Because seriously….this is cool.

Who would you rather receive a chest bump from? Hillary? Barack? McCain? You decide. Oh no, it’s not who you’d rather drink with anymore. It’s…who would be willing to give you a chest bump in return for volunteering to serve your country with honor? Yeah, baby. And THAT’S why he’s our President. I don’t care who you are. I think it’s really cool that he said yes when asked. After all, wasn’t it the least he could do for a guy who is giving up years in double digits in service for our country’s protection and freedom? Hell, yes!

P.S. Maybe it’s just me, but Hillary would not be my first choice for a chest bump. And also, even though I would probably vote for him I am afraid I might break McCain with a chest bump. But I’m sure he would willingly give one to any service member who asked.

Hey, Barack….what’s up with wearing the flag pin all of a sudden?

Oh, right….you didn’t want us to get distracted with what you may or may not have said about not wearing the thing.

Hey, Hillary…what’s up with the drinking beers and shots a few weeks ago, and then last weekend chugging beers in Puerto Rico?

Sorry…seriously…if I were you I’d need a drink or two every now and then as well.

Hey, McCain….would you pick a running mate already?

Oh…yeah. It has to be the right mix between youth and experience. I get it. Just get it over with and give Mitt a call.

Hey, Barack….how come you haven’t visited Iraq since the surge was executed?

Oh…right…if you actually see progress and hear there is progress from the soldiers and commanders on the ground, you lose one of your key talking points. Sorry, I forgot.

Hey, Hillary…..about your position that the popular vote’s what matters….with your “shared” delegate system, doesn’t it always come down to the nominee is selected by the Super Delegates because nobody can get enough elected delegates anyway?

Oops…did I just ask that out loud? Of COURSE you would never admit that while campaigning. I mean…if people actually realized their votes count for nothing in the nomination process, why in the world would they donate to your campaign or bother to make the effort to vote? Sorry, my bad.

Hey, Barack….why are you making such a point to let people know McCain had a closed door fund raiser with Bush? I mean…don’t you do those things all the time with people like Sorrows and others currently in the news?

Aaaahhhh…now I get it. You’re just mad because there aren’t any leaked disparaging, condescending remarks about liberals made at the fund raiser currently being played on the cable news programs.

Hey, Barack….what’s up with the recent comments from a guest speaker of your new pastor about Hillary being a white supremacist? I thought this guy was supposed to be so much better than Wright?

Oh…right…..you weren’t in the pews and you weren’t aware of those comments. Sorry. UPDATE:  BARACK HAS ACTUALLY DENOUNCED THESE COMMENTS AND RIGHTFULLY SO.  GOOD MOVE, BARACK!

McCain….still waiting….running mate?

Okay, we’ll wait until your next bio break is over. But after that, you better start making some calls!

One more thing….Barack….how come you have not held one single hearing about the progress in Afghanistan? Last time I checked, you did chair the sub-committee that oversees that stuff…what gives?

Oh…right. You announced your run for President as soon as you were given that position. All that campaigning is just too much of a burden so you don’t have time to actually do the business of government. I guess Afghanistan will have to stay in a holding pattern until it’s politically correct enough to replace you in that position. Sorry, soldiers in Afghanistan….Barack’s campaign is way too important to put on hold even for a few days to take care of getting updates on your progress.

Well, those are all my questions. I’m sure you all have some of your own (with answers). I can’t wait to hear them! Only current candidates, please. We get it…half of you hate Bush. Move on (he he….move on).

An extra day off to remember those who have served us so bravely, sacrificing so much to ensure that we may continue to live in freedom.

“Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God”

There is much to think about when we pause to remember why exactly we all have some extra time off this weekend. As someone with a family member currently serving overseas, I know that I will definitely take an extra moment to think of him and hope he is safe and well as he serves so valiantly to protect us all.

I’ve been thinking over the past few days about the choice that’s coming in November for all legal citizens of voting age.  It’s not just about candidate vs. candidate.  It’s about the principals that drive their decisions.  And whether or not you think one candidate will make decisions you would agree with more often than not; do what you feel is right more often than not.  I’ve always found lists to be helpful when weighing the pros and cons of something.  So for your review, here is a list of 10 comparisons of the many to consider when voting in November (if you vote, which I hope you do – even if it’s not for the guy I would chose):

1.  Aggressive withdrawal from Iraq vs. a gradual handover of security responsibilities to the Iraquis.

2.  Government mandated and/or run health care for all (including illegals) vs. Government tax breaks or vouchers and a market-driven system where people make their own choices.

3.  Unconditional talks with heads of states that suborn terrorism that aim to convince those rogue nations to change their ways vs. working with allies to put pressure on those countries that support terror and meeting with them only when it is proven they have ceased bankrolling and supporting terrorist activities.

4.  Raise corporate tax rates (which are already the second highest in the world) to “get more money” and “share the wealth” vs. making the current tax cuts permanent – which will increase tax revenues and promote job growth, boosting the economy.

5.  Waiting for something to happen (we all saw how well that worked) vs. aggressively defending our country and its citizens by stopping terrorist activities before they can take place (Patriot Act stuff).

6.  I know…some of you would change #5 to say something like:  Maintaining the personal freedoms of all citizens vs. giving the government the ability to listen to their phone calls and see which sites they visit on government-funded computers at the library (here’s a clue for you…..the guy listening to the tapes doesn’t care if you’re dialing 900 numbers…and I really don’t understand this concern unless you’re talking to people you really shouldn’t or doing other stuff you really shouldn’t…..putting our country at potential risk for harm in any way warrants a listen and a peek is what I think).

7.  Amnesty for illegal aliens and excusing employers of those who broke the law to come here vs. protecting our borders, requiring all illegals to be ID’d so they can pay taxes and then go home after temporary work visas expire, and going after employers that hire undocumented illegals.  Note:  In case you haven’t guessed, I’m not to keen on the police not being allowed to ask someone who broke a law for proper I.D., which is what happens  in sanctuary cities.

8. Tax the oil companies who are making record profits (last time I checked it’s .4 cents on the dollar vs. 7.5 cents on the dollar that most for profit businesses make) vs. instead of punishing them for making less than the average industry, ensure oil companies have the approvals they need to drill for more and process what they can pump so we are less dependent on foreign oil (I know…McCain is not for drilling in Alaska but maybe he will consider letting our guys join in on the offshore drilling the Chinese are already doing off our Southern coast).

9.  A general one here…more government programs making your decisions for you vs. less government and more personal responsibility.

10.  Raising the cap on social security, thus increasing the average middle class taxpayer’s burden by about $5,600 a year vs. fixing social security and giving people some options for where their retirement dollars are invested.   Note:  I am actually for raising the cap since this is a regressive tax, but I am also for the reform aspects and making more of the decisions for how the money is invested.

Now…do I think people who are pacifists and like the idea of the government “taking care of them” with tax money provided (mostly) by others are ignorant or uninformed?  No.  It’s just a completely different world view.  If someone is a pacifist, of course they would vote against anyone they think might be willing to take the country to war for any reason.  It goes against who they are to do otherwise.  If someone thinks it’s the government’s job to take care of most of their needs and the needs of others, of course they would vote for the guy that’s big-government, big-taxes (some might call this a modified form of socialism…not that there’s anything wrong with that).  I just happen to believe in personal responsibility and having the freedom to make more of my choices for myself…including health care and how I spend my money.  And I’m not a big fan of providing huge subsidies to millionaire farmers….some of which my tax dollars paid for (I’m not happy with either party on that one).

I’ve been driving my sister crazy with these comparisons.  There are a few issues she feels very strongly about, so I know which way she is going to vote.  That’s okay.  At the end of the day, everyone gets to make their own decisions.  I just wish they would base those decisions on facts vs. feelings.  And that they actually vote so we can truly see the direction the country is headed…good or bad depending on your views.

Oh…and….even I am getting kind of sick of how the democratic nomination process is dragging on…enough already.  Just pick Hillary for v.p. and get on with it so we can have some real discussions instead of back and forth press releases and comments.

Okay….so there I was…..at the Bed Bath & Beyond searching for new laundry hampers and a meat thermometer (hey, I had coupons…and I NEVER like to pay full price if I can help it so off I went).

Anyway….I had the meat thermometer…I had the hampers….and then…..I was forced (forced I say because the way they lay out that damn store they force you to walk by EVERYTHING before you can make it back to the register) to walk by the clearance sheets.

They were 300 thread count Egyptian cotton….on sale for 70% off!  And so…..I felt compelled to spoil The Boy for his good work at school this year…and also….his sheets were kinda crappy and had not held the dye that well when washed.  I struggled to find a flat and fitted sheet and matching pillow cases.  I finally found some that matched that were marked blue.  The packages said so…….they were blue.

Cut to tonight, while making The Boy go to bed:

Me:  “So, do you like your new sheets?”

The Boy:  “Yeah, they sure are…purple.”

Me:  “They are NOT purple.  They’re blue.  The packages said so.”

The Boy:  “Yeah well….they’re purple.”

Me:  “You have those new fluorescent light bulbs.  They throw everything off.  They just make them LOOK purple.”

The Boy:  “Yeah.  They’re fluorescent…which puts out pure white light.  They provide the most accurate representation of what color stuff is.  They’re purple.”

Me:  “…………..Well……purple is the color of royalty.  Your sheets will now be called The Royal Sheets.”

The Boy:  “Whatever.  I don’t care, Mom.  Can I go to sleep now?”

The sheets are blue.  Because the packages said so.  Right?  And why the hell does he have to know so much about EVERYTHING…including the quality of fluorescent light.  I need to call our cable place and get all science channels canceled.  Seriously….

Just so you don’t think I’m TOTALLY obsessed with politics.  I do read other news…on my preferred site, of course.  Here are some articles with some thoughts:

1.  Word to the wise…always finish your candy bar.

2.  Always count to 10 before you do something stupid.  Even I am not that obsessed with keeping things tidy.

3.  Um….even ministers should watch Dateline once in a while.

4.  Move on.  Nobody cares.

5.  Keep in touch with at least one person.  Seriously…35 years and nobody knew?

6.  Responsible? Yes.  Enough to be sent to jail?  I don’t think so.  The girl is 18.

7.  What?  Are you serious?  How hard is it to search a name on Google?

8.  I don’t care who you are.  Or how much money you have.  You’re not above the law.  Good for her.

9.  Who cares?  About all of this?  Do you?  Seriously?

10.  These parents are heroes.  Seriously…. and the docs who fixed that toddler?  Saints.

See?  I pay attention to other things.  Right?  Oh…I’d put Yahoo! links for some of these stories, but they constantly change and break.  Fox keeps their links static which is why I give you the stories from there.  I promise…I do read Yahoo!, CNN (grudgingly), and even MSNBC to see what they have to say.  I just don’t happen to agree with it most of the time.  But  you knew that already if you’ve been by here a time or two. 

What is the difference between talking to the guy (without preconditions) who sets the bombs that kill our guys and talking to the guy that pays for and transports the bombs that kill our guys?

Because, according to some, clearly, there is a difference.  Is there?  Really?

Talking to supporters of terrorism and accepting what they say is true, expecting them to change their ways is like talking to a kid that’s done something wrong, accepting their lies and expecting them not to do it again.

Leaders that support terror are like kids.  Until there are real consequences for their behavior, nothing will change.  In fact, they will only get worse.  It’s been proven time and again.

In a perfect world, talking would work.  But we all know we do not live in a perfect world.  I’m not talking about nuking anyone….I’m just talking about consequences that matter to those countries that support terror so that hopefully those leaders will experience pressure from within and outside their country and perhaps their behavior will at least not cost so many lives.

I hope most of you moms out there got to sleep in and relax all day.  As for me…..the spouse and The Boy took me to a movie, The Boy made me lunch, and they are cooking steaks for dinner.  Eating and a movie…what more could I ask for?  Oh…and no dishes.

BTW I already bought numerous gifts for myself while shopping the past few weeks.  They would have bought me something, but I told them not to.

Go see Iron Man.  It’s very, very good.

I’ve been reading to The Boy since he came home from the hospital (well…after I got off the meds …so let’s say since about week three). A book a night when he was little. Hey…those kids’ books can be quite fun…the first ten times. Like all kids, he had his favorites and by age 15 mo. could go and get whichever one I said was okay for that night.  And he chastised me if I skipped sentences, paragraphs, or pages.

Anyway…we read. Around here. A lot. I don’t know if there’s a correlation, but by the 5th grade The Boy was reading at the sophomore in college (or grade 14) level……at age 10 (he turned 11 the summer after 5th grade).

So…we’ve read to him. We’ve read the paper and had it around since he was little. The comics and weather used to be “his” section. We still all read the paper. And a news magazine or two which he picks up daily when he tries to procrastinate on his Algebra homework. I look the other way because really….how can I yell at him for catching up on the news and maybe also picking up the sports section to check on the hockey playoffs? No way.

And every school night I try to sit in his room with him and read a little bit. Because if you don’t show your kids that reading matters and it can actually be fun….then they will perceive it as “work” and do anything they can not to do it. Lately he’s been into Terry Pratchett. That guy can write. And to be honest, it can be quite difficult to work my way around his phraseology after a few glasses of wine, but we try….

Anyway, tonight…horror….HE FORGOT “WYRD SISTERS“ IN HIS LOCKER!! And so…being the diligent parent that I am…I read the headlines on the news site of my choice. Tonight we learned:

1. Electric shock can, indeed burn your clothes off.

2. One lawmaker Rhode Island wants gays to have the right to divorce there, even though they are not allowed to be married there. Man, he must really have issues. We both thought, “Who cares?”

3. You can receive serious prison time for switching candy for vitamins, but if you run over and kill a plice officer you might have to pay a small fine and get a few points taken off your license. At least…that’s the way The Boy summarized tonight’s news.

God, I hope he remembers the book tomorrow…..although, the news was an “interesting” change for a night.