Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Random Musings

Lots going on around here! I've been pretty busy with work, & even busier with the trials & tribulations the are part & parcel with raising a family. I've not posted for a while on here, so I thought this was the time for some random musings.

Recently those of us who hunt in Tennessee have the news that a limited elk season in on the way. This has generated some discussion via the Tennessean newspaper. In this discussion we see that many have a fundamental misunderstanding or ignorance of the predator-prey relationship, as well as man's role as a part of nature. Many seem to think that man isn't part of nature - I mindset with which I fervently disagree.

The big political story in Tennessee is the Lieutenant Governor's post. It has been held for 36 years by John Wilder. Because Sen. Wilder is a boyhood friend of my late father, I do have somewhat of a soft spot in my heart for him; I do not, however, have a soft spot in my head! Conventional wisdom around here has been that State Sen. Mike Williams will again vote for him instead of Sen. Ron Ramsey, who is the leader of the Republicans. With the State Senate at 16 Democrats & 17 Republicans, Williams would again give leadership to the aging Wilder. Perhaps sensing the damage that continued leadership by Wilder could cause, Sen. Joe Haynes is challenging Wilder for the Democrat leadership. This is an interesting situation that could have some serious reprocussions as we head into the 2008 election cycle.

The National political scene has been dominated by the Iraq Study Group's report. After reading it & the commentary involved, I think of the old chestnut about a camel being a horse created by committee.

That's all for now, Lord willing I will return for more random musings & insightful (maybe) commentary.

Sunday, December 3, 2006

What If We Would Have...???

"What if we would have..." questions are so easy to ask, because no one has learned how to turn back time or create that alternate reality to see what really would have happened. Sometimes they can come in handy. I have one of these....

What if, in 1936, the US & England had removed Mussolini from power in Italy? This question came to me as we experience the continuing cacaphony of calls for something less than victory in Iraq, which in my view would be a self imposed unnecessary defeat. I chose Mussolini as Italy was the weakest member of the Axis in WW2, & Iraq has been described as the "soft underbelly" of the Axis of Evil in the war on Islamic Fascism & Global Terrorism. I chose the year 1936 for the sheer heck of it! It could have been 1935 or 1937, but I wanted 1936.

Because we can, let's suppose that the situation in Italy in 1940 would mirror that of Iraq in 2006. There is an insurgency there against the democratically elected government, fomented by German Nazi forces. No good news is forthcoming from Italy, at least none that the antique media of that day deem worthy of presentation.

What should the US & England do in that situation???
 
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