Friday, December 19, 2008

Good to be an American

Today's Link
Rambling Woods

Saying for the Day
Do not... regard the critics as questionable patriots. What were Washington and Jefferson and Adams but profound critics of the colonial status quo?
~Adlai Stevenson


Picture of the Day












I feel really good about being an American today. I really do.
Why?
Because some guy in Iraq threw a shoe at President Bush.
It’s not that I dislike President Bush.
In fact I kind of like the guy.
It’s not that I don’t respect the Presidential office.
Because I do.
But I feel good because the people of Iraq got to see something of American style democracy.
They saw a man throw a shoe at the most powerful leader in the world and:
He wasn’t shot by the secret service.
He wasn’t tortured by our ar5med forces.
He wasn’t caused to vanish never to be seen again. ( Even if some are afraid it will happen)
They knew if you threw a shoe at Sadam any or all of the above would have happened.
We live in a great country with great ideals.
It even allows for those Bush hating people, and there seem to be a lot of them , to mail shoes to President Bush.
I saw on a blog where the send a shoe to Bush campaign has begun.
The FBI won’t call on them.
They won’t vanish.
Their blogs will continue to publish.
Washington will get a lot of shoes.
Why, I’m willing to bet those shoes will in the end be given to shoeless people and serve a useful purpose.
Is this a great country or what?

News from Pigeon Falls
The little town in my basement where the trains still run, dragons fly, and life is back to normal
Yesterday Herman slipped quietly into his house, knowing his wife was working, and intending to get something to eat. Tommy UK was there waiting for him. Tommy UK did his best to explain to Herman that he was the one who could save Pigeon Falls. Destiny had made him a seer just for this moment. Somehow in the Pigeon Falls world where dragons fly andwhales swim an undone puzzle now held the fate of the town and perhaps the world. And Herman alone held the key. Herman alone could finish the puzzle.
All of this was more than Herman could handle. He fled to the Happy Pigeon and got drunk, very drunk. More than anything he wanted another vision. He wanted another way out. He wanted a magic word or some hand gesture. He wanted anything but that puzzle. He had always hated that puzzle. He had tried to destroy that puzzle. He thought that puzzle was long gone but now it was back to torment him.
But now he had to decide either to force himself to go back to his childhood and the stupid puzzle or to save Pigeon Falls. He decided to have another drink.
Will Herman do the puzzle? If he does will it end the shadow? What about the whistling guy in the black suit? Could dragon fire burn off the shadow? And of course is Tommy UK really the undertaker’s kid?

Wrap Up
Another very good breathing day. After I blogged in the morning. I did some reading. Then Betty and I started on cleaning the living room for the holidays. We started on the part near the patio doors. The problem was that every flat surface had accumulated papers , magazines, cantaloupes, and junk. By the time we finished we had four grocery bags filled with old papers, magazines, and catalogues but things looked much better. My sister Dawn called. I then upgraded the bulletin on the St. Mark's site. After that I visited some links. Now I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA
*******************************************************************

11 Comments:

Blogger Janets Planet said...

The puzzle was back to torment him. ? LOL.

With Herman horribly drunk, I would think Tommy UK could get him to the edge of the shadow to toss in the puzzle with a little help from some strong armed townsfolk.

The shoe thrower is now asking to be pardoned. One can only hope that the significance of this moment of freedom has not gone unnoticed in the Arab world.

3:45 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I think this was a great post about the whole shoe throwing incident. I am glad the secret service didn't over react as they could have...in fact did they react at all? well, yes after the second shoe was thrown.

I loved the historical picture of you and the family. That was great. I always look forward to coming and reading your blog. You raise my intelligence quotient whenever I do. thank you for your service to bettering our minds.

Marlene

4:49 AM  
Blogger Melli said...

I wonder will more people mail rights or lefts...

Herman does not have TIME for all this drunkeness! Last Lutheran is in danger of disappearing! I'm going over there with a pot of black coffee! Gooooooooood grief!

5:24 AM  
Blogger Melli said...

Oh... by the way... Today's is my favorite picture so far! YOU are actually SMILING... a little.

5:25 AM  
Blogger Jeff B said...

I voted for Bush both times, but have since found a dislike for his continued bungleness. (I think he'd use that word) Still, I have great respect for the office of president, regardless of personal feelings.

You bring up a very good point that is perhaps much overlooked. The journalist who threw the infamous shoe is still free to live and breath and continue to voice his disdain for Bush. Something that certainly would not have happened under the old regime.

7:33 AM  
Blogger Akelamalu said...

Democracy and freedom of speech are great things.

2:11 PM  
Blogger Russell said...

True. Very true! It is a great country!

But Canada is pretty nice, too, from I can tell! In fact, Canada has some things I wish we did here!!

Hopefully there are more and more countries where people are treated with respect. I always point out to my classes that the United States is - saddly - the only Western country that still has the death penalty. We stand alone with Iran, Iraq, China and other, uh, less than nice countries in maintaining the death penalty.

Even though I am not a religious person any more, I still believe that only God has the right to decide who lives or dies. In fact, a worse punishment than death, I think, is to be confined for the rest of you life to a prison cell.

But, I am rambling. I agree with you! It is nice to see Iraq moving along to the point where people can engage in peaceful (well, sort of!) protest and not be gunned down where they stand or sent off to some place where the snow never leaves -- like Iowa! Heh!!

Take care and stay warm!

PS I join the earlier comment in that it is NICE to see you smile in that picture!!

3:45 PM  
Blogger Cherie said...

"The problem was that every flat surface had accumulated papers , magazines, cantaloupes, and ..."

I think that is one of the most interesting statements I've heard in a while. I will admit that every flat surface in my house has papers covering them, but cantaloupes? LOL That's fantastic. I imagine that one must be pretty creative to keep them there, not to mention that it's a good way to keep one's house smelling fresh. ;)

5:05 PM  
Blogger jmb said...

I hope they send pairs so that they are useful, she says, laughing out loud.

11:30 PM  
Blogger Chatty said...

I agree - we do live in a great country. We have our problems, but at least we can feel free to complain about them IN PUBLIC. I hear you about cleaning before the holidays! I had two grocery bags full of JUST CATALOGS that I finally tossed out a couple of days ago. And, we DID put up a tree, and my final project and exam went very well - thanks for your words of encouragement!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday, and that you are all together to share the making of new memories! I will be raising my glass to you and all my wonderful blogging friends - December 29th will be my first anniversary as a blogger. It is amazing how many wonderful people I have met because of it - and you are definitely one of the best!

12:51 AM  
Blogger Gattina said...

I think Bush reacted very well, he must be trained for avoiding things thrown at his head. I suspect Laura exercises with him !

1:55 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home