"When we contemplate the shocking derangement of human affairs which
now prevails in most civilized countries, including our own, even the
best minds are puzzled and uncertain in their attempts to grasp the
situation. The world seems to demand a moral and economic regeneration
which it is dangerous to postpone, but as yet impossible to imagine,
let alone direct. The preliminary intellectual regeneration which
would put our leaders in a position to determine and control the
course of affairs has not taken place. We have unprecedented conditions
to deal with and novel adjustments to make--there can be no doubt of that".--James Harvey Robinson, 1921
Tonight the Texas candidates for governor held their televised and radio-ized debate. This year's election, some 30some odd days away, features a rather unpopular incumbent Republican facing not only a Democrat but also two independent challengers. As the election lacks a run-off feature, the plurality vote-getter wins. The governor leads the polls by a good bit, but still has 2/3 of the state voting against him as it sits right now. Tuesday is the voter registration deadline, and I hope more people register to vote.
The two challengers add a bit of spice to the race. Kinky Friedman,the satirical songwriter and animal rescue angel,
brought his trademark western hat and unlit cigar to the debating platform. He also seemed to draw the roughest questions, as press people always scent red meat in political newcomers. Carol Strayhorn Keeton,who runs the state's finances now, actually campaigned to have her name listed as "Grandma" on the ballot. She's a likable enough egg, except that she unsuccessfully sued the Unitarian Universalist Church, an institution hundreds of years old with roots in our nation's founding, to try to argue it was not, after all, a church and thus not entitled to a tax break. The people who cry out the most about religious persecution often engage in it, I find.
The governor, supposedly a conservative, spent time explaining why the state is condemning masses of farm land for a new tollway for which the contractor is a foreign entity.
My favorite candidate, Chris Bell, the Democrat, has not made an impression on voters. He gave a great debate tonight, but did anyone watch? We'll see. It's good to hear someone finally talking about things that matter, like bright kids being priced out of college.
A kind ambient artist named Solyaris sent me his new CD. It'll be good to hear, although right now I am still enjoying Zikweb's tribute album and thus will defer the Solyaris one.
I am fearful that my goal of getting my Freechess.org blitz chess rating to 1600 by 12/31/06 may not be met. I'm still mired in the 1400s. Over the board, I am 16sometihng, but I am not as blitz-like as I might be.
Tomorrow Auburn plays Arkansas. I hope my Razorbacks don't disappiont too badly.