What Are You Really Trying To Say?
Back from Miami tanned, rested, and ready. Well not really tan. The weather wasn't all that great (a little rain with highs in the low to mid seventies) and my Irish/German background means that soaking up the sun leaves me looking more like a red than a bronze god. And spending four days with my five year old nephew and three year old niece wasn't all that restful either. Definitely fun, but not restful. Actually, the truth of the matter is that about all I'm ready for is a nice long nap. But I am back and that's gotta count for something.
While I was in Miami, I intentionally avoided staying in touch with events of the day. I briefly flipped on the television Saturday night and Sunday to see how things were progressing in Iraq, but otherwise I avoided cable news. No talk radio at all. On Sunday I read the Miami Herald, which I found to be a most unimpressive newspaper. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were internet free days. On Sunday I checked my e-mail and briefly perused a few of the "must read" blogs. The fact that my in-laws have dial-up made withdrawal from blogging all the easier to bear. In this day and age, how can people live like that?
This little sabbatical from the news cycle was welcome, and I would encourage everyone to take such a break on occasion. You need to step outside your media routine from time to time and realize that probably 97.6% of the stories that are being followed at any given time are insignificant chatter (the elections in Iraq being an obvious exception).
I did get a chance to read Michael Crichton's State Of Fear on the trip. It's your standard Crichton fare: lots of suspense, breathtaking action, wafer thin characters, absurd plot twists, and an underlying message that is driven home with all the deftness of a B-52 strike. Subtlety thy name is not Crichton.
The basic message in State of Fear is that the dire threats about global warming and the calls for immediate action to limit it, are grossly exaggerated. Even more so than in his previous works, Crichton never misses an opportunity (and creates several implausible ones) to pound away with this belief. If it's not a character preaching the truth to the unconverted, it's a slew of charts and graphs that hammer you over and over like Itchy taking a giant mallet to Scratchy's noggin.
By the time you reach the book's climax, you're ready to cry, "No mas" and throw in the towel. I get it, I get it. Skepticism about global warming is warranted and environmental groups and the media have distorted the true nature of the threat. I'm with ya bro. Now, can we just get back to the story?
Having said all that, I still like the book in spite of Crichton's ham-handed approach. It's not his best work, but it's a decent read and hopefully will open a few eyes to the sloppy science and scare tactics employed by much of the environmental movement these days. For the one thing that Crichton can't be criticized for in State of Fear is not citing sources to back up his claims. He's got loads of 'em and they span a wide spectrum including Penn and Teller's Bulls***! (which airs on Showtime). It's hard not to like a book that includes BS in its bibliography.
We also don't have to worry about State of Fear being made into a lame movie (as much of the Crichton canon already has) either. With its skeptical take on global warming and it's skewering of celebrities, Hollywood's going to want no part of this one.
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