Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Ok, so Piston has asked a legitimate question:

"Assuming Obama/Biden take the election and you get you wish... with Obama's background in mind... what changes do you see happening over the next 4 years?"

I can't guarantee (of course) what changes I'll actually see - to do so would require me to have both telepathic and precognitive powers which (unfortunately) I do not possess, despite several ex-bosses and one ex-husband who seemed to expect me to be proficient in both.

These are the changes that I expect may happen:

1) Scale-down of offshore military actions. Both in Iraq and in Afghanistan, and no NEW preemptive warmongering. Best case: Complete withdrawl of US Armed Forces from Iraq, limited presence in Afghanistan, and capture of OBL.

2) Some repair to the economy (will take DECADES to un-do what Shrub-Boy and his minions have done in 8 years, but a start), more emphasis on repair and upgrading of "homeland" infrastructure, less emphasis on ruling the world, Pinkie. Best case: repair of own infrastructure putting to work more Americans, spending tax dollars on improving things HERE, rather than overseas, making life better both for those benefiting from the improvements and for those effecting the improvements.

3) Reinstatement of those taxes that Bush and the Republican congress cut to help their wealthy chums/family/contributors. Best Case: Lessening of the tax burden to families with LESS than 100k/year incomes - but I'm too cynical to believe this would happen.

4) Limitations placed on Executive Privilege, and backing away from the Unitary Executive debacle engendered by the Bush Junta. It happened after the Nixon years - it's not Mission Impossible. (Tom Cruise sucks, btw.)

5) Repeal of the aggregious "Acts" passed in the knee-jerk aftermath of 9/11/01, reining in the TSA so my dad can fly again without the ridiculous and INEFFECTIVE nonsense of taking off his shoes, INSISTANCE on FISA compliance for any wiretapping, and Renaming/Reworking the "Dept. of Homeland Security".

If even just these 5 things happened, I'd be satisfied with the job done by an Obama/Biden Presidency/VPresidency. Anything more would be gravy.

129 days

Thoughts and aggravation: Balancing the Checkbook

So I'm out of balance by $27.00. And you can tell - just from the number - that it HAS to be a transposed-number issue. Unfortunately, despite my 3-day intensive effort, I cannot for the life of me figure out where I have fardleschnockered up. This is the second month running that I've had this problem. I begin to worry about some form of numeric dyslexia. Not a good thing for an accountant.

Meanwhile, during lunch I spent some time perusing blogs and stuff. It brought to mind the damn political situation again. It seems the buzzword of the year is "Change". Senator Obama brought it up first, and the enthusiastic acclaim it received apparently convinced Fuhrer Rove and his minions that their candidate should attempt to conscript the phrase to their campaign.

Now, I have thought about the "change" that all these folks promise. And I have to admit that I do believe that EITHER of these candidates, or their VP's will bring change.

However, change is a funny thing. See, GWB brought change as well. He used his office to Change the Constitution of the United States from a sacred document that actually IS the United States of America (as opposed to a symbol like a flag). He changed the Constitution from that to a "Goddamn Piece of Paper".

GWB changed our federal budget from one with a budget surplus that was being used to lower our federal debt - to one with a TRILLION PLUS annual deficit.

GWB changed our relations with the middle east in such an incredible way that one of our most needed commodities has risen in price over 200% since he TOOK office.

He has changed our country from a government with three co-equal branches with checks and balances on the powers that be - to what can only be described as a "Temper Tantrum Dictatorship".

This is, however, change. Change for the worse, yes. But change, none-the-less.

I am certain, that if Senator McCain and Not-A-Community-Organizer Governor Palin are sworn into office next January, there will be change from what we have now.

I fear that change, as it will - IMNSHO - be far, far worse than anything we've seen before.
Governor Palin? Having a Vagina is NOT ENOUGH to qualify you to be a candidate worthy of my vote.

130 days

Mares eat oats, and does eat oats...

and little lambs eat ivy

a kid will eat ivy too

wouldn't you?

No.

I suspect ivy would taste icky and green and unpleasant.

No, this post is not about the culinary habits of barnyard animals. This post is about Oats. Like the guy in the funny hat sells:

As I have been working toward lowering the cholesterol numbers, I've been eating a lot of oatmeal. And other oaty cereals like Cheerios:

I like oats, actually. I like them as porridge, as long as there is adequate add-ins to disguise the resemblence to wallpaper paste. I like them in granola. I like them in Kashi. I like them as Chex:

But what I really, really , really like them as is flakes. Oat Flakes. But lately I cannot find them anywhere at any of the markets I have in my area. Cornflakes, yes. Wheaties (ugh!) yes. Bran flakes - yes. But nary an oatflake to be found. I am verklempt.

131 days

Eating for Dreams

I remember when I was small, one of the standard sit-com jokes was about someone eating something spicy or exotic and having bizarro dreams. I am here to dispel that myth - one does NOT need to eat anything spicy or exotic to have utterly bizarro dreams.

One of the guys here at work has a clock on his wall that is made from an electronic circuit board. It has no numbers, just hands, and lots of chips and stuff on it. It is unusual, and I like it. I do not, however, know why it featured prominently in one of my dreams Sun. nite - nor why for the love of all that is holy I would have dreamed that I was having simultaneous affairs with Gene Rayburn (of Match Game fame - long dead!) and Bill Saluga (The guy who did the "you can calls me Ray, you can call me Jay" schtick) and ended up (with the prominent clock) being outted to my former boss "T" from the place that sold interior improvements...

Or the one from last nite that started out with me somehow managing to sew the leg of my trousers into the seam of some piece of clothing I had been making, then hack it off while I was trimming the seam allowance, thereby adding 1/3 of a trouser leg into something that was supposed to look light and delicate on a little girl... and segueing into a replay of the tragic and gutwrenching breakup of myself and my very first-ever boyfriend from high school.

Last night for dinner I had niblet corn and a piece of salmon and root beer. Hardly exotic fare!

132 days