2017 Summer July 31 Monday

2017 Summer July 31 Monday

79 degrees this morning, no walk due to schedule

Sitting on the patio this morning, there is a real coolness in the area even at 79 degrees.  Debated walking, but due to an early schedule  decided to skip it today.  

Thinking about the book I'm listening to on the Industrial Revolution, I can see where history is important, assuming that we can learn from past historical trends.  

What is surprising to me is that while of course there is a lot of difference between the development of the canals and the internet, the impact is just as great on the people living at that time.

The canals literally connected the original 13 colonies to the “west” (probably midwest or what I would consider a northeastern area now) and made a huge difference on how business was connected since it allowed bulk shipping at relatively low rates as well as easy transport of people.

Of course, the railroads had even more of an impact and superseded the canals in importance.  

Since “you don’t know what you’re missing if you don’t have it” (for example, in my lifetime, smart phones, the internet, personal computers etc. were developed), I expect the impact of the new technologies had as much or more of an impact as the current  technology advances.  

From what I learned about working conditions etc, I think there have been some significant changers in working conditions and expectations about jobs and job conditions etc. 

I happened to read about the books being assigned to incoming college students and decided I’d at least look at some of them.

The first book I started reading (primarily because I couldn’t recheck it from the Library so it was the first one due) is “Silence” by Endo Shusaku.  This was actually published in 1969 and is a novel about some of the early Christian  missionaries who went to Japan.  

This is not a book I would normally read to say the least, but I picked it up to  look at it and got involved in the story.  I’m not quite sure why I got interested in it, even after reading half of it, but I will see.  

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, I can’t recheck it and it is now overdue, so I am faced with the dilemma  of just keeping the book (the cheapest and most convenient route) until I finish it, buying it, or checking it in an rechecking it and read it later.  Hopefully I can get it finished shortly, although it is not an easy read.  

I am reading more and more about how the current antics of the President and Congress will diminish their future power and influence and the power and influence of government overall  

Most of the persons forecasting this think it is a good idea, some say they have too much power and authority now and it needs to be cut back.

They may have a point, but I think the real danger right now is the permanent  damage the lying bully and his group of cringing toadies,  criminals, Nazis and Fascists can do to the country unless the GOP develops a backbone and courage to stop them.  

Thank goodness for CNN, the New York Times and Washington Post and other news media that doesn’t bow and cower before the lying bully.

That’s it for now, Monday, July 31, 2017.