Recommendation (2)

 RECOMMENDATION (2)

In my endeavor to recommend books to bigots, I next discuss, briefly GENERATION A, again by Douglas Coupland.  I'm slowly working my way through his novels and other offerings for the search of appropriate reading material for people having a particular mindset that is normally unmoved by either adversity or novelty.

In this book, we have the harvesting of DNA and possibly other body parts, of people without their knowledge for the purpose, of what else, profit.  Through chemistry and modern technology, it has become possible to use the essence (not clearly defined) of people being mined to manufacture a drug that will sell in the zillions.  Once used, as with most pleasurable substances, the more it is used, the more it is purchased.  So, in this book, the essence of others is in high demand.

Interestingly, the folks being harvested don't realize this until the end of the novel when all becomes clear.  Not a very tricky plot, but since it is a simple plot with a twist, many bigots will find it an acceptable read.  Interesting to my mind, being raised in Mahaska County, Iowa, one of the main characters is from Oskaloosa, the county seat of Mahaska County.  Hence, all bigots from Iowa and especially from Mahaska County should have special interest in the work.

Now there are not any actual bigots portrayed in the book so it is safe for a bigot to read.  It is clear that bigotry is not limited to certain beliefs or categories; bigotry can appear in the most surprising places; but in whatever form, bigots become uncomfortable or angry when confronted with other bigots who are not bigoted in the same way.  Unless one associates with other similar bigots, one can become significantly discomfited.  For instance, a bigot in the US will not approve of an Iranian bigot nor will the Iranian bigot approve of the US bigot.  This is one of those interesting quandaries facing bigots, they don't approve of each other any more than they approve of those who evince no bigotry.

In summary, GENERATION A will offer little offense to the normal bigot, hence appropriate for their perusal.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

The Transition

 THE TRANSITION

It has begun - the transition.  We are beginning slowly.  It has been, for four years now, Biden's fault.  Just generalized fault.  According to our erstwhile representative, Ms. Marionette Miller-Meeks  it is now Biden-Harris's fault.  The fault is expanding.  It now includes the vice-president, previously ignored totally, now gaining fault points.  Most surely before the election it will be Harris only.  Why blame a lame duck.

The new fault is the lack of after school child labor at fast food establishments.  Apparently our governor and Ms. Miller Meeks think  our kids should have longer after school work hours than the feds think appropriate and our local businesses are suffering because of it.  They could hire legal or illegal immigrants to solve the problem, but Oh No!  Not that.  Rather we would rather have our children learning how to flip hamburgers and turn out ice cream treats to other adolescents with money to burn.  Money may be needed to buy another pair of sneakers.  What could be more important?

But we do need to commend our congresswoman once again in identifying a  problem.  Biden and Harris are impeding our kids from earning money and learning the trade of flipping burgers or making  tacos.  It is federal bureaucrats who are causing the conflict and fining small businesses when they violate the laws passed by Congress and enforced by the Bureau of Labor. It needs to stop.  She or Reynolds should get on the phone and find somebody to talk to about this. 

Our local governor and legislature do have it right, though.  Kids need to work so that small businesses, such as MacDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Hardee's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Jimmy John's, et al, can make a decent profit.  What can be more important than a kid putting in hours at work after being at school all day? They don't even have to know how to make change any longer.  It's a snap.  And they don't need to participate in extra-curricular activities either.  Those activities don't add much to a kid's education; work is better.  Why go to band practice or theater or speech practice after school when work is to be had.   We need to keep our priorities straight in this country.  Of course, football practice might be an exception.

In any event, the transition has begun.  Whatever the issues are, whatever problems exist, it is now the fault of Biden and Harris.  It really is surprising that we have missed this connection for the last four years; soon it will be just Harris, though, who we blame for whatever and deservedly so.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo