just another week....

Where are we this week?

Well, besides being right here, our nation is preparing to celebrate its 233rd birthday this coming saturday.

233 years of freedom of speech and of the press, and what do we have to show for it?

Impressive, eh? I wonder what we can do to follow that? How about "damn near anything"?

To our friends the British, I would like to say "you are welcome". I don't know that you would have survived this long had you held on to the colonies when you tried. Consider that can of whoopass we opened up on you at Yorktown not just a lesson, but an investment in your future and your well-being.

And while I am on the subject of of semi-sentient beings who pontificate and bloviate on the popular media, there seems to be something of a urinating competition within the ranks of those pundits who fancy themselves to be on the right of the political spectrum regarding who did what and whose fault it is that they didn't win the election.

These people take themselves altogether too seriously, and really need to spend three months broke and unemployed, availing themselves of the services and resources available to most everyone, and exposed to all the petty insults and indignities that are placed in many peoples way by those who just don't understand what the problem is. I'm betting that the 'issue' of who is the purest conservative won't look quite as significant.

On a related note, Al Franken is going to become a senator, only eight months after the hotly contested election. It is this kind of thing that makes one wonder if this particular republic is too far gone to be worth saving. In any case, I hope that he serves with distinction, and leaves before he becomes a stalagmite like so many of the others.

Michael Jackson passed away this week.

OK, enough of that, lets move on.

For the past few weeks, we have been treated, yet again, to the saber rattling of the DPRK, with that little runt that they call 'beloved leader' threatening a rain of nuclear fire if he does not get his way. I know that out President campaigned on an image of doing things differently from the previous administration, but how much of this little cockroach do we need to put up with?

It is clear that his threat was taken seriously enough that defensive hardware was moved into Hawaii, Alaska and the mid Pacific areas to deal with any extreme contingencies. (As an aside, these US states, territories and protectorates are potentially threatened because any other test trajectory for a medium or long range rocket would cross Russian or Chinese territory--governments not known for displaying tolerance for unsanctioned overflights, even by comradely allies).

In the event of a provocation, our President needs to show some serious resolve, not to mention a set of brass cajones.....

The there is the Iran situation. When I think of brass balls and the 4th of July, I have to think of the folks there, in the streets, taking a stand for what they believe to be right. They may think no more highly of the USA than their government, but they are to be respected for what they are doing. Think of them this weekend, as you do what you do.

Everybody have a good weekend. I'd like to say hi, and welcome to Cathleen, and to anyone else who may happen by.