TRUMP REGIS

Donald Trump appeared on Regis's show this morning to pimp his new book, Why We Want You To Be Wealthy. Of course, the book will only add to his millions while most who read it do not have the genetic makeup to be the money making asshole that Trump is. But these two old farts were so pompous, polished, self-congratulatory while discussing their "investments" that their arrogance leaped off the screen at me. Trump and Regis both spoke about the disappearing middle-class and how we're becoming a two class nation. Using this scare tactic, Trump wants to leverage you into buying his book. He has absolutely no concern about how a healthy middle-class is a chief ingredient in the ability to sustain a democracy and, therefore, freedom. What jarred me most, however, was how warmly the audience (which I know is not made up of the wealthy) applauded these two while they discussed the audience's imminent demise and decline. It made me truly think it's time for a revolution. But I'm too old and the odds, (what with the rich controlling the media, the government, the military, the financial sector) of pulling off another revolution are staggering. Another irony is that soldiers from poor and middle-class families are dying in Iraq in order to uphold these two assholes and their wealth even as they casually discuss the impoverishment of the soldiers' families. The ironies stacked up on this one TV show segment pile up to an immense mountain of irony.

MY RECENTLY PUBLISHED LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

The late physicist, Richard Feynman said, “The only way to have real success in science. . . is to describe the evidence very carefully without regard to the way you feel it should be. If you have a theory, you must try to explain what’s good about it and what’s bad about it equally. In science you learn a kind of standard integrity and honesty.”

Science’s greatest contribution to humanity’s search for truth is “open-mindedness”. A scientific mind freely changes when confronted by new evidence, and it can simultaneously hold several theories in mind until the best solution emerges. What other American institution can make that claim—that it unflinchingly, ceaselessly questions every belief it has? Discoveries made by scientific open-mindedness explain why no modern Joshua will ever again claim to stop the sun from crossing the sky (i.e. circling the Earth).

Everything American—from jury duty to election decisions—depends upon “scientific” values of integrity and open-mindedness. That’s why it’s so disturbing that 64% of Spokane’s 10th graders (SR, September 9) failed the scientific standard in Washington’s WASL test, but if that average prevails throughout America, the reason why nearly 70% of Americans (averages vary) believe the Bible is literally true is revealed.

Photo: Weathered tree stump along Hurricane Ridge on the Olympic Peninsula. As I took this, I told myself, "I'll bet this old stump has had its photo taken a zillion times."

MICHAEL J. FOX AND HUMANISM

In a September 2006 issue of Ladies Home Journal (that’s right—LHJ) Fox told an interviewer, “I’m writing a book about optimism. I do believe that there is some kind of truth, some kind of ideal, and that people feel best when operating under a set of ethics, as opposed to morals. People just doing the right thing, treating people the way they’d want to be treated, being honest, being fair, not being deceptive and not taking what’s not theirs. I know I feel best operating that way, and so that’s my faith.”

Now—if that’s not a humanist’s credo as opposed to a Christian credo, I’ve never heard one. Of course, what’s missing in Michael’s credo is a punishing superbeing to make him obey. He seems to think that humans almost naturally feel better when they treat one another better. Imagine that! Humans not born evil! Who would have thought it?
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