Flag Burning

For those of you who don't keep up with politics (or, unlike me have cable TV so are distracted with other inane pursuits), the Senate of the United States narrowly defeated a measure to amend the Constitution to prohibit flag burning.

The flag is a symbol. It stands for the freedom to express views which, although repugnant to others, are nonetheless tolerated in our ostensibly open society where all peaceful views are welcome. The symbol should never become more important than the ideal.

Orin Hatch (R-Utah) spoke yesterday and said there was nothing more important for the Senate to be doing at this time.

Blink.

Are you kidding me Orin? Let me just tick off a few.

War, global warming, oil addiction, zero savings rate, trade imbalance, Iran and North Korea with nuclear arms. Any of those ring a bell?

How do these yahoos stay in power?

Discuss.....

View From The Porch

(Saturday night, June 24)

I hear the bombing on the air force base across the bay and it reminds me of my dream.

It's quiet in the country tonight after a much-needed thunderstorm. Even now in the distance I see the flashes of lightening--the promise of more rain--for sinners and saved alike.

My dream? It was a helicopter, but big. Really big. Scary big. Doing flips. Flying more recklessly than I've ever seen a helicopter ever fly. Coming too close to the ground and thundering as it went--like some misguided Jabberwocky. It disturbed me to dreamily watch it. I wondered who could so recklessly fly such a machine. But it didn't appear to be piloted by a person. At least not anyone I would want to meet.

Can't Write....Must Work

Another trial heating up so posts are rarer than a rainbow flag at a Southern Baptist Convention. A thought which I can leave you with: we are breeding a smarter faster mosquito by slapping the slow stupid ones (if you believe in evolution that is).

Also, the purple martins are gone and the sunflowers are raging.

Also, today is the summer solstice--the longest day of the year.

Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms

Made it home last night just in time to put on the trunks and go down to the water with the Booglet, Calamity and Chester. The Booglet and I waded out into the water as Mommy threw sticks for the hound. The water was cool. The sun was sinking. Mullet were jumping everywhere.

I sat down and the little one sat on me. We rolled back and forth in the small waves generated by the late afternoon sea breeze. She laughed and laughed and everyone had so much fun. So simple are the things we usually enjoy the most. No toys (except sticks for the Pup), no TV, nothing but Mommy and Daddy and the Booglet.

Afterward, we chased each other down the beach. Little squealing mixed with Mommy and Daddy genuinely laughing, full of her contagious mirth. I picked up two new books after a deposition yesterday and we read those. Then, I carried the little warm thirty pound bundle into her little girl bed. Surrounded by her stuffed animals, I kissed her goodnight, smelling the clean baby smell.

War

War! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh

War! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all

Thinking after dropping off the Booglet today--we've been at war all her life. And she doesn't even know it. I wonder if the same could have been said for a child her age during World War II. They made sacrificies back then during times of war.

I'm tired of arguing about it. I want it to end.

New American Lawn Ornament

I've never seen so many in all my life. Recently, I had a client who was also a real estate broker in my office. She was trying to sell her property which is in an area described as "red hot" by the pundits (for all that's worth). Her comment,

"Nuthin's sellin."

So, as Donald Fagan said:

C'mon snakehips, it's all over now
Strap in tight cause it's a long sweet ride

Activist Judges

Is that just what we call judges who don't do exactly what we want?