Some questions are better left unanswered

One of my favorite blogs is Creative Loafing’s the941. There’s no better source about what’s going on in the culture of Sarasota, if you could call it “culture.” The contributors lean left, but that’s not really surprising. Once there was a time when counter culture magazines were counter culture. Now it’s more like reading the script for Avatar. Hey, not everyone is perfect. No one reads Creative Loafing for political advice (I hope).

The most obnoxious column in the magazine is a weekly one called “Don’t Panic! Your war questions answered.” It’s written by Andisheh Nouraee who has his own blog and twitter if you like. There’s nothing really interesting about Nouraee’s column. It hits on all the bases that most progressives hit on… Bash Bush or anything that might be conservative, throw in some recycled derogatory rhetoric, and cite Media Matters as much as possible as a credible source for news.

Nouraee writes about various areas of the world and explains what’s supposedly going on in that region. Typically the United States is to blame, or more specifically some Republican administration. If it’s not their fault, it’s probably the state of Israel.

There’s are plenty of people writing drivel like this that are probably worth more time, but it’s just puzzling to me that any would want to read what Nouraee has to write. No one is buying Creative Loafing to read his column. It’s a space filler. I don’t mind leftist writers if they can at least write in an entertaining way. The title of the column suggests that it would be fun to read, but it’s just an angry rant most of the time.

Is there anything less creative than someone who gets offended by flame throwers and reacts by throwing flames? I’m passionate about politics, but this jump out of the trenches and stab each other to death because you’re on the other side is counterproductive. If you’re going to do it at least try to be funny. Nouraee’s column is worthless or as kids like to say an “epic fail.”

The All American Burger

The Burger Bar is only open Friday-Sunday, but it sits on the backside of the building facing the beautiful Sarasota Bay. The burgers start at a very reasonable six dollars. I got the All American Single (doubled) with Bacon. That cost me $10 and it was worth every penny. The shiny plastic silverwear looks like real silver at first. The Ritz Carlton spares no plastic expense. The burger itself isn’t enormous, but is cooked to perfection. For some reason the bartender didn’t ask anyone in our group how they wanted it cooked. That was a bit puzzling and visions of e coli danced in my head.

There are also hand-dipped milkshakes for dessert, but it was to too windy and cold for us to try them out (“cold” being defined in Sarasota as anything under 70 degrees F). Be warned, the prices are reasonable but any domestic beer is more than $5 and cocktails are around $12. One other helpful hint is to remember to get your valet parking ticket verified at the bar.

It doesn’t take much intelligence to look around you and see that we cannot sustain ourselves at the rate we are going. If you can’t recognize that, then please step aside. You are in the way. [emphasis added]

There’s the rub. “I am in the way.” Well, that’s a fairly totalitarian way of looking at a differing opinion. What’s the solution then? Everyone with my opinion must be exterminated in order to “fix things.” I jest, but when this kind of religious devotion to finitephobia sets in it becomes nearly impossible to have a logical debate. How do you debate someone who is “looking around” and claims “we cannot sustain ourselves at the rate we’re going”? Do we have to stop growing? De we start sterilizing humans? Will the world appoint a Growth Czar to make sure there’s no illegal breeding?
I’m troubled by the elitist mentality by many Americans. It’s especially annoying when these people can’t even form a logical argument. It might be fun to drink cocktails and make fun of people who shop at Wal-Mart. When this sentiment starts shifting from snobbery to a “these people are in the way” then there’s a problem. One last point…. Why is it that so many people who are worried that growth is unsustainable are the same people who don’t see any problem with unsustainable government growth?