Bush-hating Republican

I have resisted being political on this site until now, but it has just gotten so unbelievably bad, I can't stand it. If I were a citizen of another country observing this one, I'd probably laugh. Since I'm an American, I'm just sad and ashamed. I truly believe that the Bush administration will go down in American History as the worst and most corrupt, ever. It's absurd, truly absurd what is happening on a regular basis in this country. Forget the war in Iraq, forget the ongoing disaster in New Orleans. Take a look at just another straw on the pile of mid-level outrages going on daily in this kleptocracy:

The Pentagon's inspector general will be leaving his post Sept. 9 to take a top job at the parent company for Blackwater USA, one of the largest private security firms in Iraq, the Defense Department said yesterday.

Joseph E. Schmitz has been the IG since March 2002, heading an office of 1,250 military and civilian officers and employees, with a mandate to prevent waste, fraud and abuse in the Pentagon. Its work included an extensive review of a controversial plan for leasing Boeing Co. jets as Air Force tankers. A top Pentagon procurement officer and a Boeing official went to prison in that case.

Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, said, "The inspector general is a standard-bearer for ethics and integrity for the Pentagon. To see a person who has been holding that position cash in on his public service and go work for one of their contractors is tremendously disappointing," she said. Schmitz will be based in McLean for Prince.

This is a symptom of a much larger disease - one that starts right at the top. As they say, the fish rots from the head down. If you are a Republican who supports anything Bush does, please wise up. Blind support is not being a patriotic American, or even a good Republican. Read some of the stuff at Huffingtonpost.com. Just because it comes from the left, doesn't mean it's wrong. Who else will criticize him and his administration? Most of our Republican representatives are party-line cowards.

God bless John McCain, for President 2008, please...

Two weeks and counting...

That's right, once again you can expect to see regular updates to this site, with pictures. I leave from Southville on September 12th. That gives me a couple of weeks to finish getting myself together. The "what am I forgetting" feeling is now with me about 24/7. This being my 2nd year now, I am reasonably confidant in ignoring it (and crossing my fingers). One thing I'm doing differently this year as opposed to last is treating the lead-up to departure time as an opportunity to get my personal life together, rather than an occasion to let it go. So, there will be no huge blow-out binges or massive credit card spending during the interim. Hey, I've actually been good this summer and I don't want to ruin it now. I hope this isn't a sign of growing older and more mature...

I just went on a small online buying spree at Franzus, maker of great little travel gadgets and stuff. Hello neck pillow (God, I am getting older). I am also working on making sure my wardrobe is up to snuff. After all, I will be in the audience of a king on this trip. Oh, maybe I forgot to mention, the new monarch of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, will be personally opening the college fair in Riyadh. That will be a high point. A low one will be that this is my 4th trip to India, and still, I will not have time to go see the damn Taj Mahal.

I will return October 19th, be in town about 10 days, then head out again, probably on Halloween Day. This time I'll be zipping through sub-Saharan Africa for a couple of weeks. The itinerary looks pretty grueling. Upon my return in mid-November I will play catch-up at the office and then take some vacation. A buddy and I are looking at going to Peru and doing the Incan Trail thing. Busy fall.