2003-07-09 - 10:28 a.m.

Alright.

I finished Harry Potter 5: spectacular, and even more interesting that the first four. LOTS of stuff to find in there, especially if you know where to look. The revolt against Umbridge in the latter part of the book is a perfect example of the nature of power: i.e., the scary fact that even the most repressive regime is based on consent. When that consent is withdrawn, you get things like civil disobedience, intifada, and terrorism. Also a good example of the difference between official and unofficial power. Umbridge is also the example of a bureaucratic power grap, the restriction of rights, the imposition of authoritarian power structure, the problems of legitimacy.

In the Weasley twins actions and the professors responses we see an intersting parallel to the recent shootings of US soldiers in Iraq: although not every one is involved in the revolt, the mass of people are not willing to act to stop it, and offer support that way. How else could a man walk out of a crowd, shoot a soldier, and then melt back in? All the other people had to do was duck, and the shooter would have been spotted. This all happened in Iraq, not Harry Potter (the Weasley twins have not joined Al Qa'ida, don't worry).

Speaking of Iraq, did anyone else here about Bush's little taunt to the revolt? 'Bring it on'? Did anyone else feel sick? This from a guy who skipped out of Vietnam, went AWOL from the Texas Air Guard, sent US soldiers to die for no good reason, has destroyed US credibility around the world, and IS SITTING 3000 MILES AWAY FROM THE PLACE WHERE OUR SOLDIERS ARE CURRENTLY DYING!!!! Big man, our president. I bet it took a lot of courage to say something like that from behind a whole army. About the biggest danger he faced was Karl Rove strangling him for being an idiot, or perhaps a sneak attack from a pretzel. I'd call him a coward, but that's dignifying him too much: cowards bow down out of fear, Bush doesn't ever have to be afraid. He's like a man in Anarctica boasting of his ability to stay indoors.

I've finished reeling from the GREs, so I swear I'll never mention them again (I'm the Man), and instead I have a new mental addiction: thinking about my personal Essays. Friends, Romans, Country-listeners, lend me your advise. What the hell do I write? What are they looking for? Does anyone have experience in applying to programs they didn't major in?

AAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!

Alright, I'm a little calmer. I need a job desperately, but I can't get one until I finish at least the first draft. I've never had writer's block this bad, and includes when I was thesising. So much to say, 500 words to say it in, I don't think I have room to breath in this essay, much less represent myself. That and it's overwhelming importance is a little, well, overwhelming. If only I could whelm it down a little...

I don't think I will be moving up to NYC this year: I'm applying to grad school in DC as well as NYC, so I don't know where I'll be (assuming I get in anywhere), and my financial situation has deteriorated since finishing the last play. I'm glad I took off work, but I've been out of the game for too long. Oh, and I'm taking the worst economics class in the history of reactionary, Reaganought, Free-Marketeer Community College classes ever. Prof doesn't even know his stuff: doesn't seem to understand the term 'Capital Crisis', Demand elasticity, or even the difference between Free Market Socialism and a Command Economy. Told the class that Argentina was a leading exporter of oil. I have bitten my toungue in my mind so often I'll probably start tasting imaginary blood. Oh well.

My love to all, and to those in Sarasota, I should be coming up this weekend. Does anyone know if there are any professors left in the place? I need to talk to a few of them, and I'd feel silly walking all the way down to the bay in the middle of July to find out they're all sipping mojitos in the carribean.

Mmmm, mojitos...

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