I live in Reno, in a broad valley on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada range.  Skiing (snow and water), whitewater kayaking, brilliant mountain- and road-cycling are outside my front door.   The City (San Francisco) is a short drive away.  The place is not horrible, but politicians are doing their level best to ruin our state, along with the rest of the planet.

If you have been on Nevada highways, you’ve seen the “Nevada is not a wasteland” bumper stickers.  In truth, Nevada is becoming a cultural wasteland, devoid of logic, foresight, or goodwill in politics.  Like much of the country, political choices are based on sound bites, slogans, lobbying, and back room deals.  In that respect, Nevada is becoming a wasteland, an emaciated body politic racked with the cancer of modern politics.  Because of short-term decision-making, Nevada is suffering most from the housing bubble and recession.  In addition to bad policy, Nevada is “governed” by the village idiot, Jim Gibbons and represented in Congress by mental lightweights Harry Reid John Ensign.  This trio is far more embarrassing to Nevada that the University of Nevada’s loss to SMU in the Hawaii Bowl.  These three clowns are Nevada’s microcosm of some bad things going on in the United States.  So, on behalf of myself and a few other Nevadans who pay attention, I apologize to the rest of the world for these morons.

New Year’s Day is for college bowl games, the ultimate spectator sport enjoyed with a remote control, snacks, and a deep couch.  But, unlike football, democracy is not a spectator sport.  Little is accomplished by echoing, without critical thought, the talking heads abundant on MSNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox News.  The Internet brings us a potent public forum to deliberate on the issues of the day (and the insanity all around us).  Besides, I can never get a word in edgewise talking with others jacked up on coffee in the Emerald City prattling on about a wonderful time at Sparta On Ice.  So, I’m reduced to blogging.

Will anybody find this relevant, entertaining, or otherwise interesting?  Who cares.  At least I move the gorilla off my chest so I can breath again.  And if the plane goes down, the FBI will know I’m not the guy who blew it up.

Best wishes to the entire planet for a safe and happy 2010.