Time’s 100, Rolling Stone’s 25, and Hockey

Time’s 100, Rolling Stone’s 25, and Hockey

April 28, 2012

Dear Hank;

It’s been a troubling time. There’s a lot going on and frankly it’s pretty confusing. First off, as you know, we didn’t make the Time 100 most influential people of the year. This is shocking. I can understand leaving you off the list - but me? 

Then there’s Rolling Stones 25 best rock and roll acts right now. I knew about half the acts - that’s pretty good. I got to the end of the mag and wondered where the other 75 acts were, then I realized that was Time’s list not RS’s (the hip folks say, “R S” not Rolling Stone.) Note to self: don’t look at two lists too close together - my god I might think Wang Yang is a break out grunge punk group and not a communist leader from China who might be reasonable.

Okay, so that wraps up the lists. Now we got to worry about the NFL draft and when I wasn’t looking the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in one of the most exciting series of all time. Speaking of which I think it’s wrong for hockey teams to be based in cities in the desert or really hot places. Miami and Phoenix have hockey teams? Please, that’s just wrong.

Gotta go there’s a man with a fish at the door.

Bryce

Austin Chronicles - Part I

Austin Chronicles - Part I

Dear Hank,

I haven’t written in quite awhile, but there’s a reason for that; I’ve been busy. Mainly, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, which can take a considerable amount of time, if you let it.

I wonder if people who design and build things ever use them? It’s an essential question that goes to the heart of a lot of what’s wrong today. It’s like the Washington, D.C. Metro Board of Governors; none of them use the metro. We got people designing things and making decisions about things they never use. It’s also at the heart of a lot of the financial problems we have; people buying things they have no intention, or reason, or ability to use. Yet, they think they see a way to make money so they buy it. Politicians too, they make decisions and say things that aren’t based in any reality. How did we get to this point? It makes me sick.

Speaking of which, is it me or are there more ugly people in the world? I was in the airport the other day and I have to say it was a pathetic sight. Most people were slovenly, overweight, and unattractive. Then I started looking to see if there were any good looking people, or just attractive. In the hundreds of people I saw one person that was well dressed and looked “nice,” maybe even attractive; but good looking? No. What happened? I had been led to believe, mainly via birthday cards that I have to peruse from time to time to get the right one, that as you got older you lower your standards and therefore more and more people would look acceptable. But that’s not what I’m seeing. I don’t think my standards have changed much; I think people have gotten uglier.

When did young women with fat thighs decide it was a good idea to wear tight short shorts? And tattoos? I’m sorry but I have yet to see anyone who I think looks better for having a tattoo than not. I saw a young man today with a large tattoo across his upper chest that said, “AUSTIN.” I hope he never has to move to Dallas or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch because the tat for that town, which no longer exists, would not only be painful but expensive. (And yes I can say it.)

Did I tell you we are in Austin? No, probably not, well we are. They pride themselves on being a live music place, on being weird, on having good food - especially with green chili, and on having a good university. I like the vibe. I’m overwhelmed and don’t really know how to get in the groove here. Shelby and I have been out of sorts the whole time we’ve been here, which is kind of weird in it’s own way, but then again, if I’m going to be out of sorts with anyone; I can’t think of a better person to be out of sorts with.

And when did being stupid and ignorant become a badge of honor? Are we having our own Cultural Revolution? Where we praise the dumb, the ignorant, the stupid, and the clueless? Where we allow ourselves to be manipulated by those with craven personal agendas that operate to the detriment of the rest of us?

There are people who have opinions different than mine; that’s fine, but why is it when I ask them to support their positions, to give me some logic, some facts, some basis for their opinion they either get pissed off, quote the Bible, or rely on some catch phrase rooted in magical thinking?

And last, but not least, we seem to be getting discoveries and breakthroughs in biology, medicine, physics, and astronomy almost everyday, how cool is that? So there is hope; there is mystery, and as James Burke said about his PBS special about America, quoting Alexis de Tocqueville who said of America that it was in a race between its energy and its decadence. It seems as true today as it was almost 200 years ago when de Tocqueville said it.

In looking up how to spell that dude’s name I ran across these quotes - whoa:

A democratic government is the only one in which those who vote for a tax can escape the obligation to pay it.

Alexis de Tocqueville

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.

Alexis de Tocqueville

Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.

Alexis de Tocqueville

I gotta go. The pigeons are making a racquet. A train is tooting and I gotta get ready for dinner.

All the best, sorry about the lamp,

Bryce