Occupy Wall Street

Today's fun fact is about trail mix. You know, that delicious mixture of nuts, M&Ms, and Chex-like nodules that can be eaten by the handful to provide quick energy while you're out hiking and stuff. Trail mix is also sometimes known by the name "Gorp", which I had always assumed was an acronym for something like "Granola, Oats, and Roasted Peanuts." But I found out today that it was named for its inventor, former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorpachev. Known as "Gorp" to his hiking buddies, the splotch-headed commie was known for carrying an eclectic bag of cereal, legumes, and pretzels along with him when he went on his walkabouts in the lovely mountains just behind the Kremlin. I heard (but was unable to confirm) that his favorite cereal was Frankenberry; I'm just glad that this nuance of the recipe didn't make it over to the capitalist side of the world.

Anyway, some guy told me that his girlfriend's sister had learned this tidbit when she was in Switzerland (or France or one of them other former Soviet strongholds) and that it is guaranteed to be 100% true. So there's your trivia bite for today.

And speaking of commies and the like, I thought I'd take a moment to ask a few questions about the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. I'm having a hard time understanding what the protestors are trying to accomplish. As far as I can tell, they want rich people to not be so rich, and for poor people to be richer. They don't seem to have any solid ideas about how to accomplish this lofty goal, other than taking money away from some people and giving it to others.

I have to admit that I really like the idea of making poor people richer. I'm not sure that punishing people for being successful is a necessary component of achieving that goal, though. It would seem to me that it would make more sense to think up ways to make EVERYONE more prosperous, and that would probably require some help from the people who already know how to do it. Punishing the folks who have the knowledge you need doesn't seem to be the smart thing to do.

Help me out—What am I missing here? Is there another agenda that the protestors just haven't been able to articulate? (Yes, I have heard the one about bringing down the big companies, but they can't be serious, can they? Does anybody really want a world where they can't get cheap toilet paper, or find a Big Mac when an Attack occurs?) Please share any insights you have.

At the same time, I have to admit that I can't be too harsh on protestors who can't coherently express their rationale for participating. You see, I was one of them, albeit long, long ago. Those were Forrest Gump times, and I was swept along by the hippie siren songs of free love and ultra-distorted guitars. Swayed by cultural leaders like the Smothers Brothers and Tiny Tim, I was susceptible to any suggestions that I thought might make me seem cooler to the girls. It was so very, very hip to protest the Vietnam War -- so I donned a black armband and randomly drew peace symbols on my school notebooks...even though I had not the slightest clue what was actually going on in the world.

Thank goodness we grow up, eh? With maturity comes a broader perspective, and the ability to ponder political and economic issues within the framework of history, factual data, and a rational understanding that actions have consequences. In other words, I have learned that protesting the war didn't endow me with even one single iota of additional attractiveness to the opposite sex.

That would require a letter jacket. And that, my friends, is another story entirely. Perhaps I'll share it someday. In the meantime, grab yourself a hearty handful of trail mix...and have a great day!