I got up today and took Tima for a walk in English Landing Park in Parkville, Missouri. Parkville is the home of Park University. It also has a thriving downtown antique mall scene going on. the park is a very popular spot for people to walk their children/pets or to run. It is right between the Missouri River and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Tracks. When I walk here I take my video camera to catch some trains. Today it was apparent that parts of the park don't see any winter maintenance as the ways were full of ice, slush and mud. It made for some good exercise and some heavy boots. We saw three trains -- one mixed frieght northbound with a damaged hopper car on a flat after the two engines. The other two were coal trains -- probably the first and second section heading up to a coal fired power plant called Iatan which is a few miles northwest of here.
While walking, I thought about something a school teacher friend of mine said to me -- I don't know if this is true, I haven't verified it but -- it goes that the average intelligence for Americans IQ wise is about 75. That means that half of us fall below that level. I always thought that 75 was borderline retarded. Well the point is that for whatever reason there are a lot of folks around who don't have a whole lot going for them coming out of the gate. So then I think about all the problems with crime and how society deals with it -- or doesn't. I mean, we have a human resourse management problem in this world. Actually, what I started thinking about was American Idol, and how a big part of the first couple of shows is all about making fun of and haranging the poor shmoes who don't seem to have a clue that their talents are best not taken out of the shower. My thing is that it seems like there is this big set up to get these people on the show and to have them make asses out of themselves just for pure stupid entertainment value. It is a train wreck that I'd rather not witness, but many people seem to think it is funny -- sort of like laughing at a retarded person or a fat kid. Then I was given the counter point that hey, these people deserve it. If they are that deluded or if they are trying to bring some attention on themselves by playing the fool, then they deserve to be laughed at. I thought about that for awhile, then I thought about what my friend said. What if it is true? What if 1/2 of all of us are not that bright. I mean, think about all the stupid criminals you've ever heard of, and then think of how it made you feel -- that perhaps jail is the best place for them because they clearly cannot take care of themselves. I think if you watch American Idol, you might want to take note that many of these people who are being rejected in the most cruel of means -- picked on -- made fun of, are people who actually have dreams, and are having those dreams crushed on national television. Maybe they do deserve it. But you know what, maybe you deserve it too. Maybe I deserve it. Maybe we all deserve it. Or perhaps, we all deserve a chance to try, and even if we are awful at what we are trying to do, maybe it is best if we do it, and are respectfully told the truth -- not made fun of or picked on or made a fool of. I have noticed a lot of people who are too afraid to try to do anything. To me, those are the real losers. So too are the Simons of the world, who pick on others efforts, like we all owe someone like him some entertainment. Simon is very entertaining, but for the wrong reasons. It is kind of like being in traffic and watching that guy in front of you have an anuerism at every slight infraction to his patience and time. We are all trying to get there. Some of us think that everyone else owes them more though. Simon speaks the truth you say and you are probably right. However, there are many people in his position who do that kind of thing every day -- and they do it in a way that is compassionate, graceful and respectful. Why do we find it so entertaining to find someone who has an obvious inferiority complex overcompensating for that on national tv?
Saturday 27 January 2007
11:23 -- I just got up after a long night. I wanted to go out but Suyen got mad at me for wanting to leave her home alone. The plan was originally for her to be at work, but she came home instead. I spent the evening taking the stuff we got a JC Penny and arranging the living room. It looks dry now, but with some finishing touches it will come along.
I spent last night re-arranging the living room. We got a TV stand at JC Penny Outlet for $29.00. We got some curtains because Suyen doesn't want the world seeing her walk around the house alone. I moved the TV to the south wall of the living room and arranged the couch and loveseat in an L shape to form a nice living area. I moved the end tables to where they are more useful. You can even see Jack in the picture.
We got this little table for $49.00 at JC Penny. It is a nice little intimate breakfast nook. We had the chairs already so we are putting them to good use.
TMI
Stevo
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