Vocabulary

Random thoughts: My brain isn't being very coherent lately; I blame it on a lack of sunshine. Our forecast for the last two weeks (and next two undoubtedly) is isolated or scattered thunderstorms. And for the record: sugar-free butterscotch instant pudding is nasty. I should have known that already, shouldn't I?

I've given David this quote to put on his wall at work, but so far it's not made it off the desk. It deserves a wider audience.

Computers make people even better and smarter than they were made by previous thingamabobs. Or if some people prove incorrigibly wicked or stupid or both, computers will at least speed them up.

Wendell Barry, from "The Joy of Sales Resistance"

The latest Harry Potter book is amusing, but I'm at odds with the hype. I really enjoy the the story and characters (well, except for Ron who exceedingly annoys me). I dislike the simple language. Rowling could stand to invest in a thesaurus, for the sake of the millions of impressionable youth she quite consciously targets. I also felt like this latest installment banged me over the head with too many details. It seemed obvious what was going to happen--in many of the plotlines--and I grew restless and somewhat troubled halfway through. Fortunately Harry remains very compelling, and I push on in respect and admiration for him.

Speaking of word choice...I am awed by the Republican Party's attention to language. Their message machine is indeed impressive in its reach. I want to know how they manage to distribute the key phrases and terminology that are so consistently used in public statements. And I want to see the setting in which these phrases are agreed upon. Whoever is in charge is one powerful person. Any guesses as to whom this might be? (I'll give you three, and the first two don't count.)