Taking Action with the Last Action Hero

Mary forwarded on to me an initiative from the Ocean Conservancy, regarding "Protecting California's Coast."

I have to admit the images on the site got me nostalgic for Blue Planet and the propaganda stirred me, so I "took action." Which basically meant that the site sent an e-mail to Governor Schwarzenegger, expressing their views from my e-mail address.

Well, I got a reply fairly quickly ... from Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is amazing how a form letter from a known identity has so much more behind it (here is the closing from the e-mail):

Thank you for taking the time to write. California's environmental health and beauty depends on concerned individuals like you who are invested in the future of this great state, its environment and its natural
resources.

Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Normally, when I read such letters, I just give them the "blah-blah-blah" skim job. But once I have an identity to attach to it, and I can actually read voices and see mannerisms, suddenly thewords become interesting. I have received these kinds of things from people like Schwarzenegger, Obama, Daley, Blagojevich, Elizabeth Dole, Bush(es), Clinton(s), etc. For some reason it is easier to get through them knowing the proper inflection I should use. (Yes, I am aware that these things are penned by other people; I once absurdly thought about being one of those people.)

Now, Mary sent me something about Mayor Newsom's initiatives ... I tried to read about it, but I don't know how to mimic him yet ... so I quickly faded into imagining Commando standing at Point Reyes swinging a giant uprooted redwood trunk at ocean-attacking robotic bugs, complete with water-and-fish-draining elephant trunks.

Then I realize, when it comes to politics, I am part of the problem, not the solution...