Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Darwinian Seasonal Allergies

I think there might be a Darwinian explanation for the survival of acquired (second + exposure) seasonal allergies. If I can go somewhere else in the country with different allergens, then I might feel better. If I went to that other place and reproduced, my genes might be more fit for survival. So maybe allergies are designed to keep us moving and mixing...

Sunday, October 15, 2006

North Korea

You know, I have heard the rhetoric about North Korea and its isolation and poverty, but I didn't grasp the extent of its government's people-controlling propaganda efforts- until last night, when I watched the documentary film, "A State of Mind."

The film follows participants’ training leading up to the Mass Games, a huge show that I couldn’t help relating to Nazi Germany’s Nuremburg rallies, in that both were efforts of desperate governments to impress and unify their people.

Anyway, the scene that caused me to nearly fall out of my chair was this: a teacher is quizzing grade school students. The format is that the teacher asks a question, and the class answers in unison.

TEACHER: How many types of greatness does the Great Leader [Kim Jong Il] have?
STUDENTS: Three.
TEACHER: Firstly?
STUDENTS: Greatness in ideology.
TEACHER: Second?
STUDENTS: Greatness in leadership.
TEACHER: Third?
STUDENTS: Greatness in aura.

Friday, October 06, 2006

The Banana Was Never Recovered.

Today I lost my cell phone and a banana for 30 minutes. I eventually found my cell phone in my car, hiding in its black leather phone case against the black leather seat, snuggled between the driver's side door and driver's seat.

The banana was never seen again.