Encouraging thought for the day

So many of our activities and accomplishments are denigrated as , "not rocket science" or "not brain surgery," that I am starting to wonder...What do rocket scientists and brain surgeons say?

Obviously, those professions are not placed on as high a pedestal by the people who are in them as they are by the rest of us. But come on. These otherwise brilliant people must be stumped by something you or I find relatively easy. Perhaps writing an interesting sentence in a coherent way is one of them. How about balancing a checkbook? Or following the storyline on "Lost"?

We each have our talents in the form of things which come easily to us. Don't undervalue yours just because it's not something a stupid scientist or a stuck-up surgeon can do.

Curmudgeon-worthy: Pre-election Edition

California's voting system is a mess. But I used to have my own system for deciphering the propositions and what they really mean. I could just look at the bottom of the ad to see who sponsored it. If it was some corporation, I was likely against it. It worked pretty well last election.

But this year they've gotten slicker. Everyone is hiding behind made-up organizations created solely to prevent voters from discovering where the money is coming from and who is behind their ideas. I fear they will always be one step ahead of me and ultimately triumph in making me abandon the process altogether.

To cheer us all up, look at this ultra-cool, extremely long Guggenheim exhibit on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WxLyoknPH8

Don't forget to vote, while it still makes sense!