News of the day

I question the timing

so anyway, I caught the tail end of some pissing match that my brother Kim duToit was involved in (I'm shocked!, shocked I say, to learn than Kim has had cross words with someone). I haven't the time or energy to follow the thread back and find out what it was all about, but Kim has posted a "position paper" on the underlying conditions that is well worth reading. Apostasy is sustainable as a free-standing post on Kim's world-view.

Kim, I hereby extend my "special people" offer to you: if you ever find yourself in SE Michigan; I'll buy you not one, but two forty-ounce quarts of your favorite beer and all the White Castles you can eat.

Right, then. Let's look at the news. I do indeed question the timing on a couple of news items, one obvious, one not so much. First, the obvious: (Former) Rep. Foley. (Do your own AltaVista search, dammit)

Even to the most casual observer of things political, the question "Why now?" begs answering. Thirty six days out from the mid-terms; 48 hours away from the recess: BAM! all this crap about Foley and his kiddie-diddling.

As for Foley, well, there's a special place in Hell waiting for him. On oh so many levels (his sexual preference not included). But I digress.....

Turns out there are some IMs from three years ago that takes this over the top. Three years in an eternity in Washington. This will all boil down to who knew what when. Odds are tremendous that there are some promenent democrats who knew the score three years ago, yet who remained silent until now.

Go figure.

Already, the calls have gone out for the House leadership to resign in disgrace over this. To quote Bob Slydell: "Not so fast, Professor". Let's find out who knew what when (which will explain a lot about the timing of these revalations) and then start calling for peoples heads on platters. Give it a week, we'll know more.

Ace is splitting atoms.....with his mind.....over Sen. Frist's faux pas on the Taliban. I can't say that Ace is wrong in his assesments regarding the Stupid Party. As an added bonus, Ace addresses the Foley scandal as well.

Ace gets the "special offer" as well, except with him it'll be Val-U-Rite vodka and sushi from Krogers. Same respect intended.

As for the "not so obvious" portion of our program, let's take a look at the school shootings since we talked last. There have been tragedies in CO, WI, and PA schools, the CO and PA attacks both involving non-school-aged assailants.

I am entirely sympathetic to those who have been touched by these events, however I must question the timing.

Five weeks in front of the mid-term elections. Hmmm. Tell me again which party stands against the private ownership of fire arms?

Watch for the following message on the TV near you soon: Look! Tragedies! Tragedies involving Our Childern! Tragedies involving Guns! Tragedies involving Our Children and Guns! We must remove the evil guns from society! Vote for the (dem) candidate who will remove guns from our midst!

Hear me now and believe me later. After you believe me, tell me again which party uses "fear tactics" to win votes. I've waited this long for people to get a clue, what's a few more weeks?

For extra credit, you could do a little "detective work" and correllate the relative proximity of horrific "gun" violence to the national election cycle. Post your findings in the comments; your semester grade will be adjusted accordingly.

I've been brewing a theory along these lines for years, hoping that I am wrong. The recent WI shooting, the MN tragedy from last year, and of course Columbine were all examples of teen-aged angst coupled with inappropriate access to weapons. Colorado and Pennslyvania are much more than that; crazed loners going to schools to go out in their blazes of (non) glory. I mean WTF?

doG, it's late again. More soon