Watching Discovery Land

Today the Space Shuttle Discovery landed safely at Kennedy Space Center.

What a thrill it was to see the shuttle launched on the 4th of July. But it was more exciting seeing the shuttle land safely today.

After Columbia exploded on her return two years ago, the future of the space program has been in doubt. Not by me, or by the people I know who know that the future is space. But by a lot of people who wonder why we are in space at all.

So, welcome home, Discovery! We are happy to see you here, and eager to see you return soon to space.

Is World War III starting?

North Korea is developing nuclear missiles and refuses to stop. Israel is (seemingly gleefully) attacking Gaza with abandon, and ignoring the United Nations. Iraq is a mess, Iran is a bigger threat, and there doesn't seem to be a world leader who can handle this.

Well, there used to be. Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton; even George Bush Sr., would be able to sit and talk diplomatically. Our president makes friends easily, but he's not a world leader in that sense.

Not that I can blame much of this on Bush, either. While it is possible that he started some of it by invading Iraq, it seems more likely that it's all coincidental.

I hate that my children have to experience this. I hate that I have to experience it. I hate that the "Greatest Generation," just like the generation that fought "The War To End All Wars" has to see another world conflict escalate out of control.

Am I scared? You bet. Do I have an idea of how to solve it? For once, no. I can only hope that the various countries involved will find ways of their own to de-escalate before it becomes a free for all.

And if it does? I shudder to think. Annhialiation? It can't be ruled out.

Being a liberal and a patriot

It seems these days that being a critical of the government means being un-American. It reminds me a lot of the 1960s during the Vietnam War, when opposing the war implied hating the United States.

Why is disliking a war unpatriotic? Since when is the president infallible? Or the Congress? Are we really so weak that our government will collapse under the critical scrutiny of the people?

I consider myself a progressive and a liberal. Although liberal-progressive has taken on the meaning of very left, that's not necessarily the case. Theodore Roosevelt was a progressive and a conservative. Although I suppose nowadays he would be considered a moderate and disliked in his own party for being a progressive. But I have opinions that range on the political spectrum, although they all fall left of the current president's.

But first and foremost, I am a patriot. I cry when I sing or hear patriotic songs, and can proudly sing more than one verse of both "America The Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner." I enthusiastically cheer when the United States wins medals in the Olympics. I put my hand over my heart for the national anthem, and can recite the Pledge of Allegiance, the Gettysburg Address, and the Preamble to the Constitution. I vote in every election. I cry when I hear "I Am An American" recited at Purdue University football games. I even know most of the U.S. Flag Code. I have seen violations of the code by people who would call me anti-American.

To be a patriot means to love and be loyal to one's country. I burn when I am, directly or indirectly, accused of being disloyal. Yes, I am a liberal. And I am a liberal because I love America. I believe that we should take care of our own. We should preserve our land, glorious and beautiful. We should keep the air clear, the water pure, the wildlife safe.

We have a moral and ethical duty to our country and our world to lead the way in preservation of our wonderful freedom and land. And we have the moral and ethical duty to keep a discerning eye focused on the government of the people. Because it is by and for us.

I believe that the original Patriots, who had the courage to found a new nation, had this in mind. God bless the United States, the Glorious Experiment, on its 230th birthday.

A week in Hawaii, and I forgot how to blog

Spring break, April. We spent a week on Maui at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in a two-bedroom villa (with its own plunge pool on the private patio), just vacated by David Hasselhoff. We could still smell his cigar smoke. We figured, his kids were probably on spring break, too. We enjoyed the plunge pool, enjoyed the beach, enjoyed the pool, and enjoyed the company of friends.

But the problem with being on Maui is, it made me relax and forget how to do a lot of things. Alas, blogging went by the wayside.

And what a time to stop blogging! One quick note about the Republicans last week, but for the rest of April and May, I let the pundits and the comedians do the commentary.

However, today I have to try to jump in again. Tom DeLay has left office, prompting a lawsuit mania as the Democrats try to prevent him from one last evasion. The #2 Al-Queda guy in Iraq is dead, which has to strike a mighty blow to the terrorists. Tim Eyman failed to get enough signatures for his initiative to neutralize the gay rights bill that took affect this week in the state of Washington. The World Cup has started, but that really just means a little more variety in the sports coverage at night. Even the spousal unit, an expatriat Ozzie, doesn't pull for Australia in it. The Republicans, who are starting to remind me a bit of Nero fiddling while Rome was burning, wanted to waste time in the Senate debating Constitutional rights banning gay marriage (defeated quickly), flag burning (not that anyone does that any more in this country!) and the ever popular "death tax."

And we went to Disneyland to celebrate an offspring's 10th birthday, and experience the magic of the 50th Anniversary. I will try to find time to blog that trip, but for now let me say, it was fabulous.

Now school is almost out for us, the next two weeks packed with activities, and I've forgotten what it's like to get a good night's sleep....