Lois Lane from Superman

The original Superman movie from the 70s had Christopher Reeve as hero and Lois Lane, his co-worker on the Daily Planet newspaper was played by Margot Kidder. She is no more, according to a news report.

Women had small roles in Superman type films, but Margot made her presence felt, and was identified with this character because of her innocent looks- I still remember the scene where Superman takes her out on a joy-flight with him.

Super-characters are always successful, because they can change things in a jiffy. The Superman movie had a scene where he turns the earth backwards so that some bad events taking place don't happen when it starts turning the right way.

The fantasies help take away the pain of everyday life for lots of people, and are usually successful diversions. Of course, living in a fantasy world after you get out of the theatre may not be a great thing, and tough to pull off anyway.

RIP, Margot Kidder.

Fallacies

One of the major fallacies that is going around is that education is going to solve all problems. That needs a lot of qualifying, for it to be true.

Education cannot be just a degree, or a string of degrees.

Good human values like concern for people, environment come before education of the degree-adding variety. Or, should be a part of it. Common sense is as valuable as education.

Education of the wrong kind can actually breed a lot of problematic kids/adults.

Good governance has a lot to do with happiness. A reasonable job opportunity according to skills acquired solves most discontent. The lack thereof 's the reason for most migrations, including the current ones. Education should not end up producing an army of overqualified (mostly on paper) people who have aspirations not matched by skills.

Superman is not going to save the earth.

There is no Superman

As you grow up, you discover things about the world. At first, you think there is a Santa Claus. He comes every Christmas, and brings you gifts. Then, you discover that he does not exist.

Then, you discover that Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Goofy also don't exist.  Would be fun to have a talking mouse and duck, I think. Would beat some of the boring humans I know.

By and by, you also discover that Richie Rich exists, but that it is not you.

But you still believe in Superman. For saving the world, there is no one like him. But then, it is a big blow to discover that he is a figment of someone's imagination.

The consolation is that you find people who are changing the world, and that you can do it too, in a small way.

Strong Arms

First there was Neil. He was over the top, so much that he went to the moon, though some contentitous folks keep contending that he never did, that the U.S. faked it.

Then there was Lance. He conned the world with a series of steroid-induced cyclathon victories over decades.

Does that mean strong-arm tactics don't work? You could be in a never-ending 'arms' race if you tried taking on the world? Arming yourself to the teeth with weapons of self-destruction would seem to be the arm...sorry, norm, for some.

What if we had things like honesty, admittedly an outdated virtue, in our 'armoury?' Would it hurt badly? After all, being number one in the world in anything, is a mirage, and fairly short term, as even the 'Superman' and 'The Greatest" found out. Why then, this arms race to strong-arm yourself into that position?