Breach of Contract

This is how our our government thanks the brave men and women over in Iraq. How is this possible?
Please read the article.

Here are a couple of other ways our men and women over there and stationed here are getting the shaft from Uncle Sam. The following statistics are from Had Enough? A Handbook for Fighting Back by James Carville.

-- $1.5 billion in cuts to military family housing, schools, and child care centers;
-- $200 million in cust ton Impact Aid, the program that funds schools near military bases;
-- Doubling the prices that vetrans will pay for perscription drugs;
-- Cutting vetrans' medical care by suspending enrollments at VA health centers;
-- "Imminent danger pay" cut from $225 monthly to $150 monthly
-- Family separation allowance cut from $250/month to $100/month.

Good ole Shrub has done it again. Cutting taxes, but saying that the people getting shot at are not worth $225 a month.

Also, on a side note. I have heard several times over the past few weeks reports of soldiers saying that they are more grateful for the people coming over on USO tours and their visits than the Turkey Bush brought. The president should make it over there as the commander in chief. It is his duty. The USO people are going over because they want to. To show real support for our troops.

God Bless them.

On The Road, or Travel's with Homer

First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was great.

Monday 12/22/03

Arrive at Harrison Street Greyhound Station. Way early. Oh well, that is travel paranoia me.

Meet Mark. An actor from St. Paul. We share a seat to Milwaukee. Over half the bus departs at Milwaukee, I bid Mark adeau and take over my own row of seat. This pleasure continues for th next 7 and one half hours as I make my way to Rochester, MN. Land of 'The Brain'.

Nothing of real excitment happens on the bus. No Carnies. No Drunks. Listened to a sad story from the people behind me...eaves dropping. Let us just say that domestic abuses are even more painful during holidays.

Hightened travel alert. Means zilch, except for LaCrosse Wisconsin of all places. They had what was either the local high school ROTC or the local National Guard at their bus station.

Hopped over the mighty muddy Mississippi. Instant snow....WEIRD.

Arrived in Rochester safely and all body parts intact at 7.15 pm. Ms. Mae is there to pick up this ragged soul.

We begin the 30 minute treck to Spring Valley Minnesota. With stops at Andy's Liquor to get a bottle of wine for her Grandparents, and Fleet Farm for a gift for her dad.

Safe arrival in SV.

Lots of stars in the middle on nowhere. Absolutley beautiful. I love the city, but I love the middle of nowhere about as much if not more. No asphault jungle. No go go go. Just space. Air. Breath. Life.

Play pool. Go to Bed.

Tues. 12/23

Do not do much really. Until afternoon, when I finally meet the gaggle of friends I have heard so much about. A rather jovial bunch. Good times and libations we had by all.

Wed. 12/24/03

Finally the night of the begining of the new covenant is here. For unto to us a child is given. Gloria, In exilsis Deo.

Make it through a Lutheran Christmas eve service witout getting strung up. Actually this was less formal that the last one I went to. More of a Carols and Lessons service.

Thurs. 12/25/03

Celebrate the day with Ms. Mae's family. Have a wonderful time. Meet new folks. See some fimilar faces. Tis a blessing.

At Don and Isabelle's house I enjoyed the confusion of the children as they passed out gifts, wondering who the new fuzzy guy is. Quite fun.

Friday 12/26/03

On the road, again at 8:00 am sharp. That was weird. And EARLY. Begin the treck from Srping Valley to Springfiled, IL via Iowa. WOW. There is a lot of it. Start by taking route 63 all the way to Waterloo. Just on the other side of a river we join I 380 all the way to Iowa City where we merge onto I-80.

On this section of the trip we managed to exit for some gas, and get behind an 18-wheeler. No big deal, except we are behind it on the off-ramp. And I notice that there is a big sign on the back of the truck saying that it is a truck driving trainee. The poor fellow turns on to the road at the top of the off ramp. Must have popped the clutch or something, because the dern thing stalls. Yep, here we are in Ms. Mae's mom's nice Impala on a kind of sharp curvy incline with a stalled semi in front of us. After a few moments of cold sweat he beings moving.

We make it to Springfield unscathed.

We arrive in the Patch about 2:30 and find out that my cousin is in town and dinner is planned for everyond...fantastic.

Dinner at The Fairview is great. Ms. Mae meets my cousin and her family, along with my grandparents cousin.

We share gifts, the three of us, mom, Ms. Mae and me.

Sat. 12/27/03

Sleep. Go to lunch with Mom. Got to the mall to get more toys with gift cards. Go to Movie. Sleep

Sun. 12/28/03

Church. See familiar faces. Have a nice time. Out to lunch with family. Nap. Dinner. The road to chicago.

1,011 miles total.

That was my tripp and experinece.

Peace to all

Final Respects

I my previous post I mentioned the passing of Sen. Paul Simon. The Suntimes today ran a great recap of his memorial service in Carbondale. Please read it if you get a chance. I have such respect for this great man.

"One last thing -- by George, you were a good man, Paul Simon." -- Sen. Dick Durbin

I have returned.

After a bit of a hiatus I am back, and will try to update this thing more regularly. I just have not been inspired.

But some recent happenings in the news have got me thinking (uh-oh here he goes).

Watching all the depressing and agrivating events of the past week (suicide bombings, mortar attacks, parents drowing childern, etc) got me thinking about a passage in the great book "Once and Future King." I read this book in highs school, so please bear with me here if my memory is a bit faulty.

General Drift: Merlin and a boy Artuhr are on one of there lessons, and they have become ants. While they are ants, Arthur notices that they will randomly attack each other. Merlin note that besides fire ants, the only animals that kill each other for no good reason (self-defense, etc) are humans.

So that has me thinking.

Humans are supposed to be suprieor to the other animals, and yet we disrespect each other with such malice that I have a hard time buying that. If humans are superior, why is there so much hate between different races, creeds, neighbors, families? I belive in the existance of evil, but sometime I get so upset at its growth that I want to give up.

Several times a day, I want to break down and talk some sense into people. I have my heart broken daily, because I can not put some change in the guys cup. I am moved to tears when I read articles in the paper about mans hatred towards man.

But on the flip side, I am moved to tears of joy by some simple acts of human decency, and I am thankful all...no most humans are not evil. I am thankful when I read of donations to shelters, cooking of meals, reconciliations of families. I rejoice when I hear of people taking care of their sisters.

But we hear more about the bad than the good. Maybe if we here more good, more good will happen.

-----

Another RIP

Senator Paul Simon died. I liked him. He retired before I could vote for him. But he cared for people. In fact he was the only democrat my dad ever mentioned in a quasi postive light.

You were a special man...I respect you.

Peace...I will be back sooner than later.