Thank You, Veterans

238 Years Strong

Photo: Curtis Lowe - wordpress.com
Click to donate: Semper Fi Fund

Taking Out the Trash

Information Technology, or "I.T." as it's popularly called, has transformed all of our lives. Where we used to make a call, write a letter, or drop in, we now just log on to a website and do our business (and let the NSA take it from there).

I've had my current computer for almost five years. It's a Mac that I bought for the photo and DVD functions, also the iPod application. Having grown up, technologically speaking, in the Microsoft universe, Apple's document programs are worthless to me. But I do like the photo features, both for personal use and for blogging.

Besides the blog, my other social media platforms include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest. That's a lot of keyboarding, a lot of cutting and pasting--and a lot of deleting. Lately I've noticed that web pages have been loading slowly and then crashing, which makes it very tough to blog successfully. So I decided to do some basic maintenance. Remember, I'm a PC person, not an Apple gal. I've never paid too much attention to the trash bin on the desktop.

When I hit the button to empty the trash tonight, I had 48,957 items in it. That was an hour ago. It's down to 45,002 items now. Looks like I'll need to leave the computer running for awhile. And they say Macs are easy? Ha! Lesson learned. This would never happen with a Dell.

Next time I buy a computer, it's back to PC-Land for me. I prefer my Apples to be the edible kind.

"Boo!" on the Beards

Tonight the Boston Red Sox won the World Series at home in Fenway Park for the first time since 1918.

Congratulations, guys. Now, would you all please go and shave? Those scruffy beards made you look like a smelly collection of homeless
Smith Brothers.

Still Serving

From Soldiers' Angels Facebook page

A Lot on His Plate

When sorrows come, they come not single spies

But in battalions. ~ Hamlet, IV:5

President Obama certainly has his hands full these days. I'll bet today was one occasion that our feckless--I mean, fearless--leader would have preferred to skip having to talk. Getting busted for eavesdropping on Angela Merkel's personal cell phone, and she literally calls you on it? Whoops. Not a fun conversation.

And now there are reports that Saudi Arabia is about to give the USA the old heave-ho, diplomatically speaking. In the midst of Obamacare's mounting technological woes, the president's foreign relationships are also in shambles.

Such a pity. I guess the leveling of the oceans and the healing of the planet will have to wait.

Standing Up for Health

A woman standing behind President Obama during his rah-rah-healthcare speech today nearly passed out. I'm surprised she was the only one. From what I've heard of it, the speech was bad enough to induce a coma in anyone listening to more than three sentences. I'd rather sit through 27 minutes of a Ginsu steak knives infomercial than listen to today's speech.

But going back to the stage extras...where do these prop people come from, anyway? It seems the president can't speak unless he has a cluster of admiring grandstanders arrayed behind him in perfect formation. They always look kind of like a makeshift Mormon Tabernacle Choir hauled in from Washington's central casting office. Are these human backdrops meant to be an endorsement or a distraction? Are they government employees in a newly formed federal agency, maybe DEPSA--The Department of Extras for Presidential Speeches and Appearances?

I wish the president would just be quiet. Please, Mr. President. Stop talking for a few days. It won't kill you, and it might even help your healthcare plans. Think about it--not hearing you for awhile might keep lots of us from getting sick. Just ask that lady behind you--the one who's about to keel over in a heap.

Changing the Subject

The government crisis is over--for now. The Republicans caved, which is what they do quite well, and the Democrats gloated, which they do even better, and we can all go back to spending money we don't have and pretending that everything is just fine.

Of course, it's not fine, and it won't be until this particular president is history--if we make it intact as a nation to the 2016 election. However, let's look on the bright side. There always is one, if you look closely enough. Now we can start concentrating on the unmitigated disaster that is the "Obamacare" rollout and perhaps take a nostalgic look back at the various and assorted scandals from past months and years.

I suppose it's true that Hope springs eternal. And if change is the only constant in life, things are bound to get better. It's tough to imagine them getting any worse.

Saturation Point

I think the American people have had about enough of being pushed around for one presidential term. The Million Vet March on the Washington DC monuments seems evidence of that fact.

Note to the elitist political ruling class: proceed with caution. There's a sizable "Citizens Asserting Rights and Liberties" alert, dead ahead.

Trucking for the Constitution

The Truckers Ride for the Constitution wasn't huge, but it looks like it was impressive.