SlowpokeBlog

Still on vacation. I'll resume more regular updates soon.

A few thoughts looking back on 2004. It was the year Things Fell Apart, an absolute nadir for those of us in the reality-based community. I'm really not looking forward to the insanities of 2005. The quiet unravelling of forest protections that occurred under the cover of the holidays is but a harbinger of the ugliness to come.

I've had conversations with a few people recently who feel very sanguine about the state of the nation, and I find myself envying their peace of mind. As one guy put it, God has always put a great leader in the White House during the country's times of need. He seemed confused when I mentioned the thousands of people dying prematurely of air pollution every month. Guess he hadn't heard about that.

On the other hand, I had a fascinating conversation with a physicist. His main fear is the possibility of a dirty bomb being set off somewhere in the world over the next decade, and the military response that might follow. He was very concerned about the loose nuclear material in Russia, the securing of which Bush has underfunded. Like I said, it must be nice to have the other half's peace of mind.

I also spent some time in a car driving through vast stretches of very red counties in Northwestern states, and I can assure you that HUGE portions of the electoral map represent hills covered in sagebrush. Apparently sagebrush is a staunchly Republican form of flora.

One last observation -- some graffiti in a bar bathroom:

"If you voted for Bush, you can't take a dump here. Your asshole is in Washington."

Normally I don't sink so low, but it just seemed appropriate.