartman, of South Park, playing sheriff and shouting: “do not question my authoritah!!!” Bush seemed childish and resentful of Kerry’s critiques.
Well, I did it! I finished the Westchester Triathlon in 2 hours, 43 minutes and set a personal record in the process! This time bests by 2 hour 55 minute time at St. Anthony’s by 12 minutes, but what’s even better is that this time I completed the .9 mile swim in 29 minutes! That’s a 9 minute improvement! I feel validated in my swim training strategy, which was simply to focus on form instead of worrying about getting fast. Well, the practice on form translated into less effort and SPEED. I was consistent about sighting and swam pretty much in a straight line. I emerged from the water ready for the bike ride.
Benjamin DeMott, author of Junk Politics: The Trashing of the American Mind, has an essay in the October 2004 issue of Harper’s entitled “Whitewash as Public Service: How the 9/11 Comission Report defrauds the nation.” In a nutshell, DeMott claims that since the report failed to place blame it is a failure.