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Diaryland
Letters to Nick (4) July 19, 2003 @
[Nick,]
I really enjoy talking with you as well. Whether I get a chance to share a frustration or to just laugh about something, conversation with you is always great. I hope that whatever direction our lives go, we'll be able to enjoy this for a long time.
I thought about poking fun at you a couple messages ago when you mentioned AOL, but then I figured "Nah, AOL is its own punishment". I am well aware about how vast AOL Time Warner is and the dangerous amount of media power they control. I was really worked up about a month ago when the FCC and that jerk Michael Powell continued on their deregulation rampage. Almost all the anti-trust laws are gone now, and at the rate we're going, we could soon see a complete media monopoly. I've even heard serious talk of AOL Time Warner buying out Disney! Imagine that! I alerted a couple of my friends to this and they were pretty shocked themselves - they didn't even know this danger was sneaking up on Americans. The media made almost no mention of it (deliberately I believe) until massive citizen petition campaigns began flooding them and the FCC begging them to at least think things through more. I never heard back what the final result was, but sadly, in all likelihood they went ahead with it. Michael Powell had made some pretty arrogant comments and made it clear that he didn't give much concern for the public's opinion. And the media industries certainly wined and dined the whole commision... aye carumba. Yeah, I should check up on what happened with that... that is, if history hasn't already been rewritten.
What happened in Santa Monica was exceedingly tragic. I sympathize with you in that I could see my grandmother, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's among other things, doing something quite similar. I don't think age alone is enough to prevent a person from driving, but I think you are right in that at the least, warning lights should be flashing at the DMV. Maybe when seniors are diagnosed with conditions or given medications that severely effect their inhibitions, warnings should be sent to the DMV or their license should be revaluated. But then again, think about how much time and money it would take to do something like that. I guess we just gotta keep tweaking the system towards perfection - thankfully you don't see an event like that too often.
I have a belief that no matter where people identify themselves on the political spectrum, there are always some very sensitive issues where they will have a stance opposite what you might expect from them otherwise. Thus you can find conservatives who support gay rights or liberals who are against abortion, for instance. I'm admitedly quite liberal myself, but I get annoyed when other felow "radicals" get on my case because I'm not an atheist. I find that occasionaly, the atheists can be just as preachy as the fundys. But I have friends of all kinds of persuasions, and I just try to step back and understand where everybody's coming from, even if I don't think they have enough perspective to see the best solution to the issue.
Is California really hot right now? Movies at the park sounds like fun! I went over to the little park/beach on Lake Sammamish the other day and had a good time just gelling, passing the time between tanning, reading and swimming. Lake Sam is quite nice but unfortunately, despite its size, almost all the shoreline is privately owned. People buy really big and beautiful homes out on the lake and have their own private docks and boats. I remember we had our junior high graduation out at one of these places once upon a time, and I have to admit it seemed paradisical around sunset. I love the beach and would get out to it more if I could, but Pleasanton seems to be annoyingly too far inland. I don't know - does the Bay have much real beach to enjoy? I went out to the shoreline at Hayward a couple times but it seemed kinda "eh :P " Santa Cruz though... ah... I love that place... wanted to go to school there too, but it didn't work out.
Thanks as always for being on the other end. And you look just fine in those shorts.
Dave
"Details in the Fabric" - May 31, 2009
Not So Quick Questions - April 6, 2009
The Morning Stars - Lords of the 15 - April 9, 2009
Sincerity and Faith in Magic - April 10, 2009
Not So Quick Questions (2) - April 14, 2009
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