So it Goes
Sorry everybody, I just spent 45 minutes writing a good blog and the program crashed so here's the best I can do in a lot shorter time.
Everything's going pretty well here. Classes are cancelled the rest of the day so instead of reading for one class or writing a paper for another I'm writing a blog. Anxiety over the next step of Andy's short and somewhat fruitful life is beginning to build with the completion of applications to graduate schools and beginning of applications to jobs. I'm not fond of the situation that will inevitably arise in which I have a job offer, which I am likely to accept, coming long before I hear from graduate schools--I was told by these schools that the committees that are in charge of acceptance meet infrequently and without regularity. I'm definitely going to feel bad if I have to tell an employer that I will not be working with them after I tell them I will. I guess we will see. One employer that has already asked me to interview is U.S. PIRG and I'm kind of excited for it.
***Political part***I've had the opportunity to see some presidential candidates since it's just under two years from the actual election and they need to get started on their campaigns (ridiculous). A few weeks ago, I saw Sen. Barak Obama. He spoke at Hilton Coliseum in front of the audience of about 5,000. The event began with a nice showing by a funk band (they were teachers from Des Moines that called themselves Faculty Lounge) and some speeches by state legislators that have endorsed Obama and a performance of idiocy by the Iowa State Student Democrats president. Obama's speech was well written and presented. The downside was that there was a lot of how he felt on issues but little-to-none on why he feels the way he does. No questions were asked--not even from hand-picked supporters.
Second, I saw former Sen. John Edwards in Dubuque in front of an audience of around 500 people. He spoke on his plan for universal health care for about a half hour, then opened it up for questions for nearly an hour and a half. Most of the questions were worthwhile and he explained how he would implement policy and why. At one point a man got a microphone and said that he disagreed with nearly everything Edwards had said and gave his own insight into what he thinks the answers should have been, then asked his question. Rather than telling his minions to escort the man out, brushing past the question, or not letting the man in to the event in the first place (like Anne Coulter and most of the current administration) he said that if the man didn't like his ideas on other subjects, he wouldn't like his answer for this question. It was interesting how he allowed political skill rather than an advertising campaign to dominate the discussion. After the question and answer, Edwards shook babies and kissed hands (...) until everyone had left.
I'm not jumping on the canonize Edwards bandwagon, as many have for Obama, rather I'm saying that political skill likely convinced more of the 500 in Dubuque than public relations did the 5,000 in Ames. I'm also not saying that Edwards does not use public relations ad campaigns (he does) of that Obama does not have political skill (he does). I love seeing the candidates that are less in the limelight because they are more apt to conduct real politics and show really what they can do and really who they are as compared to the public relations angle (something happened or someone has an idea--make it sound good for our side--throw it at people). Rather than just accepting the public relations campaign, see what's really behind behind the back of the spokesperson.
...Or we could just watch Katie Couric present the (cough) "news". (sigh) "So it goes." -Kilgore Trout
Ooh, new albums I'm digging: Tapes 'n Tapes-The Loon, The Thermals-The Body, The Blood, The Machine, The Double-Loose in the Air
Old albums I'm digging: Leon Russel-Leon Live!, Cream-Disraeli Gears
New cartoon I'm digging: Frisky Dingo! Check it out on the youtube
Right-o. Thanks for sticking with it again. You're all so courteous. Well, looks like I should get home before the snow consumes us all (sorry Jane). Have a great day and stay cool because if you're cool, you don't get eated by cannibals.
Everything's going pretty well here. Classes are cancelled the rest of the day so instead of reading for one class or writing a paper for another I'm writing a blog. Anxiety over the next step of Andy's short and somewhat fruitful life is beginning to build with the completion of applications to graduate schools and beginning of applications to jobs. I'm not fond of the situation that will inevitably arise in which I have a job offer, which I am likely to accept, coming long before I hear from graduate schools--I was told by these schools that the committees that are in charge of acceptance meet infrequently and without regularity. I'm definitely going to feel bad if I have to tell an employer that I will not be working with them after I tell them I will. I guess we will see. One employer that has already asked me to interview is U.S. PIRG and I'm kind of excited for it.
***Political part***I've had the opportunity to see some presidential candidates since it's just under two years from the actual election and they need to get started on their campaigns (ridiculous). A few weeks ago, I saw Sen. Barak Obama. He spoke at Hilton Coliseum in front of the audience of about 5,000. The event began with a nice showing by a funk band (they were teachers from Des Moines that called themselves Faculty Lounge) and some speeches by state legislators that have endorsed Obama and a performance of idiocy by the Iowa State Student Democrats president. Obama's speech was well written and presented. The downside was that there was a lot of how he felt on issues but little-to-none on why he feels the way he does. No questions were asked--not even from hand-picked supporters.
Second, I saw former Sen. John Edwards in Dubuque in front of an audience of around 500 people. He spoke on his plan for universal health care for about a half hour, then opened it up for questions for nearly an hour and a half. Most of the questions were worthwhile and he explained how he would implement policy and why. At one point a man got a microphone and said that he disagreed with nearly everything Edwards had said and gave his own insight into what he thinks the answers should have been, then asked his question. Rather than telling his minions to escort the man out, brushing past the question, or not letting the man in to the event in the first place (like Anne Coulter and most of the current administration) he said that if the man didn't like his ideas on other subjects, he wouldn't like his answer for this question. It was interesting how he allowed political skill rather than an advertising campaign to dominate the discussion. After the question and answer, Edwards shook babies and kissed hands (...) until everyone had left.
I'm not jumping on the canonize Edwards bandwagon, as many have for Obama, rather I'm saying that political skill likely convinced more of the 500 in Dubuque than public relations did the 5,000 in Ames. I'm also not saying that Edwards does not use public relations ad campaigns (he does) of that Obama does not have political skill (he does). I love seeing the candidates that are less in the limelight because they are more apt to conduct real politics and show really what they can do and really who they are as compared to the public relations angle (something happened or someone has an idea--make it sound good for our side--throw it at people). Rather than just accepting the public relations campaign, see what's really behind behind the back of the spokesperson.
...Or we could just watch Katie Couric present the (cough) "news". (sigh) "So it goes." -Kilgore Trout
Ooh, new albums I'm digging: Tapes 'n Tapes-The Loon, The Thermals-The Body, The Blood, The Machine, The Double-Loose in the Air
Old albums I'm digging: Leon Russel-Leon Live!, Cream-Disraeli Gears
New cartoon I'm digging: Frisky Dingo! Check it out on the youtube
Right-o. Thanks for sticking with it again. You're all so courteous. Well, looks like I should get home before the snow consumes us all (sorry Jane). Have a great day and stay cool because if you're cool, you don't get eated by cannibals.
posted by andy at 11:50 AM
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