OK, just two minor points for today.<\/p>\n
1.) I must admit that I’m generally impressed with Barack Obama thus far. I don’t agree with 100% of his policies and actions to date, but it’s becoming clear that he is quite intelligent AND politically skilled. A smart guy who knows how to use it. I believe that he is inspired by the fearful responsibility that he was given, and will generally try to do what is best for the nation; I think he is becoming what you could call a “patriot”, and not just another scheming, posturing politician e.g. Pelosi and Specter. <\/p>\n
I do wonder, though, about Obama’s relative youth. I wonder if he is overestimating the power of his position and of the system that he is there to direct. He is moving to take on all of the big problems at once; global warming, education, economic recovery, the financial system, the auto industry, health insurance, energy supply, terrorism, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Korea, Russia, etc. And he’s right that everything is inter-related; you really can’t separate out any of these situations. Still, I wonder what Harry Truman might say if he could be in the White House today. I suspect it might be something like this: “there’s a lot for us to do, and we can’t ignore any part of it, like the previous Administration was doing. But by the same token, we can’t solve it all at once; we’re gonna have to set some priorities as to how and when we tackle these situations”. Yea, a bit of Missouri plain talk might be refreshing right about now.<\/p>\n
2.) I haven’t seen the new Star Trek movie yet, but it’s heartening for an old guy like me to know that young people today are getting interested in the Trek concept once more, just as the geeks within my generation did about 40 years ago. I myself was never a true Trekkie, didn’t even watch Trek on TV when it first came out. Over time I developed a taste for it, however, as well as the follow-ups (Star Trek TNG, Deep Space 9, Voyager, etc.). I wouldn’t want to go to a Trekkie convention myself, but I do sympathize with those folk who devote much of their lives to Trek, as there was a certain techno-idealism behind it all. It did capture something of the human spirit, in its own futuristic way. <\/p>\n