All You Need to Know?

Last night on the CBS evening news more time was given to Mel Gibson’s DUI ticket than was given to the war in Iraq and the story about the hidden cost of the Iraq war.

What does that say about the news and what does that say about the American news viewer?

Getting by with my Imagination

My imagination has always been my treasure and my best friend. From the time I was a timid shy little girl, my imagination held my hand. Yes I sure did have an imaginary friend. Her name was Suki. I guess that’s how you would spell it, that’s the way it sounds. See, this is the very first time I’ve ever thought about the spelling. When I was five years old spelling hadn’t entered my life yet. Anyway, Suki kept me company when no one else would. She played dolls with me and sometimes I even invited her to lunch. I don’t remember if she was ever given an imaginary voice, I just remember her being there and I think she loved me because she never hurt my feelings. She never yelled at me and she never hit me. She never ever made me cry. She made me feel safe when I wasn’t. She was stable and loving and there for me. Maybe that’s why I created her. I imagine it is.

Tuning Out but Not Off

I don't think I’m alone in how I feel these days.

There is such an abundance of bad and sad news that I find myself trying to extricate myself from the flow of that sort of information. It’s taking an emotional toll on those of us who are sensitive to the pain of others.

I’m avoiding the scenes of death and destruction because it creates such frustration. I am staying aware of the news but avoiding the repetitious details. It’s not because I don’t care or have lost interest, I do it in self defense of my sanity.

I find myself searching for one reality to distract me from another. I look to the beauty and simplicity of nature for solace. It’s always there waiting for me when I need it, and these days I surely do need it.

Boomers and Nursing Homes

Many of us have experienced visiting relatives in a nursing home. I have visited several over the years and my experience was not all together pleasant or unpleasant. All of them had some things in common.

They were very quiet. There were whiffs of urine in the air and the walls were painted soft relaxing colors. Those are the nursing homes of our grandparents and parents.

Let’s look ahead a few years and picture the nursing homes when the baby boomers require them. I’m guessing some Peter Maxx posters on the walls, the Stones or Beatles on the jukebox and whiffs of marijuana in the air.

Are there any other changes you can think of?

Another Idiot Exposed

Sen. Inhofe Compares People Who Believe In Global Warming To ‘The Third Reich’
“Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) is the nation’s most prominent global warming denier. He famously declared that global warming is “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” Now, he’s taken the argument a step further. In an interview with Tulsa World, Inhofe compared people who believed global warming was a problem to Nazis:”
The rest is here, if you can take anymore

Mature Embryo Deaths

Over three hundred mature embroys “murdered” in Lebanon. Seems embryos lose their protected status once they become actual human beings. Sixty were killed in Iraq yesterday.

Simple Pleasures

“That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest”
-Henry David Thoreau-

What are your simple pleasures?

Friday Funnies

It’s been a week of too many serious events in the world and I think it’s worn on all of us. Today is Friday and we need something fun. So here it is, another moment in time, something else that happened during “the decider’s” visit with German chancellor Merkel.

“Earlier in the day she and Bush had sat in front of a fireplace in the town hall of Stralsund, Merkel's hometown, and chatted. "It's a little warm for a fire," Bush noted, though there was no fire going in the fireplace.”
Weekly Standard

Breaking News?

Why is it that every action in the battle between Israel and the Hezbollah in Lebanon, is deemed “Breaking News” by the TV news channels, but the actions of the war in which Americans are fighting and dying are not?

Lebanon to Cyprus, no charge

Condi decided to change the rules last night and now US citizens evacuated from Lebanon will not be charged for their trip as far as Cyprus, but from there it seems they’re on their own. Imagine thousands of people trying to book passage out of Cyprus by air and by sea. This has misery written all over it because these people have been living in fear for a week and now they must face this new daunting task.

To answer a question posed yesterday about how other countries are managing their own evacuations;

“The U.S. military does not charge for evacuations. Nor do the governments of France, Ireland, Britain and Italy, which already have ferried hundreds of their citizens out of Lebanon.”
CNN.com

US to charge citizens for evacuation from Lebanon

We’ve been hearing that the US was developing a plan to evacuate Americans from Lebanon while other countries were in the process of already evacuating their citizens. Did the other countries charge their citizens for that evacuation? I don’t know, but it looks like we will.

”The Department of State reminds American citizens that the U.S. government does not provide no-cost transportation but does have the authority to provide repatriation loans to those in financial need. For the portion of your trip directly handled by the U.S. Government we will ask you to sign a promissory note and we will bill you at a later date. In a subsequent message, when we have specific details about the transporation arrangments, we will inform you about the costs you will incur.”
US Embassy, Lebanon

Poor Choice of Words

“STEPHANOPOULOS: Extremists now appear to have been emboldened. The moderates appear to be in retreat. There is no peace process. There is war. How do you answer administration critics who say that the administration’s actions have unleashed, have helped unleash the very hostilities you hoped to contain?

RICE: Well, first of all, those hostilities were not very well contained as we found out on September 11th, so the notion that policies that finally confront extremism are actually causing extremism, I find grotesque.”
From Crooks and Liars

I find the use of the word “grotesque” all wrong here. Grotesque is what human beings' bodies look like after being blown to smithereens in a war that was initiated as the result of a lie.

Gay Marriage Can’t Hold a Candle to War

The argument from many is that same sex marriage would in some way be a threat and a harm to heterosexual marriage. Where are the facts to back that claim?

My own feeling is that the biggest possible threat and harm to heterosexual marriage is war. This war in Iraq is producing hundreds of widows and widowers. In addition many, many divorces are the result of a spouse’s deployment. Those facts are well known and apparent.

When it comes to the assault on the institution of marriage, same sex marriage appears to have no weapons and can hardly be a threat. Meanwhile this war causes casualties every day.

The Truth, every bit of it

First let me tell you, you guys killed me with your comments on yesterday's post. You truly are the best and the funniest!

We’re back home and we had a lovely time. We had a sunset cocktail hour and dinner at the water’s edge. The bed and breakfast where we spent the night assigned us to their Safari Bedroom. We both felt that was a funny as hell name for a suite but a perfect place for a "one night stand".

The guy in that picture below and the one with whom I shared this lovely evening is non other than Mr. Pop and that picture was taken a couple of months ago at the same dock where we dined last night. We will be married 20 years in October. He really is a marine biologist and he really is very considerate of others. I didn’t mind that he went on the trip and he didn’t mind that I joined him. We have fun together, as best friends do.

Pictures of our excursion yesterday and last night? I think not. I’ll leave that to your imagination.

As always, it’s good to be home. And it's wonderful to have commenters like you guys. Thank you for adding so much to the Morning Martini.

My One Night Stand

Yep, I’m going to do it. See that guy standing on the deck there talking on his phone? That’s the guy and I’m leaving with him in a couple of hours to go up near Daytona. Notice he is taking the call out on the deck so he isn’t rude to those in the dining area. He’s very considerate.

He’s a marine biologist and he has to attend a business meeting but the rest of his time will be mine.

The view you see in the picture is the same one I’ll be seeing tonight with my evening martini.

Funny thing is, my husband and his wife know what we’re about to do, and they are fine with it.

See you back here sometime tomorrow.

Fear and the Evolution of the Revelation of Reality

I would imagine that as long as humans have been able to converse they have wondered about the events they could not explain or understand. As their mental capacity expanded, they became more curious and more intrigued with these unexplainable occurrences. At some point in time they began assigning names and personalities to these events. They named the god that caused thunder to rumble above them during electrical storms. They had no scientific knowledge of what was happening to cause the frightening sounds, so they attributed it to something they could grasp, someone like themselves that they could not see.

Now these many years later, educated people know the reasons for the lightening and the thunder. We are no longer ignorant of it’s origin. We know there is no god driving his chariot through the sky.

Science has explained so much to us that the people of history did not have the luxury to understand. Science has removed the need to attribute to gods what is a naturally occurring event.

Today with all the scientific knowledge we have and our ability with due diligence to have more, the need for gods is increasingly growing unnecessary.

We are discovering that knowledge of earthly events is the result of natural occurrences and not the result of the will of some supernatural being.

This, I believe, is what is making the religious Right so angry. They feel their god’s reputation as the all mighty one is being eroded. Rather than acknowledge that we can discover and understand the causes for events, they would rather deny that knowledge exists. They seem to refer to knowledge as something that is “elite” and those who rely on that knowledge as “elitist”. With these labels, they have tried to destroy the bountiful treasures that stem form education and knowledge. Why would they do that? Why fly straight into the face of reason?

The Right, rather than take responsibility for their actions and deeds, find it easier to attribute everything they do to their “God’s will”. As long as their actions and beliefs are “God’s will”, they never have to explain themselves. They shun anyone who can present them with facts, as facts are often the enemy of their beliefs.

As the scientific world moves forward to explain more and more events, the religious Right sees that much of the world requires less and less need to assign that which they do not yet understand to a whimsical, supernatural god. They fear a world that is evolving into a world that is not fearful of the wrath of their god. Without the need to attribute to a god what is not understood by man, they fear they will be held responsible for their deeds, not in heaven, but right here on earth. They fear the evolution of science and the revelation of the reality it brings.

McCain and Bush in 2008?

Since I can’t find this yet on the internet, I’ll just quote what the Palm Beach Post has this morning. Here are the scary parts.

“Jeb Bush has frequently said he won’t run for president in 2008, but he’s never ruled out being on the ticket as someone’s running mate.

And he didn’t Monday when asked about teaming up with Arizona Sen. John McCain as Republicans hope to come up with a ticket to keep the White House—now occupied by Bush’s older brother, President George W. Bush.

I like Sen. McCain, I think he’s a good guy, Jeb Bush told reporters after returning from a holiday in Maine with his family.

Any potential GOP nominee would covet the 27 electoral votes in Florida where Bush enjoys a high job approval rating among voters as he nears the end of his second term.

It was the 25 electoral votes Florida held in 2000 that put the current president into office—by a scant 537-vote margin of more than 6 million cast in the state.”

What do you think about this possibility?

Ignorance or a Lie?

“US President George W. Bush on Friday dismissed news reports that the CIA has closed a unit tasked with hunting Osama bin Laden as "incorrect" and said the Al-Qaeda leader was still in his sights.”
Herald Sun

“The man who led America's hunt for Osama bin Laden has said the CIA was wrong to disband the only unit devoted entirely to the terrorist leader's pursuit - just at a time when al-Qaida is reasserting its influence over global jihad.”
The Guardian

Did the president not know that the unit had been closed down or did he lie? Either way, it’s not good.

One Percent, Is it Enough?

In Ron Suskind’s book, “The One Percent Doctrine”, he tells of Cheney’s decision to move on anything if there is a one percent chance of it being true. If there was a one percent chance of Saddam having WMD that was enough for him.

I think we are seeing proof of Cheney’s doctrine today. The guys who were arrested in Miami appear to me to be at best a few misguided yet not dangerous guys. Yesterday we heard of the arrest of someone who was chatting in an online chat room about blowing up the tunnels in New York. Seems in both these situations thoughts were about all the people had to work with.

Do hardened terrorists chat about their serious plans in chat rooms? Do they take the bait when an undercover agent offers them connections and help from bin Laden? To tell you the truth, I don’t know. Was there a one percent chance they would have done something horrific? I guess there will always be that chance, small though it may be.

Let’s think about this a minute. If your neighbor owns a gun, is there a one percent chance he might one day shoot you? Probably. So this being the case, are you at liberty to shoot him because of that one percent chance he might shoot you first?

If we live our lives based on attacking anyone who has a one percent chance of attacking us first, where does it stop? Is a one percent chance of something happening justification for going to war and imprisoning human beings? There may always be a one percent chance that something will happen, but that leaves a 99 percent chance that it won't.

It would seem that Cheney sees the glass as full when it’s 99% empty.

What’s wrong with this picture?

It isn’t unusual to see hot air balloons here on the weekends and holidays. However it is unusual to see them this low and between so many electric lines. The one in the photo was trying to takeoff but having a bit-o-trouble lifting up. As it worked out, the thing finally rose above the lines and went along its merry way safe and sound.

Blog-less Most of the Day

I have been blog-less for most of today. I clicked on my link to come here this morning and was greeted by a blank screen. I dropped blogger a message asking for help. Then I went to someone else’s blog site who had also had a problem and commented about my own problem. This afternoon I went back to that blog site and someone who is about the most wonderful person in the world had left me a message telling me what I might try to retrieve the Morning Martini from wherever it had gone. I did what he said and I got it back.

If that kind person comes here and wishes to identify himself I would be honored. But until I have his permission, I will just take this opportunity to thank him from the bottom of my heart.

Things that went up yesterday

More things went up yesterday than Rush’s Viagra powered crank.

The shuttle finally lifted off as the nation held its breath. Looks like the duct tape and spit held the thing together. If there is a goddess of space flights the shuttle will stay intact until it returns safely to earth.

The funky looking guy with the Chia Pet hair, who is the head of North Korea, fired off six missiles which apparently pretty much fizzled. Not sure what his plan is but if this was his best shot he probably needs to head back to the planning table and drawing board. Sadly the bush administration has been too hardheaded to continue President Clinton’s successful mission of keeping the guy content and busy doing other things rather than building new missiles. Imagine that! A Clinton plan that worked trashed by an unsuccessful bush plan.

Finally yesterday the climax came. A nation full of junk food and alcohol played with explosives. All over our country beautiful exploding things rose up into the night sky and people cheered.

It was, as Cartman would say, a hella-Fourth.

Posting for Peace

Peace is for some, a flag draped coffin. They rest in peace. It’s the peace that comes with death, or so we’re told. It probably is peace for someone who has suffered a tragic disease or a horrible accident. This isn’t about that kind of peace.

This is about the peace that is with us until the first bomb is dropped or the first shot is fired on the battlefield. This is about the blessed peace that too often is recognized for its preciousness only after it has been lost. This is about the peace that our country seems to feel is only for our people and our land. In order to preserve our peace at home we send our wars to other lands. This gives the appearance that our peace is more precious than theirs.

Sadly there are many families both here and in Iraq who will never have real peace again due to the loss of those they loved. Their hearts are broken in a way that may never be repaired. Their only hope for peace is the eternal peace they see in death. Curse the war and weep for what it has taken from them.

Today more will probably die in this war that our country chose to begin. No one is winning this war and everyone is losing. Rather than allow one more death, one more debilitating injury, or one more broken heart, why not bring our soldiers home? It’s time for America to declare Peace both here and in Iraq. It’s time to experience the kind of peace that life can bring instead of the kind we associate with death.

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
-Isaac Asimov-
Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun.
-Martin Amis-

(Thanks go out to Glenda, who created the group “Posting for Peace”. Zip over to her site and she’ll tell you other sites who have joined in this effort)

"He calls me Johnny Mac," Mr. McCain said

Some might find the relationship between the president and John McCain rather disturbing

Basically “Johnny Mac” says that as repulsive as it might seem, he loves to kiss george bush’s ass. “ Johnny Mac” made some troubling comments about his relationship with the president. Here is one example. "I've tried, when his numbers went down, to be more supportive and outspoken, because I'd love to pick him up," Mr. McCain said.

Seems not only does McCain kiss the president’s ass as often as possible, he would also love to pick him up, and what? Cuddle?

Link

Holiday Weekend

Have a safe and happy holiday.
Do you have a family tradition or special plans for this long 4th of July weekend?