Some Things Never Change...

Well, I'm back. Frankly, except for the date you'd never really know it! Dubya's gone but Congress is still playing the same silly games. My hair is going greyer somewhat, I'm still trying to shed pounds (I'm not going to say how many), and this photo probably doesn't look that much like me anymore---although I'm still recognizable ( I hope!).

We still seem to be heading toward Fascism (either party, take your pick), still seem to be on the brink of a world-wide financial crash, and still waiting for World War III (or is it here already? Who knows?). I'm SO reminded of  A Tale Of Two Cities.  Remember the opening lines?  "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." I don't know about YOU, but I'm beginning to think this fence we're all sitting on is getting mighty uncomfortable! Is it or isn't it coming? And WHEN, for cryinoutloud?

Be back soon---don't hold your breath.

The End Of Democracy?

Yes, if our Congress can't cooperate---and I blame the GOP most of all for their obstructionist tactics---we will see the end of democracy in the United States. Nixon perhaps unwittingly brought in all the worst of today's Hard Right Republicans, and when Reagan was elected (due mainly to their dirty tricks, I'm sure) these fanatics transformed the GOP into nothing more than a big bully. With the help of the Noise Machine---Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc.---these bullies redefined the honorable term "Compromise" from seeking to find a workable solution to a bizarre 19th century meaning of "being compromised" and having betrayed ones principles in doing so. Thus, in refusing to compromise they became "virtuous", and the others became mere "party hacks". Brilliant, yes, but what parties compromise over is not virtue versus sin, which is what their meaning of "compromise" meant.
They demonized the Democrats partly because, without Communism, they had no "enemy" with which to keep America frightened. Whatever the Democrats/Liberals thought, said, or did became "Un-American". They kept hammering away at that point until now it looks as if most Americans actually agree with that. And I'm afraid.
You see, back in 1967 I was a senior in high school taking a course in American Government, and one of our books was, to me, the bible of American Democracy. This was a book of readings from famous political scientists, philosophers, Founding Fathers, about the problems of democracy. In it was a section on why democracies failed, and one of the most chilling statements was that when political parties no longer worked together one could infer that such a government would altogether fail and fall into either fascism or chaos. Well, are we not seeing it now? The GOP is so hot to win that it will send this country into complete meltdown. No lies are too small, no dirty tricks too nasty that the GOP won't use them to stonewall, bully, and win by any means necessary. Machiavelli would be proud.

Brainwashing And American Males

I've discovered that males seem uniquely prone to brainwashing by the Conservative Media. I don't know why it's so, but maybe it has to do with the male penchant for "being right" (pun intended). Also, I suspect it has a lot to do with their mania for being "well-informed" and spouting their opinions as proof of it. As we all know, women are neither well-informed or right (in every meaning of that word). We are simply opinionated and wrong! Unless, of course, we subscribe to the Right. But what I find truly maddening is that males who hold Conservative opinions have nothing but contempt for anyone who doesn't. They, and they alone, are correct, and the rest of us are Commie-Pinko morons. That includes family members and, most importantly, their wives.
If I so much as suggest that a Conservative commentator is wrong, my son and husband berate me in a rather mean fashion. If I happen to be right in what I've said, they explode! It's gotten so I can't even open my mouth without being taunted "Oh, you just hate Republicans". Well, I don't, but even though I've voted for several (I'm still terribly old-fashioned about voting for the best candidate) they simply forget. Worse, their taunts are getting to the point of cruelty. What's happening to us? Why can't we talk to one another anymore? Frankly, I'm scared. What's next---physical assault on one's Liberal wife? Make no mistake, Fox and the rest of what David Brill so brilliantly termed The Republican Noise Machine are spreading hatred. On purpose. Without Commies to bash and fear, we who are Democrats have become THE ENEMY. Males do seem to be more susceptible to the Right's brainwashing, but will women catch up? God help us if they do. As for me, I will never feel safe voting for another Republican, and that's really scary!

If I Only Knew Now What I Thought I Knew Then

Ah, the absolute certainty of Youth! When I was just out of college I knew everything. So what happened? As I get older I get wiser, maybe, but I find I know so little compared to my younger years. How sad. At this rate I'll know nothing pretty soon.
Bad enough I've forgotten most of what I learned in school---even if most of it is now outdated. In no time I'll be a tabula rasa, God forbid. Is this what happens when you get old? It's almost like Alzheimer's, in a way; I'm always meeting new facts, and the old facts don't look familiar either.
There's so much I'll never know, so much I'll never have time to get to, so much I'll never be sure of again. Sigh.
Youth is indeed wasted on the young. Why wasn't I twice as snotty when I had the chance? Now that I'm 61 it's expected I'll be grouchy. It's assumed I'll be a know-it-all. Worse, it's considered cute at this age. Oh well...

Is This Global Warming Or What?

I'm not sure but I'd say the GOP really botched their call of Global Cooling. Yes, we certainly did have a lot of snow and all that. Even so, all that snow and rain was well within the parameters predicted by the warming scenario, and we all know now that the so-called "e-mail conspiracy" among left-wing meteorologists was concocted by the GOP and their pet weather-mongers.
So what's happening? Well, it's hot enough to set records here in the Northeast. Looks like it won't be breaking anytime soon, either, which is dangerous for people, animals, and plants. Not to mention the fact that farms are having to spray their fruit trees to keep them from cooking on the vine---literally. Then we also have to wonder how the BP mess will affect weather, too. All that wonderful Corexit (does it have an "e" on the end? I can't remember) and oil in our oceans---face it, it's not just the Gulf of Mexico that's had accidents---probably will end up in our rain clouds world-wide very soon. It's the oceans that drive the weather cycles, which scares the hell out of me and should scare you as well. We don't need this weather situation getting any worse, but don't hold your breath.

Be Careful---Your Web Cam Can Be Spying On You

I've just bought a new laptop with a built-in web cam, and while the photo to the left isn't impressive, just imagine if I'd been stupid enough to go naked when it snapped this. Mind you, I'm 61 and not inclined to do daring things, but hardly anyone seems to think twice about computing "in the buff", as it were. They should.
While at the present moment I can see no light indicating any cam action I must nevertheless be concerned; after all, remember how employers, principals, and government officials all gleefully spy on us for whatever reasons they feel are "necessary"? It happens more often than you think---or care to imagine. Frankly, I wish they would mind their own business, but how much would you care to wager on that? Never happen!
I've often toyed with the thought of wearing some ghastly body suit that would make it appear I'm naked. Something really sickening, you know. Maybe open sores running thick, yellow pus. Or perhaps something like the chest-bursting creature from ALIEN. I know it's childish, but you have to admit that there's hardly any point in being an adult if you can't be childish at times. That, by the way, is my favorite Tom Baker quote from Dr. Who.
Let's all be childish and do some absolutely squalid (there's a great British word for you!) pranks to get even with Big Brother. If not (or you're a coward like me), then just cover over the web cam lens. After all, do you really want to make it easy for them?

Don't Go Near The Water---Forever

Mmmm! Don't you just love swimming at the beach? Well, you won't much longer. This is the current state of the waves washing up on Gulf shores, and it's not getting any better---probably never. It looks rather pretty, actually, something like liquid amber, perhaps. Nevertheless, it's deadly, and lots of pretty things are deadly in nature. This, unfortunately, is not nature; at least it's not what nature should be doing to us.
This, I'm afraid is what "nature" will be looking like for at least the foreseeable future. How "foreseeable", you ask? Let's just say that most scientists doubt BP will be able to plug this hole. Ever. Sometimes I have a sneaking suspicion they don't really want to plug it. Just think how much the price of oil might rise, and we all know supply and demand has little, if anything, to do with prices. If the supposed "law of supply and demand" did apply, then how come prices have been able to remain relatively stable thus far?
No, we're screwed, folks. Even if they manage to plug this hole by August (which is looking to be maybe August 2011, if we're lucky) those billions, possibly trillions, of gallons will have poisoned the entire Gulf already. Not only that, but projections by NASA predict that the entire Gulf Stream will be nothing but oil---all the way up the east coast as far as the Carolinas---before heading off toward Europe. And as if that's not bad enough, the dispersant will have been sucked up into the clouds to enable the entire North American continent to be poisoned by oily rains. Not to mention the usual hurricanes as well. Better start praying, but don't expect God to answer. He's probably on vacation---permanently.
Oh, and I wouldn't drink orange juice, either.