Cognitive Dissonance

Minor, but still, cognitive dissonance occurred. It was an ad about wind power, which I saw on the mentros on my way to the cubicle.

The ad was very well done, clear, crisp, eye catching, in a word, expensive looking.

It was styled as a cork board, perhaps the kind found in the employee break room, just to the side of a time clock. It was made to look like a big sign was thumbtacked to it, in bright yellow caution colors, saying: CAUTION: STOPPING WIND TURBINES WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF JOBS. 'Stuck' underneath the eye catching and large caution sign were a 'note' explaining more (which I was too far from to read) and a crisp beautiful snapshot of some wind turbines.

Why is this so odd, you might be wondering. It is odd because of the quality of the ad. One of two things is happening: 1) Big money is invested, or 2) Big talent believes in the cause. I would tend towards option 1, because of the message itself. Loss of jobs is usually the argument of government or political wranglers. It's inevitable jobs are lost if a company goes under or the flow of money is stopped, but loss of jobs is a symptom, and rarely the cause. I can only guess the small writing explained how I can prevent this disastrous joblessness from occurring. It would have made more sense to me to focus on the benefit rather than the non-benefit of non-doing. Because that wasn't the message, I feel that a good idea, wind power has been appropriated by big money, the people behind this political ad.

Similar, this is, in ways, to the appropriation of organic farming. The FDA simply must be in the middle of the whole process or it might find itself small and inconsequential, since organic farmers might potentially sidestep all the carefully constructed policies and procedures for the regular food. Thus, 'organic' eventually turned into simply another gimmick to market to consumers.

Book: Omega

Started a new book during my commute this morning. Yes it was during. The great thing about books, I have decided, is that:

• No batteries
• Relatively lightweight (when compared to laptop)
• Can be seen in direct sunlight
• Bookmarkable
• Does not break when dropped
• Borrowable from library

The new book is Omega by Jack McDevitt. So far I don't hate it. I even found a quotable paragraph, which I think a lot of people will relate to, whether they agree with it or not, it has touched their lives if they're part of a large organization. Will fill in the quote later.

Disturbing, Relatively New

Occasionally, I wonder to myself what my kids will face that's worse than what we have 'faced' to date. Occasionally, I get a glimpse of worse.

This, posted on Ace of Spades (a conservative blog with a lot of silly morons who post and comment regularly) which I found because it was a finalist or contestant for some award or something, is a post about people who cut off their own limbs.

It's not enough any more to just cut oneself and watch the beautiful red stuff flow down your extremities, there's now a disorder in which someone feels their body is too big, or too extended or something and must be cut back. I would hate to meet one of these people.

Also, not sure how this fits into the plan.

More Bastard

Still reading The Bastard of Istanbul, and it's slow going. I'm officially sucked in, but I keep pausing at jarring sentences, and savoring certain points.

I savor those parts that talk about how some people never talk about the past, as though it were a closed or even non existent part of their life. Not only have they had no chance to learn about their parents or ancestors, their own lives seem better without their youth recalled to memory.

One character, the clairvoyant sister, is so curious about the past, she must ask her evil djinni to tell her what really happened.

Only just now, towards the end of the book I am finding out who Asya's real father is. I noted at the beginning how she was described as having traits from her mother and each of her aunts, but no mention of traits from her father, as though her father made no appearance in her appearance or in her personality.

I'm in the habit of having an opinion about everything and this book is no exception. I find my opinion is that it has expanded my thinking and given me insight into Turkish and Armenian life, albeit fictionally and maybe inaccurately, but somehow I feel some thread of truth in the characterization and the issues facing them. I didn't enjoy the writing style at first, now I mind it less, and find myself drawn in.

Focus

This morning I found myself wishing I were one of those more focused people in the world, who do one thing and do it well, and appear to have no regrets about their lack of range.

I on the other hand, find myself having some regrets about the breadth of range I tend towards, since I have not found a way to make it useful to my life.

I should remind myself however that useful and money are two different things. Teachers are very useful and necessary but are not well compensated.

Bastard of Istanbul

I just started this book this morning.

The main character has gone to a clinic to have an abortion, she screams just as they're about to do it, and they actually don't. She goes home, she faces her family. There's a long part about how all the men in their family die or are killed randomly. Creative and entertaining so far and the main character is a 19 year old female with long flowing hair and long legs. What more could a reader want?