The non-list...

These are things that float through my twisted mind on a regular basis. As per Twyla's request, I'll try to balance it with good and bad so as not to pop a blood vessel in my head while posting. Not necessarily a list, just a loose collection of random thoughts. The non-list, if you will.

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The future

When I was a child in elementary school, I remember my teacher telling us about the future, and when we were adults, the world would be a very different place. Technology was exploding and there were new things popping up, seemingly every day. Microwave ovens were the new big thing at the time. No longer were the days when it would take an hour to bake a potato. You could now put one in the microwave and in just a few short minutes (as opposed to long minutes?) you had a hot, fresh baked potato. They showed us pictures and movies about how they thought the houses of the future would look, and all the "new technology" that there would be. They basically filled, at least my head, with all these ideas that we would be living the "Jetsons" life style.

So, fast forward to now. Today every home has a microwave oven, but most of them have become $100 popcorn peppers, and cold coffee warmers. There are no cities in the sky, suspended on spindly legs at dizzying heights. And of course there are no flying cars. Where is my Food-A-Rac-A-Cycle, damn it. Where is Rosie the robot to clean up my stinking messes for me.

But then one day a thought occurred to me. We have something that is so futuristic that they didn't even have something like it on Star Trek. Cell phones. Think about it. Even Capitan Kirk's Communicator doesn't come close to the marvel of technology that is the modern cell phone. They are so futuristic that no one even considered just how powerful a tool a simple wireless phone can be. Take my phone for example. Pretty normal by today's standards. Admittedly, a lot sexier than most but compare it to the vast plethora of futuristic gadgets that Kirk had. Kirk's communicator worked as a "walkie-talkie", which he had to adjust with that "analog" knob to get reception. My phone does that too, but it is completely digital. No knob turning required. Plus it does things that Gene Roddenberry never even thought of. I can send and receive email, get the latest sports scores, research a stock tip, or even something really important, like locating the best site for midget porn or gay trucker sex. All while walking down the street or sitting in a pew on Sunday morning.

In short, while we don't have the flying cars and stuff, I think we have something even better, unrestricted and immediate access to internet filth, the likes of which Sodom and Gammora could never dream of. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of where you are or what you are doing. I can't speak for you, but to me, that sounds fair.

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Why?

Why do we have time zones? Are we that important that it is necessary for the sun to be at its zenith at 12pm. Think how much easier it would be to figure things like arrival times when traveling east or west. The airline industry would love it, I'm sure. When you get down to it, the only time that is important is elapsed time. The answer to the question "How long". Other than that, time is meaningless.

Why do we (English speakers) use the letter "c"? It seems to me that we could do just fine without it. Take a look at what it does. It either sounds like an "s" or a "k". Correct me if I'm wrong, but we already have both of these letters. What good is there in having two letters with the same sound. Throw it out, I say. And free your self of the extra baggage.