Wasted lives

How can you tell someone that their childrens' lives were simply wasted? Obama apparently used the term with respect to the troops we have lost in Iraq. Then, having realized what he said, he apologized. No one, least of all a presidential candidate, wants to insult or denigrate the ultimate sacrifice someone paid for fighting for their country. I don't want to think of all these lives of our fine young people as wasted. But what has been accomplished by Bush's "war" in Iraq. His "war" based entirely upon lies. There were no WMD's. There was no connection between Sadam and the terrorists. Democracy has certainly not spread in the Middle East. Sadam was taken down only to be replaced by a situation that is worse than it was while he was still in power. We haven't even managed to steal the oil, which is what it was all about in the first place. In short, we have sacrificed more than 3000 of our finest young people, and seriously damaged for life probably some 20,000 or more, and accomplished nothing. I guess it is up to each of us to decide whether lives were wasted or not.

Rudy Giuliani gave a speech somewhere or other. Apparently he spoke for some 45 minutes. He spent much of that time, I heard, praising Bush as a war president. I submit that that, in and of itself, removes him from serious contention for the presidency. He's obviously as big a nut case as his chief rival, the notorious warmonger, McCain. I guess they are both competing for the 27% of Americans who claim to still support Bush/Cheney.

Wednesday will be Valentine's Day, next to Halloween, my least favorite event of the year. Does anyone other than card, candy, and floral makers really believe in this nonsense? I still remember when I was in grade school and we had to give valentines to each other, cheap little pieces of paper expressing our love and devotion to those we despised as well as those we liked (we had to give valentines to everyone without exception, no matter what we actually felt about them). As far as I know this absurd practice continues right up to the present.

The wild turkeys are starting to breed. At least I think they are. There were at least three toms in the back yard this morning with their plumage displayed for all to see. And the hens have been acting strangely for the last few days. I fear I will be witness to a genuine turkeycide later this spring. Fish and Game has reportedly said not to bother complaining about the turkeys unless you have 70 or more. If the weather continues as mild as it has been for the past few days we may actually achieve that number. Where are the coyotes, wolves, cougars, and other predators when you need them?