A week of THANKS & GIVING…

This Thursday in the U.S. was Thanksgiving Day. I had meant to post then, as tt has long been my favorite holiday, but things got busy. Maybe I love TG because we just eat lots of good things that aren’t on the everyday menu (like turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes & pies: no goat or mensef this time around) and watch American football (vice futbol internacional), but also because it is a day of reflection. I like to make it a week-long of THANKS & GIVING. Of course, some recent events also make me pause.

Watching the evening network news this week I see that riots in Cairo have left 30+ dead. If I follow the analysis correctly it is that demonstrators are tired of waiting on the military government that took over last spring to hand over power before the elections, and they haven’t “fixed the economy” quick enough. The fiscal health of the nation is dependent on tourism and foreign folks aren’t coming. So, demonstrations & riots should certainly be an attraction… hmm…

On the domestic demo-front (“Occupy Anything”), Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich (yep, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives) had some good analysis of the “Occupy” demonstrators (interfering with people trying to get-to-work in order to pay their taxes that provide government space & services), but added some un-sensitive words: “take a bath… get a job…” On the flip-side, former Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi accused “60 Minutes” the weekly news magazine on TV of a right-wing hatchet job on their piece looking at insider trading by members of our Congress (it isn’t illegal for them, because they make the laws). Many come with little in their portfolio and leave wealthy. I’m starting to like China’s handling of public corruption more-n-more, and it isn’t often that “60 Minutes” is cited for right-wing bias. Many of us are feed-up with anyone and everyone in office and want a return to citizen legislators’ love to see ALL incumbents o-u-t, regardless… yes, yours too. Unfortunately, too much $$$ have come influencing power, corrupting the basis of the Republic (gee, didn’t wee learn anything from Rome?). Anyway, we need to go back to basic necessary programs, and ask: is it sustainable? If not, change it to make-it-so, Bottom line: everyone will need to be involved in the hurt.



4 that roomed & roamed: Phil-Mike-Scott-Steve in '71

Lost a comrade-in-arms this past week: Michael (Mike)Taylor a vet of Vietnam (& VVAW) was a roomie in Denver in the early 70’s. He’d been a Sgt. With USMC before we met. He had a career with the railroad, but I knew him as a sensitive poet. RIP Michael.

Talked with several former colleagues this week. A special one, Cindy Schroder, that wrote the book A Hunt for Justice, has begun her next non-fiction based on some of the cases we (FBI, Fish & Wildlife, and National Park Service) worked together. Should be interesting read, stay tuned…

http://www.amazon.com/Hunt-Justice-Story-Undercover-Wildlife/dp/1599218941/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322242383&sr=1-1