Friday, October 04, 2013

Class vs. No Class

I am so sick to death of Miley Cyrus.  The formerly clean-cut Disney girl has tramped out in every way possible, and rather than becoming popular for any musical ability, she is a source of mockery for anyone who sees her antics.  Frankly, she is about as classy as a plate of pus.  Now, I'm no fan of Sinead O'Connor ... at all ... but her feud with Miley in which she accuses Ms. Formerly Hannah Montana of mocking the mentally ill is the stuff of TMZ joy.

It got me thinking of some things I've considered about actors and other performers: who stands out as classy and who stands out as classless?  I've decided to make a short list, to which I hope others will add, and wonder if the differences stand out as starkly as they do to me.

Classless:
Just about any rapper
M. Cyrus
J. Bieber
Charlie Sheen
Alec Baldwin
Ted Nugent
Any Kardashian
Paris Hilton


Classy:
Sir Patrick Stewart
Nathan Fillion (argue with me ... I dare you)
Michael J. Fox (anyone who can do a series that not only increases the knowledge of Parkinson's but can also laugh at himself for the things he deals with is an incredibly classy guy)
David Tenant (tell me when you have read anything negative or disgusting about him)
Vin Scully (65 years and going strong as a broadcaster ... and loved by everyone ... even other teams)
Anne Hathaway (she's done some nudity, but she always seems so nice in all of her public appearances)
Hugh Jackman
Kate Middleton

OK....your turn.  Give me some suggestions, and I'll keep thinking.  I particularly want to note who qualifies as classy.

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Human Governments: Not working so well, are they?

If this week should have taught people anything, it's that even the so-called "best form of human government" doesn't work.  One can list tons of negatives about fascism, socialism, and communism.  One can recite the crimes and inequities of dictatorships, monarchies, Islamic regimes, and totalitarianism.  But one cannot state with all certainty that out of all of the governments that exist, the American form is the best.  It is laden with special interests, selfishness, childishness, elitism, and other psychological oddities that make its leaders decide that shutting down all of its facets is better than being reasonable.

Jon Stewart pointed out that the Affordable Care Act is a law.  It was voted upon by Congress, signed by the President, and ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court.  Guess what?  That makes it legal and an active law.  Period.  By trying to use it as a bargaining chip, the Republicans are denying the constitution that they claim to hold so dear.

Thousands of years of human governments, and not one of them has functioned for the ultimate good of its people.

My point is this: stop waving the flag and saying how awesome American government is.  It has become a joke rather than a beacon.  It's an embarrassment and the butt of jokes of other nations, not because they are jealous, but because the U.S. system has become so dysfunctional.

A guy took 19 shots at a group of Jehovah's Witnesses with a 9 mm pistol, just because they were following the Bible's requirement that they preach the good news.  Part of this good news involves God's government.  So now, I guess, if you don't agree with something, you shoot it.  I wonder what the writers of the Constitution would say about that.

In any case, stop shouting "U.S.A." for one minute and ask yourself:  If things are so great, why do politicians let babies go hungry to try to prove a point?  (Don't believe me?  Ask how WIC is funded and what it does.)  Then maybe, just maybe, instead of hating Jehovah's Witnesses, you could give a listen to what they are saying.

One more thing...

The U.S. Postal Service wants to raise rates for a first-class stamp by three cents up to forty-nine cents.  My questions are these:
Will this solve the financial issues they are facing?
How will they address the retirement funding?  Will the Congress allow changes?  (Yeah...right.)
Why not just raise it to fifty cents?  A nice round number that will make buying stamps easier, maybe help the Post Office a bit more, and still be less than just about every other country on this planet charges.