I have been on tour with Cal football 2006. This past weekend was tough but new photos of our trip to the desert have been added. Also, additions have been made to the Family, Friends, and Fun gallery as well as the Halloween 2006 gallery. I hope you enjoy viewing our photos. Go Bears! Beat U$C!
No matter what happens on Tuesday when United States Americans go to the polls, I will be thrilled about the end of the election season. It will be nice to answer the phone and talk to friends and family again instead of some recording of Hillary and William Clinton or Rudolph “Rudy the Rock” Giuliani trying to influence my vote. Last time I checked Hillary, William, and Rudy all lived in New York so why are they calling me at home in California about our (California’s) election? I do not bother to turn on the teevee often, but lately when I do I am bombarded with campaign adverts that most candidates and advocacy groups should be ashamed to air.* I do not know what is more disgusting: the mud-slinging, the number of advertisements, or the co$t (wa$te) of it all.
These mid-term elections make me think of a Notre Dame versus stanfUrd American football game in that I find it unfortunate there has to be a winner. I wish they could both lose. That’s how I feel about most of the candidates (in California and abroad) up for (re)election on Tuesday. I even have a confession to make: I am not registered to vote for November 7th and I do not intend to cast a ballot. I have joined the masses of disenfranchised citizens of the United States. Whether I am truly disenfranchised or not is a matter of semantics. The reality is I feel disenfranchised. The issues that are important to me-a healthy sustainable economy, strong education, and protecting the environment (the three “E’s”)-do not seem important to the candidates in this election. Demographics must show the war in Iraq, national security, and immigration as what really matters to the voting citizenry. Do not get me wrong, I think those are all very important issues immediately facing the United States of America but here is the catch. No one, and I mean NO ONE, is providing a clear plan or viable solution to these challenging issues. The incumbents and candidates talk about the mistakes made in Iraq and of supporting the troops but they do not address the issue of what they will do about Iraq. What policy changes-no one is talking “stay the course” any more-they will propose or support. When it comes to illegal immigration the most original idea seems to be to build a wall? Mind numbing. When it comes to my three “E’s” the politicians are even more vague.
There is a vacuum of leadership in this country. That is what I am referring to when I claim to be disenfranchised. I am not disenfranchised by an inability to vote I am disenfranchised by lack of choice if I do vote. If I cast my ballot for candidates I consider being “the lesser of two evils” than all I will accomplish is validating their election. I recognize it takes more than a fair and just electoral system^ to make democracy work. It takes more than an educated citizenry turning out to vote. The most important component of a democracy is to have viable candidates with the compassion, intelligence, vision, and a will to lead. Without this, any democracy-no matter how great-is destined to fail. That is the problem we face in the United States of America come Tuesday 07 November 2006.
FOOT NOTES:
* Thank goodness the shows I typically tune in on the tube-sports and episodes of the Simpson’s-generally have advertising costs that are out of most campaign budgets. By the way: This past Sunday’s Simpson’s Tree House of Horrors XVII was not up to par. IMHO.
^ While there are problems with registering voters and counting ballots in the USA I still believe we have a system that is fair and just-even with the whole Electoral College for presidential elections.
Anyone who knows me, or has at least watched me make a sandwich, knows that I am quite fond of mayonnaise. Truth be told: for a quick blood sugar boost I have been known to eat plain mayonnaise straight from the little condiment packets you get with your to-go order from your local fast food joint. So, it should come as a surprise to no one that I dislike (with a passion) the abomination of sandwich spreads and condiments known as Miracle Whip. French cuisine gave the world mayonnaise and US Americans bastardized the recipe to make a more “American” mayonnaise called Miracle Whip. As in, it is a Miracle I do not Whip your ass for feeding me this crap!*
The French were kind enough to give us mayonnaise-no small reward for bailing them out of 2 world wars-and we go and screw it up by creating MW. Tangent ALERT! Tangent ALERT! Here is where the compassionate neo-conservative jackass thinks: “You know, the great thing about the French, they will always be there when they need us.” Suggesting that the French have never done anything for the United States of America and therefore had Miracle Whip coming to them. Of course the neo-con is typically wrong about France. If I remember my history correctly, the French helped George Washington and the Continental Army defeat King George and his imperialistic Red Coat English army by providing strategical and logistical support. Not to mention mercenaries and essential war materials and supplies (I doubt whether the French envisioned the military industrial complex the United States of America would eventually become and the mistakes it would make as solitary world power in the 21st century when they offered their support during the revolution). As If that was not enough consider this: the French also gifted the USA perhaps the greatest symbol of the United States of America: The Statue of Liberty. That is right, Lady Liberty is French. Sure, the French hick maybe ripe, and the French may be the biggest fans of Michael Moore and Woody Allen (try to figure that one out?) but I can hardly hold that against them. Maybe the French secret service did bomb the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland. I do not know. I think the United States probably commits similar acts of terrorism around the world every day (in the name of freedom, for sure). For many years now the French have been the butt of many a USAmerican comedian’s jokes. Why do US Americans always bag on the Frogs? Maybe it is because they were wise enough to get out of Indo-China instead of become embroiled in a military police action known as Vietnam. Whatever the reason I am over it. I cannot speak French (Je ne parle pas Francais) but I still like France. Vive La France! And for the love of god, please make my sandwich with mayonnaise and boycott Miracle Whip!
FOOT NOTE:
* and YES I do think that mayonnaise goes great on chips. You know, French-fries or Victory-fries or whatever the hell you want to call fried potatoes (chips).