Too Many Words, Too Few Clothes

Two topics for today - one grumpy, one Halloween-related.

Commentator George Will published this wonderful article yesterday: Inundated By a River of Words. If you, like me, are tired of being aurally beaten to death every day by endless loud and useless announcements, his observations hit close to home. The final paragraph sums it up:

More and more public spaces are like airports, places where we are assaulted by instructions, advice, warnings and unwanted information. Almost none of this noise is necessary for people mature enough to be allowed to walk around the block, let alone fly around the country. This is the way the world will end, not with a bang but with an environmental blitzkrieg of blather.

Those of you who had the experience of transiting Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (what we just used to just call National Airport until a few years ago when the Republicans were on their Deify Ronald Reagan splurge) may remember the announcement that screamed at top volume on every airport shuttle bus after you boarded:

WARNING!! DOOR IS CLOSING!!

WARNING!! DOOR IS CLOSING!!

WARNING!! DOOR IS CLOSING!!

Believe me, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that that #@$! door was closing. There were, happily, enough complaints that the door closing warnings are now a bit quieter and more civilized.

It's hard to find quiet places any more unless you travel out to the very end of dirt trails in the remotest wilderness. Loud cell phone conversations, useless announcements, and the background drone of traffic, airplanes, and conversation make it hard to concentrate or to find peace and quiet. Those Bose Quiet Comfort headphones are worth every cent of their cost. And the old New England adage gets more true ever year: If you're going to break the silence, make sure you can improve on it.

We are headed into Halloween weekend, when houses are decorated with ghosts and zombies and children are gearing up for their annual goodie search. Dentists everywhere are rubbing their hands with glee. Here is a little something that was reposted by Miss Cellania this morning ... it's been around for a long time, but is every bit as neat each time you see it. Ladies and gentlemen, the Halloween Stripper ...

Tonight is the annual Halloween dance party at Studio One ... always a challenge to find a costume that's clever, original, and that you can dance in. If it works out, you'll see the pictures in a few days. In the meantime, come back tomorrow for the Halloween edition of Cartoon Saturday.

Have a good day. Seize the opportunity to be quiet. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo