I watched this video on another blogger site: Earthhomegarden.

Keith Olbermann slams R Limbaugh and P Robertson.

Keith is my new hero.

Finding shelter

The shelter house where we held our summer family reunion

Photo was taken this past week. Since I STILL can't find my camera's battery charger (oh, this gets really old, I know!), I will rely on others' photos. An elderly first cousin passed away and sister 1944 went to the funeral. While visiting, she drove past the shelter house where we held our summer reunion. Whew. I wouldn't like to spend the day there during this time of the year.

I hope that we can shelter the poor lost souls of Haiti during this tragic time.

I mentioned the Colin Powell video. You can watch the video, just google "Colin Powell BBC Haiti" and it will most likely be the first URL listed. He speaks of how organization must be restored before they can just start supplying much needed food and water to the victims. Oh, I don't know. It sounds good on paper, I suppose - but in reality I have to think "bullshit!" Save them, restore the government later! Maybe the greedy, bigger stronger victims will get the supplies, and maybe some will trickle down to the weaker people in need. It is better than waiting until there is a working government in the country.

Is he for real, or is he so full of bureaucratic logic that he cannot relate on a tragedy level? I'm sure he would just say (or think) "The average citizen has no idea what steps need to be taken to obtain order and to properly distribute supplies to the needy. Most of it would be wasted if we just threw it out there at random." I suppose he knows better than I, and I'll try to wrap my head around it. Meanwhile, how many more died today because we didn't drop supplies but waited for a government to be established in the country? I guess that is why he held the position he did and I deal with machines and their catastrophes. :)

I watched "The Hurt Locker". I really like movies like this. I don't know why. It reminded me of "The Kingdom." Yes, there is some gore and blood but I have so much empathy for soldiers and what they go through that this really touches me. Not that I can ever imagine what hell they go through (and personally, I hope I never get to know really).

J Renner looked so familiar. As I looked up his list of movies (and television appearances) I am guessing it must have been the episode of "House" where I remember seeing him.

A Mackie was superb. I have seen a few of the movies he has been in, that is why he was familiar. B Geraghty has also been in a few that I have seen. He plays a very good mentally fragile soldier. I thought I recognized D Morse and R Fiennes.

On a lighter note:
For a funny medieval help desk video, go here. Then tell me if you don't think it would have been funnier if he would have knocked the burning candle over and burned up the book at the end of the video? They missed a great ending with this one, I think.

SNAFU

January of last year. My dogwood covered in ice.

I can't believe I have not posted since Tuesday. What have I been doing? I can barely recall the entire week. I don't know. Time is passing so quickly. For all the griping I do about how long and dull January is, I am always surprised at how quickly it passes.

I heard Colin Powell speak about the situation in Haiti tonight. It is sad that we have to put such a political spin on everything anymore. I am sure he is correct. However, from a victim's standpoint who gives a sh!t about the government and how control needs to be in place to safeguard against chaos. The supply teams are looking out for the people of Haiti's best interest so that the greedy government officials don't take all the supplies and keep it all for themselves. I can imagine that the people of Haiti are just saying "Give me the food and water NOW! Worry about the greedy government officials later!"

I do understand that folks like Mr. Powell know much more about this sort of disaster relief than I do but it certainly looks like the rich kid coming in to say "It's my football and we will play the game the way I want to play with my rules, or I am going to take my football and go home." In other words, we will give you supplies and aid, but on our terms. We don't want you ignorant sub-humans to waste it. We try to force other countries to see things the way we see them. It just doesn't work that way. Not without a lot of friction. We continue to shove our way (the best way, I'm sure!) down their throats. Sigh. Same old, same old.

I repeat. I stand behind our country helping Haiti. I also understand what our government is trying to do (after listening to Mr. Powell). I am just imagining what the victims of this disaster and other countries might be thinking about the United States and our way of policing our efforts.

A sigh of relief, but what the heck....

Watching television last evening, an AMBER alert came across the screen. My blood ran cold. Two little girls (sisters in fact) were missing. Believed to have been abducted. The above photo is NOT either of the girls. It is from my archives. As close to the 7 and 8 year-old range that I have in my files. That is the age of the sisters.

They are safe. But it was close. After reading more on the story this evening you just have to shake your head. The father left them with this guy who is 35 years old and he had been drinking all day. They had been swimming in his pool. He took them to a friend's house gave them pizza. Threatened them with a gun.

The police caught up with him and chased him in the woods or through a field. The girls are safe. The guy is in prison and a trial is set. A big sigh of relief. But, what in the heck? You just want to choke that father. No comment on what I want to do to the abductor. I am torn. I hate to wish pain and suffering on another human being, but sometimes I say "He'll get his in prison" and other times I cringe thinking about it.