I'm Feeling Ranty

One of the great things about being away for the weekend at the dance competition was that I spent two full days - Friday and Saturday - blissfully unaware of what was going on in the world. I didn't want to spend $12.95 a day for the hotel's internet connection, we never turned on the TV, and I didn't feel like springing for a newspaper. It's actually quite pleasant to live for a few hours unaware of all the murder, war, mayhem, and political ass-clownery going on around you.

But that was then, and this is now.

Now I'm back, connected, aware, and surrounded by only one beautiful woman (albeit the best one). It's time to rant on a few topics.

Utah has decided to add yet another item to its list of state symbols. In addition to its State Flower (the Sego Lily), State Tree (the Blue Spruce), State Insect (the honeybee), and 21 others, it has now added an official State Firearm - the .45 caliber M1911 pistol:

Is it just me, or does this send an unfortunate image of the state that the Blue Spruce and the Sego Lily don't?

I also noted that, while I was away, the United States got suckered into intervening in Libya. You may recall that I rather strongly opposed this in an earlier blog post, but the President saw fit not to listen to my advice. That's his privilege. I wouldn't want his job, anyhow. Nevertheless, as I predicted, the following has happened:

1. The Arab League, having voted in favor of having someone else do its dirty work, is now objecting to the fact that we're doing it;

and,

2. Congressional Republicans, having loudly castigated President Obama for not taking action to help the poor, defenseless Libyan rebels, are now loudly castigating President Obama for taking action to help the poor, defenseless Libyan rebels. Where I come from, this is called being a shamelessly hypocritical dumbass.

Continuing with the topic of intervening in Libya, I offer this wonderful comment from my good friend and former co-worker Andy: "I am not opposed to intervention in the form of NFZ [no-fly zones], in theory, I'm just not sure what we think it's going to accomplish without going far into the 'any means necessary.' If someone can convince me it will turn the untrained, lightly armed rebels into a trained, officer-led, Geneva-compliant force with sufficient heavy firepower and logistics to roll up K-daffy, then, cool."

I have some pretty smart friends.

And finally, helpful commentary on the world's troubles has been offered by blow-dried televangelist Franklin Graham, who sternly thunders that the earthquake and tsunami in Japan could be a sign of the 'end times.' You will note that he slipped in the weasel-word could, which offers a convenient dodge in case, well, it really isn't the end times. You've just got to appreciate can't-lose commentary like that.

Okay, that's enough. None of these clownheads are going to listen to me, anyhow. I can spend my time in more useful ways, like taking Nessa for a walk. Picking up her poop is a lot like bailing out the useless Arab world, except that I won't have a bunch of losers complaining about how I pick up their poop.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo