Yes, as a matter of fact there is. It’s in the form of five simple tests that most anyone can apply to any country on the face of the earth. Here they are in no particular order:… [more]

Wow, I think. I’m into that! I’d even be even more into making money without doing anything at all. (Oh wait a second! That’s what the government is for)! But what about this deal? Is it real or just another in a host of puissant………………………….. [more]

Uh, say what? I thought things were improving. Maybe improving slowly, but improving none the less. Obama said so…didn’t he…?

Apparently not as the CBO believes that economic growth will be only 2 percent this year — and an anemic 1.1 percent next year. In addition, it appears we will be adding trillions more onto the National Debt with no real end in sight. (Something that should have the same effect on job growth as spraying water would be on an amorous dog).

[now here comes the Democratic spin]

Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen took a different approach, however, saying deficits and growth would have been worse without President Obama’s stimulus plan. “The Recovery Act did serve its purpose. It’s kind of like when you’re walking up an escalator that’s going down very quickly. If you take no action you will go down very fast,” he said.

Oh, I see now. So, the stimulus thingy was designed merely to slow down the fall of our society not save it. OK! I’m clear on that now. (Damn that George Bush! Just look at the mess he handed our beloved Obama). Hey! I know! Let’s give this man another four more years to ‘fix’ this economy even better than he has already! Maybe we can all learn to scamper up that mean old escalator in double time! Maybe pigs can fly!

Maybe it’s just me! As a moderate independent with leanings a little to the right of center, I share many of the views of both the GOP and Libertarian parties. Perhaps there is some Democrat in me also when it comes to programs I think the government should be involved in (like border patrol for instance).  But, oh Nelly, what a mess this election cycle is turning out to be!

To say that the GOP party is a little fractured would be like saying the Titanic sank because of a scratch! The chasm that is opening right at this juncture is frightening for a host of reasons. The problems go down to the heart what the GOP stands for (everything it would seem) and the candidates that we have to choose from (Mitt the limp lettuce and Newt da poison ivy). The one candidate that I could support (Ron Paul) seems more intent on chasing ideals as opposed to the realities of leadership. Still, if you could divorce his foreign policy lunacy from the rest of his rhetoric, the man is not half bad.

Leaving Ron Paul aside for the moment, what we have is divisionism on one side coming up against a well funded radical socialist movement on the other. And, like gasoline and air, this is a volatile and dangerous mix. A well timed spark could easily set off widespread discontent, riots and worse! Something that the extremists among us (Soros comes to mind) would love to see just so long as the country tears itself apart in the process! (Ah, yes, then we would have a new world order! How much you want to bet that the average American will take a big lifestyle step downwards in that scenario)? No takers! Thought so.

Complicating matters enormously, is the general public themselves, with perhaps a full fifty percent or more completely ignorant of what is taking place right under their noses. Like so many sheep, they’re more than content to follow whoever has the loudest bark. Think I’m wrong? Then do this. Come up with five questions to ask your neighbors about our government and then score them accordingly. Here’s five suggestions to get you started:

1)      Show them a picture of Joe Biden or Pelosi and ask them to identify who it is and what they do.

2)      Ask them who the attorney general of the country is and why he’s in the news these days.

3)      Ask them to describe in simple manner what Sharia Law entails and how it would affect women.

4)      Ask them to guess the National Debt to within a couple of trillion dollars.

5)      Ask them to explain the difference between a Republic and a Democracy. (For extra credit, have them explain why either is to be preferred over Socialism).

Scoring this is easy. One point for each correct answer and five points for the extra credit answer. I’ll make you a bet right now that perhaps only one in ten will score much higher than a 3. (Feel free to write a comment if a) you think the test is too hard, b) you can’t find anyone in your group that scored at all or c) you or someone you know got a 10! I’d like to shake that person’s hand)!

10:00 AM:  Making it to noon time and lunch is my next challenge. That is without eating anything of course. I’ll divert myself from thinking about food by going shopping…to the grocery store.

11:00 AM: I’m at the grocery store and salivating. Too late, I remember that you should never grocery shop when you’re hungry. Hmm, I wonder if this pork loin will fit into my cart? It is a bit overloaded…

12:00 Noon:  I made it! I feel like I haven’t had a bit in days! Let’s see now…what can I make that will be under 300 calories? Answer – nothing! My eyes wander over to the pork loin sitting on the counter top. A sense of desperation grips my mind. I place the pork into the fridge and hunt for a hotdog instead.

Four hundred calories later: a hotdog, Saur Kraut and a glass of milk flashed before my eyes before disappearing into the maw of my mouth. It’s 12:20 PM and my stomach rumbles….

1:00 PM: Oh my cheating ways! A half eaten box of cheese-its lies at the corner of my desk; a tawdry reminder of my lustful eating binge just moments before. I’m at my desk staring vacantly at the computer screen. Well, I console myself. After all, I’m only human. I click on my mouse to go to You Tube so I can hunt for that song to play. (While I’m listening on my headphones, I discover that the cord stretches just enough to reach my backup supply of M&M’s). It’s now 1:15PM….tic tock tic tock…

4:00 PM: I’m now wondering about eating dinner this early. I mean if I eat it now, then it will be another FIFTEEN F’ING HOURS before breakfast. I glance over at the box of Cheese-its which is now empty. I briefly wonder what happened to all those cheesy bits of goodness??

5:00PM: I’ve decided to hell with everything and go to the fridge in search of a brewski.

8:00 PM : I look up bleary eyed from a pile of empty beer cans that are resting under the remains of a Hungry Man TV dinner. I squint at the tray trying to focus. (Actually the tray is quite empty and merely stars back). I stand up – walk to my bedroom and promptly pass out.

And so ends my first day of dieting. I’m looking forward to day two now, much the way a condemned man looks forward to his day of execution.

My friends, I feel we may be poised for a biological invasion and aberration of our environment which could drastically affect life on earth as we know it. Insects which now number in the hundreds of billions and which fill every earthly niche may soon mutate into new realms heretofore unavailable to them. I bring you the rise of a new class of bug able to tolerate both extremes of cold and heat. Bugs that can exist in fine style …[more]