When
· Naughties
· · 2004
· · · November
· · · · 03 (3 entries)
On Canada · This morning, I received this email from an American, a famous name in the tech business: So, what is it really like to live in Canada relative to the US? How are the public schools? What's the real story with health care? How's the cost of living in Vancouver or Montreal vs. Seattle? On one hand, as a citizen of the world, I think that it’s generally dangerous when the USA gets as badly out of tune with the rest of us as it is now, and thus it would be nice if the best Americans stayed home and helped fix things. On the other hand, as a patriotic Canadian, I know that we have regularly benefited from the arrival of smart, disaffected Americans. So herewith a few notes on what it’s like here ...
On Not Understanding · Last night, by a margin of three to two, the voters of Ohio amended their constitution to include this: “Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.” Ten other states passed similar measures. In parallel, a high proportion of exit-polled voters said that their decisions were made on the basis of “moral values” rather than on economic or foreign-policy issues. On this, and the election as a whole, I cheerfully admit that I Just Don’t Get It. But then, the United States doesn’t need me to understand it, and still less does it need—nor apparently want—the world’s approval of its actions or, uh, “moral values”. It would be good if America and the world weren’t so badly out of tune, but that’s how it is, and neither has much leverage on the other. But I’m optimistic that we’ll get along better, down the road.
Postmodern Sass · The title is Postmoderne Sprachspielen; I’m not exactly sure what that means, but the blog is by an old-time buddy of mine who for the moment wants to manifest as “Sass”. Definitely worth reading: She’s just getting started and has already written about love, drunkenness, Southern culture, and Elvis. It doesn’t work that well yet on Internet Explorer but she says she’ll fix that on the weekend and anyhow, who uses IE?
