War on Drugs

There are a few times when I feel proud of the work that a country does, but at the same time I am saddened that more is not being done by neighboring countries. According to a BBC article I read recently 13,000 individuals have lost their lives fighting organized crime, i.e. the Cartels, in Mexico.
I am proud of the work that the new president Felip Calderon is doing in Mexico but I am saddened by the lack of commitment coming from the US. I understand that the US is going through somewhat of a recession right now, and everything I have read points to no visible end in sight. I still feel that the US has a large part in the Mexican plight since we are the #1 consumer of what they are selling.

Why do we continue to consume drugs in the US?
Have our methods simply not worked, jail, rehab, a blind eye?

I am concerned with the world my nephews will grow up in. I wish that I could walk with them and tell them that its going to be alright, but I am not sure that it will be. I pray for all the law enforcement agency staff, and military staff on both sides of the boarder for their sacrifice and the risk that they run combating these cartels, but why aren't we as a society helping them out. It is a supply and demand equation. If we as a society would not look at drugs as merely a part of life glorified by many forms of media and look at the issue of addiction as a disease we may begin to see some change. Now I am not going to write and tell you to create a series of laws that will just create more burden in out jails, nor will I tell you to legalize everything under the sun.
I do say that we are capable of a happy medium, heck we put someone on the moon four decades ago...I think that we can figure this out.

Did you see Pontiac Coming?

Did you see Pontiac Coming? Were there any of us that saw Pontiac coming? GM giving the brand the shutdown special? Let me give you some background. You and I both know that no one wants to drive a Pontiac right now. It’s scary to think that the car you rely on for school, work, shopping, travel emergencies may be the next Dodo Bird, or West African Black Rhino. Would you trust your life saving prescription medicine from a company that is going bankrupt? Or Fly an Airline that flies in the Spirit of St. Louis? I think as consumers we are a lot smarter than that, at least I hope so. A few weeks ago I saw a commercial for the new Toyota Venza. Seemed like a cool car; station wagon style, slick lines, 5 doors, wait a minute it looks oddly like the Toyota Matrix? Was Toyota going to discontinue making the Matrix? Why the heck would a car company discontinue a car that has done so well and even created a niche for itself. I could not rationalize it, two cars, similar look, similar specs, similar market. Hmm what a conundrum. My spider sense is tingling because I think that Pontiac has something to do with the new car, specifically the Pontiac Vibe. Anyone seen this car? If you have not I would not blame you, it is simply the GM version of the Matrix, same car, but cheaper because it is by GM, and since its “American” people do not buy it. The reality is that it is pretty much the same car. According to Wikipedia “The Vibe is the mechanical counterpart of the Toyota Matrix and is based on the Toyota Corolla's E-platform.” And the article continues to say “Despite the shrinking of the Pontiac brand, the Vibe is expected to remain in production into the foreseeable future. If Pontiac would be discontinued, the Vibe would most likely reappear under one of GM's surviving brands.” I am not sure when this was edited on the page, I did correct some spelling, but that is awesome. Whoever wrote the page saw what everyone else saw, get off the GM boat and swim for shore this is going to be trouble. The Toyota Matrix wiki page stated the following in regards to the Pontiac Vibe “Identical mechanically, and nearly as much internally, the Matrix and Vibe are clothed in different sheet metal designed by their respective brands.” I am going to go on a limb here and call that Toyota will discontinue the matrix and or move the Matrix’s technology and platform under its Scion banner under a new name or blend it with the xB (anyone remember the Toyota Scion Xa, i.e. Mini Matrix??). They have already blended the xB and the xA into a sleeker smaller, rounder looking type thing. Toyota is going to streamline their production and shakedown extra cars and consolidate their models and not double up like so many American Car Companies have done in the past, remember at one point we had a Dodge Neon, Plymouth Neon, Chrysler Neon also Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, Mercury Topaz and Ford Tempo have also hard their cars; we have had other examples but I think you get the point. Toyota is being smart about getting away from a sinking ship and making sure that their brand is not tarnished by the UAW, whoops I meant to say GM.

Atlas Shrugged

Atlas Shrugged Currently I am about 200 pages into Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged." Some of the characters are straight out of a first year philosophy book. They are textbook examples of what it is to be idealist, atheists, materialists, etc. Each character seems to find their own niche but at the same time they remain individuals. The strongest Rearden and Dangy Taggart are morally or socially the most vile beings, but the moralists and virtue warriors such as James Taggert are described in such a way that they're outwardly expressions in the name of humanity are overshadowed by the lack of action taken to reach their supposed ends. I think the most impressive thing I have read thus far is the relationship that Dangy and Rearden have for their families. The metal in and of itself if nothing but a catalyst to move people to remain in their idealistic sense whatever that may be. In some cases their sense of right is being able to accept that they have desires and simply are machine like working and striving for nothing but success and a sense of worth in material things. The two main characters go about it different ways; Rearden by rigidity and, Dagny by allowing indulgences at times but always being aware of her profession. Pages 453 - 455 offer an insight into the driving force behind the mind of the author. She links the values someone has to their carnal desires which in many cases seems to be the case. She via the character of Francisco states that the relationships that people have with their partners are the most selfish and seek only to express their hidden moral code. Ayn Rand appears to have a lot of valid point with her view of objectivism, but it seems to leave to many holes. Its does not account for children, the handicapped, and or those who simply have never had the chance to show their ability. However toward the end of the novel she does attempt to reconcile some of these ideas but as most philosophical movements, they simply are too rigid or in this case not complete enough. The idea and elements of objectivism as presented by Rand is interesting and definitely worth a more in depth view. Of the whole book the below is my favorite quote because it is an interesting view of human moral code which we are supposed to have an innate knowledge of. The below contends with that notion. It seems that Rand is "Damnation is the start of your morality, destruction is its purpose, means to an end. Your code begins by damming man as evil, then demands that he practice good which it defines as impossible for him to practice. It demands, as his first proof of virtue, that he accept his own depravity without proof. It demands that he start, not with a standard of value, but with a standard of evil, which is himself, by means of which he is then to define the good: the good is that which he is not." John Galt

7/6/08 - 4th of July Weekend

It's been a good last few weeks, I have been working on my golf shot which is steadily looking like more of a fade than a straight slice. I still have a lot to go and I am thinking about getting lessons at some time in the future. I have also been running and riding my bike more often. It feels good but I got pretty angry at the gears in my road bike. They just would not do what I wanted them to do when I wanted them to do it. Rather angering but besides that its been a few good runs. I think that I just lack the challenge of another rider. When you ride by yourself you achieve personal goals but riding in a group offers the added advantage not only to better yourself but also to realize what techniques and other strategies more seasoned riders do. But anyhow thats the status right now...also the LSAT reading is wearing me out. but it have to crank it out. I do not think I will purchase anymore books from now until October. I really need to buckle down and take charge of that. Its not fun and i rather hate it but review will serve me best in the end.