River Valley Rhythms 05-06-10

River Valley Rhythms 04-29-10

Green Mountain Ghost

Jumpin' In (or, Out Goes Norton)

Someday I'd like to put my thoughts out there into the void. Just to see what sticks, what gives, what matters. Given that I don't think much really does matter, beyond a few close relationships, I've been slow to jump on in to the bloggers world. But, at the same time I can't sit idly by forever while idiots ramble on. Why shouldn't I allow others the equal opportunity to label me an idiot.

So, I welcome myself in. It reminds me of doing radio. For years I had a regular show on a non-commercial, truly public radio station. This is a radio station that is held in high regard by many discernible listeners. But, since my show often featured music that rumbles on the outer edge of popular culture, it was always a guess as to the number of listeners tuned in. I could swear that they numbered in the 10's but I could have over-estimated the power of my voice. It is difficult to get a handle on an unknown without at least some clues. For radio, that might mean phone calls. But, then there was the realization that many people just don't want to interrupt the programmer/dj when he's doing his show, there are many who are intimidated by the mystery of the airwaves and don't want to disturb that mystery, there are some who don't call or otherwise make themselves known because they think the programmer is himself an intimidator by the simple fact of his action.

The blog is just another form of radio, more like talk radio. And, we know how the talk show hosts blither on. At least music radio offers a respite from the ego of the radio host and allows us to transport ourselves into other places of our own choosing. Not that all that comes out of the programmer is awful or self-serving, the better programmer/dj has much information to pass along and does so gladly. That's the educational aspect of radio.

Blogs are a "call and response" song in the spirit of the old blues and spirituals. Here I can spill out some material and you can keep the "song" alive with your response. It's a modern-day return to yesterday.

So, to get things started -
I read today (in a story by Caren Bohan and Tom Doggett writing for Reuters over on Yahoo! News) that the Secretary of the Interior stepped down from her position effective the end of this month. Maybe, as custodian to our public lands, she considers she's done as much damage as she could as she sees the approval rating of her boss reaching an all-time low. Does she think she'd better find work in the private sector before it's too late? I could say "good riddance" and leave it at that but I'm not sure the present administration will come to their senses and reverse the trend since the President said, in a statement, Ms. Norton "served the nation well with her vision for cooperative conservation, protection and improvement of our national parks and public lands, and environmentally responsible energy development on public lands and waters."

Norton said she wanted to get closer to the mountains she loves. Well, I guess she sees that the work she's done over the past 5 years has hastened the destruction of those western mountains. I hope she finds a nice place with a view of her destruction to rest her weary bones. Better yet, maybe she'll end up in a quiet place in the mountains and invest every single penny she's earned as a public servant into it. After a year of bliss, the energy suppliers will move in across from her and tear apart her view, displace the animals, and destroy her water supply. Then they'll offer her pennies on the dollar for her home. Or, maybe the government will take it applying eminent domain. Just desserts I'd say. Unfortunately, none of that helps matters.