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While neither candidate (Clinton, Obama) will get enough votes to sew up the nomination in today's Pennsylvania primary, what each needs is to create the image that they are the wave of the future. The hope of the Democratic Party to take the White House. Just like the Republicans, the Democrats are splintered into so many factions that to win, a candidate has to basically sell their soul. On the Republican side, the conservatives consider McCain to be a RINO (Republican In Name Only).While Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1965) are a major force, the Gen-X (1966-1985) is coming on strong. Two things working against the Democratic candidates is can America get over the stigma of electing a black or a woman to lead the nation. Sexism and racism are the soft undertone that nobody speaks of, for fear of being called a (fill in the blank)ist. McCain has a problem appealing to a populace that would identify him as a "grandfather". His war hero and POW status means something to the old farts but to Gen-X and Gen-Y (1986-2005) the Vietnam War doesn't even cover more than 2 paragraphs in today's history books. WWII takes about a page. Don't even ask about Korea. The contributions of the Silent Generation (1926-1945) go vastly ignored.
The sad thing is that whomever is victorious will inherit a quagmire of troubles. The same as President Hoover did in 1929. I am not sure that any person, let alone any government can resolve our troubles in 4 years. And, lets face it, have you ever seen any government, anywhere that didn't make things worse by sticking their fingers in? I haven't.
We are are running out of fuel, food and water. And these conditions make ripe the vulnerability of a regional epidemic becoming a global pandemic. It wouldn't even surprise me if some group, somewhere, is already in the process of developing such a strategy. And I don't mean terrorists. Instead, it would be a logical plan for the true leaders of the world, not the politicians, to conceive of such a cleansing. They have the power and resources. Hell, they control everything. They are the true "movers & shakers", not the clowns that we watch on TV.
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My ever optimistic side (yeah, I do have one) hopes that Jimmy Carter's recent sojourn to the middle-east will produce some positive results. Dubya and Candy are pissed. By law he couldn't represent the USA but he has the right as a private citizen to try and help. Without portfolio. My (more prominent) pessimistic side looks at the history of this 6,000+ year conflict and really can't see any workable strategy. This war has raged since the biblical Abraham first showed up on the shores of the eastern Mediterranean. Its like a continuous passion play with an ever changing cast.***
In Washington, DC , come May 1st, you might want to contemplate alternative forms of transportation if you normally use a taxi. On that day, all DC cabs will be required to have taximeters, abandoning the decades old system of paying by the zone. Undoubtedly, some drivers will risk the $1,000 fine if they are caught operating illegally. A major problem is that there are not enough qualified/certified taximeter installers to convert all the licensed cabs in the next 8 days. Its going to be a "chinese fire drill" there for most of May.
Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive
"Let's all be careful out there!"
