Republican Rome Redux

I have often lamented the fact that there has not been a presidential candidate worth voting for since 1984--the last time the Gipper stood for office. That we have not had a true conservative champion of republican (little "r"--in the mold of Thomas Jefferson) ideals behind whom our nation's true independent character could rally, for a quarter of a century, does not bode well for these re-United States. We are fast becoming a nation of hand-out hold-outs, lulled to sleep by the velvet-gloved tyranny of an entrenched central government political caste and it's increasingly unchecked bureaucracy. It's a Rome redux--a great empire, it's reach and influence unrivaled in the known world, forgetting its republican roots and turning its focus on morally destructive selfish behavior and accepting the tyranny of the dole rather than the freedom of self-sufficiency.

A nation as powerful and important as ours, never mind the rights of the PEOPLE our Constitution so eloquently and unequivocally protects, needs truly enlightened (not the fake "enlightenment" of socialist "liberalism") leadership at the top to ensure against the trampling of the rights of our people to live free. That freedom, guaranteed by our Constitution, is not a guarantee of the central government's provision of all our wants and needs. Rome's bread and circuses, free to the masses, dulled the citizenry's senses to the excesses of the ruling elite, and bred a weak and whining population unable to withstand the rigors of national defense--Rome fell to relatively weak "barbarian" tribes because it had become so rotten and soft at its population's core. The freedom our Constitution guarantees is the freedom for each of us to make our own way, within the bounds of accepted societal norms. When we depend on other men for our daily bread, we become unable to fend for ourselves, and ultimately unable to defend ourselves and our nation.

While I could never vote for either of the two closet socialists currently engaged in internecine warfare for the presidential nomination of the George Soros party, I am having a hard time squaring my beliefs with those of Senator McCain. I have the utmost respect for the man--he is one of my heroes (read his wikepedia entry and he will be one of your heroes as well--unless you are a Vietnamese communist). But, he has ridden the fence as a moderate "maverick" to gain fame in national office and I'm not certain of his core principles.

But, then again, I voted for two Bushes and Dole whilst holding my nose--guess I can do it again.

Simple Pleasures

It is amazing to consider the choices of entertainment available to homo sapiens at this point in our galactic ride. We can do most anything we can dream of (and can pay for). Those of us with who can afford it (and many, many more who really cannot) spend outrageous sums and travel to great lengths in the pursuit of transitory happiness. What our grandfathers only dreamed of doing (and scrimped and saved for) once in their lifetime, we (particularly in this most affluent nation on the planet) do every weekend--and charge it on a credit card. The largest industries in history are now devoted to separating us from our cash and credit in return for thrills. And, I freely admit to being a member of the "chasing thrills at great expense" club.

But, I gotta tell you, yesterday afternoon, sitting next to Miss Brenda on my dock on Lake Brenda with a cane pole and a carton of wrigglers, catching bream and catfish, was as much fun as I have had in years.

Next month, Miss Brenda and I are going to spend another exorbitant sum of hard-earned cash on a trip to Alaska. We expect to experience a trip (to a place we have long wanted to visit) that will be worth the expense. But, I betcha that during a quiet moment somewhere in the middle of those two weeks and in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, I'll think of my place at the northern end of southern nowhere... and, well..., I'll want to go home and sit on my front porch and listen to the whippoorwills as the sun sets.

Then, I'll go add another $20 to the Alaskan tourism economy for a glass of orange juice.

Cloning Volunteer

I've been so looking forward to Spring, but find that I wasn't prepared for it. There are so many things to do and so little time! Seems like during the winter, time takes on the viscosity of cold molasses and crawls slowly and drearily along. February, in particular, is a month in which each day seems to stretch exponentially like Stephen Hawkin's object approaching the event horizon of a super-massive black hole. But, then Spring arrives and suddenly time picks up the pace, passing ever more rapidly as each type of bush and tree buds and flowers. All the things I dreamt of doing during the long, dark, bad dream of late winter are now options on a brightly colored pallet and I haven't enough hands to brush paint onto all of the canvasses.

The crappie started biting a month ago and I never made it out to wet a hook once! Turkey season is 2/3 over and I've only been twice--and I hunt on my own property! I bought season tickets to watch my Rebels play baseball and didn't get to a game until last night (Ole Miss won a pitching duel with the hated LSU Tigers and happiness reigns in Rebel Nation). The annual Spring Red-Blue Football game (recently renamed the Grove Bowl) is this afternoon and I'll go--but there are so many other things on my Saturday honey-do and Spring fun-time lists that will go begging as a result.

As the weather began to warm and the days lengthened a few weeks ago, Miss Brenda and I went into a paroxysm of frantic digging and pulling--moving trees and shrubs that the previous occupants of our place had planted way too close to the house. We had fifty to move--had planned to get them moved before they started blooming and budding. We got maybe ten done. The rest will have to wait until later this year in the Fall.

But, then the deer and duck hunting and college football seasons will be upon us and... I need a clone!