Up, Down and Around Our Town

With September now half over, a few random thoughts on a number of topics. This after almost 72 hours of continious rain; something that is evident due to the presence of Ike in the Gulf. Here's hoping that their clean-up will be orderly and that the likes of Ike stay away for awhile.

I thought there was a Do Not Call list that I had signed up for. Imagine my surprise when, what I refer to, as the "Good Buddy" telemarketing call was received early on Sunday morning. The nomenclature is always the same - it usually involves either fire or police in some vague way. The hang-up was quick. The Attorney General is the next call.

It is my hope that when the rain stops that the local gridmen will find a way to get in the end zone. Both Bill Terlishner and Christian Guenther have had the barnacle of wet footballs and that certainly has created a difficult time. But, it could get worse. They could actually be the St. Louis Rams, who may be the worst football team in many years. My suspicion is that Scott Linenhan will be home for Halloween. On to politics. The Palin revolution. She has gotten great press, is appealing to the masses in which she was recruited and has sanded off some of the rough edges of John McCain. As they separate and campaign individually, let's see if a message appears anywhere. As of now, it has all been negative rhetoric. Speaking of the opposition, it is high time that, if he really is serious, that Barack Obama and Joe Biden get on the offensive, start putting responsibility where it belongs and creates for themselves a true platform.

And, while we're at it, can we stop blaming W for seemingly everything from Global Warming to tooth decay? His legacy will be tarnished because of his decision to get us into an unpopular war. He had help. That was 7 years ago and it is about time that we stop the scape-goating of a sitting President as a recepticle for everything that isn't right with our worlds.

Gas rises 32 cents in one day. Really? Nah, nothing like that would really happen, would it?

From a truly political standpoint, it is refreshing being with young people again. They give you a very unfiltered version of life on this planet from their own perspective. Will they vote? Perhaps. Will they get involved? On the edges, but not in vast numbers. Why? Because no one seems to really listen to them.

On the list of things that need to be looked at, we still dig in the well and pull up the two that evoke the most emotion - Gay Marriage and Abortion. The younger mind says that abortion is not against the law and that if two folks of the same gender want to hook up, so be it. It is only the narrow-mindedness of the elder generations that keep these fires burning at red-hot levels.

The real issue is the economy. Unemployment over 6%. Cost of food and energy up at least 15% and with the coming winter, probably more. Immigration unchecked and all we seem to do is throw money at it. But, most of all, the biggest drain is the billion or so a month that we are spending to keep us free from Iraq. Debating whether or not the "surge" was effective is akin to how high the water was on the 3rd deck of the Titanic if you were on the 5th one. We cannot win this conflict; moreover, we never should have been there. The 7 year effect as it drains our economy is the greatest tragedy of all. Yet neither wants to really offer an alternative.

OK, I will blame W for that one.

We studied the T. Boone Pickens plan. Seems fairly simple. Start using Natural Gas to buy us some time to develop other alternatives. Granted, he's a rich guy, but his facts are straight and true. Natural gas isn't imported - it is already here. For every car that is running on it rather than imported oil, just makes sense. Why hasn't this flown? Because the oil lobbyists in DC are making sure that they stake in the next election is secure. Just to confirm that is the fact that, should McCain be elected, that none other than an Oil Lobbyist will head his transition team. Status quo here we come. Get ready to reach deeper in your pockets.

Yet, overall, we have it pretty good. Yes, it costs more and sometime wages will catch up a little, but the national election is designed to find a way to instill some hope and emotion into a growing country that has always reached higher, It's the long term effects and when people cannot work, that is a gaping hole in our ability to be productive. The young people keep reminding me of this and for those who will be hitting the road later this year to undertake some true discussion of the Global Economy, there is genuine excitement. They keep me young. That is their job.

Lastly, my hero made an unexpected return trip to St. Louis Childrens Hospital. Luckily, it was not serious, but downright scary. Yet, we found her grinning and smiling back at us on our Friday night together and we'll get to see her and her Mom celebrate the latter's 33rd birthday this week. Call us blessed in many ways.

Here's to the rain stopping, the leaves starting to turn, a few touchdowns being scored and the promise of an autumn to remember. We'll be back next week, and as always, I remain....