As people all across the US watch the situation in the gulf (if they haven’t tuned it out already), you can’t help but agree with today’s caption from The Big Caption.

For some people, it might be around 2 years from the start of Obama’s campaign. For others, perhaps 4 years, from the start of Bush’s last term. I know some people have been waiting for this day during Bush’s whole 8 years of presidency. Then, many others say they’ve been waiting for this moment for the past 36 years since Martin Luther King told the world about his dream. But really, it can easily be said that this moment has been coming for this country’s entire time in existence.

The feeling you get from everyone you run into (in New York at least) is that we have a chance to take this country into a bold new direction by all working together. It’s a pretty awe inspiring notion.

I suppose we need to remember to get over that awe and get out there and make a difference.

Today I find myself at jury duty in Brooklyn and I’m amazed at how they’ve improved the process. The new court building is clean and effiticient. There’s wireless in the juror waiting area. The seats are comfortable. And there’s even a “computer room” for waiting jurors to use the internet! I’m actually quite pleasantly surprised as I remember my previous juror summons being a wretched affair.

My favorite part so far has been when they ask if people couldn’t understand English to come to the front to discuss exemption. I couldn’t help but laugh at that trick question!

I should remember that at least some of my tax dollars are going to improving people’s interactions with the government.

Update: Well I’ve been called and sent up to the courts on the 20th floor. The view from up here is gorgeous. In 8 years, when I’m called again, I should remember to bring my camera.

Update 2: Wow, a two hour lunch break. I gotta remember to take some of these during by regular work day.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day nonsense that you go through in life. You forget that even with ridiculous work schedules, bill payments, having jury duty and other petty things, you’re so damn lucky to live the life you have.

I need to remember just how amazingly good I have it to be living my life.

Russian Bombardment in Georgia – The New York Times > World > Slide Show > Slide 6 of 11

I think this is a pretty memorable moment for American culture, especially because most Americans won’t even know it happened.

The link was a story on CNN about a Town that made it illegal to fly a foreign flag. That town is the 30,000-person town of Pahrump, Nevada, which is close to Las Vegas. I guess they had never heard of the First Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech and expression within this country.It really is too easy to forget that everywhere isn’t as enthusiastic about diversity as New York City.

(Side note: Racism is alive everywhere including from Sienfeld folks, don’t forget)

(Image: Three Mexican Flags in a Stiff Breeze, originally uploaded by Edu-Tourist.)

(Image by plemeljr)

Yeah, I know not much has changed in terms of the state of the union, but at least one thing is changing. The International Herald Tribune is reporting that “in the last few weeks, U.S. Congress has quietly changed the name of the “freedom fries” sold in its cafeterias back to French fries”.

Thank goodness that’s over and done with. The only thing is… that as much as I’d love to forget such a boneheaded move by the US government, it’s probably something I should try remember. I could easily see freedom fries fading into obscurity only to have an incident 20 years from now cause the idiots in power then to decide the right thing to call a vinaigrette with sugar and ketchup added should be “Freedom Dressing”.

Freedom Fries sculpture via Nadeem Sabella

If they’re not careful, I might start to think that my tax money is actually going to things that make my life easier. Thankfully, I’ve got this Death and Taxes map to remind me otherwise.

Via Lifehacker.