Travel Pete's Journal: Basements, Kids & Mental Health

Rapids finally win one!

And it turns out that an absolute thriller of a game is a horrible thing to write about!

There's a fine balance between gushing and glowing and trying not to be too cynical about one great win after so many poor appearances by the Rapids this year.

Ahhh, the angst of a budding sports writer. The see-saw of the journalistic profession, the balance between creativity, a critical eye, and unadulterated enjoyment of the game.

Here's my attempt to help capture the Rapids at home in a 2-0 thrashing over the struggling Chicago Fire.

Rapids find key to excellence on American Soccer News.

As always, if a blizzard hits the computers housing ASN, there's always a fault-tolerant backup located at BilFish's Soccer Writing MiniSite. Look for the July 30th article.

Keeping up with the Blog Monster

Writing blogs is tough enough.

But have you ever tried to keep up with reading them all?

Admittedly, this can be quite a challenge, and I aim to alleviate that somewhat for my busy readers.

To this end, I've added a new section to the right-hand menus of Travel Pete's Journal: Cooking, Mental Health, Photography & Technology.

You will (hopefully) notice that just under the Calendar and above the Search box is a new link that allows you to sign up to receive email updates whenever a new blog appears.

No more muss, no more fuss, just check your email and violá! Instant Travel Pete Journal notification at your finger tips.

NEW: Be Notified when a New Entry is Added!

Use it, love it, learn from it — and please give me feedback on whether it works, whether you enjoy it, and what could be done to improve the idea.

Thanks!

Rapids Announce Stadium Site

You may notice I didn't get around to posting a blog entry yesterday. There are reasons.

I wasn't planning on doing another soccer article until tonight when I have to write up the Rapids v Chicago Fire game for distribution online Friday morning.

But.... a little birdy told me that the Rapids were going to make a big announcement in Commerce City Tuesday. I say a little birdy because the Rapids didn't officially notify me until Monday evening at 9pm, usually a bit late to plan for an early morning press conference the next day.

About 250 people showed for the event to dedicate part of the old Rocky Mountain Arsenal chemical weapons factory cleanup site as a new place for professional and youth soccer.

You may not want to live in such an attractive locale, which is okay because residential housing won't be allowed on what is now near the "Rocky Mountain Wildlife Refuge" which sounds nicer than chemical weapons of mass destruction warfare plant from World War II and beyond.

Here's my article, Colorado Finally Finds big Win-Win online at American Soccer News.

Visit my Soccer MiniSite Articles section in case they actually find more chemical weapons on the Arsenal and ASN's soccer website somehow is affected by the fallout. Check in the articles section, July 28th, 2004 for the Win-Win article.

There are also some juicy images from the announcement which was held in good weather outside on the shortgrass prairie in the area. Images are also on my MiniSite for July 27th.

Museum Hill, Santa Fe

I forgot to show off a few pix from our Santa Fe trip. I say a few because I forgot my camera (sitting charged and ready to go on the counter at home) and we had to use my Dad's digital camera.

Sounds like a bummer in the making, but his camera is actually a newer, better camera than mine. However, he refused to bring it anywhere!

Except... Museum Hill and the International Museum of Folk Art.

Oh, and see my previous blog entry #1 and entry #2 on Santa Fe for more detail.

Okay, one picture on the main page, just to whet yer appetite!

Generaciones: MaxFish, DadFish, GrampaFish

Museum Hill, Santa Fe — Desert Storm Thunderhead

More of Museum Hill's beautiful desert plaza

Max says, "Can't reach" but boy does he want to...

Max enjoys Museum Hill Plaza connecting a few of the new museums

Alice in Wonderland? No, it's MaxFish at the International Museum of Folk Art's Big Chair

Max, still on the chair

BilFish & GrampaFish decide to get in on the action

Rapids v Crew Preview

It's Footie time again!

Yes, the Rapids are stinking up the joint, and this time they'll be stinkin' it up at home for the first time in a few games.

Colorado faces the fellow beleaguered Columbus Crew MLS team, arriving from the Eastern Conference to try their luck in Denver.

The results haven't been good, but I think the article is decent. The kid gloves are coming off around the Rapids camp and something is going to have to change soon or else heads will roll!

You'll also see that I've taken up sports photography. My photo is included in the article.

American Soccer News: 13-game season starts now...

And, if for some reason a rat chews through the cords at American Soccer News Central, you can always find the article on my Soccer MiniSite under the Articles section for the July 23rd, 2004 article.

This link will also take you to where I have some images of recent Rapids games and training sessions.

Español vs. Francais

Foreign language quiz. The answer is: French is not Spanish.

Anyhooo... I'm a bit surprised by how comfortable I apparently am with Spanish.

It has taken spending a couple of weeks with a young French man to show me just how much Español I must have actually picked up (and retained) during those long, boring classes throughout my life.

Who knew?

Every time I talk with Robinson, I have a tendency to want to switch to the Spanish word, because I know it, or at least a close enough word to get my point across.

But I have also learned that Spanish is not French. Even when the word is spelled similarly in both languages, the pronunciation's a killer.

Robinson just sort of stares at me...

Another French language note. The Country of France is pronounced "Frahnce." The language of the French is called "Frahn-say." So, there you have it.

Back to Spanish. I had a quick lunch at a Mexican restaurant. I could order most of the meal in Spanish "Sí, tres cervezas por favor, you heard me."

I could explain why I had a tape recorder and camera and notepad with me. "Yo escribo para los Rapids de Colorado football." I hope I said that I write for/about the Colorado Rapids football club.

So, there you have it. French is not Spanish, and I know more Spanish than my poor grades in the class reflected.

The plus is that when a French word is similar to the Spanish word, I can sometimes make out the translation.

One letter at a time.

Simple Complexities of Morning

Timing. It's all about timing. And let me tell you, being a stay-at-home Mom is tough!

That's why I'm a stay-at-home Dad, much easier, because my wife is very supportive.

Anyway, to the story...

This morning I had to worry about:

Getting Max cleaned, dressed and ready, getting our exchange student up in time for his shower, getting my coffee, kissing my wife off to work, oops! too much coffee time for a shit, and generally getting ready to attempt to stuff breakfast into a teenager before he runs off to his horse riding lesson — oh, and another teenager will be dropped off here soon as I need to drive them both up North to where the lessons are, all by exactly 9:00am.

Of course, this morning Max chose to sleep in, which is hampering the efforts. I'll still get him up in time for teeth brushing (waking a child and brushing his teeth immediately is not fun) and maybe an ear wax q-tipping, but that's about it before it's off for fun in the sun at daycare, then I run back to get breakfast and, oh yeah, lunch ready for Robinson who's wandering down sleepily from his room after I've knocked on the door a few more times.

Anyhooo, Little Guy was finally roused by all the noise I was making in the bedroom about 7:50am.

Then it was hold him and brush his teeth (a bit) time followed by one reluctant gargle and spit and put the boppy back in his mouth.

Then it was change clothes time, hustle hustle, get some milk, hustle hustle, "Daddy, I want to stay home" uh-oh, hustle hustle, "I want to take my blankie" hustle hustle and off we go!

Had to carry him most of the way down to daycare (3 doors is all) and then sit with him on my lap for a while as he settled down (no crying). Then, it was time to go outside and play with his buddy Patrick, so he got up and left! "I'll hold my boppy," he concluded as Honey made an unsuccessful bid to get it from him.

Back home, 8:16am, and we start over again, here comes Robinson down the stairs finally from getting ready.

Ding-dong, here's the other exchange student Loren, Bon Jour!

Ayeeee!!!!

French Teenager in Colorado

See yesterday's blog entry for more images of our student's stay in the U.S.

Here are a few pix from a day out in Golden, walking Clear Creek where kayakers were plying their recreational trade.

We played some footie on the baseball field, watched the old-school urban Cowboy on a fish, and generally enjoyed lunch in the shade of a creakside patio in downtown Golden as the weather turned a tad warm, etc.

Walking Clear Creek on a nice summer day. Kayakers and tubers enjoy the frigid mountain snow melt and we enjoy staying dry.

Only the French could make this look good! Robinson can tell his friends he came out to be a cowboy, but he thought he would be riding horses...

Fooling around with a little footie near Clear Creek.

Kickin' it live in his old-school 70s outfit, Robinson reminds me of people we see in clothing catalogs.

Ahhh, where's the baby?

Max climbed the fence to get his little soccer ball! Robinson works hard to look casual in the background.

French Teenager: Old School

Okay! Okay!

Everyone's been asking for a few pix of our exchange student from Paris, Mr. Robinson Beraud.

Here's 6 images.

See pix from our Sushi adventure, a Rapids MLS soccer game, and just fooling around at home. We'll have a few more tomorrow from our walk along Clear Creek which goes through the heart of Golden, Colorado where we live.

On our way to see the Colorado Rapids take on L.A. Galaxy in a professional soccer match in the USA.

Actually at the game!

Kickin' it live in the back yard in comfortably, hilly Golden, Colorado.

BilFish & Robinson toast a successful sushi experience.

Robinson is an experienced Japanese food patron next to my brother-in-law Mike, who was on his first sojourn in the world of raw asian-ness.

Hanging at home, it is Mssr. Maxwell Fisher and Robinson. I think we were watching American haute culture, a.k.a. Dumb and Dumber.

Soccer: Rapids v Galaxy 0-0 tie

I chose a boring title because the first 45 minutes proved it was a boring game.

My article is more interesting. Well, of course... :-)

Anyway, in the final of 4 matchups between LA and the Colorado Rapids, my Boyz tied at home in Denver 0-0 which is never a good scoreline for the fans, but probably appropriate for the day.

Even as the Rapids didn't score, they also did extremely well to hold the most prolific offense in Major League Soccer (MLS) to no goals, even as Carlos "El Pescadito" Ruiz and Andreas "the Austrian" Herzog were on the field.

Read the article and see what's what!

American Soccer News: 90-minute game, 45 minutes of soccer

As always, in case Aliens attack the mother server, the article is always backed up on my site, in the articles section for July 15th.

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Turns out me and Tommy boy Jefferson have a lot in common. We're both smart, good looking, and have the same ideas in home architecture. The similarities stop when you realize that Jeffie's dead and I'm as alive as tomorrow's tax bill. Errr...

Jefferson spent some 55 years developing his home at Monticello, constantly overseeing the tearing down and building up of the entire estate, from the floors to the overall architectural flare to the vegetation lining the property.

I have taken 55 days thinking about my projects for the house, and we are also taking our time in implementing redecorating changes around Chéz Fisher. See? Similarities all around.

Further, Jefferson had an efficiency and laziness idea I have duplicated (the idea, not actually having finished my project).

At Monticello, Jefferson built his wine cellar directly below the dining room, and installed a dumbwaiter betwixt the two. This allowed him to easily pull up superior wine choices without the customary "walking" and also ensured the bottles weren't jostled too much.

I, too, am contemplating a wine cellar. A 1000 bottle wine cellar.

I, too, am contemplating a location directly below our Library / ex-dining room.

I, too, have contemplated a dumbwaiter. Trust me, that's not hard at the restaurants we patronage. Previously, when I mentioned such a labor-saving device, I was greeted with scoffs and derision (mostly from my lovely wife).

BUT NO MORE!!! Now, I can say one of the Founding Fathers of our country had the very self same idea.

So Phttthh to everyone.

French Exchange Notes: Part Deux

See the original post Ouí Ouí! for explanations. I'm writing a few notes on the stay of our exchange student, Mssr. Robinson Beraud (Yes, his first name is Robinson).

Previous notes:
Notes Part Un

It remains a pleasure to have him with us, quite fun to get into the nitty gritty of language and its effects. Last night was another lesson in the intricacies of language, as we watched Spider-Man 2 and Robinson professed to some difficulties...

Misunderstandings & Language: The French, or at least Robinson, have significantly more of an accent than I had assumed (from listening to french language tapes). The accent is strong enough, for example, that we had trouble talking about the city of "Lyon" or "lee-own" as we pronounced it and "lghee-un" or thereabouts as Robinson pronounced it.

Even simple things are difficult in speech but easy to read. Speaking of which, we even got his name wrong. It's "whroo-bun-sün," not "Rob-in-son."

Nice cars, Big Places: Several of the French teenagers were discussing our mode of transportation. They felt we had "nice cars" after a drive to the BBQ produced an unlikely collection of cars on the road, including an H2, a couple of Porsches, a yellow Corvette, and a dozen SUVs. All big, all nice. Not necessarily typical I tried to explain.

The first store we hit was Target (see previous entry on Luggage not Arriving). Super Target, to be exact. Yaaaa, that's pretty big. So's the mall. The roads are wide. The houses are massive...

I tried to explain that Colorado wasn't geographically much smaller than France, but France has 60+ Million people to Colorado's 4.5 Million. So, despite all the farming, there's still a lot of s - p - a - c - e around here for everyone. Paris, by comparison, is all apartments Robinson said.

21st Century Communication: It's LUV baby! What my old business partner Mike and I knew from the early '90s with our first Internet company, this was going to be BIG!. Cell phones from home—while expensive—are available and working. E-mail? But of course!

In fact, Robinson has been able to email freely to his mom, and we've been able to send pictures back to her. Great stuff, really makes travel that much better.

French Exchange Notes: Part Un

Notes from Home.

Living with a foreign exchange student in our house for three weeks, I thought I'd occasionally record a few thoughts on how life is progressing and my worldview is expanding.

As noted in the original post Ouí Ouí!, this was a perfect summer of non-travel for us to accept such a challenge (Kathy's 30 weeks pregnant). It is also a great way to "try before you buy" the whole exchange program idea, as it's only three weeks, good or bad.

First, let me simply say that two days into it, all is tres bonne! — except Robinson, our student, who's feeling a bit under the weather with an upset stomach. But, a very amiable boy, a 15-year old teenager from the center of Paris.

Robinson has two older brothers (16 & 26) but has been very good and patient with Mssr. Maxwell so far. He lives with his mom, Film Editor Juliette Welfling, near the Bastille area of Paris.

His English is good, but hesitant. In just the past two days I've already seen his comfort level rise enormously, so it's been a pleasure talking with him about all manner of things, from football to language to accent to the weather last year.

Travel Treasures: One of the treasures of travel is the opportunity to visit a new country — often without your luggage. In this case, Lufthansa (bless their hearts) left all the kids' luggage in Frankfurt before whisking them off to Colorado.

But, they have survived and prospered. We used it as the perfect time to introduce them to Target and the super-sized nature of American shops and malls. They were dutifully dumbstruck... good? Bad? Who knows.

They finally got their luggage last night at 11:45pm, and I can tell you that Robinson wasn't going to sleep without it! Drooping eyes were nothing compared to the desire to see that big red bag.

First Meal: A-OK!
Yes, our student is not feeling so well, and his stomach is a bit sensitive right now. Saturday night after returning home, we offered him all manner of foods, and he finally said, "Rice."

Rice? Did we get the wrong exchange student? Nope. He just wanted something bland, so we pulled out the ol' Rice Cooker and let 'er rip.

Yum, he loves basmati rice!

Football is Soccer? I couldn't resist such a tired headline. We spent quite some time discusssing soccer and playing a bit of footie as well.

I've already noticed one difference in going out to kick the ball around. Here, when we suggest doing so, we go outside, and kick the ball back and forth, from me to you, from you to me, from me to you... I think you get the pattern.

On the surface, it's similar with Le France. The difference is ball control. First, Robinson would play with the ball, bouncing it around, in the air, trying to keep it airborne and do a few tricks. Then he would send it across to me, and I would attempt to keep up...

A much better way to have fun, do a few tricks, and learn close-in ball-handling skills. I think I approve.

Preview: Rapids v LA Galaxy

The Rapids are coming off 3 straight wins, playing decently but not terrific, and still face injury issues.

They will be playing a home-and-away series with the Los Angeles Galaxy, who are kicking everyone's butt right now.

Here's my favorite line that made it into the article:
A swinging turnstyle has kept the lineup shuffling like a conman caught facing his bail bondsman in a compromising position.

Read the article on American Soccer News or view the archived version on my BilFish Writing & Soccer Minisite

The title is "Three to get ready, four to go" which references the 3 wins in preparation for this game, and the hopes of getting a fourth "to go" or on the road, as they travel to L.A. this weekend and face Carlos "El Pescadito" Ruiz.

Ultrasonics

We had our final (I think) ultrasound for baby-to-boy, errr, be.

Looks like everything is on schedule, except his size and weight! To quote the ultrasoundologist, "Uhhh, do you have your due date right?"

Turns out L'il Liam is around 3lb 6oz right now, best guess, which is about a pound and two weeks ahead of schedule!

Kathy's doing well despite the added pressure of a big baby and, oh, what's that? You're curious about the name?

Well, let me tell ya!

Yesterday we confirmed that it is, indeed, going to be a baby boy. At an earlier ultrasound he wasn't cooperating and we were told "don't cut off the tags" on any clothes we bought.

Not even born, the kids already causing us grief. Sheesh!

So...the confirmed name is Liam Robert Fisher.

Liam is Irish, as in Redheaded O'Neill clan Kathy Fisher Irish...see my blog on her attempt to get dual Irish citizenship.

Liam means 'Great Defender' or 'Unwavering Protector' (which is an auspicious Soccer sign) and is, as you may have guessed, the Irish version of William!

We had considered William Robert Fisher until it was made clear to us that this would translate on the playground to "Billy Bob."

Unacceptable! Tragic!

And, to be honest, we've really taken a shine to Liam Robert, we think the names flow really well.

Robert is, of course, in honor of my Dad and Liam's grandfather, Robert Michael Fisher, one of the really good guys.

Anyway, Liam appears to be in excellent health, and Kathy is as well. If you don't count the acrobatic Karate chops Liam's delivering to her abdomen lately, quite the l'il power kicker she says.

With a September 25th due date, we've been put on the "every two weeks" schedule at the doctor's, so it's definitely seeming more real!

Finding good contractors

I never really thought about the network of goods and services that I utilized in Phoenix.

Mostly, I suspect, because it was my Dad or Mom out there hiring workmen, getting air conditioners fixed, cars fixed, plumbing fixed, house cleaning fixed, errr...

But there was a definite ability to get ahold of service providers, whether they be local accountants, attorneys, bail bondsmen, Internet providers :-), whathaveyou.

My Dad's computer on the fritz? No problem, I've got geeky compatriots across the Greater Phoenix Metroplex.

See? All this stuff, instantly available.

And then I go and move to Colorado in late Summer 1997 and here I almost seven years later and I'm JUST beginning to build this network. Hell, my accountant is still in Phoenix!

Ahem. And now, a little cartoon for y'all that inspired this train of thought...

Which was also inspired by recently having painters here for a week and a half, and having an electrician come this morning to add outlets and stuff all day, and from playing tag on the phone with two concrete and cement guys to repair some concrete as preparation for laying decorative cement, and by having hired a plumber to plumb a utility sink in the laundry room that had been sitting empty for a couple years and, and, and...

Strange Brew by John Deering

I will add one short comment that I NEVER (anymore) call companies out of the phone book where I don't get to speak to the owner. Mostly, I use referrals from neighbors. Whenever I've used a company where a salesman comes out and isn't the guy/owner doing the work, well, fuggedaboutit.

I have used Service Magic to find contractors for esoteric stuff like window-tinting my low-rider house, and that's worked out pretty good with vendors following up and getting me 3 bids and the whole bit.

Santa Fe Surprise!

Last week we discussed Santa Fe Sadness... Well, today it only gets better!

Santa Fe is a city loved not only by tourists, but by itself.

The homes are lovely, the Plaza is lovely, the people are friendly (even to each other), and everything is designed to make you want to come back again.

It's the kind of city that chooses a theme for the season, in this case it's a Russian Summer!

Yep, galleries are showing Russian artists, the Museum of Fine Arts is debuting the "Last Tsars: Nicholas & Alexandra" exhibit through September 5th, 2004. Dad & Peggy said it was a fantastic show if you like crazy Russkies!

And restaurants are developing Russian-inspired cocktails. Cool, refreshing, delicious, Glasnost!

Gramma Peggy and Grampa Bob were visiting for the first time to this beautiful 7,000ft-above-sea-level city. In the initial few hours they were unsure of the place, but by the time they left they wanted to stay.

We were able to visit completely new restaurants, galleries, and museums along with the old haunts like the downtown Plaza. Best yet, each new culinary adventure was a delight, and each new museum was pretty darn fun, I have to say.

We drove a couple miles to Museum Hill where we visited the kid-friendly and adult-enjoyable Museum of International Folk Art, one of the truly odd collections of the world. Don't let the website scare you, it's put together magnificently and is really quite fun, even a bit tongue-in-cheek.

La Fonda hotel has a wonderful restaurant in an open-air feeling room where they come to your table to prepare fresh guacamole per your specifications.
Tableside service with a Santa Fe smile. Mmmm.... enjoyed by all!

And, finally, we returned to the overpriced Crêperie along La Plaza for a late breakfast. Decent, but we make better French food, if not pastries (those were good). The cappuccino was delivered plainly, but turned out to be dee-lish, with an appropriate hint of cinnamon to spice it just so. Since then Kathy's asked me to reproduce the quality at home, which I was able to do with a dash of cinnamon and my Nespresso Wonder Machine.

Per usual, we stayed at the Dancing Ground of the Sun a modest but enjoyable small hotel (with waffles for breakfast and friendly staff all day) on the edge of the Plaza district, within walking distance of Canyon Road, the Plaza, and all parts inbetween.

For late June, the weather was absolutely moderate, not too hot, not too cold, just right.

And "just right" is what you'll say when you visit this desert oasis.

Match Report: July 4th Rapids v New England Revolution

"They have made a good choice with the struggling New England Revolution."

That was from my preview a few days ago.

Yep, the Rapids destroyed the New England Revolution, uhhh, 1-0 Sunday night for July 4th festivities in front of 41,979 fans. Okay, when I say destroyed, I mean scraped by, but still...

Unfortunately, they were expecting closer to 61,000 fans. 20,000 MIA. Ouch.

The crowd wasn't quite as good as expected, and the game wasn't quite as good as expected.

Enjoy my article on American Soccer News for more.

Read the version on my website (date: 7/5/04) if you find that American Soccer News was destroyed in the Great Internet Meltdown Virus (GIMV) of '07.

Rapids v NE Revolution MLS soccer Preview

The Rapids are coming off an extremely surprising two-game roadtrip where they actually won both games — the first time the team has won on the road this year at all, and the first time they've strung two wins together.

So, now it's on to the traditional 4th of July mega-game at home, where more than 60,000 fans are expected to attend.

Here's my notes on the Rapids play this week as well as the upcoming match.

American Soccer News: ¡Rápido! ¡Rápido!

BilFish Soccer Minisite version (in case the ASN version goes offline).

Go Rapids!

BTW -- I predict 3-2 in favor of the Rapids this weekend. I'm also writing the match report, so I'll have that ready for Monday, hopefully.

Santa Fe Sadness

Really, it's just one of those things.

You go on a final vacation (Kathy's 6 months pregnant, so no travel, even car travel, planned from here on out). You get to Santa Fe, you meet up with Max's Grandpa Bob and Gramma Peggy, and you have a great time.

And then Max goes and spoils it all.

Dad & Peggy had to leave Saturday afternoon. On Sunday morning, Max leaves our hotel room and skips down two doors to knock and get Gramma & Gramps to join us for breakfast.

But, they had already left town... He sort of gave me a bewildered, slightly confused expression before I was able to remind him that they had already gone home. It was a little tough to explain.

Of course, his sadness lasted all of 5 seconds. Our fond remembrances will last a lifetime.

Yerp. Flea Market. We go to the SouthWest's Art Capitol of the world, and we end up at the Paris Flea Market.

This "flea" market was in a gallery-style shop, and the prices had lots of zeros, so we figured it was okay to enter.

Among great things to do in Santa Fe, there is always shopping for the home. One year we came home with a Kitchenaid-red hanging pot rack for the kitchen. This year, it was mood lighting and Euroflair.

The Paris Flea Market had a special Friday evening sale. They even had an accordionist outside (and a guy pouring wine inside) setting the mood. As we strolled towards the Plaza in the evening, we couldn't help but stop by. And buy.

Hand blown Venetian Glass Chandelier. Yep, that's what we bought. Only ours is a soft peach color instead, and looking at their website, we bought it at a great sale price, apparently.

In case the above webpage ever goes offline (and for those too lazy to click a link), here are a couple of the images...

It's decently sized, at about 2 feet high and around a foot in diameter.

Hopefully it will deliver light and that decorative punch to our digs.

We plan for it to be the centerpiece of our new Parisian Living Room, which isn't done yet so I can't show you pictures.

But there was more to Santa Fe than just these material things! Read my next report to find out what...

AdBusters & Depression

Never start reading AdBusters magazine while simultaneously perusing Time's articles about how Bush is actually guaranteeing big Pharma's profits and higher Medicare costs, and at the same time start reading The Progress Paradox in conjunction with glancing through Michael Moore's Dude, Where's my Country? while occasionally glancing at Fast Food Nation.

Sounds like cynicism overload and it is. Ouch.

No shit. Very depressing...

Reading the Progress Paradox is more on the order of doing research to see if there's a way out of this trap.

They key to escaping the cesspool this wacky world is becoming is to use the rules of the world to achieve escape velocity, then live according to a better set of rules.

Something like that.
----------------
More on AdBusters magazine.

A gift from fellow skepticist Tom Collins, it is so very 'now' with its graphics that it surprises me how, well, out there they really are. There's a thread of language throughout that's really a vocabulary I can only guess at. It's like reading notes from an intellectual psychotherapists convention.

Given this, I'm surprised at how much the recent issue has affected me. Certainly, it's falling on fertile ground. But that's like saying you're trying to plant seeds on mars. It's an alien environment when their words and images come into contact with my brain.

And something is sprouting...