Alcohol Energy Drink: Seriously?

I heard on the news that the FDA is cracking down on manufacturers of “Alcohol Energy Drinks”.  Getting older and resigned to experiencing new mental states that come from the mere passage of time, not to mention having developed a palate for alcohol that has nothing to do with alcoholic content and everything to do with taste (an expensive hobby), I was not in the market for such a thing and thus not aware of such products until recently.  Am I the only one who is having trouble with the combination of the words “Alcohol” and “Energy” in any context other than a car’s gas tank?

In our quest for ever greater levels of dissociation from reality we are surely quickly dissociating from the meaning of words; helped down the road, in this case, by some clever marketing director.  But whatever the gibberish “Four Loko” might conjure up in the minds of those who seek ever higher lows and ever lower highs, the cans of this physical oxymoron sure are “perty”.  ...Clever marketing director once more.

...And I smile... 

I finished painting Suzy's dog

My friend Suzy, long ago, commissioned me to paint a picture of Ziggy.  I finally had time to get to it last month and finished putting the last touches on it early this week.  On Thursday I was overwhelmed by a complete sense of meaninglessness.  The two events were unrelated.

One more letter to NPR

I really should stop wasting my time... the way we do things will really never change--- but I can't help myself (I can't change either):

Dear ATC;

Before your show came on today, I had just listened to Guy Sorman on PRI’s “The World” talk about the need for cutting entitlements in western countries in an efficient and fair manner.  One of his insightful observations was that Western Governments seem to discuss this without any explanation to the public.  I also actually watched the bi-partisan commission discussions about the problem on C-Span.  Again, I heard good and well-reasoned argumentation about the need to cut entitlements and possibilities about how to do it.

As the wife of an economist, I, unlike a great majority of the general public, fully understand the strain western governments are under.  However, your interview with Jan Schakowsky (democratic representative of Illinois) did nothing to enlighten anyone about anything other than to demonstrate, once again, that we are floating up the proverbial creek without a paddle. 

Yes, the two wars we just squandered tax payer money on were and are a big waste of money; but the elephant in the room of massive deficit spending is still entitlements.  Without reforming how those are doled out to an aging population, we can cut off the military entirely and we still won’t markedly change the direction in which our deficits will be going, together with our economy and our future. 

I agree with Guy Sorman that more explanation of the problem to the public is absolutely necessary, and I am hoping that the news media like you might help in this endeavor.  That might mean more research and reporting and fewer interviews with politicians.  Politicians like Schakowsky are interested in only one thing, and that is reelection.  She is most definitely not a voice of reason willing to explain anything to her constituency.  She prefers to just keep doling money out to ensure that she remains in power.  The constituency needs to first be educated about the problem; and then, only then, will politicians do what is necessary to ensure a prosperous future for this country.  A tall order, and one I am not confident about.

Sincerely,

Katya Cohen

small talk

So... I went down to the Dixie Drugstore to get my prescription pills... which I had called in on Sunday for myself and for Mr. Scruffy.

I gave lovely Fiona my name and she picked up the pills in bin C under Cohen.  As she was indicating that I sign the "prescription booklet" that all pharmacies here have us sign for some redundant bureaucratic reason or another, she looked at the scripts and asked, "Are you picking up the pills for your cat as well?"

Strung together thusly, the words do indeed make up a sentence; but the sentence makes no sense.  As I smile instinctively when things twist my mind, I smiled and said, "Sure, why not, he doesn't have time to come over to pick them up today." 

Without smiling, Fiona kept scanning my purchases on the cash register. ... Busy day at the Dixie Drugstore (?)

No Light in Sight

Nikki wins.  My husband keeps telling me that she did not win by a large margin, and he sees it (though I don't) as a sign the state is starting to be populated by thoughtful people... If so, small comfort: barring  Nikki having something like a lover in Argentina to run to in the middle of the legislative year, this means a minimum of 6 more years of darkness for South Carolina endorsed by Sarah fucking Palin.   

Thank god governors have no power in this state; somebody long ago was thinking when they set up our legislature.  ... And hey California: happy 6 more years of bankruptcy to you too... What a bagunça...

Difference and Uniformity

While Californians will go to the polls to vote on an amendment about whether or not to legalize Marijuana, we here in South Carolina get to vote on whether or not we need an amendment protecting the rights of hunters...  On the other hand, both our gubernatorial races seem to embody the same degree of “the ridiculous”; theirs perhaps on a grander scale....