Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Sadness to Come

Last night I watched "The News Hour," as I regularly tune in to liberal media establishment so I will know what to think. After learning about derivative swaps (we need transparency!) I watched the segment on a fighter plane that's causing Congress to get mad (we need accountability!)

Not to go into too much detail but Lockheed Martin has been working to develop one design fighter that can be modified three different ways--and as usual with multipurpose weapons, three different functions means it doesn't do any of them all that great. To Congress' surprise there have been delays and cost overruns.

But that's not the sad part. A Lockheed Martin spokesman stated in his interview that the investment in this fighter is worth it because in the long run we'll save. "Our children will be flying these into battle. Our grandchildren will be flying these into battle."

There will be battles; there will be wars; and children yet unborn will fly into them.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

"When Writers Speak"

This week I received a clipping from my sister here known as Lucy: "When Writers Speak" by Arthur Krystal, an essay in the NY times Book Review from last September 27th. "Why are wonderful writers sometimes such dull conversationalists? Blame it on the brain." Krystal claims that he himself just isn't as smart when he talks as he is when he writes. Apparently science proves different neurons in the brain get activated when we write.

"So the next time you hear a writer on the radio or catch him on the tube or watch him on the monitor or find yourself sitting next to him at dinner, remember he isn't the author of the books you admire; he's just someone visiting the world outside his study or office or wherever the hell he writes...."

So, one could conclude, as fictional characters don't exist outside the page, even the author herself does not. We may thrill to encounter another mind within the pages; but the authorial neurons activated for the project only. The question is, why does this idea disturb me so much?

It's kind of a multiple personality thing that makes me feel stupid when I think about it.