Thursday, December 17, 2009

Countdown to Extinction



I was thinking about life today and probably wasn't in a very good frame of mind while ding so since it was during work hours. But I decided that life is just a waste.

Kids are spending an insane amount of money these days, going into deep debt just to get an education in order to be productive members of our system, paying taxes, and contributing to our growth, which incidentally is probably going to stop at some point.

Between the time they graduate college and start seriously approaching retirement age, they will only participate in four census counts, or to put it another way, vote in ten presidential election cycles. And they should consider themselves lucky to still be alive by then. And if they are really lucky, they'll get another two census counts and/or four or five election cycles after that. And then presto: that investment dissolves and nothing is left behind but memories and money. If they were wise and successful.

Speaking of the census, I first started digging that after the 1970 census. I became obsessed with population data and could reel off exact figures for many cities during my teen years. Ever since then I have eagerly awaited the next census to see how cities have grown or shrunk.

We have one coming up next year, and it's only the 4th one since my obsession began in my teens. By the time the next one rolls around, I'll be retired, if I'm lucky enough to be alive. And I will have voted in 3 more presidential cycles.

I keep wondering if anything is ever going to change in a positive direction in that regard. I think not.

What a waste.

Anyhow, I plan to be counted as a Travis County resident in 2010. One in a million or so.

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