the rix mix

Edmund Hillary was a great adventurer-hero of my childhood, the first to climb Mount Everest, in 1953. Kids thought of it as a singular, individual feat, like Lindbergh's transatlantic flight, not understanding that Sherpan climber Tenzing Norgay was no sidekick who humbly held back until the white guy got to the top, & he fully shared the achievement. Both explorers were the second summit attempt on behalf of large, well-financed British expedition. It was a tremendous accomplishment. A few years later, Sir Edmund was in the first group to cross Antarctica overland, another frighteningly remote, unexplored place one read about in National Geographic magazine. An amazing man & life in this era of manufactured "Xtreme" sports & meaningless "world records" created for TV. A few days ago, four surfers rode 85 foot waves at Cortes Bank off Point Duma California, the kind of challenge that would impress Sir Edmund.
***
If John Kerry's endorsement of Obama means anything, it should be to remind Barack of the words, "Swift Boat" (verb: swiftboating). The shit thrown at the honorable war vet in 2004 was rose petals compared to what's in store for a black man. Barack hasn't gotten it worse up to this point only because the Repugs & their lying, cheating, bigoted flying monkey brigades are holding back their most evil organized smear efforts for the Democratic nominee.
***
President Monkeybrain found new depths of naivete & ignorance in his comments today on Israeli-Palestinian peace, & I wondered how former President Jimmy Carter reacted, maybe with an expression worthy of Edgar Kennedy, Master of Slow Burn Comedy. If you dare, read this horribly vulgar, funny piece in The Onion.