Rage Against the (Electronic) Machine

Ours is an age besotted with graphic entertainments. And in an increasingly infantilized society, whose moral philosophy is reducible to a celebration of “choice,” adults are decreasingly distinguishable from children in their absorption in entertainments and the kinds of entertainments they are absorbed in – video games, computer games, hand-held games, movies on their computers and so on. This is progress: more sophisticated delivery of stupidity.
-- George Will –


I lifted this from Bookpuddle. It pretty well sums up what I'm thinking most of the time. It's time for a major rethink here in the good old US of A. If the majority of your free time involves a television or a computer screen, a rethink is definitely in order. I saw an article in the paper the other day about prescribing statins for young people. High cholesterol in elementary school kids? Maybe if dad wasn't sitting on his rump playing computer games, junior would have someone to play catch with.

Here's a guy with a different spin on things: ANT. Alternative Needs Transportation. Here's a bicycle builder who's not just making go faster road bikes but making bikes for people to use everyday. His last post shows him delivering a bike with a bike. That's pretty cool. You can do a lot with with a bike and a trailer. A custom made bike typically runs in the $2,000 to $ 4,000 range. Yes, that's a lot of money but it will fit you and give you years of service. If you drive 15,000 miles per year, get 20 miles per gallon and gas is $4.00 per gallon that works out to $3,000. I saw some figures the other day that showed a new car is going to cost you about $8,500 per year for 15,000 miles. Maybe keep the old car and trade up to a handmade bicycle.

I've got to go now. I can't spend all of my time in front of a computer. Mr. Will wouldn't be pleased.