Happy New Year 2010

The blue moon rose large over the Organs on New Year's eve. Fireworks graced the skies at midnight ushering in the first year of the second decade of the 21st Century. Just a couple hundred more years until NCC-1701 leaves its moorings for its maiden voyage.

The biggest concern is that we make it that long. Some kind of health insurance reform will get through Congress in 2010. It will be largely influenced by lobbyists since despite all of Barry Obama's post-partisan change beliefs, the District of Columbia is still a place where money talks and everything else (like ethics, representing the voters who sent you, honesty) walks.

Should we even discuss the latest foiled terrorist attempt? Does the end justify the means or lack thereof?? The guy got caught, the bomb did not go off. It wasn't 9/11 all over again. So all the recommendations by all the investigative committees in the world can't defeat the fact that human beings are not infallible. It is the nature of the species to err in order to evolve.

Speaking of errors, what exactly is the problem with those whole body screen machines?? Being an individual with a knee implant, I can attest that the machines (Albuquerque has them) are far less intrusive than some bozo using wands and "patting" me down. They are also much faster, making the lines at airport security check points flow much more smoothly. If the concern is privacy, as I've heard voiced by opponents and talking heads on t.v., then we need to eliminate Facebook, Google, credit cards, credit bureaus, government, and probably most other human institutions because we cede a little of our precious privacy every time we interact with one of them.

Just a few thoughts--

"...and Happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear. War is over if you want it, war is over now." -- John Lennon

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

When John Lennon penned that song, he was accused of using code for an acid trip--Lysergic Acid Dithylamide--LSD.  It used to be the best way to fly, certainly better and with less hassle than today.   The Establishment, back in the 60's and 70's, were terrified of the psychedelic and alleged mind-altering effects of acid, as it was called.  Jerry Rubin and Abby Hoffmann, leaders of the Youth International Party (Yippies) threatened to taint the public drinking water supply system with the drug to get the Establishment to become enlightened and free, or at least to loosen up and maybe enjoy a colorful diversion.  The government actually put troops around reservoirs to guard against this heinous act.

So today---- Picture yourself on the Washington Metro/With auto execs and lobbyists there/Someone is speaking/He's asking for money/A liar with lots of black hair...

Or is it the Senator he appointed who told the Illinois legislature he didn't get involved with Blago fundraising, there was no "pay for play", he deserved the appointment did Mr Burris and he was honest and clean and on and on and on and on...

OR---Picture yourself with a job in California/Where the State is cutting out benefits/You feel you're safe after all it's a state job/Then along comes a Senator/Wanting state jobs cut...How about those CA Republicans??  First they get a slew of cuts to Medi-Cal, unemployment and health benefits as part of the "budget deal"then they refuse to vote for this devil's bargain because there aren't any job reductions in state agencies like the ones in private industry!!!  

Does anyone out there think that maybe the Yippies really pulled off that injection of LSD into all the drinking water sources and the reaction is just delayed and we are all on an acid trip right now??  Anyone got a better explanation for this lunacy????

I remember purple snow and really neat color wheels. I much prefer those visions to the ones in my checkbook, 401-k statements, and savings account rates.  What, after all, is the purpose of government but to provide some safety net and some recourse for the average citizen after the markets fail?

  Oh Lucy, why hast thou forsaken us?????