MUSINGS

I thought I'd discribe some of my choices in the favorite websites from time to time. Jefferson Public Radio is a small public network headquartered at the university at Ashland. Stations affiliated range from Eugene Oregon to the Mendocino area in California. The name comes from the "State of Jefferson," an area of Oregon and northern California that has more in common with the northern California-southern Oreong area that the rest either state. They carrya good mix of national NPR talk radio and from 8 to10 in the mornings, the Jefferson Exchange. This is a talk show where the people actually "talk" to each other instead of shouting at each other or taling past each other. They've been doing a good job of covering candidates and ballot measures that are important to the area. The Exchange can be accessed on the net as well as over the radio. I enjoy it and listen to it at work.

I had a solar plexus style revelation yesterday. Came home and double checked the voters pamphlet. I don't know about other states, but the state of Oregon puts out a pamphlet with info on ballot measures and candidates. Ralph Nader isn't in it, but I'm going to include him for the sake of argument. There are six candidates for president. All are white, middle-aged males. Between them there are four lawyers including Nader and Kerry, an MBA (Bush), and the Libertarian has degrees in chemistry and marine biology.

Let's face it folks, these guys aren't exactly representative. Kerry may be a Catholic but he and Bush are both Yalies. There may be degrees of difference, but in the end there's not much difference between the lot. I've got some theories, but as Mulder says in one of the earlier episodes "I'm just trying to stitch them together right now." I've got some serious reading and thinking to do.

Apparently Ann Coulter got smacked with a couple of pies at a speaking engagement. While I enjoy the mental image, I have another suggestion-one that might carry a lighter load of Karma. Find the websites of Coulter, or Limbaugh, or say Michael Savage and leave a message that you've just donated to PETA, The Green Party, Green Peace, The Society for the Protection of Starving Rabid Ferrets, whatever, in their name. I would recommned setting up one of your alternate screen names for this, just in case. Just, think, for the price of a couple of pies, hopefully they get miffed, a good cause gets a few bucks, and you get to smile. ;-)