Just Stuff to Talk About

Another day, another dollar -no, make that 75 cents, the dollar does not go as far as it used to... It's 5 and a half months until the Presidential elections and I am already totally bored with the whole thing. I've decided that I don't like either of the main candidates. Obama still makes one hell of a good speech but you just can not trust what he is saying. His "Chicago Style" politics have undermined his credibility. Everyone was so enthused about him 3 years ago. They thought he was a new kind of politician -someone bringing hope and change. Someone to clean up Washington and make the Representatives and Senators work together for the country (instead of themselves). But, instead we've had worse deadlock and polarization then ever before. And the Republicans have been just as bad. Their "my way or the highway" approach and complete refusal to compromise is so frustrating. Add to that people like Harry Reid, who has stubbornly refused to even allow a vote on any budget proposal for 3 years -yeah, 3 years.... Is it any wonder why people are so unenthused? As for me, I decided how I am probably going to vote over a month ago -but I guarantee I'm going to have to hold my nose while I do it. . On the other hand, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe things will change this time - yeah, and maybe Howard Dean will become a Republican.... I once heard Robin Williams deliver a line that sums it all up pretty well: "Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often, and for the same reason."


Changing the subject, I read a very disturbing little article in Stars and Stripes. It seems the Department of Defense has uncovered an extensive ring responsible for selling over 2 million dollars worth of military equipment, including arms and ammunition, to street gangs across the United States as well as to foreign governments (who are not allowed to buy that gear directly) and possibly even to terrorist organizations. Details are just starting to come out but it appears that there are dozens of people involved, including uniformed military personnel. I do not know what they will eventually be charged with but I hope 'the powers to be' will consider treason. Providing the means to kill Americans, be they on the battlefield or on the streets of Chicago, is something that should punished in the harshest manner possible.

Changing again.......  for you history buffs, here is an interesting piece of trivia. On this day in 1775, Benedict Arnold captures a British sloop and renamed her Enterprise, the first of many famous ships with that name. The irony, of course, is that Benedict Arnold would be the one to start the line of ships named Enterprise, which would serve the nation so proudly for over 200 years -and yet just a few years later he would become the most infamous traitor in American history.

Well, time for me to start my chores (the first one is to find an excuse for putting the others off). Have a good day and 'Ya all come back now, hear?

Live Long and Prosper......