The Debate

I've just finished watching the last (thankfully) debate of this presidential campaign.

I just have a few thoughts.  I felt that the president was mocking Governor Romney when he spoke about the size of the military saying that we had fewer ships than in years past, but we also have fewer horses.  He also said that we have something called aircraft carriers where airplanes can land and take off.  I felt that this was uncalled for.  It's not necessary to speak down to, or mock, your opponent to get your point across.

After the first debate the president was criticized for not looking Romney in the eye.  I think he overdid it this time, he just stared or at times, it seemed like he glared.

I am a little disappointed in Governor Romney.  During the discussion about jobs being shipped to China, he should have mentioned that Jeffrey Imelt, the head of GE and also head of the president's jobs council, has sent one of GE's divisions' manufacturing jobs to China.  I guess that's because he didn't ask my advice.  I am glad though that he mentioned Solyndra and two car battery companies that received loans from us and are not producing.  That was money wasted.

Now all we have to do is get through the next two weeks and while I would like to see our unemployment rate go down, I'd like to see it reported honestly by all states, not like the last time.

I wonder what the "October Surprise" will be.

I admit that I am a "news junkie".  I like to know what's going on, even though it is sometimes disturbing like the report I heard yesterday.

It seems that there has been a delay in some states in getting the absentee ballots to our military in the middle east and other places.  In fact, our own department of justice is SUING the state of Ohio because Ohio wants to give our military an extra 3 days to vote.  The pentagon has had over 3 years to set up offices in the middle east so that these absentee ballots can be collected and returned home for counting.  They have not done so, resulting in some of our military to not have their vote counted.

This is so wrong.  If anything, the votes of military personnel should be counted before those of civilians.  They are out there working to preserve our way of life, including our right to vote and yet, they may lose their vote.

The military favors Gov. Romney by a wide margin.  Could this be the reason for their not getting their ballots in time to make their vote count?  I hate to think this may be true, but is there any other reason why our own justice department is suing  Ohio because Ohio wants to give our military 3 extra days to vote?  The way things are going, I'm tempted to believe this is true.  What do you think?

The Vice Presidential Debate

Last night I went out to dinner with some friends and so missed most of the debate.  I've been listening to some of the comments on Fox News this morning and had get up to voice my comments.

I caught the last 15 minutes and was quite surprised by the childishness of Joe Biden after Paul Ryan gave his closing statement.  Biden pointed out that he expected to get as much time as Paul Ryan.

Now to the comments on parts I missed.  It has been said that Biden was smirking and laughing during Paul Ryan's time to speak.  This should not surprise anyone.  It seems to be a democrat response.  I have seen this many times when Fox News is presenting both sides of a story.  The democrat spokesperson laughs at the republican/conservative point of view.  This is so offensive, and so common.

I am so looking forward to next week's presidential debate to see how the president will behave.  Will he continue the childish behavior of the vice president?  Or will he behave as a mature professional and stick to the facts?  We'll find out soon.

Crash

This morning as I was reading the various blogs I follow, Crash came into the room.  She was pushing for attention and I couldn't understand why.  She had been fed, had her treats and we had even played the game where I try to pick her up and she runs away.  We usually do this several times before I win and pick her up.

She had had all this attention.  I finally asked her what she wanted and I think she understood me.  She got up to leave the room, then looked around to see if I was following her.  I decided to follow and see what she was up to.

Several times she turned around to see if I was still following.  She finally went into the bathroom and sat before her water dish.  She looked from me to the dish to the faucet, then back to the dish.  I took the hint and gave her fresh water which she promptly drank.

It looks like she's getting smart in her old age (11 years), either that or she's got me trained.  I don't know which.

Inflation

I've been hearing for quite a while that we are in an inflationary period and that we shoud be prepared for higher prices for food.  I must admit that my food bills have not gone up over the last two years.

I did notice, however, that I really am getting less and less for my money.  Last week I found a sale on chunk lite tuna packed in water, which I always buy.  The cost was 10 cans for $10.  That seemed reasonable, until I picked up a can.  It seemed smaller, then I looked more carefully.  The net weight used to be 6 oz and a fraction.  Now it's 5 oz.  Same price, smaller can.  A few months ago, I noticed that there was more water and less tuna in a can.

Today I was melting some chocolate wafers to mold into candy.  I didn't get as much as I usually do.  I wondered if I had done something wrong until I checked the bag.  In the past the  bag contained 14 oz.  Now it contains 12 oz.  The price is the same.

I wonder how many other products are being packaged in smaller containers that are made to look like the old size.  That's just dishonest.  I really hate being lied to. 

Whether we realize it or not, inflation is here.  Just check the groceries in your pantry.  You may be paying the same price you've always paid, but you're getting less for your money.

Back to Seattle

 

During my trip to Seattle last month, my son asked what I wanted to do.  I told him I'd like to take a trip to see Mt. St. Helens.  Even though it was a three hour drive each way, he willingly took me.  It was a long ride, but seeing all those mountains made it seem to go fast, for me anyway.  I wasn't driving, but he didn't complain.

 

 

As we neared the mountain, I kept seeing these white things along the side of the mountain.  They looked like tombstones, but I didn't think they were.  As we got closer, I could see that they were the stumps of trees that had been knocked down by the force of the volcano.

 

 

 

They show up as white dots on the above photo and you can see some white lines that are the trees that had been knocked down.

 

 

When we got to the Johnson Ridge Observatory and parked the car, this is what welcomed us.  They look like sentries guarding the area.

 

 

 

The first thing we did when we got to the observatory was see a short film of the eruption and its aftermath.  And I'm so glad we did.  It was quite informative.  When the film was over, the curtains behind the screen opened and this is what we saw, but it looked much closer than this.

 

My son had been here before and he commented that the lava dome looked larger since the last time.

 

 

I got some good shots of the devastation and the recovery.  

The vegetation is coming back.

It looked to me like the mountain is burping some steam.

I never cease to be amazed at the force of nature and the way part of the mountain has been sliced off.

 

Yet, the forces of nature are bringing about a regrowth.

 

There was even some wildlife.

 

On the way back we stopped at this little restaurant, the only one we saw on the road.  They had a wraparound deck for outdoor dining, but there was no room.  We ate inside where I had an elkburger (my first).  It was delicious, very moist even though it was not as rare as I like it.  For dessert we had cobbler.  I had a peach which was also delicious.

It was a wonderful day.

Now I have to start thinking of places to see on my trip next year.  I think I'll try to fine something closer to the city limits and not push my luck that he will always be so willing to take me where I want to go.

We did some other things, but that's for another day.

Middle East Riots

I've been watching the news coverage of the riots in Cairo and Libya and am disgusted, not only by the riots, but also by the lame excuses given for this behavior. 

The CLAIM is that a little known movie about mohammed sparked the "outrage" by members of this religion of peace.  This movie has been available for viewing for about six months, but they only became outraged by it on September 11.  Isn't that interesting?

Why are we hearing apologies for someone's exercising his freedom of speech instead of what we Catholics hear when we are offended, "It's art".

A few years ago  an "artist" had his depiction of our Holy Virgin Mary depicted as a black madonna (no problem there) who was surrounded by images from blaxploitation movies and close-ups of femal private parts cut from porn magazines and elephant dung attached to the painting (big problem there) had his painting exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum.  Catholics protested, but there were no riots and no apologies.  We were told this was art to be appreciated.

This same Brooklyn Museum had a video depicting ants crawling over the body of a stylized Jesus.  Again, no riots and no apologies.  It's just art, freedom of expression.

There is a movie being planned which is based on a book Jesus of Nazareth which was written in 2010.  This movie depicts Jesus, not as the son of God, but as a politician who was the product of a rape of Mary by a Roman Soldier.  There were no riots about the book and I'm sure there will be none about the movie.

It's time to face the fact that the residents of the Middle East DO NOT LIKE US and no matter how much we apologize to them or give them things, they never will like us.  We shouldn't strive to be liked, we should strive to be RESPECTED.

To use the phrase that Christians hear when we find movies and paintings offensive, "Get over it, it's art".

My prayers are with the families of the four killed by Libyan savages.