Fun with Canadians

Last week 49er had a great time volunteering most of the week as a courtesy car driver at the Pebble Beach Invitational, or as we call it around here, "The Callaway".

Carried lots of interesting golfers and family members between the courses, etc., but had a particularly rewarding time one afternoon with a trio of what turned out to be Canadian amateurs. As they were joking around while loading up the car after their round, they exchanged a few "ehs" and "abouuts". So as things quieted down when we reached the highway I asked, "What part of Toronto are you from?" They laughed and laughed. Turned out all three worked as stock brokers in the city now, but only one was a native Ontarian. Another was originally from Vancouver, and the third was Albertan, from Calgary.

They seemed tickled that an old geezer Yank could 'spot them', because - as they said - most often they're able to fly under average US radar. After exchanging pleasantries and being invited to "come visit them", I couldn't resist ranting a little bit concerning my last posting re: Calgary, just below. I told them that right now Calgary was not on my good list, and then explained why - after they'd asked. They said they hadn't heard of the issue, but agreed it stunk, too.

At trips end they came around to my side of the car to shake hand,s saying something to the effect that "Wow! A Yank who knows more about what's going on at home than we do". They were good guys, and had fun. So did I.

Wondered if bill and stephen might enjoy hearing this tale, too.

Cheers

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Canada, Oh Canada! Where hast thou gone?

If this story from August is accurate, the US's northern neighbors went to sleep recently and some other beings woke in their place. How else to explain the dyfunctional disconnect with Calgary, Alberta's, police between freedom and chicanery? Reported at the time in the Calgary Sun, and Bene Diction's blog, since then the story's drawn little notice around the net.

Recently 49er commented in Outside The Box on another matter in Calgary thusly:

Calgary’s reputation as the last of CA’s ‘wild west frontiers’ has finally caught up with itself. Thus comes ‘civilisation’. Probably overdue. The cusp period will probably last another generation, but afterwards the city and province will likely become an even much more pleasant place in which to visit or live. Congrats on maturing."

That comment was wrong. If Calgarians - and Canadians in general - support the actions of their LEOs in situations similar to the story above, IMO they are not MORE civilized than others, but less. Shame on them for trading freedom for mindless and short-lived "comfort".

And here's another tip: What you think you have now ain't gonna last. The monkeys are now running your zoo, and you're about to run into a terrible shortage of bananas.

Wake up!

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The Day God Spilled the Paint

This is not 49er's photo. Nor his honey's. She did have it emailed to her today, and thought it too breathtaking to not share. So a little further expanation.

The photo was apparently taken by a lady named Barbara Mathews, on May 14, 2005. It was said to have been taken in central California on the east side of the Carrizo plain, in the Temblor Range, about 50 miles due west of Bakersfield, California. Most of the year this country is bleak, barren, brush-covered and good for little else than cattle browsing or sheep-herding. Running through or near this range are several active earthquake faults, including the dread San Andreas. Further north about an hour is the most active earthquake zone in the North American continent, Parkfield.

Many of 49er's internet friends are from beautiful parts of the world. He generally agrees with and accepts their local self-assessments. The point to this photo is simply that God is able to bring beauty to anything, no matter how fleetingly.

Cheers

Two Year Tactical Plan

Thanks to Bob Orr of either orr, who has suggested seven strategies conservatives should be considering putting into effect the next two years. They are, briefly

• Challenge demos to come up with a real plan.
• Encourage repubs to return to their basics.
• Expose real demo weaknesses.
• Waken the rearguard to search for closet skeletons.
• Develop a knowledgable 'shadow' government.
• Encourage and develop viable 08 candidates.
• Don't fear intraparty disagreements.
  

49er is adding an eighth tactic to that list.

• Encourage newly elected demos who might be a tad less liberal than old-guard "Pelosi-ites" to think and act for themselves. To not become dhimmocratic zombies.

Stretching opposing party discipline has always been a rewarding tactic. We conservatives should not be adverse to politely practicing this ancient artform. The results to our nation could be well worth it!

Cheers.

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A Brit "gets it"!

Interesting commentary by Gerard Baker in the Times on line in the UK concerning US election results. Read the entire thing for the full flavor of his reasoning, but IMO he's pretty spot on. Which is nice to see. Here is a sample . . .

As the only living Englishman who doesn’t regard the modern Republican party as the Devil’s Spawn, I might be expected to be in mourning today. On the contrary. This was mostly a good week.

The first and most obvious reason for optimism is the confirmation of Tuesday’s elections that democracy works. Republicans lost not because the American people have suddenly seen the wisdom of the collective leadership of the European Union or the editorial pages of the world’s press but because they deserved to lose

Good intellectual analysis is really fun to consider. Thanks, Gerard Baker, for bringing back a little joy this week.

Cheers

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Term Limits

OK, is it just me? Or does our recent experience with GWB, WJC, the defunct "republicats" and now the new and improved "dhimmocrats" situation the US is going through, not point out the wisdom of somehow evolving [note use of 'code' word] our form of government into one that uniformly enforces national term limits?

Isn't one term enough for ANY citizen politician? And wouldn't that pretty well rule out or nullify most activities of professional [spit, spit] politicians?

While we're looking at the federal government, why do we still need two houses? Lets combine them all into one house, elect them to a single four year term, half elected during presidential election years and the others two years later. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

Go back to the idea of a concerned citizen contributing her/his efforts for one term to the process of representing one's neighbors in the nation's capitol. It would no longer be one's lifeswork. Worthwhile to do well, yes, and great on the resume, but not a long-term career thing. Think of the pork-barrel money this could save!

As an added relief to the federal budget the single term idea could be used for congressional (and presidential) entitlement reform. Pay them a good wage, sure, but nothing close to the regal structure we currently have in place. Give them a good retirement benefit, pay all reasonable living expenses, but put the onus on them to go back to honest work afterwards and reenter the private sector if they wanted to improve their eventual retirement nest eggs.

No, it won't work. Too many oxen would be gored. And it could place the burden on voters to actually be responsible for tough decisions at election-time. No, that won't do. We would rather drink our kool-aid, roll over and go back to sleep. Too bad. Snooze, snooze, snooze.

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Bush's third bi-annual report card

From the perspective of a republican who voted for him twice, here is an up-to-date report card for the 2005-06 mid-term.

Domestic policies D; Foreign policies B+; Staffing appointments D-; Legislative liason D; Military leadership D-; Political skills F; Public Speaking skills D-; Personal ethics B.

Overall grade: D+

Discussion:

Bush completely went against his base by blocking any meaningful improvement of our border control and the flagrant illegal immigration crisis he not only ignored, but helped flaunt. That alone sank any other domestic policy gains into a vast morass of ineptitude.

Foreign policies were hit and miss, with no obvious failures in 49er's POV. Just because the rest of the world hates him is virtually irrelevant, IMHO. Because they don't vote, they don't count. Sorry. 49er doesn't always agree with their leaders, either. Tough.

Allowing Rove to stay on after the 2004 election was stupid, stupid, stupid. Weirdly brilliant - or maybe brilliantly weird - his brainpower was long ago overcome with dogmatic egomania - all to Bush's harm, but GWB seemed not to care.
Rummy should have been gone almost a year ago. His brilliance in 2003 faded to stubborn resolve by 2005, and his worth tumbled to nothing long ago. That GWB failed to understand this contributes to his "bumbling, stumbling" reputation. Totally unnecessary. Blind leading the blind.
Tony Snow's appointment was brilliant, though. Regardless of who brought it about.

Bush should have recognized how far left his majority party legislators had strayed in 2002, and by the 2004 elections dealt with it. He didn't. They didn't. The "republicats" ran amuck. And they blew it for 2006. Serves them right! Only saving grace was his ability to reach out to some elected democrats and build a few wobbly bridges during this current mid-term.

War is brutal. It breaks things and people. In 2003 the war was well fought. In 2004 it began slipping into a "rules of engagement" mindset. Stupid. War is best fought hard, fast, ugly, brutal and over! Too many post 2003 opportunities unrecognized and forever lost. Also, "rules of engagement" slowly evolve until they become counter-intuitive to the actual waging of a war. So from mid 2004 on we have been more in a WOC (criminals) situation, not WOT (terrorists). Unnecessary and costly in lives and assets.

GWB's seen as politically fiddling while Rome’s been burning for more than two years. He’s failed to either see it, or else to respond. Can anyone identify “a river in Egypt”? He apparently can’t.

Almost anyone today can learn through coaching and training to become articulate. If they want to. He apparently doesn’t care enough to do so. Shame on him. His speech and grammar reflect poorly on his ivy-league MBA. Somebody should be looking into rescinding his diploma, because the skills acquisition it seems to suggest certainly didn’t stick around very long.

49er thinks he’s probably a nice guy. Would probably make a fairly good neighbor, except for a classic lack of introspect ional skills, there are no known major gaffes.

49er is ready now to respond to instructions and corrections from other interested (and semi-interested) parties.

Cheers

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Why 49er's happy his team lost - if you care

Possibly its a reflection of his own personal political death wish, but when the national republican party morphed itself (in less than a decade) into some kind of a "republicat" party, it brings glee to him now to see so many of his like-kind shot in the foot - and elsewhere - and thrown out of office by so many national voters! Good show! Spot on!

If the people wanted unethical slime balls in office they've always been able to vote for democrats. As in the old Bop Hope movie, democrats have been shown to stand around, idly, like zombies not knowing what to say or do very well, and they've done an excellent job of capturing that particular share of the market. For so many elected republicats to think they could simply take democrats' places in that environment was not only foolish and short-sighted, but incredibly stupid. Since big government doesn't work very well, why continue to "grow" a larger - but still dyfunctional - government. Dumb!

For over two decades now republicans have been being elected by voters to "govern", but in the past twelve years too many of them have only found time to prove they are as slimy as democrats, some even more so. We don't need two slimy parties. So the nation has now chozen to return to the original, patented-protected slime balls. Well done! Good choice.

The party that represents every weird and short-sighted agenda in the world has proven in the interval since the Truman years that it can't govern. So democrats now have a short window of opportunity to somehow show they've changed. News flash! They have, but not for the better! The next two years will bring us even more political disasters.

49er's prediction is the surviving republicans will shortly winnow out republicats from places of responsibility within their midst, retake the party helm, and prepare to resume "governing" in two years when voters have grows bored with weirdness, etc. per se, and throw those bums out - again. Let's hope the surviving and newly chosen republicans have learned to appreciate their roots a little more than has been recently shown. Repeat after me, "Less government is better government". Now go write it on the board 100 times. And relearn the humility rule. One is never as good or as smart as one thinks. No matter what one's mother says.

Cheers

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Time Out

This short post to announce 49er went "in hospital" suddenly Thursday AM to get rid of an ugly gall bladder, interrupting any opportunity since then to use the net. Everything went well and he returned home mid-day Sunday for R & R and whatever further adventures await. Currently watching NFL on TV and enjoying being waited on.

Will probably resume activities in a day or so.

Cheers . . . . and go Raiders! (please?)

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How to turn success into failure

From the sports world 49er (who btw is not necessarily a SF football fan) can't help commenting on the ever-widening gap between Michelle Wie's potential and performance.

First of all, why are we even talking about the successes or failures of a teen-ager? Why can't she just BE a kid? Well, IMO the answer to those questions lies deep in the heart of misplaced parental ambition. Recently turning 17, for some time now Ms. Wie has had a business manager, Nike products endorsement contract, professional caddie, and all the other trappings of a successful professional golfer. What she doesn't have, however, is the winning record she has been capable of achieving.

Maturing very early in life, and blessed with a tall, strong, athletic, rangy frame and body, with intelligent or thoughtful development of her obvious skills and potential, Ms. Wie could have become by now the enfent terrible of the LPGA. Instead, she has mostly fizzled and flopped her way the past three plus years, picking and choosing events while trying to play in this PGA event and that. In the process earning a dismal record following the quixotic path chosen by her parents that has put her on public display as a freak of nature playing against professional men. Where the results were quite obviously foreseeable (Bill, note word usage, please).

Instead of using the advantage of her early physical development to train their daughter how to compete and WIN, her parents have been teaching her how to get attention. As if that were the same thing. Its not at all, and at 17 the young lady will probably soon be overtaken by her just now maturing peers, and - again foreseeably - if she doesn't learn how to finish off - or hold off - opponents during the final rounds of golf tournaments, Ms. Wie may be a washed up has-been before she reaches her majority. And even Nike's millions will have amounted to rot.

With all his strenths and abilities, Tiger Woods still had to learn how to WIN. Michelle Wie, though becoming rich and famous because of her potential, has somehow never learned the mind-game to match her golf-skills. Shame on her parents. Their misplaced ambition has likely gained them a financial windfall, but may have ultimately lead to their daughter's professional downfall. Not a fair trade, I'd say.

Even so, 49er can't help hoping he's wrong and the young lady manages to turn things around. It would be a nice result, but for some time now she has been on a much more rocky path and the ultimate destination might turn out to be not what her family at first intended.

Cheers.

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Twisted Logic (?) or Death Wish (?)

From this article in the northern press comes the startling POV that unintended collateral damages (such as death, injury, etc.) to civilians from a state acting in self-defense, if such casualties were somehow and someway "foreseeable", constitute a "war-crime". Louise Arbour, former justice of the Canadian Supreme Court and currently the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, has apparently so opined.

What a crock! Her position is exactly contrary to reasoned common sense. If her screed were to become settled "law", this point would give extreme comfort to those who now conduct conflict and violence whilst hiding deep within the folds of a civilian populace, thus placing innocents at risk. An exactly opposite result of what a civilized society should intend.

Nothing said here is gloating - or glossing over - innocent casualties. That they occur at all is tragic. But if a state is forbidden to defend itself, such as happened recently vis-a-vis Israel and Lebanon, simply because of the possibility of unknown bad side effects, civilization is doomed and anarchy shall eventually rule the world.

Logical and reasoned? No, IMO this view is simply cultural self-hatred taken to a sicker level.

Cheers

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The Gap between WWJD and us

Here is a new version of a thought-provoking parable.

“Who is my neighbor”?

A suggested modern paraphrase of Luke 10:25-37
One day a certain lawyer stood up and put Jesus to a test, saying, "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How does it read to you?" And the lawyer answered and said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.''
And Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live. ''But, wishing to justify himself, the lawyer said to Jesus, "and who is my neighbor?'' Jesus replied and said, "A man living in his house during hurricanes Katrina and Rita fell victim to the raging weather. Hurricane Katrina stripped the roof and siding from his house and then Hurricane Rita came along with four feet of water. The water beat against the outside of his house and into the walls and caused the mold to grow, thus destroying his home. This result left his spirits half dead because he was forced to become homeless''.
"And, by chance, a certain religious man came by the neighborhood one day and when he saw the destroyed house passed on the other side because he was really busy and didn't have the time to do anything. And likewise a man of different faith came by the house, and after he had seen it he too passed on the other side, thinking someone else with more time or money would surely come along and help the man”.
“But a certain man from another faith came through the neighborhood and when he saw the man’s situation had compassion on him, and came to him and brought others with him and they offered to rebuild his house and give the man hope by showing kindness and love towards him. They lifted the man up further by ministering unto him while they prepared to rebuild his house”.
"To do this they took their own money, along with funds others had donated, and purchased building materials. They applied their labor to those materials and in so doing began to rebuild the man's house. A few weeks later the poor mans house was rebuilt and the man – now fully restored - moved back into his home. The certain man and his friends then went on their way to find another destroyed house and help another hopeless man”.
“So which of these three men proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell victim to the hurricane? Truthfully, the last of these men (and his friends) had become like my hands and feet by working to restore hope to another man. They completely answered the question the lawyer asked, ‘who is my neighbor’ by doing something neighborly, and not ‘passing on the other side’”.

So answer this question, WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR? The gentle reader is welcome to attack this up-to-date interpretation from any imagined vantage point one might think they perceive, but IMO this modern rendition is pretty spot on to the true meaning and intent of the original.

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Welcome back, 7-Eleven!

7-Eleven Inc. convenience stores today took a BIG GULP and decided to drop the dreaded CITGO Petroleum as an exclusive gasoline product supplier. According to 7-Eleven "politics" played only part of the reason for this business move.

Well, welcome back, 7-Eleven! For whatever reason, your corporate determination was personally gratifying. And as soon as those dreadful red triangles can be covered over this Yank will once more feel free to pull in and gas up! Hope you hurry, 'cause the needle keeps getting lower. Score another for the good guys!

Cheers!

No CITGO

Hugo Chavez, the thug that rules Venezuela, apparently was not raised in a normal family environment, one where he could be taught the basic rules of society. How else can one explain his lapse of good sense and manners - never known to be one of his strong suits, anyway - in comments made yesterday during an ill-advised side trip in NYC.

To his good credit, US representative Charles Rangel 'gets it', but Chavez doesn't. When you're visiting your neighbors 'house', you mind your manners. Chavez didn't. He can totally disrespect the current US president - or any previous ones, for that matter, anywhere else in the world. But when he's in this country he does not have the right to publicly 'diss' our president. No matter how many US citizens might agree with him. GWB is 'our' president, and when an outsider slamw him, he slams us - all of us. So I have a message for Chavez.

"Guess what, stupid! Since you're the 'owner' of CITGO Petroleum (PDV America, Inc.), until you've apologized for your oafishness, I'm not spending any more US currency on your product. I don't really care what that might do to the nation's fuel 'supply' picture. And I also urge others to consider how they spend their own hard-earned money - and who it supports!"

Using the last thirty years or so of congressional ineptitude, neglect and personal political posturing working against prudent long-term national petroleum policy development issues as a guide, it must not be very important on a societal basis, anyway.

Why the US military still does business with CITGO in their base exchanges I'll never understand. Oh, yeah, I forgot the dichotomy of "military intelligence'. Now I get it.

Cheers

A brief explanation

This probably needs to be dealt with. Since his gastric bypass surgery last fall, 49erDweet has lost a lot of weight! Many of his friends first noticed a change at one of his annual special events this past February. And as time goes by, that change has become much, much more radical. As of this month the total weight loss has exceeded 110 pounds, and by next February should be even more!

At a recent special event where he works each year quite a few volunteers walked right past in the entrance to the hospitality tent without recognizing him! Which for him was fun, but for them quite surprising when they suddenly heard his voice and turned around - only to gawk.

So if you run into him don't be overly concerned about his 'gaunt appearance'. He has not been "ill", and is feeling great! 49er's overall health has dramatically improved, and for an old geezer he gets around much better than before - mainly because he isn't carrying around the body of another person all the time. If you're truly curious, feel free to ask him about the experience when you find time. For him the subject is not taboo!

Cheers

Life's Phases

A comment left today on Toward Jerusalem forces me to spell out on this blog the following inventory of my life's "phases" - all occurring after 4 years of military service during the Korean war.

Peace officer/supervisor 5 years
Automotive service adviser/manager 6 years
Weekly newspaper editor/photographer 3 years
Solid waste business manager/supervisor 5 years
Transportation manager/supervisor 11 years
Retail/Advertising sales 4 years
State DMV technician/license examiner/manager 17 years

Others may see some type of trend here, but each of these fields were different enough that they challenged my interest and intellect while providing an acceptable level of living for my family. And for all of that I thank God.

As to the question "could I have done 'better' just sticking to one field?", I have no way of knowing the true answer, but my feeling is that only a couple of them might have qualified in that category, and at this point in life there is no sense worrying too much on that point!

Don't be afraid to redirect your interests. God has a way of using you whereever you decide to be. And it's fun to s-t-r-e-t-c-h your mind!

Cheers

A brief glimpse into the future

One obvious sign of 49er's advanced dotage is a personal inability to fully appreciate "rock concerts". No offense intended, nor is there an intent to be (dreaded word warning) "judgmental". Just really don't understand the entire scene.

Do appreciate chorale recitals, barbershop quartet galas, Gaither homecomings, jazz festivals and golden oldies celebrations, so it might just be an acquired taste thing - or else personal weirdness finally settling in.

An exception to this could be the just-completed original annual Spirit West Coast event held three days each summer at Laguna Seca Recreation Area (and race track) in Monterey County. (A junior version is also held earlier each year at Del Mar race track in SoCal). At least 59 Christian musical groups, including newsboys and Audio Adrenaline (in their final, farewell performance) were scheduled this year to perform one hour 'sets' (mini-concerts) on one or more of the many stages set-up around the grounds. The hills surrounding the track literally "rang" with the echoed sound of praise music. Three days last week were filled to the brim (and overflowing) with what could be called really contemporary Christian music.

For the past three years 49er has volunteered to shuttle physically challenged guests and volunteers back and forth from the parking or camping areas of Laguna Seca to the various event venues by means of an adaptive stretched-out golf cart - one of a crew of about two dozen souls working (in shifts) from before the gates open in the morning until almost 1 AM each night. Making sure those in wheelchairs or with other mobility limiting physical conditions are able to participate in this unique celebration of Christian music and faith. Contemporary Christian music! Modern Christian music! Loud Christian music! REALLY LOUD Christian music! Even Christian rap! And good preachin', too!

This is really a kids event. After all, who else enjoys camp ground life as much as kids? Of course family members, adult youth leaders, and others are there - they do encourage day visitors, too - but it's the kids that really make this event special. And if this glimpse of today's young folk accurately depicts the Christian segment of the next generation, western civilization is in for some great times - if we survive (of course) and all other millenial things happen to work themselves out.

The kids there at Spirit West Coast were rowdy - and polite. Loud - and reverent. Aggressive - and meek. Assertive - and patient. Intelligent - and seeking knowledge. Made this old geezer wish he had demonstrated the same characteristics in his adolescense.

If you want your offspring to develop more mature spiritual and moral values consider taking them to next year's 'concert'. It can close the generation gap in your family and change their - and your - lives.

Cheers

A new voice crying in the wilderness!

We've always known the English are capable of courage and straight thinking. That's why the BBC and their articulate but biased cohorts that we knew and loved so well prior to the last quarter century or so, has proven to be so outrageous an anomaly.

Now comes a new blog from a delightfully clear headed straight speaking Brit lady living and working in the holy land. I heartedly recommend a daily read of JANE'S FIGHTING TALK for a fresh look at the struggle for survival now underway in Israel. For example:

First question "Who ARE the refugees on the run from the bombing?"

• 1. They are in the main originally Palestinians, Shiite Moslem, who had fled Israel in the 1948 war of independence. The population is between 400 and 500,000; press reports say that 600,000 + refugees are on the move
• 2. They live in overcrowded refugee camps, villages and suburbs, mainly in south Lebanon and south Beirut. They survive through (a) UNWRA aid (b) menial labour (c) salaries and ex-gratia payments from Hezbollah – routed from Iran.
• 3. Palestinian refugees do not have Lebanese citizenship. (Not a well-known fact.)
• 4. They are excluded from Lebanese society. Palestinian refugees were banned from 73 professions (including law and medicine) in Lebanon until last year.
• 5. The Palestinian refugees provide Hezbollah its army and its civilian infrastructure. They provide their homes and land for bunkers, tunnels, and underground cells. Ready to fire rockets are tucked away in populated Hezbollah Shiite neighbourhoods, in apartment buildings, parking garages, out-houses, mosques and schools. Not exclusively, but mostly, Palestinian refugees and Hezbollah are one and the same.
• 6. Hezbollah is a closed area for the rest of Lebanon. It is entirely independent, providing its own services, its own policing, its education system, its own laws and its own army. The original Lebanese population has no connection with the refugees and their descendents. The Palestinian refugees have been mired in poverty and hopelessness, although shored up in recent years with millions of dollars worth of military equipment. Hezbollah is therefore extremely dangerous.

Has our arrogant and proud western media recently discussed any of these points at length? Do they even consider this might be information that could make a difference, or the free world would want to know this background? Does the media even care? Does any of this support their own corporate agendas? Or sell any more papers or adverts? The answers are obvious, I believe.

People of Good Will may always disagree on the means to an end. But IMHO this particular bully needs to be thrashed until he looses both the will and the capacity to fight. That has not yet occurred. Go IDF! Fight! Fight! Fight! (OK, it's almost football season here in the states, so cut me a little slack, will you?)

God bless you, Jane, as you almost single-handedly take on the slimy, pasty, yellow, lily-livered rats that now inhabit the empty halls of the once great BBC, et al.!

Cheers

The MSM's "Gap" Widens

Update on this subject at 1915 hrs PDT. Belmont Club posted interesting speculation.

News headlines today from MSNBC touting claims from Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, that Israel has suffered a MAJOR DEFEAT in their three week war - passed on apparently either tongue-in-cheek or by an almost unbelievably uncritical and adoring media - illustrate just how wide the gap has grown between what has happened, and what is reported to have happened.

Let me see now if I can figure this out.

HZ shoots rockets randomly and without much aim, hitting mostly fields, outbuildings, private homes and a few civilians. IDF destroys HZ rocket launchers (which have surprisingly been placed in public buildings and residences) almost as soon as they fire.

HZ has gone underground and mostly hides in bunkers, hunkering down amidst (and holding onto) women and children as human shields, relying only on its random rockets to strike back at Israel. IDF owns the skies over Lebanon and has pretty well destroyed HZ's headquarters compound in Beirut, plus about 35% of its other facilities - including deep bunkers - scattered around the country.

HZ - a guerilla movement - is now defending its land, the worst tactical mistake one such can make. IDF has blocked avenues of resupply by almost totally destroying the local infrastructure.

HZ has lost forces at the ratio of 10 highly trained warriors to 1 reservist.

Yep, it all figures! Israel HAS suffered a major defeat! And in a welcome gesture of humanitarian kindness Nasrallah now offers his beat up foe a chance for a cease fire, so it can "catch its breath". Yeah, it makes perfect sense.

Does it sound a little like the schoolyard bully laying on the ground with a bloody nose, asking the kid standing over him if he's "ready to give?"

Nothing here is saying war is great! It isn't. But it certainly isn't difficult to figure out who bit off more than he can chew. Well, he probably needs to choke on it for awhile, until he learns a little respect for peace and quiet. The tragedy, though, is that while "he" is doing that innocents will die.

Once again, we survive !!!

Had a few problems earlier this morning resurrecting the "Gap", but once Q let me know of the problem and I was able to contact Blogger, everything else soon fell into place and we are once again live from the Monterey Bay! Thanks again, Q - and thanks to Blogger support, too.