I awoke this morning to the news of our arch nemesis' death at the hands of our military.
I wonder if I'm alone in feeling....anti-climatic about it.
Almost as if it's come a tad too late.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's gone.
Though I have to say, I'm not quite sure why they weren't able to do this a long time ago. But I'm not in the inner circles of our government, so I don't have insight as to why he wasn't killed sooner. Though I've never considered myself a conspiracy theorist - I have always believed that he was being kept alive for a reason - and that our government was not killing him for reasons unbeknownst to us.
(Dear Mr. Leader of Pakistan: Um, you're kidding me, right?)
And since we're on the topic of conspiracy theories, truthfully -- I'm shocked we have no photographs of said dead terrorist. I mean, we literally watched Saddam Hussein's death - and photographs of his corpse were circulated immediately. And yet....we have nothing of our dearly departed Bin Laden. Weird, right? Something about this just doesn't feel right....
I'm not saying he isn't dead; I'm just saying that maybe it didn't happen quite the way or at the time we were informed.
It was amazing to watch NYC celebrate....they deserve that, they need it -- they were devasted beyond anything that we can comprehend.
But to see the college kids in Boston "partying" until 3am about it sort of made me scratch my head a bit. The average college student was 10 years old at the time of the tragedy. I'm not really sure about the actual emotion of the news versus the wanting to celebrate something....jump onto some sort of bandwagon -- or as one student quipped on tv, not wanting to "miss the best party of the year". Hmmm. Not exactly my emotion about it, but - okay.
So here's the thing. Were we better off with a weak, sickly, poorly funded and not as well "staffed" Al Quieda with Osama in charge; someone who has hidden in the shadows for years and once a year like TuPac Shakur seemingly comes out with a new "tape" for us to see and prove he's still around. Or are we better off now with a potentially angry and possibly now hungry-- leader that we have yet to see if he has the ability to recruit other angry people for the cause.
I just don't know.
Showing posts with label politcs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politcs. Show all posts
Monday, May 02, 2011
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Land that I love...
So, I don't get to blog surf much - but when I do, one of my very first stops is to Suldog. He's over there in the Guest List, and you should check him out if you haven't already. Anyway, last night I had a few minutes to surf and he had this great post about 100 things he loves about America. Fun, right?
I felt compelled to play along, natch.
Some are specific, some are more vague - and while some may not be American exclusive per se - they're still on my list. Let's play, shall we...? I have to be honest, I can't come up with 100 for tonight, but I can do 50 anyway.
(By the way, if you do a list - please feel free to share yours with me!)
1. Apple Pie. Though not my personal first choice of pie - it is pretty darn spectacular if made right, particularly with a little caramel melted in. Just sayin'...
2. Baseball. Really, need I say more?
3. The freedom to say what we want, sing what we want, write what we want and protest when we choose to.
4. Our Government. Listen, it's not perfect - but it's ours. Besides, I can say things about my dysfunctional family members, but God help the other person who calls my family dysfunctional. You hear me clucking big chicken?
5. The generosity of the American people. It's seemingly never ending, isn't it?
6. Our hard-ass reputation. I'm sorry, other countries might dislike us (bla, bla, whine whine) - but who do they come running to when they're in trouble. I don't think it's France.... just sayin'.
7. We drive on the RIGHT side of the road.
8. English. Listen - I love, love, love foreign languages - but let's be honest, English is just easier to understand. There's nothing gutteral, it doesn't take fancy tongue movements, there's nothing muffled about it.
9. Hollywood. Really, there's nothing like the allure of the beautiful people.
10. NYC. Is there a city other than Boston that's more fun than NYC?
11. Boston. Beacause this is where it all begin.... we are the history, the tradition, the guts and the glory. We are the heart & sould of America. Because I "love that dirty water"....
12. Elvis. Sure, England had the Beatles - but we had the King.
13. The American Dream. This is the land of opportunity. It's all yours if you just apply yourself and try. You don't get nothing for nothing... but you can have it all if you work hard.
14. The American Spirit. Oh yes, there is such a thing. And it is inherent within us all. "Live free or die" is more than a state motto - it's a mindset.
15. Southern Cooking. Truly - does it get any better than fried chicken, grits, collard greens and sweet potato pie? Um, I don't think so...!
16. Key West. Does this really need explaining?
17. TV Culture. From Fonzie, to The Jeffersons - The Brady Bunch to Seinfeld and everything in between - our television culture rocks. Sure it bombs from time to time as well, but seriously - we've had some great tv.
18. FoodTV. Speaking of TV, we've got some kickin' master chefs to show us how it's done.
19. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Thank God for that little creation.
20. Doritos. Second best creation on Earth.
21. Stupid Celebrities. Seriously, you've gotta love them. Especially with fabulous soundbites like "Crack is whack!".
22. Patriotic Songs. We have tons of them! And they're all really pretty great; I don't know about anyone else, but I still get a little faklempt post 9-11 at times listening to them.
23. Sept 11th. Yes, it was horrible and tragic -- but we own it. It's ours, and I've chosen to embrace it. It's our day to mourn the losses, and celebrate the fact that we will never, ever, ever allow something like that to happen to us again. Own the tragedy - and take the power away from the beast. Yippie ki-yay Mo'Fo. Just sayin'...
24. BBQ. From Missouri, to Texas -- we've got the best BBQ foods around!
25. Folk music. Peter Paul & Mary, Joanie Mitchell, Joan Collins, Joan Baez...the list goes on and on from the more traditional to newer contemporary folk-ish. It's one of my personal favorite genres, and it doesn't get more Americana than that.
26. Doo Wop Diners. Maybe there are some elsewhere, but I'm thinking that's a little gem that's probably all ours.
27. McDonalds & Burger King. Sure - it's bad for us, but seriously - it still tastes pretty darn good even though we pay for it later after we eat it. And those two bad boys certainly have taken over the world...
28. Cheesy Reality TV. Okay - we may not have created it, but wow - we've certainly done well with it. Jersey Shore is living proof that only in America are people happy being famous for being idiots.
30. Seinfeld. Seriously needs no explanation and just goes with the above.
I felt compelled to play along, natch.
Some are specific, some are more vague - and while some may not be American exclusive per se - they're still on my list. Let's play, shall we...? I have to be honest, I can't come up with 100 for tonight, but I can do 50 anyway.
(By the way, if you do a list - please feel free to share yours with me!)
1. Apple Pie. Though not my personal first choice of pie - it is pretty darn spectacular if made right, particularly with a little caramel melted in. Just sayin'...
2. Baseball. Really, need I say more?
3. The freedom to say what we want, sing what we want, write what we want and protest when we choose to.
4. Our Government. Listen, it's not perfect - but it's ours. Besides, I can say things about my dysfunctional family members, but God help the other person who calls my family dysfunctional. You hear me clucking big chicken?
5. The generosity of the American people. It's seemingly never ending, isn't it?
6. Our hard-ass reputation. I'm sorry, other countries might dislike us (bla, bla, whine whine) - but who do they come running to when they're in trouble. I don't think it's France.... just sayin'.
7. We drive on the RIGHT side of the road.
8. English. Listen - I love, love, love foreign languages - but let's be honest, English is just easier to understand. There's nothing gutteral, it doesn't take fancy tongue movements, there's nothing muffled about it.
9. Hollywood. Really, there's nothing like the allure of the beautiful people.
10. NYC. Is there a city other than Boston that's more fun than NYC?
11. Boston. Beacause this is where it all begin.... we are the history, the tradition, the guts and the glory. We are the heart & sould of America. Because I "love that dirty water"....
12. Elvis. Sure, England had the Beatles - but we had the King.
13. The American Dream. This is the land of opportunity. It's all yours if you just apply yourself and try. You don't get nothing for nothing... but you can have it all if you work hard.
14. The American Spirit. Oh yes, there is such a thing. And it is inherent within us all. "Live free or die" is more than a state motto - it's a mindset.
15. Southern Cooking. Truly - does it get any better than fried chicken, grits, collard greens and sweet potato pie? Um, I don't think so...!
16. Key West. Does this really need explaining?
17. TV Culture. From Fonzie, to The Jeffersons - The Brady Bunch to Seinfeld and everything in between - our television culture rocks. Sure it bombs from time to time as well, but seriously - we've had some great tv.
18. FoodTV. Speaking of TV, we've got some kickin' master chefs to show us how it's done.
19. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Thank God for that little creation.
20. Doritos. Second best creation on Earth.
21. Stupid Celebrities. Seriously, you've gotta love them. Especially with fabulous soundbites like "Crack is whack!".
22. Patriotic Songs. We have tons of them! And they're all really pretty great; I don't know about anyone else, but I still get a little faklempt post 9-11 at times listening to them.
23. Sept 11th. Yes, it was horrible and tragic -- but we own it. It's ours, and I've chosen to embrace it. It's our day to mourn the losses, and celebrate the fact that we will never, ever, ever allow something like that to happen to us again. Own the tragedy - and take the power away from the beast. Yippie ki-yay Mo'Fo. Just sayin'...
24. BBQ. From Missouri, to Texas -- we've got the best BBQ foods around!
25. Folk music. Peter Paul & Mary, Joanie Mitchell, Joan Collins, Joan Baez...the list goes on and on from the more traditional to newer contemporary folk-ish. It's one of my personal favorite genres, and it doesn't get more Americana than that.
26. Doo Wop Diners. Maybe there are some elsewhere, but I'm thinking that's a little gem that's probably all ours.
27. McDonalds & Burger King. Sure - it's bad for us, but seriously - it still tastes pretty darn good even though we pay for it later after we eat it. And those two bad boys certainly have taken over the world...
28. Cheesy Reality TV. Okay - we may not have created it, but wow - we've certainly done well with it. Jersey Shore is living proof that only in America are people happy being famous for being idiots.
29. Friends. I know I said Television Culture earlier - but where else does a TV show create a hair style that rocked the world like the "Rachel" did? And so many mannerisms that we've all embraced? Friends is truly a standout.
30. Seinfeld. Seriously needs no explanation and just goes with the above. 31. Dollar Stores. How cool are they in a pinch sometimes? Truly, fun for a Mom with two young children. Where else can a parent give their child a pick of two things, come out without spending a ton of money - and have the kids feel like Kings & Queens?
32. Fantastic Stand Up Comedians. Call me crazy, but I've yet to see anyone funny from another country. Throw a name out there if I'm wrong.
33. Twitter. Love it for business use - and you got it, created right here in the USA.
34. Superman. The strongest man on Earth, who's all about Truth, Justice and the American Way. He's from another planet who happened to land in good ol' Kansas. Does it get any better than that?
35. Great ethnic neighborhoods. Little Italy, Little Chinatown, Koreatown, The French Quarter, etc... because we are America, we've got these great little neighborhood sections in all of our major cities to allow us to embrace not only what might be our own heritages - but other people's as well.
36. Boxing. I don't know if it started here in America, but it definitely is part of our roots with immigration.
37. New England Boiled Dinner. Thank you to the Irish Immigrants for introducing us to the Corn Beef & Cabbage feast.
38. Square Dancing, Line Dancing and the like. Remember when everyone square danced? I didn't - but my parents did! And I loved, loved, loved the skirts. So twirly and fun!
39. The 4th of July. It's all red, white & blue - and all about us!
40. The ball drop on New Years Eve. Sure, that might not be inherently ours -but the world watches ours!
41. Budweiser. Not my personal favorite - but it's definitely a warm, fuzzy American product. Or well, it used to be - before a Belgian company bought it.
42. American Airlines. Definitely one of my favorite airlines.
43. Cabot, Jasper Hills, Cowgirl Creamery. We have some freakin' delicious cheeses, just to name a few!
44. Starbucks. Probably not the best coffee in the world in comparison to some other countries, but for "fast food" coffee -- it's pretty good. Pretty, pretty good.
45. Christmas Tree Shops. I just love a bargain -- don't you?
46. Yankee Candle. The best smelling candles ever.... !!!
47. The Pledge of Allegiance. I love it the way it is - in it's original form. We are one Nation, under God (I don't care what you name your God - it's still a God), indivisible (when push comes to shove), with Liberty & Justice for all.
48. The Stars & Stripes. Forever....
49. The Statue of Liberty, and all that she stands for. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
50. The Declaration of Independence. "Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness"....
Sunday, July 04, 2010
First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean...
What is the 4th of July all about.... aside from the obvious day of celebrating with barbecues, good friends and family?
It is the day that we celebrate our Declaration of Independence. The day that we reaffirm that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."
America the Beautiful. America the Free. America the Brave.
All countries have their beauty and their charm; it will always be fun to visit other places, embrace other cultures and admire other's histories. But there is something special and sacred about being an American and having the passion that is inherent within us to stand up and fight for what we believe in. Whether we're defending as a nation on a global scale -- protecting the environment and nature -- or protecting our loved ones, on our own personal level.
The spirit and fire to be strong, independent and free to try anything and aspire to achieve anything in life is what makes us unique; it's what makes us Americans - and I for one am proud to be from forward thinking and strong willed stock, same as the originators of this amazing country.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
We are not a perfect nation; we are not perfect people - and our government is far from perfection. But we do not give up, we will always perservere -- and we will always keep reaching for improvements.
It is the day that we celebrate our Declaration of Independence. The day that we reaffirm that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."
America the Beautiful. America the Free. America the Brave.
All countries have their beauty and their charm; it will always be fun to visit other places, embrace other cultures and admire other's histories. But there is something special and sacred about being an American and having the passion that is inherent within us to stand up and fight for what we believe in. Whether we're defending as a nation on a global scale -- protecting the environment and nature -- or protecting our loved ones, on our own personal level.
The spirit and fire to be strong, independent and free to try anything and aspire to achieve anything in life is what makes us unique; it's what makes us Americans - and I for one am proud to be from forward thinking and strong willed stock, same as the originators of this amazing country.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
We are not a perfect nation; we are not perfect people - and our government is far from perfection. But we do not give up, we will always perservere -- and we will always keep reaching for improvements.
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