Addiction

Recently, I read an interesting article. The author suggested that people should not be held accountable for their addictions. Some folks, it turns out, are genetically predisposed to addiction.

Well, let me tell you something about genetic predisposition. I am genetically predisposed to want to have sex with your sister. And yet if your sister and I spent some time together, I would miraculously find a way to keep my pants on.

Don't blame your problems on genetics. You are accountable for your own actions. Period.



Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
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Save Your Money

Note to young people: Tattoos are hideous.  Save your money.

Note to older people: Plastic surgery makes you look like Frankenstein's monster.  Save your money.

Your mileage may vary, but it probably won't.

Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved

Boston and Chechnya

I realize that the Chechen people have endured decades of suffering.  I, like most Americans, don't understand the details or the history of the troubles in that part of the world, but I know that the hardships are very real.

Here's something that's even more difficult to understand.  Why would someone think that bombing the Boston Marathon would help the Chechen cause?  Or perhaps that it would settle some score for the Chechen people?

What does Boston have to do with Chechnya?

What does a marathon have to do with violent oppression?

Americans may not have had a great deal of sympathy for Chechnya before 15 April 2013, but in the future, they are likely to care even less about the Chechen people.  If anything, Chechens will be perceived as radical Islamists, as haters of America, as supporters of senseless violence against innocent civilians.

Standing up for a cause, dedicating oneself and taking daring action, these are admirable ambitions.  But they work only when the cause itself makes sense.  Bombing Boston made no sense at all.

Suffering isn't alleviated by more suffering.  Targeting innocent people has never helped anyone's cause.  It turns public opinion against those who espouse it.

Bombing Boston was a stupid strategy.  The bombers were a couple of cruel, stupid jackasses who did more harm to Chechnya than to Boston or America.

Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
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I Wonder About The Human Race

The week began with a senseless tragedy, the bombing of the Boston Marathon.  The next day, Congress caved to the whims of special interests and defeated legislation that would require background checks on firearm sales at gun shows, a policy that ninety percent of Americans supported.  And today we learned that an Elvis impersonator is suspected of sending ricin-laced letters to government offices.

How can life be so absurdly tragic?  It makes me wonder about the human race.

At least the Boston bombers have now been killed or apprehended thanks to a heroic and daring manhunt and thanks to the vigilance of Boston's citizens.  I hope that the survivors, the families of those who were wounded or killed, and everyone who lives or works in the Greater Boston area can sleep a little easier tonight.


Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
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Slippery Slope

Life is a slippery slope.  If you don't keep stepping up, you'll bottom out.


Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
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Strange Days

Sometimes life takes a turn for the bizarre.  We meet with unexpected and uncomfortable circumstances as we follow our familiar routine.

I had a day like this earlier this week.  As I left my office a man lost control of his motorcycle on the street before my eyes.  Luckily, he wasn't hurt badly.

As I walked toward home, a huge, black storm cloud moved menacingly close.  Fortunately, I was only a block from home when the rain began to fall.

I napped briefly on the couch as the storm and the thunder passed.  I awoke to regular booming sounds.  It was puzzling, because the timing wasn't consistent with thunder.  I looked out the window to see the edges of a fireworks display over the neighboring buildings.  Normally, such events are cancelled during electrical storms, but this was no typical day.

The following morning, the early train was more crowded than usual.  I ended up being wedge between two people who held fast to poles and refused to budge.  I couldn't  move enough to let other passengers on or off the train.  It was an uncomfortable situation.

Through the day, I managed to spill both coffee and toothpaste on my clothes. During an excursion to the suburbs, I saw a women thrown off of a train for talking in the "quiet car."

Coming back, I bought a slice of pizza.  The lady behind the counter threw in an extra slice for free.

(Not every strange occurrence has to be negative, I suppose.)

By the next day, things returned to normal.  I put in a very long day of work, but eventually I got caught up on my rest and dropped off my clothes at the cleaner's to have the stains removed.

Strange days!


Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved