Reader’s Mailbag

I know that this blog is somewhat popular, though the kind of rabble it attracts is sometimes frightening, yet, ultimately, heartening. I moderate comments and publish none because most of it is spam and the rest of it generally makes little sense, from which I take the meaning that, as usual, people tend to hear whatever they want to regardless of the precision with which, or lack thereof, something is conveyed.

Nevertheless, I have collected comments over time and some have become topics on which I’ve written and the rest have simply sat around, waiting for me to feel the muse, I guess. I feel now is the time to dispose of some of these comments that were direct questions. Some are years old and the commenter has long ago moved on, might be dead or is permanently ensconced in an opium den somewhere waiting for that final, long sleep. But, who cares? As Gary Gilmore said, “Let’s do it.”

“I loved your article on China. I lived there for several years and I think you hit it right on the head. Do you really think the Chinese will continue down this path of social democracy?’

I have no idea, since I never wrote about China. WTF are you on about, mate? This whole blog is about me, me, ME! Get it right, please.

“Why are you so bitter? There are people you love that love you back, right? Why not celebrate that?”

Sigh. I once got a cup that reads “Today I Am Bitter.” I keep that cup at my desk from which place is sourced all of this very fine entertainment you are enjoying right now. It reminds me of the complexity of human existence since it makes the same declaration without alteration every day. Most people who see the cup smirk and chuckle and say things like, “what does it say? I Am Better? Oh, ha, ha, I Am Bitter!. You are bitter?” I remind them that it’s entirely possible that the cup’s message may be about the coffee inside