Endings and Beginnings

Well, this hiatus lasted a bit longer than planned. A head cold kept me from writing the past few days. My customary dourness kicked up to sourness and I did not think I needed to share that.

Certainly not with the news of the past week. Bhutto gets assassinated and - finally - people are looking at Pakistan. Yeah, that Islamic Republic with nukes and Osama bin Laden gets the attention it deserves.

Biden and Richardson demonstrated why they ought to be President - or Secretary of State. I keep wondering why the press jumps on Obama's foreign policy creds when they did nothing like that to George W. in 2000. Oh, yeah, those Islamic nutjobs ran into the World Trade Towers and the whole world has changed. Which must be why the media just clobbered George W. in 2004 on his foreign policy failures.

The Washington Post's editorial, The Pakistan Test, reviews how all the candidates dealt with Pakistan:

THE ASSASSINATION of Benazir Bhutto presented U.S. presidential candidates with a test: Could they respond cogently and clearly to a sudden foreign policy crisis? Within hours some revealing results were in. One candidate, Democrat John Edwards, passed with flying colors. Another, Republican Mike Huckabee, flunked abysmally. Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain were serious and substantive; Republicans Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani were thin. And Barack Obama -- the Democratic candidate who claims to represent a new, more elevated brand of politics -- committed an ugly foul.

By now anyone reading this knows that al Quaeda took credit for the assassination. If not, take a look at Al-Qaeda claims Bhutto killing from The Asia Times.

Following George W.'s continued disconnection from reality is our Mitch the Man. Or as Taking Down Words put it: Making It Up: Guv All Excited About State's Anemic Job Growth Rate.

Maybe I am not the only one soured on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yes, I know this is the prime time for suicidal tendencies but do not worry. I figure I would only botch the job and the medical bills would only put me further into hock. I just cannot take it personally - seems every business is hurting right now. Maybe Doug Masson hit the nail on the head with his post 2007. Right now, I am not taking any bets that 2008 will be any better. I see a ray of sunshine for 2009 - no more Bush!

Closer to home, Ockomon comes in and Smith departed with class. At least, I will think so - until some ties him into the silliness of the lawsuit filed to keep Ockomon out of office. More about that in another post.

Everyone keep your heads up and your eyes open so you can see them before they see you.