I have an internal dispute raging inside myself. OK, there is not actually any rage, but two of my core beliefs are often at odds. I am a conservative and an environmentalist. Most people that I encounter assume that since I work for an environmental agency I must be a liberal…wrong. I really do not think that these beliefs are at odds for the most part.
“How in the world can any aware person interested in one’s family and one’s future not be interested in politics?”
Neal Boortz
My wife and I were having dinner with another couple and after we were done talking about our children the subject of politics came up. I generally do not shy away from political discussions, but I try to be careful about when, where, and how to tread into those waters. This dinner was during a period of very high gasoline prices and the husband worked in the refining industry.
I was fortunate to be listening to “America’s Morning Show” today. Quinn and Rose were on vacation and the substitute host was Glen Meakem. I have heard Mr. Meakem speak before, most recently at the Pittsburgh Tea Party on July 4th.
During the show Mr. Meakem played an audio clip of Phil Donohoe interviewing Milton Friedman about capitalism and greed. As you probably know Phil Donohoe had routinely battled Alan Alda for the most whipped male on the planet. For the younger crowd, Phil would be like today’s Oprah, except for being a white male. I would venture that their politics are pretty parallel.
“There is urgent need (for) a true world political authority that can manage the global economy, guarantee the environment is protected, ensure world peace and bring about food security for the poor.”
This is a recent quote from a world leader. I want you to guess who made the statement.
For those of you Harry Potter fans, your probably recognize Mr. Peter Pettigrew as the wizard who betrayed James and Lily Potter leading to their death at the hands of He Who Must Not Be Named. Pettigrew (AKA Wormtail) faked his death and hid for years as Scabbers the pet rat of one of Harry’s friends, Ron. Pettigrew’s true identity came to light as he again tried to help The Dark Lord.
The rat persona was appropriate for Peter as he was a petty man living through the popularity of his friends. Prone to bitterness, he betrayed them and framed another friend to take the blame. Even his master found him contemptible:
As I was driving home from a TEA Party on Saturday I had the radio on for noise as I was planning my posting for the event. The lyrics of a Buffalo Springfield song caught my ear and as I listened closer it was ironic how the lyrics fit today’s events. Written in 1967 by Stephen 
Stills as a reaction to clashes between young and the establishment, For What It’s Worth became an anthem for anti-Viet Nam War activists…1960s radicals.
Some eight years after his death, Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne is still in action. Eric Van Lustbader
Jason Bourne continues as the dysfunctional undercover outcast in this thriller. Bourne tries to save a friend as he works to unravel a plot to prevent a nuclear attack on the United States. As a side story, two of the jihadists want to kill him for something he did in the past that he does not remember.
In the latest book from the author of such notable books as Who Moved My Cheese and The Present, Peaks and Valleys
If you like action/adventure novels Ted Bell
I was so entranced with the story of Hawke trying to save the world from a resurgent and brutal Russia that I almost skipped July 3 fireworks. Our town actually had their fireworks on Friday night. I was tempted to stay home and finish the book, but I had promised the family that I would go with them. I did finish when I got home that night.
Happy Birthday America!
I attended my first TEA Party this morning. I did not know quite what to expect and one of my daughters even told me to me to be careful. I told her that it was not that kind of protest. I would guess that around one thousand like-minded people got together to share their displeasure with what is going on in Washington. I could not attend any tax day tea parties as I work and could not rearrange my schedule.
