[ Saturday, November 30, 2002 ]
Warning: Contains political rants. I wonder if anyone else thinks that the word "Homeland" has a vaguely quasi-fascist feeling to it? Maybe it's only if you capitalize it, as in Vaterland or Heimatland, for example. It seems more ominous and arrogant, perhaps, when it's capitalized.
I also wonder if, for example, in 1933, how many Germans had an accurate feeling about where their country was headed, for what was about to happen in the Heimatland?
On another note, I saw a study the other day on msn.com which reported that only a small fraction of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 could find Iraq on a world map.
[11/30/2002]
[ Friday, November 29, 2002 ]
Warning: Contains political rants. It's the day after Thanksgiving. The biggest shopping day of the year. America is open for business. The Bush administration, after September 11, suggested that we ought to fight terrorism by shopping. To me, it is astonishing that anyone could reasonably suggest that our patterns of rampant consumerism and waste could possibly have anything to do with fighting terrorism. I have a simple theory on this (not my own theory, by the way, but my statement of it): 1. Our rampant consumerism is fueled in large by by oil. 2. The more we shop, the more oil we need. 3. The more oil we need, the more our government has historically interfered in and manipulated the affairs of countries in the Middle East. 4. This manipulation and interference causes those countries and their populations to hate us (in addition to the Israel question, of course), which breeds terrorists. Ergo, encouraging rampant consumerism is downright stupid.
Maybe the Bush regime ought to have let us know that the best way to fight terrorism might be to: ride a bike when we can; or, if we can't always ride a bike, trade in the SUV for something that gets more than 8 miles per gallon on the highway; instead of shopping all day on the day after Thanksgiving, stay at home and spend time with your friends or family, or read a book. 
It's also national Buy Nothing Day today. I have largely succeeded in buying nothing today (except for a red pepper and some brocoli). I spent some time trolling Ebay for a new tent and sleeping bag, however, and felt vaguely sad and hypocritical about doing this. We all have our weaknesses, I guess.
[11/29/2002]
Nearly 4 a.m., and I 'm bleary-eyed from staying up most of the night trying to teach myself HTML. Contemplating what would be the purpose, or goal, of doing an online diary or travelogue. Who is it for? How will I - or should I - delete posts that I come to see as embarassing with hindsight? Hmm. The facts are that I'm in the midst of preparing to hit the road with my minivan and my mountain bike, camping and biking my way through the national forests and singletrack meccas of the SW United States. Oh, there will be a digital camera involved, as well, and a lot of free internet access at public libraries along the way, I hope.
[11/29/2002]
PAY ATTENTION BLACK ROCK CITY
