It's been a while....

We haven't posted in almost a month, we are working on getting some respite care for ourselves, and more social engagement for our son Connal, If you have read these posts you will know he is what they call multiply impaired. And we feel it's important for him to be comfortable in other environments besides home. We certainly will not be around forever. And although we were told when he was a wee tot that he probably wouldn't live a very long life, he has fooled everyone and become a very hearty and healthy young man. So we have been busy, and had no time for posting on the blog. You'll forgive us I'm sure. At any rate, they say that time and tide wait for no man. Which is a true enough sentiment. As they used to say in newsreel footage from the old black and white cinema days, TIME MARCHES ON. And it certainly does, doesn't it? As we get older it seems that the world moves faster every day. Just as we learn to use the new technology, or a new cellphone, or computer, or gaming system. They come out with another one, that's faster, more colorful, and more user friendly. Unfortunately we are still using the Human 1.0 operating system. Although technology has moved along at a furious pace, humans have not. We still kill each other on a whim, we still fight wars over misinformation and innuendo. We can even send unmanned drones over to do the dirty work, thereby relieving ourselves of the immediacy and horror of killing. Psychiatrists have dissected the human psyche, into ego's and id's and any myriad of motivations and stimulus responses. Philosophers have tried to look at the soul of humankind (if there is such a thing) for centuries. Trying to separate good and evil through the sieve of the unconscious mind. We have tried to improve ourselves through eugenics, (see Nazi Germany to understand how that turned out.) And Transcendental Meditation. Through Religion and Drugs. And it seems that we are still Human 1.0. Some of us here at The Crazy believe that education, and the quest for knowledge is the key to bettering the Human machine. Some of us believe that it's hopeless and we will eventually destroy ourselves. This writer believes that someday we will leave this planet and explore the stars. And that is where the key to the future lies, in the quest for understanding the universe. Some of us feel that someday, someone, perhaps a philosopher, or a scientist, or even heaven forbid a psychiatrist, will find the key that unlocks the door to Human 2.0 or at least Human Beta test 1.5. We can only hope. Just a quick note to get a little philosophical thinking off our chests. Whatever you do, do it well. And as a great musical philosopher once said. "Enjoy every sandwich." That's about it, ciao for now.

Save yourselves, we are beyond hope.

If you can read this... please tell someone. We are being held captive by a device so insidious.. so powerful.. that we are incapable of escaping it's clutches. It sits quietly in our living room. Innocently showing us it's blank face... until evening. Then the ON switch is thrown. And suddenly we are under it's power. The bright lights and enticing sounds draw us to the sofa. And we sit, and watch as it endlessly shows us images of others living fantastic lives. With sweeping drama, exciting action, and powerful stories of people who in most cases never existed, and never will. And still we sit. Sometimes it shows us products and services that we can buy for one low payment. And occasionally, (Just occasionally mind you.) it teaches us something about our planet, or our universe, or our history. But mostly it holds us in a trance like embrace. Truly, as Karl Marx once pointed out, religion was the opiate of the masses. But now, clearly, it's television.

  Certainly the television is a powerful opiate. It holds millions in thrall every day. Estimates are that 280 million people in the U.S. watch television every day. The population of the United States is 311 million or so. So the majority of us watch television at one time or another. The average American views between 5 and 7 hours of television daily.   And what do they watch? The most popular television show is currently The Big Bang Theory, (yes, we watch it here also) The next most watched. Dancing with the stars. (This surprised us here at The Crazy, as we find supposed "reality" shows to be full of horse hockey.)  Now these statistics are just for the United States. It's estimated that worldwide (Population estimate about 7 Billion People) that about 4.5 Billion televisions exist. And clearly more than one person is usually seated in front of a television. The number of people who watch television worldwide must exceed the number of televisions, so we at The Crazy will estimate 5 billion. (Seriously, no one really knows) Most television viewing takes place at night in America, so as the sun rises and sets, televisions are flipping on and off around the world. It's strange indeed to think that at any given moment billions of people are staring blankly at the brightly lit box we call a tv. Ahhh... but it get's more insidious than that. The first television screens were little black and white screens of 12 to 14 inches, and they were more round or oval than square. Now the average television in the home is increasing size by 10 inches a decade. And of course in color. Will we one day have an entire wall of our home devoted to one huge television screen? And what of the cultural damage? If our culture is decided by nightly television we are in major trouble. By the age of eighteen the average American has seen 200.000 acts of violence on television. And clearly problem solving will be effected, after all huge problems are solved in 1 hour nightly on television shows. Has anyone else noticed that each generation is moving faster, texting, emailing, blogging, (damn bloggers should all be shot...heh heh heh) we at The Crazy have noticed that the upcoming generation talks faster than the previous one.  And expects things to happen for them yesterday. What other result can come from a daily dose of seeing all the problems of the world solved in one hour? Certainly there are billions smart enough to know that what happens on television rarely has any real meaning in the real world. But as the population grows and many of the young become disenfranchised, disillusioned, and generally discombobulated, what will the final outcome be? We hope you see our point. Now excuse us, we have to go and set our DVR, there's a show we don't want to miss coming on later. Save us if you can.  Damn.....

    We have to give credit to the Book "Strange Wine" by Harlan Ellison for helping to form our ideas about the evils of television. We recommend the book, and the article titled "What killed the Dinosaurs and you don't look so good yourself."