Various Things

In an attempt to just put JS “On-Hold” in my brain, I’m moving on to some of the things I normally like to talk about.

For one thing, WHAT are the Chinese going to do when they get to Somolian and surrounding waters with TWO destroyers and a supply ship?  I’m not a fan of piracy, but I don’t think piracy should equal automatic anihilation.  I say that because I don’t see the Chinese military as anything else – that after reading what they’ve been doing to their own people for hundreds of years and what they have done to missionaries, preachers and others that are “of the cloth”. 

You do know that the Christian church is persecuted to the point of beatings/torture and death over there, don’t you?  The press has portrayed them as a “developing nation” and that fact that many have acquired a middle-class type of status.  The press seems to totally ignore the atrocities that go on over there on a daily basis. 

I just see them as a killing machine going over to Somalia – I hope I am proven wrong in that aspect.  I also wonder how long it will take for an incident to occur between Chinese ships and whatever other nation’s ship/s that are also patrolling those waters and how far it will go in terms of threats or even an all-out assault.  I don’t hate the Chinese people – but I GREATLY dislike the Chinese government and their mode and ideas of how to do things concerning the people.

I have mixed feelings about Israel’s all-out assault against the Hamas.  Israel has defined it as an all-out war, though I did just read they are considering a 48-hour halt to their assault to see if the Hamas will stop firing their rockets.  What I dislike is the fact that so many innocent civilians are being killed – on both sides.  What I agree with, though, is Israel’s right to defend their borders.  I don’t know what the Hamas expect to achieve here.  Or do I?  They want the world – and certainly Arab nations – to find further cause to hate and threaten Israel.   From the pics I was just looking at on online-news, America has been dragged into this even though – we have really nothing to do with this.  Effigies of Bush being burned, the American flag being burned, hate messages in English on giant banners aimed against America and Americans in general. 

I further read today that a Tidal Wave of foreclosures is YET to come.  This year, alleges the expert ?? writing the article, many small business are facing the adjustment to their mortgage and many may face foreclosure.  I dunno when this thing is going to end, but it certainly doesn’t look good to me.  As I said in today’s first posting, I am going to go to Fry’s next week and definitely make another attempt at getting part time employment there.  I will have to work a minimum of 20 hours per week, if I get a part-time job there – which is okay, for now.  Have to get a job there, first.

Tomorrow marks the 5th day, and allegedly the first day that Drive Savers can possibly be done with their salvage operations.  I know I said I wasn’t going to talk about JS, but I can’t get it out of my mind.  The landscape with which I am writing this entry right now is alien to me.  I have written a LOT of words on the JS format, being here makes me feel like an ousted citizen, a nation on the run.  SO many people posting on Dorries Fun Forum about how they miss JS so much, people lamenting they aren’t just missing it, they are having emotional withdrawals from it.  One suggests to just get it up and going again, even if from scratch and we can all start over (Lord knows I really hope that isn’t the end of this on-going story). 

Tomorrow is Wednesday.  I will be getting off work early, probably and will be getting ready for my trip to Sierra Vista to visit dad and Millie.  Millie is his current wife, a wonderful person I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking to on a very limited basis, I hope that we can spend some time together chatting and getting to know each other a little more.  My Uncle Bob wrote and said he might be coming in March, to which I responded that I would definitely go down to visit him when he arrives (at dad’s).  I haven’t seen Uncle Bob in almost 30 years.   His daughter Julie might be coming.  I don’t know her that well, my brothers do since they are closer to her age and I wasn’t really into knowing this person when I did meet her as a little kid.  I was a little boy, after all, and was into little boy things such as running through the woods, making forts and chasing after snakes, rabbits, squirrels and racoons.  Umm, I learned to respect racoons – those things are nasty and they definitely BITE.  My dad and my uncle are getting up there in years, I want to spend some time with them before – the deterioration begins.

Sounds morbid, but that’s what happens what it starts happening.  Death can be instant, for sure – just ask the relatives of people in Afghanistan; American Soliders in Iraq; the slaughter in Israel and Palestine.  More often, though, it seems it’s a slow, dragged out thing.  I am NOT wishing death upon my relatives,  to the contrary, I just want to see them before whatever ends up taking them out of this earthly existence – does just that. 

It’s like a 3 hour drive one-way to Sierra Vista from here.  Once you get off the Interstate – west of Tucson on I-10 and start heading down whatever highway that is – I think it’s AZ SR 90 – or 80 – can’t remember, it starts getting VERY scenic.  I will definitely remember to (try to remember to) take my camera with me. 

I’ve written enough for one day – I hope everyone is doing well and at least I have been able to find some of you fine folks after the JS catastrophe and make a connection.

Good Evening.

ben