My favorite Martins.

Reader appreciation post.

To all who read YWA: I don't know why you want to subject yourself to it, but I am flattered and appreciative.

Several people have kindly written to offer encouragement, suggestions, and links to important news and bits of info, and I also appreciate that. (I can only read so much newsy stuff on my own.)

Of course you never know who's who on the internet, and if you're really paranoid (not naming any names here), you might imagine that some people assume extra identities to fool you.

But, let's just play the game, because frankly, it's all a game. And I always say it's the message that's important. Okay, I don't always say that, but sometimes I do. And, while the messengers come in some wonderful packages - and some nasty packages, as well - it's easy to get distracted from the message when emphasizing the messenger.

Got that?

Okay.

In a recent post I mentioned that my friend Marty (Martin) said my blog is too biting. (Marty also sends emails under the name of Carol, you may recall.)

Well, today, Dudley (sidebar) forwards this great reader message - from another Martin (okay, I thnk it's not the same one - you know me, I'm not paranoid):

Just writing to let you know I really enjoy your blog, I'm now a regular reader. It's nice to get unbiased news from Imperial HQ, and you do your bit to let us all know that not all Americans are crazy rednecks.

For a suggestion, it would be nice to see some tie in's between current events and key history and writings. For example one site I saw did a tie from the Bush visit to MLK's grave to MLK's key speech on the Vietnam war. Similarly it would be great to see some of the recent media reluctance to allow dissenting voices tied to works like Manufacturing Consent, which IMO, everyone should read. I think it's great to tie back to past stuff that people shouldn't lose sight of in the rush to rewrite history.

Anyway, keep up the great blogging. Forget people who tell you the blog should have less bite, there's enough sanitised media already. Keep biting those who deserve it.

Martin

Could I answer you right here, Martin? I hope you don't mind. If you do, send a screaming rant and I'll take this post down. Too late for some, but hey - I always say that cosmic synchrony makes everything go where it's supposed to go. Whether we like it or not. (When I'm god, the rules are going to be different.)

Martin, I am so glad you enjoy the blog. Bob at Bob's Links and Rants got me started on this course. I never expected I could keep it up, and often times I think I need to quit. Sometimes, between the two of us, I get actually physically nauseous when I'm working on the blog. I suppose it's a combination of too much computer screen time (biological) and too much ugly news (emotional). But then, somebody will write to say they get some good out of it for the information I pass on. So, I keep on. I started it maybe from a need to scream, but if it's turned into a service, then I guess that's the divine orchestra at play.

Whatever.

Crazy, probably. Redneck. No. But I have a certain understanding of rednecks from my childhood background. It's kind of an interesting culture. Any culture that is relatively impermeable to input has got to have some problems.

As for the bite - I'll try to keep some balance there, although I expect I'll keep tilting toward the sharp edges. I don't really know who deserves to be bitten. In reality, I believe that we'd all be a lot happier if we lived in a world where there were only people who think the same way we do. I don't understand people who have no concern for the welfare of others, or people who want to have all the toys to themselves, or people who want to control the way somebody else lives. But, I figure those people don't understand me either. Who's right? There's no right or wrong. There's just preference. I don't have answers, just lots and lots of questions. I don't think this is my home planet.

Anyway, I'm afraid I will be disappointing you, Martin. You have some wonderful suggestions, but good god man! That would really be work! I will link to relative sites and articles where they come to mind, but it's always hit and miss. Frankly, I have the sneaking suspicion that the way out of this mess is to fine tune our attention to the now moment. I know that conflicts with the idea that we are condemned to repeat the past if we don't learn from it. And there's a huge long philosophical treatise in those ideas - that would also be work.

Martin, you have no idea how allergic I am to work. I suffer greatly from it. But I do have a great suggestion for you. Start a blog! I love the historical stuff. There is an incredible amount of information buried and forgotten. If you were to take on something like that, I'd sure read it.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.