Why Does It Never Stop?

We are approaching the time of year when, if not shopping, people tend to be more friendly and in better moods. Thanksgiving. Family gatherings around bountiful tables. Even the less fortunate are usually provided with a good meal.

Christmas. Holiday music can't help but cheer. More family and food and gifts and maybe even a remembrance of what the Holiday is about. Both holidays, a mere month apart, will seem so distant but a week after when we return to normal; school, jobs, the cold streets ~ and war.

The headlines today tell us of the North Koreans attacking an island off South Korea with the promise of more. Afghanistan. Iraq. Israel vs. the Palestinians. Iran against everyone along with al Qaeda and the Taliban. Untold African nations within their own borders and without.We have the Mexican drug cartels at war with each other and anyone who happens to get in their way. We even have our own citizens at war against the TSA for stripping away one right too many.

I write about conflict far too often. I wonder what the militias are up to. I fear we haven't enough resources to handle one more. Why does it never stop? What is wrong with man that conflict must be war, killing. Death.

The biggest mystery of all, to me, is from Genesis 1:27 ~

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

How so?

Happy Tails

Sometimes as we stagger through our everyday lives good things come along. Like fine wine, good food and friends - and dogs.

As a short week for me comes to an end I'm happy to reflect on a few days away from the everyday world. Our initial trip to Seattle was to attend the exhibition of Picasso's works at the Museum. Before that, however, we met up with our favorite wine tasting friends in Woodinville where we hadn't been in years. As happened last spring when we were tasting in Prosser, we were met by a dog at the very first winery. And as before he made a beeline toward me. I loved it.

As conversation ensued we found that a book is being written about the winery dogs of Washington. I, of course, thought this was beyond wonderful. As I sat down to write this I did some browsing, hoping to find a picture or two. Well there are dozens. There are winery dogs in Napa and British Columbia and a hundred other places. They are pets. Some are rescue dogs. Many have wines named in their honor. Like the bottlings to benefit Michael Vick's victims.

We stayed at The Willows which has it's house dog. Ruthie. We knew her from a previous visit and were delighted to find her still at her post handling complaints from her heated, massage bed just inside the door to the lobby. She doesn't get any complaints but is the recipient of numerous tummy rubs. Her only competition for attention this trip was a bull dog who was as big a ham as he was ugly. In the most lovable sort of way.

I got to thinking about the civilized things the world is missing - the ambiance of wine country inns and restaurants and tasting rooms. The tastes and the bouquet of not only wine but food too. The camaraderie of friends having a good time. And the company of dogs.

Should Hillary Cut And Run?

Cut and run could mean two adding up to one! Cut and run from the abysmal foreign policy record of the Obama administration or cut, and run for President.

I have to give Hillary credit, though from appearences it's taking it's toll, for being the good soldier and following the dictates from Obama. It's an interesting dilemma for her. Though she's said she isn't going to run, given the right circumstances I think she might. One would be if Russ Feingold challenges Obama from the left, Hillary could jump in and challenge him from the right - as far right as a Democrat would go.

The other might be if Sarah Palin actually throws her hat in the ring, which seems more and more likely. I think Hillary might find cause for a challenge because I think she'd still like to be the first female President and would loath relinguishing it to Sarah Palin. Unless things change an awful lot in the next two years, Obama will be vunerable.

The issue is what to do about her current job. It isn't going all that well. As was made obvious during Obama's recent foray out into the world, no one wants to do things his way. He's viewed as weak - and worse, wrong.

For Hillary to stay and do his bidding doesn't help her credability. Foreign policy by bribery doesn't cut it. It's a well known fact that's how much of our war in Afghanistan is being waged as was the previous effort in Iraq. Pay the war lords and they'll work with us as long as the Taliban or al Qaeda doesn't pay more. When they do. Oh well.

Yesterday the Financial TImes reported on our latest bribery scheme. This time with our vaunted ally Israel. The peace talks are once more stymied over the issue of settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu is blythly waiting to see what he can get this go round.

Here we go. The U.S. is demanding a 90 day settlement freeze for negotiations to take place. To get that we would agree to veto any anti-Israeli resolutions in the UN security council, plus provide 20 F-35 fighters to the Israeli air force plus deliver another pre-ordered 20 at no cost. All this to get 90 days to negotiate the issue!

One F-35 costs $113 million. Times 40 equals $4,520,000,000. Talk is certainly not cheap!

If I were Netayahu I'd take it, talk for awhile then resume building to see what else might be put on the table. I don't know, it's just my opinion, but pouring so many of our resources into a squabble that's never going to end seems foolhardy. Neither side wants peace as we envision it.

If Hillary wants a legacy of success she isn't going to get it as Secretary of State in this administration. If she's wise she'll consider the cut and run option - or cut, and run.

One Senator's Love Pats...

Let's hear it for Senator George LeMieux (R Fl) for agreeing that the "enhanced" pat downs are invasive, they've gone too far and that he wouldn't want his wife to have to suffer one. A voice of reason in the midst of deafening silence from his colleagues.

If anything irks me more than the senselessness of the current procedures, it's the contempt of those forcing them upon us under threat of arrest and an $11,000 fine for refusing. Oh, what if the Christmas bomber had succeeded? Does anyone remember that he did not board a flight in the U.S. and that the passengers on the plane are the ones who subdued him regardless of the precautions supposedly taken in Amsterdam? And that immediately afterward Secretary Napolitano claimed our that obviously our system worked? How can you not shake your head over that one. Our system had nothing to do with it. We're just fortunate there were observant passengers on board that plane.

Now both Napolitano and John Pistole, who is fronting for the TSA on this one, have experienced the "enhanced" pat downs. Why do I question that? Somehow I don't imagine any TSA agent is going to grope Big Sis or Little Brother.

Even worse is the attitude of those like Senator Claire McCaskill (D Mo) who commented, "I'm wildly excited that I can walk through a machine instead of getting my dose of love pats." Love pats indeed.

You know what is left unsaid? If indeed she's not just talking down to us, it would indicate those who have their separate lines and government identification have a different standard applied.

Grab their junk like they grab ours and see what happens. They still claim the images are seen by one person in a separate room. Explain to me then why one woman's blouse was pulled down, exposing her breasts and they stood around laughing about it. When an agent coming on duty asked what was so amusing and was told, he exclaimed he'd have to be sure to view the tapes.

Well trained professionals. Let's give them some love pats!

Off To Peruse Pablo

We cannot miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to study some 150 works of one of the most renowned artists of all time. As Hub says, we wouldn't own one even if we could afford to but we'd like to understand the the body of work and the man who created it.

See you later in the week.