The More You Buy, The More You Save

I've been writing this Grasshopper Planet blog pretty much two times a week since I started doing it in February. One woman wrote to me about a week ago on MySpace, telling me she'd taken a whole morning and read it through from the beginning. But anybody just checking it out for the first time, or only occasionally, is reading just the last chapter so far. Seems weird to me. Say I jump on a topic I've talked about earlier, it can give the wrong impression on where I stand or the point I'm trying to make to somebody just reading that latest thought on the subject. Rex Stout included all the basic info on the house and everybody in it each and every Nero Wolfe story he wrote. But that was for novels, or at least long short-stories, and he was making good money for his trouble. But every time I bring up, say, how religious people denying sex education to young people actually helps create the sex offenders they so love to persecute later, I can't go back and repeat everything I ever said on the topic each time. My predicament reminds me of a 1999 book I read by Chuck Palahnick, the author of Fight Club. It's called "Survivor: A Novel", and it's told completely backwards. I mean not only does it start at the end, but he goes all the way. It begins on page 289, and finishes on page 1, at the beginning of the story. Well that's how I feel the way this blog trip is set up. I try to keep that in mind as I write, but sometimes I just gotta live with it. So it goes . . . as they say.

The other day I spotted two bicycle cops parked near a corner by USC. I mean, they weren't waiting to cross the street or taking a break, they were both backed in and watching the street. In Portland or San Francisco I woulda probably made a remark to them as I walked by, but down here they're too quick on the trigger to joke with. I went into University Village to take care of business, then came out the other end, where I spotted two more officers of the law on bicycles doing the same trip. But here as I waited for the bus, I got a chance to see their mission. As of July 1st, California drivers can no longer use hand-held cell phones. (Might bring back the use of turn signals. I'm hoping.) These guys were zooming out on their bikes when they spotted any driver talking on the phone at the red light and giving them a ticket. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

MySpace came out with a book: "OUR PLANET Change Is Possible." About what folks can do to slow global warming. I just saw it today for the first time. Good for MySpace. I'm waiting for the Wall Street, White House, and Pentagon editions. I would sure welcome another New World to head to and explore. A place to hide. But when you're like in a boat--the Good Ship Planet Earth--and people are chipping away at it for fun and profit, and telling you, "It's okay, it's the OTHER end of the boat we're destroying. We'll be okay here," it's kind of hard to ignore. "We'd stop what we're doing, but it would be bad for the economy." And while this is okay to many folks, there's still being coverage on "the news" about a 9/16th of a second flash of a nipple during half time. And of course, that fifteen-year-old bare back hasn't been forgotten. But the ongoing clear-cutting of forests around the world and the dying oceans aren't worthy of (corporate funded) Network Mention. A dreary subject, I know, but, to quote Noah, "How long can you tread water?"

Today the Democratic candidate for President of the United States of America ("God will lead the way! God will lead the way!") gave a rousing speech in Berlin. I heard the Pie in the Sky, but was hoping for a few Nuts and Bolts. "The less you're happy with, the more fun you'll have." "Many of us on Planet Earth have been living at an unsustainable standard of living, and must learn how to be happy other than by consuming." "We need to take DRASTIC action, not just stop using plastic grocery bags." "We cannot maintain a Growth Economy on a Finite Planet." I did like the "It's all US; we gotta think together." But it's like we need to get fifty feet up to reach our goal, and we're getting a choice between a six-foot stepladder and a ten-foot stepladder. Sucking up to the folks who want to live a lifestyle that the planet can no longer support sounds great, but isn't gonna save us. There are folks who know how to live well on way, way less than the ones doing all the crying. Poor babies. But we just can't use resources up at a rate to keep them happy and continue having life on the planet. "The Economy" is the enemy. Preach the sacrilegious concepts of "enough" and "happy". THAT's what I want to hear.

Drink. Dance. Play.

Plant Your Seeds.