MyThis and MyThat — My, My, MY!

The advent of the computer, The Knack’s 1979 hit song (My Sharona), and Microsoft corporation could very well be responsible for the “my” generation. Or was it “My Generation” by the rock group The Who? Maybe Ronald Reagan? Free love of the 1960s and ‘70s? (We seem to blame everything bad on that!) Frank Sinatra, maybe?

“My”, in its newest form, is used as a prefix with no space after, and the word following has a capital letter at the beginning, i.e., MySpace. It seems to provide a heightened sense of ownership for the owner and cautions the non-owner to tread carefully into “MyTerritory”.

Or does it just show how selfish and self-centered we individuals are?

Here are a few examples of the MyWord syndrome:

• MyComputer. We can blame Microsoft for this one, not that it made computer use any easier — just more cute. Of course they didn’t stop at MyComputer, creating on your (or my) computer MyFiles, MyDocuments, MyMusic, MyPictures, and so on. To make it even more My-centric, the latest operating systems let an “administrator” set up various “users” who can have their own sets of MyFiles, MyPictures, etc. That way your computer can suffer from multiple personality disorder, eh? (As if viruses aren’t enough!) And just try to spell check a document with a lot of MyWords in it! (God help you if you use WordPerfect, another name with a mashed word!) Redlines all over the place! And, of course, you can always go to the Microsoft website and check out what they think you would like to buy in “MyMicrosoft”.
• MyMcDonalds. Jumping on the MyCrosoft (ha ha!) bandwagon is one of the biggest purveyors of cholesterol in the world. I get my weekly dose of MyFat by running (to burn off calories) to Mickey D’s (they used to hate that name; now they’ve embraced it) and consuming MyBigMac meal. Sure beats Burger King making it MyWay — or was that the song sung by Frank Sinatra?
• MyTorahPortion. This must be the origin of the My- syndrome. Almost every Bas Mitzvah student that I have observed during these services begins their sermon with this (or, if you put spaces in, these three) ominous word(s). Could it be that this sticks with the poor schmucks (like the aforementioned cholesterol) for the rest of their lives??

Oh my, we all are seemingly consumed by MyCorporate. Most of the My-creations (except for MyTorahPortion) seem to be commercially related. So many websites of commercial entities, like Verizon and Yahoo!, use the “My-“ prefix as a tool of marketing to supposedly give the websurfer (or customer, or client) more of a feeling of ownership and comfort when visiting. That doesn’t work with me; indeed, it personally results in MyDisComfort. (I wonder if The Knack can sing that?)

I’d rather all of that “ownership” be focused toward different things. What about MySociety, MyNeighborhood, MyFriends? And MyEnvironment, MyVillage, MyWorld? My- is a word or, in this case, a prefix that can close people off from reality and put them into MyFantasyLand.

Reality will some day catch up to all of the “My’s”. Hopefully, I’ll be in MyReality when that happens. Good luck, MyFriends!

Lump in my throat: — The Memorial Day Concert

 I have not often been a fan of concerts of patriotic music, especially those which have a heavy commercial tone to them. I find that these concerts too often celebrate a sort of superficial blind patriotism that makes me gag. There is too much blind “patriotism” and not enough intelligent thought.

The National Memorial Day Concert, broadcast on PBS and presented in the Mall of Washington, D.C., had a different tone to it that produced in me a different reaction: a lump in my throat and, at times, tears. Although the concert contained some of the same superficial elements that usually result in a negative emotional reaction from my body, there was something more meaningful in this concert.

The presentation by Colin Powell praising and recognizing the service of Vietnam veterans, the presentations from and about wounded veterans about many of the conflicts and wars that we have fought as a nation, and the presentation of the various
physical memorials located on the Mall in Washington, D.C. showed a more refined point of view of war and military service.

The goal of the concert seemed not necessarily to be one of cheering for our country’s military might or advancing our agenda for changing the world, but instead true and honest recognition of those who gave their lives in loyal service to our country, however misguided our government’s intentions may have been.

We could have done without Sara Brightman’s voice, but the selection of pieces she sang were ones of comfort and remembrance. To quite my surprise, we found out that John Schneider has an excellent baritone voice, even though what he sang was less to my liking. Gladys Knight was superb as usual. Maestro Erich Kunzel did a wonderful job holding all of the musical forces together, although some of the background music that was chosen was a little syrupy. Still, I have to admit losing it when Barber’s Adagio for Strings was played during the Vietnam segment. (Do you remember the movie Platoon? I lost it then, too.)

But it wasn’t the music that was necessarily the highlight of this program. A woman and his wounded vet spouse and a wife of a vet killed in action were present in the audience, and three actors recounted these persons recollections. General Colin Powell gave quite a moving speech recognizing Vietnam War veterans; his presentation was well balanced and commented on our change of attitude toward our current and former soldiers since the Vietnam War.

A few times during the presentation, the hope for peace was emphasized. Ms. Knight sang a beautiful rendition of “Let There Be Peace on Earth”, a song that usually is not dear to my heart, but in this context and sung by this artist did not produce the usual gag reflex and gave me a certain amount of a feeling of hope. Other presenters mentioned the hope that we can, through negotiation and understanding, work toward peace and not belligerently make war.

The closing music was Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America”. I actually felt like singing along for a change —again, not one of my favorite pieces. But in this case — after watching a program that truly memorialized the sacrifice of (quite) a few for many, whatever the cause and cost — it felt more like an appropriate prayer to end the concert.

May we always respect and remember the service of our military personnel and especially remember those who have died. May we always pray for peace and never forget the horrors that have been inflicted on soldiers and civilians because of war.

Car, Plane, or Train? Amtrak Wins!!

I was doing some comparison shopping for a trip down to Roswell, GA to see my parents. Here's the results:

Amtrak's direct roundtrip fare to Atlanta, GA is $306.00. It includes a rather large, reasonably comfortable seat to sit and sleep in (the same or better than airline first-class seating), a two moderate-size bag carry-on limit, a three rather-large-bag check-in limit for the baggage car (try and fly with that!!), a lounge car with carry-away snacks, drinks, and light meals, and a dining car (a bit more expensive but with full meals to order). Although trains can and do run behind schedule, you've got room to walk around, and you don't have to worry about the weight-challenged person squeezed into the seat next to you in coach.

I called and spoke to a rep about their refund/cancellation/modification policy; he assured me that there would be no more than a 10% penalty for canceling, but most probably no penalty at all. Reservation date and time can be moved if seats are available. Try that with an air carrier!

Want to drive to Atlanta? If you figure gas at $4.00/gal with a 25-mpg car, the one-way train fare just about equals the cost of fuel alone! Figure in hotel (you have to stop halfway unless you have the zany stupidity to drive 17 hours straight [I did that once!]), maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and other things and it gets to be quite an expensive proposition to drive that distance. Travel time is 17 hours -- just about the same as the train trip. Of course there's no having to take a bus or subway to your car, but who cares about two hours anyway [see below]. And I'm not figuring in traffic jams! Also figure in the weariness that comes from dodging trucks and cars at high speed for hours. Couldn't that result in possible increased stress (medical bills) and need for psychiatric counseling?? And if your car breaks down... fugetaboudit!!

I didn't bother checking out air fares; I'm guessing that the base fare would be about the same as Amtrak. However... airlines seem to be adding surcharges faster than the price of oil is rising, and there are less promotional, cheap fares out there on the internet, so I'm guessing that someone with one piece of check-in luggage might spend at least $400 round trip.

As far as the amount of time spent traveling, one has to add in getting to the station for the train (45 minutes to an hour by subway and bus on both ends). Amtrak suggests being at the station one-half to one hour beforehand to pick up your ticket and check baggage. LaGuardia airport is not too long of a subway/bus ride for me, but then comes check-in (at least a half hour), security check (who knows what could go wrong there, and I like keeping my shoes on!), the wait to board, the wait on the tarmac to take off, the potential delay in landing, and waiting to get your bags after you land -- that is, if they weren't sent to Istanbul. Total wasted and waiting time — somewhere between two and four hours — or more.

Train travel is less susceptible to weather changes. You won't be circling around the airport for hours to land.

I must admit that I didn't check into Greyhound or other bus lines. The reason? Some of those bus drivers really scare me.

Now for the sermon: We've neglected our passenger rail system in this country for far too long. In terms of energy use, it is one of the most efficient use of our resources for long-distance traveling — it is a green way to travel. So why do we only have one high-speed train — the relatively new up-to-150-mile-an-hour Acela between Boston and New York and Washington, D.C.? Why do we have only very limited service to cities outside of the Northeast, Atlantic coast, and Great Lakes/Canada? I would say that we have stubbornly and selfishly spent far too much love on the automobile and the airplane; it's time to invest in building a good passenger rail system with a well-maintained infrastructure and updated, reliable equipment. A program of expanding rail service along existing rail corridors (and maybe along interstate highways?) is as important to our national security as building the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System in the middle-to-late 20th century. While we're at it, how about shifting cargo to a higher-speed rail system as well and get some of those trucks off the road? Well... that another subject for a different time.

I saw a news item on ABC mentioning that Amtrak ridership is up at least 10% in the last year. Of course most of the segment was reporting about the higher cost of operating planes and cars, but at least someone acknowledged our rail system and the potential for it's growth. Rail can become an important part of the transportation mix in this country as it has been for years in many other European countries. Once people realize how much cheaper, efficient, green, and more pleasant train travel is, Amtrak is going to have quite a crowd to deal with! I just hope that Amtrak is ready for the influx of passengers.

As for me... I'll just sit back and read and sip my soda or tea while watching the trees and hills speed by... the Amtrak way!

Are we there yet??

Have a pleasant summer!

Laura Bush, U.N. Ambassador??

Laura Bush's performance in her news conference on Monday 5/5 showed her both poised and prepared. I'm sure her words influenced many around the world, especially the Myanmar (Burma) generals. She would be a great asset to the McCain/Clinton/Obama administration.

I see her as having a role in U.S. or world government in the future, much like Elizabeth Dole. I would be curious to find out whether her news conference created a more positive feeling for the U.S. and for her as opposed to her husband's low esteem among world leaders.

George W. also presented his case to the U.S. people and to the world community. I wonder who's presentation was better accepted? "W" hasn't a very good track record in this regard; my guess is that her wife surpassed him in counting the number of people who had a positive reaction.

She seems to have a more inclusive world vision than does her husband, a positive trait for dealing with various cultures and countries in today's world. She also seems to have determination and strength of character to hold her own, not only with the reporters in the briefing room in the White House but also with world leaders and the Security Council.

I pray for the people of Burma (Myanmar) that they may survive and not experience hunger and deprivation. Let's hope that the government will continue to allow the U.S., the UN, and many other generous countries into the country to help the Myanmar (Burmese) people.

Spiritual, Virtual, and Real Food

I heard today, on NPR All Things Considered and as part of their continuing series What I Believe, an essay by Sara Miles (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90133974). It not only was a moving commentary from one who lives out the words of what some call the Son of God or a prophet or a zany philosopher, but also a testimony to a life changed and enriched by the experience of sharing what she has with (mostly) those less fortunate -- or different -- from her.

I hope you will click on the link and get inspiration, as I did.

O'Reilly and Clinton

 I had a little difficulty finding the correct link from which to play Bill O’Reilly’s
interview of Senator Hillary Clinton (found not on O’Reilly’s page but on FoxNews.com), but
it was worth it. I generally was impressed with the way the two of them behaved and especially
impressed with Clinton’s ability to hold her own under O’Reilly’s questioning and occasional
posturing. The news summary of the first part of the interview includes some reaction from her
campaign staff and from the Obama staff, but as I’ve said in previous posts, it’s best to see them
in action by watching the whole interview.

I’m looking forward to seeing Part II of the interview. You can catch it on the Fox
News channel on cable or see it on the Fox News website within a few hours of it having been
aired.

Did You Read or View the Whole Thing?

With the continuing growth of the web and the ease with which one can get information
from various web sites, one may choose whether to view reports, excerpts, and soundbites of an event or view the entire event from beginning to end.

We rely on headlines and reports of events for much of our news. Reports are often
given from a “point of view” — either that of the reporter or influenced by the editor or
producer of a publication or program. Content inclusion decisions are often made with
restrictions of time and print space as major factors. This can result in the whole story not
being told.

Let’s take the Rev. Wright’s sermon he gave in which he said that the U.S. was partly to
blame for the attacks by Al Quaida, excerpted on Bill Moyers Journal during his interview with
Wright last Friday. Although not “the whole thing”, this longer excerpt put into context the
Reverend’s comments, unlike the soundbite which made its tour of the networks and websites. The longer excerpt had Wright listing many of the policies that have encouraged disrespect around the world for the U.S., its government, and its culture. In short, the longer version showed the evidence and the Reverend’s conclusion based on the evidence.

Other reports on encyclicals of the Roman Catholic Church and Supreme Court decisions show that there is a problem reporting on especially dense documents. For example, the Supreme Court decision at the beginning of this century regarding Microsoft was reported as
a victory for that corporation by some news outlets. On examination of the actual verdict, there was a Finding of Fact that Microsoft was indeed a monopoly, setting the stage for further litigation and/or negotiation between Microsoft and the plaintiffs. This resulted in a loosening of Microsoft’s control of its operating system code, allowing software vendors to plug into the operating system in ways that were only available before to Microsoft for their Office applications. I wouldn’t call this a “victory” for Microsoft.

There can be some difficulty getting the full view from some websites. To see the
O’Reilly Factor interview with Hillary Clinton and other “archived” interviews and programs, I
would have needed to buy a membership ($49.95). But... FoxNews.com had the whole thing
for free, probably only for a limited time. So I got the opportunity to see Parts I and II (I’ll see Part III and IV tomorrow). I don’t have cable, so I rely on the internet to see programs that have already been aired on cable channels. For the most part, these programs are up on websites within hours of having been aired. Having DSL or broadband makes it even easier.

I love to hear pundits go at it — roundtable discussions are some of my favorite programs. However, we need to remember that this is not “the news” — only an interpretation of it.

I have to admit that time for many of us is limited to get the “whole picture.” We rely
on the “media” to summarize for us in a “fair and balanced” manner. However, too many
reporters, editors, and producers too often neglect to report just the facts and end up “spicing it up” a bit. (News can be boring, but isn’t there a way to make accurate facts interesting without presenting an opinion?) Too many of us get all or most of our news from one source, be it the New York Times or the Fox News Channel. Why not watch/read both, or three or four sources? And, if it really matters to us, why not watch or read the whole thing by searching the web or going to the library?