We live in a very contentious world today. Emotions run very high on nearly any subject and when it comes to politics, watch out. I had a very unfortunate discussion with a friend who I respect and admire about a Republican Presidential hopeful. I was so shocked about the positive view expressed that I immediately reacted with disdain and disbelief. I inquired why? It was too late; the damage was done. I do value other points of view/opinions and generally listen before I decide if a comment is wise or warranted. I failed communication 101 and can only hope that time will allow us to re connect.
My apology would be for the tone and animation of my response. I do not have any room in my time left for a leader who does not understand the importance of our democracy, the reality of climate change, women’s rights, diversity, inclusion, or humility. I believe my view of the candidate and the danger he would pose if our leader were valid and it is up to me and each of us to take the risk to state our view. As a cautionary tale, each of us must be honest and true to our beliefs within the bounds of civility.
So, what is true. A friend sent me a series of puns that were very clever. One of them goes as follows. “Scientifically a raven has l7 primary wing feathers, the big ones at the end of the wing are called pinion feathers. A crow has 16. So, the difference between them is a matter of a pinion.” Very clever I thought, but in doing some research it is not true, both birds actually have 10 pinion feathers. Most of the conspiracy theories start with a grain of fact. Thie pinion is a small perversion of the truth compared to some of the whoppers we hear daily from the great Orange Wanker and his ilk. Fact checking is now a very real necessity.
True or False? King Kong is not a fantasy creature. It is a bit of a trick question, the KK who fell in love with Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) toppled off the top of the Empire State Building. The classic film was made in l933 and multiple times since. According to the journal Nature, the great apes thrived in the China’s Guangxi regions hundreds of thousands of years ago. The apes, Gigantopithecus blacki, stood up to 10 feet tall and weighed 650 pounds. Climate change most likely ended the reign of these creatures as “they made the fatal mistake of being reluctant to adapt their strict diet of bountiful fruits and flowers.” The smaller orangutans adapted rapidly and exist today. History is repeating itself; will humans be able to adapt and change?
A few puns to impress your friends. There is a benefit of eating dried grapes-it is all about raising awareness. My daughter Katie only eats plant-based food, you probably have not heard of herbivore.
Joy to the world, the girls are enjoying the skiing. Keep it together. Mike