Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted Time

I just read (via Reuters) that Bush once again vetoed health care for children. The audacity of this man is stunning. At the very least you’d think he would want these kids to grow up healthy so they can join the military to fight his unjust wars. At least his days are numbered:

I finished reading Tough Liberal and that was an excellent book. In addition to my growing interest in unionism, this book was very appealing from a history standpoint as well. Not only is it the story of a man, but it is also very interesting to gain the historical perspective of events as well. I was particularly interested in the discussion of how the extreme left not only usurped the term “liberal” but also the whole Democratic party. Politics and union activism are becoming quite interesting to me. Often what I learn is not only interesting, but frustrating. It seems so difficult to see any significant changes realized, but perhaps through perseverance and solidarity small groups of people can make a difference.

Burning Bright

In case you might miss it the moral of the story is laid out for us in painstaking detail. I remember now why I felt this was a long book. It was not a page-turner for me. I suppose having the hobos at the end recap the lesson was just a bit too much for me. I finished the book, but only because I challenged myself to. Ouch. That is really critical of “one of the most important books of our time” as the caption on the cover tells me. I’m not sure what it was about the book that made me so disinterested. I like reading in general. I like sci-fi/futuristic settings. I don’t like censorship. But ugh. I can’t even bring myself to write about anything other than how much I disliked it. My favorite part of the book was the afterword, which while still being preachy was at least mildly entertaining. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to make any of the “official” events surrounding the big read. I enjoy lively debates, and if one was held I would have liked to attend/participate. Maybe next time.