I was at National Airport in DC this afternoon and heard some things that made my head spin. I have no idea what these people are thinking. Sorry if this seems to be low in substance, but think of it as a well-needed rant after a day of frustrating travel.
It started with a conversation between two men in the terminal. They had just sat down and were asking if a newspaper left on the seat belonged to anybody. The one guy seemed happy to have found a free newspaper until he learned it was a USA today, which started him on a rant the liberal leanings of USA Today. I guess USA Today is a bit left or Rush and O'Reilly, but liberal media? Give me a break.
Then sitting on the shuttle to the regional jet, I was sitting next to two men who had struck up a conversation, about all things, the weather (I know f'ing cliche, right). One man was explaining that he's from North Carolina and that they used to get a bit of snow from time to time, but haven't had much since the 80s. The other guy attribted this to global warming, and the guy from North Carolina promptly (and defensively) responded, "I don't know about that, I think it's just the cycle of things." He then went on to say that people shouldn't worry about things they can't control or understand. He said that he can fix racecars and drive tractors, but that everything else is out of his league. Funny that he seems to recognize his limits, but that the complex issue of climate change isn't far enough outside of his league for him to refute the expert opionion of virtually every respected scientist studying the issue.
Then, to top it all off, Mr. North Carolina begins to explain how much he likes President Bush and how he thinks Bush has done such a good job given all the "garbage" he's had to deal with. As if the terrible economy just happened to Bush. As if our sons and daughters and brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers who died in Iraq just happened to Bush. As if the attack on intellect and rational thought that plagues our nation just happened to Bush. As if his decisions and policies had nothing to do with these things. Ugh.
I'd prefer to read (and sometimes write) diaries that provide analysis of some issue of the day or that break news not reported in the MSM, but I just needed to rant a bit and needed to do it among friends.
Yes, I'm feeling a little better now...a little.