2008 - Welcome, I think

Since the last entry, I have had a change in my e-mail address. My old service provider closed his doors on November 30, last year. my new address is yoderh@bellsouth.net. This is a DSL connection and should work lots faster than the old dial up I had.

If you thrive on a continuous diet of politics, this is your time. We can expect the media to be flooded for at least eight months more, and by then, I'm sure many of us will be ready for a diversion.

We still have the Middle East conflict going on, and it looks like it will be around for awhile yet. With the conflicting reports coming from there, what can we really believe? Somewhere back in some archives, someone said we would be in the Middle East a long time. Others have said we are making progress. It looks to me like it has been set up so that when those who are short on patience start complaining about it being prolonged, the other side can say, "we told you that it might be a long haul." Is this no fault planning, or what?

And why not?We've been in Europe and Japan over sixty years since the end of those conflicts, we still have troops in Korea.

Looking back home for a bit, what about all the religious hooplah surrounding the Presidential election? All my life I've heard that religion and politics don't mix, but it seems this election there are religious groups, and maybe some not so religious groups that want to drag religion right to the forefront. We have the making of the Scopes Monkey Trial all over again with the clash between the Creationists, and Evolutionists. But this time, to make it more acceptable, or do divert attention from it, Creationists are now calling it Intelligent Design. Is it the same song with a different verse, or is there any difference?

We continually hear calls for amendments to the Constitution, but so far all we have had is rhetoric. I think talking a proposal to death is far better than introducing some ill considered amendment that won't serve any useful purpose. It is not easy to undo something that was a mistake.

As usual. all the efforts and money is being spent on the Presidential election, and unnoticed are other elections throughout the country that in many ways, are more important than electing a President.

All 535 Congressional Representatives are up for reelection. These are the people that should be closer to the electors than anyone else. These are the people you most likely can get in touch with, and receive a reply. I know, because I have done it.

There's an old Chinese curse that says, "May you live in interesting times." 2008 is sure to provide some interesting times, and they can be blessings as well as curses.

A Belated happy New Year to all!