Early Morning View

The peace that comes from moments like this never seems to last long enough. I need more of them.

Aw, Yeah ...

A couple of years ago, I started listening to big band stations available on the internet, reigniting my love of the musical genre most associated with crooners, old time swing and jazz greats, and early 20th century radio and movies. I usually listen in on Pandora, which gives me a heavy dose of Sinatra, Dorsey, Crosby, Satchmo, and "(fill in the blank) & His Orchestra". I find big band remarkably easy to work to when I need to get into the zone at my day job. It also tends to improve my mood.

Every now and then, though, I just have to lean back and marvel at the pure musical talent on display. As a former clarinetist, I have a strong affinity for pieces featuring Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw. Today, I just had to lean back and marvel at a more contemporary artist by the name of Eddie Daniels, in his rendition of "Sing, Sing, Sing". Below is an extended version that kept me in a toe-tappin', head-noddin' trance for about 7 minutes.


All I can say is "Aw, yeah …" Mm mm mm.

Deterring Dilution

Every now and then, I come across an article or a post that bruises my ego in a manner that seems uniquely designed to puncture whatever inflated notion I have of myself as a man. Or at least, the standard that I hold in my mind of what a man should be able to do. I've touched on this topic before, in a post reflecting on the aims of education and honest know-how. Today, a simple post asking "Do you change your own oil?" plunged me into a cistern of doubt about the example I set and whether I am doing enough to provide my boys with the essential skills they will need when at last they are on their own. From the post:

My generation might be the last generation of such men. The generalist has since given way to the specialist. I had a student at the time whose dad was a highly paid hydrologist. To hear it from his son the dad apparently didn't know the business end of a pitchfork from the handle. During parent-teacher days I started to make the acquaintance of the generation of men just behind me. When I suggested home projects they could do with their sons, I usually got a comment that dad simply lacked the requisite skill, not to mention the tools. Apparently, the under fifty crowd is more prone to call a tradesman than to pick up a hammer.

I can see this at work in my own family, across three generations. My dad worked in a garage as a teenager, and through all of my growing-up years, he did almost all of the major fix-it work and maintenance on our car. While I would watch and occasionally assist, it generally wasn't enough to fully develop the skills - in the manner that working in a garage as a mechanic would afford. That said, by the time I left for college, my skills were proficient enough to handle oil and filter changes, spark plugs, timing and a handful of other maintenance requirements on my car. I would do this well after college and into married life, but somewhere along the way I, too, turned the general maintenance over to someone else. Part of it had to do with the regulations involving fluid disposal - when service centers started charging me for disposing oil, I guess I just quit bothering. What can I pass on to my boys? Well, they know how to change a tire, even though they have only done it once. Deepening my chagrin is the knowledge that at their age, I could take apart and reassemble my bike with ease. I haven't even managed to replace their bikes from the storm yet, much less showed them what they need in order to maintain them. It's on my list, like so many other things, and yet the weeks flow by ever so quickly. If I can't pass on basic bike maintenance, I have no hope of passing down basic car maintenance.

I've been wrestling with this lately, as I look at several of the issues we have with the new house that by right, I could make the builder come and correct. Yet part of me rejects the thought of calling the builder out to correct minor mistakes or issues, because frankly I should be able to fix them myself. I'm 42 years old, and there are so many things I just don't know how to do. And yet this is not an excuse for not learning how to do them, or passing that knowledge down to my sons. But I need to be intentional - intentional about learning "manual" skills (in whatever discipline they may be) and involving my children in the learning. And maybe pass on a life lesson or two in the process.

Of course, it all comes back to time and opportunity. That is, I need to make time and create the opportunity. I do spend a fair amount of time with my boys. But our time together should be about more than just entertainment. It should also include equipping. Sigh. I have work to do. In so many ways and in so many areas. But I suspect that the effort alone will be worthwhile.

Four Miles

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." So said (purportedly) author Jack London. Having struggled recently to gin up any interest in writing, or rather, finding a subject that holds enough interest for me, I find myself wading into the kelp-filled waters of stagnancy. It is quite remarkable, really, for the only one remotely upset about this is me, and I'm not all that disturbed. For too long the browser has been my window to the world, and current events being what they are, I am compelled to retreat to another window offering a new view.

About six weeks ago, I decided to start running. I bought the shoes, the special socks and a GPS watch. In that time, I have logged over 26 miles across ten separate runs. This past Saturday, I hit a new milestone: 4.01 miles in 59:34 minutes. I can now run full quarter-mile stretches with walking breathers in between, and hit a personal best of just under 41 minutes on a 5K stretch. I even signed up for my first "official" race, just a few weeks away.

For most of my training, I have limited myself to the use of a quarter-mile track, mostly because the roads where I live just aren't that safe for running (no shoulders). But I'm finding it tiresome, this merry-go-round routine.

I got a late start Saturday morning, so by the time I arrived at the park, the walkers were out in force on the track. I decided then and there that it was time to shake things up a little. It was time to go after inspiration with a club.

People say that running clears the mind. So far, this has not been my experience. Rather, I simply find my thoughts redirected to my surroundings, the "pain" of the exercise, and the various mini-goals and landmarks that define the transitions between running and walking. I took my warm-up lap around the track, and then let loose across the parking lot, up the road and around the bend, down and around by the public pool, back up the road and around the bend and back to the track for another lap. I found myself stimulated by the simple act of spontaneously deciding to go "that way." So I did it again, but this time took off across the soccer field, back down by the pool, up to the road and then along the fence by the road until I found myself back above the track again. Another lap or two, followed by a cool-down turn, and before I knew it I had gone 4 miles and was feeling surprisingly well. I marveled at the feel of the different surfaces beneath my feet, the unrelenting asphalt, the crunch of gravel, the silence of the dew-drenched grass. I was less enamored by the squish in my toes, an all too obvious consequence of running through wet grass in breathable shoes, but even that sensation did nothing but heighten the experience of the run.

I don't believe I've yet reached the fabled "runner's high," but without question, breaking out of the merry-go-round routine was refreshing. Jack London was on to something. The run may not have cleared my mind, but perhaps it may have helped clear my vision.

Wisdom from Wil

When it comes to labels, two of my least favorites are the notorious "geeks" and "nerds", terms of derision designed to ostracize those who fail to fit the dominant mold within any given social strata (or stratum as the case may be). For my generation, being a nerd had little positive connotation, and typically described anyone deemed ultra-smart, weird, or otherwise different and unpopular. TV and movies accentuated the caricature, and at times it felt like a losing battle to simply be accepted for who we were. Over time, the terms broadened, and took on a form a little less derisive - indeed, they were even embraced by those so labeled - for instance, I was a proud "band-geek" during my marching band days.

Fast forward to today, it seems some things may have changed. Middle-school students may still struggle with labels among their peers, but modern vernacular supports the idea of at least marginally broader acceptance: people get "geeked out" over any number of things, whether it be sports, fashion, computers and technology, academics (almost all subjects), politics, faith matters, cars, health and so on.

The video below is a segment of a talk given by Wil Wheaton, known best for his portrayal as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. A questioner asked him to speak to her now infant-daughter, recording some words of wisdom with regard to "why being a nerd is awesome." I found quite a lot to appreciate about his comments on this subject.


Viewed this way, we all have something we are "geeked" about. That love, that passion, that thing that energizes us, is a quality to be embraced, regardless if anyone else understands. Food for thought.

Closing thought: Wil Wheaton is 41. Just a year younger than I am. Feel old?

Fanfare and Adagio

Because some days, especially these days, I need to feed and soothe my spirit. Today's contrasting selections: Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings.

Simmering Summer

The summer slate has not been kind to the writing efforts of this blogger. Too many things command my attention these days, between work, my new role as a cub scout den leader, my aspirations to become a serviceable runner (nearly 20 miles logged across 8 runs in the last 3.5 weeks), and any number of other day-to-day demands. When I do have time to sit and write, I find the cup to be empty. When I look to headlines for, ahem, inspiration, I find instead only those precursors to the spontaneous detonation of what remains inside my head. In those moments, I want no more than to grab the conch and speak sense into this idiotic world in an effort to stave off our nakedly transparent, self-destructive trajectory. Yet to speak (or write) out of anger has limited effect and even less potential for lasting fruit, and would arguably be no better than those who get a pass for lawlessness simply because an adjudication of law didn't fulfill their expectations of justice. Ephesians 4:26 tells me that "in my anger, do not sin." I am angry - and distressed - at the shameless behavior of our political class, our media, and our society for allowing the unraveling of our social compact to occur. I am deeply disturbed at the systemic distrust that infects us all, compelling us to assume the absolute worst about each other in terms of motives, behaviors and views. And I fume at those who exploit that distrust for the sake of celebrity, sensationalism and power. And because I've been unable to see clearly and to speak calmly about the acceleration of our moral dystopia and its progression into the institutional, I've by and large just tried to keep my mouth (and pen) shut, keeping my contemplations to myself.

In truth, I need to regain perspective. Or at least I think I do. I need to exercise discipline and moderate my consumption of news. Staying informed and knowledgeable is essential, but it doesn't have to be so consuming as to rob you of the perspective a little distance can bring. And if regaining that balance means writing a little less frequently, so be it. At least until I find a new muse.

Still, I can't help but to be reminded tonight of a sign-off line from the old show Midnight Caller. It seems forlorn, and I suppose perhaps it is. The America we love is still out there, somewhere. I hope we find her again soon.

Until then, "Good night, America ... wherever you are."

Remember, Lest Ye Forget

In Deuteronomy 32:7, we find these words of Moses: "Remember the days of old, Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, Your elders, and they will tell you." We would do we to consider these words, and the advice and admonition contained within, for the days are speeding by, and the memory of our American heritage is fading into the annals of history with each passing generation. A false conclusion? Perhaps, but it is difficult to ignore the ongoing transformation of people from free citizens back to subjects of the state. I can only wonder if the angst so many of us feel about the state of our Union is actually comparable to those early Americans who were torn about the deterioration of the colonies' relationship to Britain, and the eventual break for their identity as Englishmen.

Have we willingly forgotten or foresaken our roots as a nation? Is it by intention that we fail to educate? Is it neglect, or perhaps the sad consequence of the breakdown of a society no longer built around the construct of the family? What have we become, that so many remain sedated and numbed by the siren song of the collective?

In an interesting post on the importance of heritage, I found this passage particularly interesting, especially extrapolated beyond just the personal (emphasis mine):

Heritage is an inheritance better than money or property. Unlike money or other property, heritage cannot be stolen or taken from you as long as you are alive. It can only be lost or forgotten by a choice that you make. This would be the choice of neglect and disuse. What value is an instruction manual to a complex machine if it is left in packing material and thrown away – none! But when we read that manual, encapsulate that knowledge into our mind, and use it – then there is great value.

We have a world today that has destroyed much of its heritage through war or through neglect. Our mobile society and fast pace world, with the immense prosperity we enjoy, has caused us to forget much of our heritage. We have used our time in meaningless pursuits. We have relegated our family history books, and our nation’s history books, to the corners of our library. We have watered down, or forgotten altogether, our traditions. We have sequestered the older generation to retirement communities and nursing facilities, and as they grow old and die – so does our heritage. Because more often than not, that generation failed to pass it on, while the next fails to retrieve it from them.

It may be too late to turn aside from our present course, but it is not too late to reawaken the sleeping giant that is the quintessential American psyche. A friend of mine has often said, the deceived do not know they are deceived because they are deceived. Until that cycle of deception is broken, until we see clearly the progression that is happening around us and recognize its ramifications, the calls for a resuscitation of liberty will fall on deaf ears.

Until then, Remember. Rediscover. Redeem. And Reclaim. For it is those of us who remember, rediscover, redeem and reclaim our American heritage that carry the torch of liberty for this generation, and our solemn vow to pass it on to the next. It is up to us.

GALEX Greatest Hits

It has been a while since I've had a post on a space topic, but the news this week that NASA has decommissioned the Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft (GALEX) after a decade of operation affords me such an opportunity. Once again, a program designed around a 29-month mission far exceeded its original scope, operating a full ten years first under NASA, and then under Caltech in Pasadena.

GALEX indeed contributed significantly to our knowledge of astronomical phenomena:

Some of the mission's highlights include helping astronomers identify the largest known spiral galaxy in the universe, a behemoth called NGC 6872; catching a black hole in the act of gobbling up a star; and discovering a missing link in galaxy evolution, a sort of "teenage stage" between young and old.

GALEX observations also independently confirmed the nature of dark energy, the mysterious force thought to be causing the accelerating expansion of the universe, NASA officials said.

During its year in Caltech's hands, GALEX searched the sky for feeding black holes and the shock waves from long-ago star explosions, or supernovae. Among other tasks, the ultraviolet telescope also monitored how the bright, active centers of galaxies change over time.

Some of GALEX's greatest hits can be found on nasa.gov. They can also be found here. Below are some of my favorites (click to enlarge). Wonderful.

M31 - The Milky Way's Largest Galactic Neighbor (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Cygnus Loop Nebula (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

CW Leo - The Runaway Star (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

I love this stuff.

Afternoon Eddy

It began with a song that popped into my mind, without warning and without precursor. A song from my childhood, sitting in the living room in front of the record player. A fun song to be sure, and a bonus because it had my name:


From there it went to a handful of other Jim Croce songs, and then following the trail YouTube laid out before me like Reese's Pieces, I fell into old favorites by Crosby, Stills and Nash, America, Seals and Croft, and the Eagles. I even hit The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel (I like the cannon-shot sounds at the end).

I have a soft spot for songs of that era that tell stories, as I may have mentioned on previous posts on John Denver and Tom T. Hall. I was tempted to indulge in a certain Cat Stevens song, but as I have an idea for a future post involving that song and the memory of an old blue Mustang, I stayed clear of the silver spoon and the man in the moon.

I'm not sure anything productive came out of this afternoon's eddy, and I suppose that's okay. It may even be the point. But it is advisable to keep moving, so life won't pass me by.

A Change of Pace

I am not a runner. I've never enjoyed pounding the pavement, or the strain it puts on my knock-knees. I'll gladly run bases on a ball field, but running for the sake of running? Not my favorite thing to do. I have run on occasion though. There was the time one of my college roommates convinced me to go run with him at the university track. There was a whole summer right after graduating college, where I ran about a mile every other day or so to get in shape for a month-long mission trip to Brazil. And then there was an event almost 4 years ago, down at Disney, called the Race for the Taste. In an attempt to spur interest in my then almost 10-yr old son in running as a physical activity, we trained for a couple of months to run a simple 3K fun run at Epcot. That was in 2009.

Today, I hit the track for the first time since that 3K race.

I am still not a runner. Back in late January, I realized to my chagrin that a change of pace was required. One random morning, I stood on the scale and discovered that I was as heavy as I had ever been in my life. Call it a mid-life revelation or whatever you want, but I realized that at my age, if I didn't start to get control of this thing, I never would. I don't know if it is really true that it is harder to get in shape and stay that way once you hit your 40s, but true or not, I resolved that something had to change. And in the back of my mind, I kept thinking about all the races my brother-in-law and sister-in-law have run, the bib numbers they wear, the pictures of runners, walkers and woggers at the finish line. But I had some work to do first before I could even think about running.

The first step was to get my eating habits under control. Taking a tip from my wife, I started tracking my food using MyFitnessPal.com. Counting calories in this fashion allowed me to see what I was eating, and to make better choices about what I ate. Like cutting way down on sodas. Giving up my twice-a-week Taco Bell habit. Going grilled instead of fried. And it seems to have worked so far, for the weight has come off. Since the beginning of February, I'm down 27 pounds. This is important, because getting this weight off makes the next phase of this current fitness kick a little easier. I also decided to take advantage of some modern technology, and got a Fitbit. The idea here was to simply track my steps. I started parking farther from the door at work or wherever I happened to be, just to burn that little bit more. The Fitbit tracks my steps and syncs to MyFitnessPal. Being confronted with the data daily has had a remarkable impact on my eating discipline. I go over my calorie goals every now and then, to be sure, but far less often than before I tracked it. And I feel better. In fact, I haven't had a serious migraine in 5 months. Hmm.

My strategy has been simple. Phase 1 - change my eating habits and get some weight off in preparation for Phase 2. Phase 2 - get in shape. Just because I weigh less doesn't mean I'm in shape. Phase 2 will involve moderate weight training (Bowflex dumbells and a bench), and yes, running. The stamina has to come from somewhere, and because I have a desk job, I need something active that keeps me in motion. I could buy a bike, I suppose, and maybe someday I will. For now, running seems the most straightforward option. Getting in shape is the goal, moreso than arriving at any particular weight. I can live with being above my so-called ideal weight if I am "in shape." But I need a marker, something to shoot for, if I'm going to be successful in Phase 2.

I'm not a runner, but that fact notwithstanding, my goal is to be well prepared to do a 5K race by early fall. To help myself train, I bought a Garmin Forerunner 10, a GPS watch that tracks my run and allows me to see the results online. To make it more fun, the Garmin also syncs to my Fitbit account and thus to MyFitnessPal. I'm hoping that being able to easily capture and see the data will help in my discipline the same way counting calories has.

So this morning, I hit the track. My objective: two miles using a run/walk approach at 1 minute intervals. It was early, about 64 degrees and a bit muggy, and I had the track to myself for most of the run. I managed 2.09 miles in 28 minutes, using the run/walk method. This was bookended by additional .25 mile warm-up and cool down laps (walking).

When I got home, I uploaded the data from the Garmin got some really interesting data.

This is actually pretty neat stuff. And what's better, I actually feel okay, post-run. I had a protein bar prior to the run, and a small bottle of Gatorade G2 to replenish electrolytes after the run.

I'm not entirely sure when the next run will be. But I imagine it will need to be soon. In the meantime, I'll be happy with today's effort. But I still attest that I am not a runner. At least, not yet.

42

The answer of course.


Now, what was the actual question?

Terms and Conditions

And the berries just keep blooming on the weed. A month ago, we were all talking anew about Benghazi, the IRS, the DOJ and the Associated Press, and the EPA. Now we have all of those plus the NSA and the State Department (again). Probably the only thing that surprises me at this point is the fact that these are being both investigated and reported. It is enough that I'm looking for a peaceful place on the internet to get away from all these stories, because even as a political junkie, it's getting harder to ignore the fact that the social compact between citizen and Government is taking some severe blows to the head. If there is such a safe haven, let me know so that I can buy some virtual real estate there.

Let's throw out some obvious truisms: "He who controls the information, controls the world." "Knowledge is power." Where does this information come from? It comes from us. We provide it willingly every time we sign our name to a form, click the box to accept "Terms and Conditions" from whatever service requires our registration, or otherwise entrust our personal information, numbers, emails, and SSNs to anyone who asks. It is an incredible act of trust to turn over our information in the hopes that the recipient of that information (corporate or government) will keep it private and use it only for the explicitly stated purpose for which it was required. But we do it, because we like our social media, we like our smart technologies, we like being able to see the doctor, have insurance, drive a car, go fishing, run a business, and be employed. To receive the requisite privileges, we are required to pay with our money and our personal information. We are by definition complicit, because we agree to these terms.

Are we due certain protections? I'd like to think so. But the fact that abuses occur like that of the IRS and possibly the NSA should surprise no one. And sadly, it is not at all clear that these abuses are technically illegal, although it may feel like they should be. The truth is that this oh-so-glorious Information Age has accelerated the evolution of the modern Surveillance State. Our information is no longer our own, and quite frankly, once you turn it over you can never get it back. You will never be able to elect a single politician who will champion, much less succeed, in rolling back the Surveillance State. The siren song of data is too alluring, too powerful, too deafening to be silenced. The citizen can at best minimize their exposure, but even this offers little protection.

I don't know how all of this is going to play out. There will be Congressional hearings, a season of wailing and gnashing, and quite possibly a major breakdown somewhere within the homeland and foreign security apparatus. But after a time, we'll all go back to our Facebook, our Twitter, our smartphones and our digital lives. Maybe we'll be a little wiser, or maybe not.

Why? Because we've already accepted the terms and conditions. The modern age is shiny. And we do like our shiny things. Unfortunately, so does he:

Been a Little Busy

Sorry for the infrequent posting here lately - lots of distractions are occupying my time these days, not the least of which is the effort to get the house completely finished so that we can once and for all sign our name and initials a thousand times on a set of mortgage papers. Things at work have also been a bit draining. In the end, while things are going okay, there simply hasn't been enough left in the tank for writing the past couple of months.

I hope to get to the point where I can stop, take a deep breath, and capture my thoughts. How soon I can get back into a rhythm, I'm not sure. But I'll get there. I thank you for your patience.

I'm attending the annual meeting of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church this week. During tonight's opening worship, we sang a hymn based on "O Waly Waly", an old, old folk song I wrote about here. Such a lovely, haunting tune, and now as I lay me down to sleep, its sweet melancholy strains are repeating in my mind over and over and over again. I suppose there are worse ways to fall asleep.

Peace to you all. I'll be back at this in a few days.

The Time For Debate is Over!

The battle has raged back and forth for years. Advocates for each side digging in their heals at the line of demarcation, each calling the other uneducated, one side elitist, the other side backwoods. But now we know, and the time for debate is over.

The GIF image format has been with us now since 1987, and remains to this day the most common graphical element in the Internet age. In 1996, this disturbing little gem made the big time:


Yet as innovative as the technology has been, professionals and amateurs alike have come to blows over the simplest of issues: how do you pronounce GIF? Is it hard-G (as in "get"), or soft-G (as in "Gemini")?

Now we know, and the facts are indisputable. By the authority invested in the creator of the GIF format (emphasis mine):

Since retiring in 2001, Mr. Wilhite has led a quieter existence than his creation. He goes on RV trips. He built a house in the country with a lot of lawn to mow. He dabbles in color photography and Java programming. He uses e-mail and Facebook to keep up with family.

He is proud of the GIF, but remains annoyed that there is still any debate over the pronunciation of the format.

“The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations,” Mr. Wilhite said. “They are wrong. It is a soft ‘G,’ pronounced ‘jif.’ End of story.”

And that's the way it should be.

Comic Relief: The Government Can

For today, how about a little levity on an all-too-serious subject. I know some of you few don't like my preoccupation with socio-politics, but it is what it is.

So here's a Tim Hawkins special from 2009 that I somehow missed. Tim Hawkins is quite funny, and I suggest you peruse YouTube for more of his comedic routines. Enjoy!

Berries on a Weed

Oh, where to begin? Scandal mania has hit Washington, and if the people elect to turn a blind eye now, then such is their folly. What's happening in our government to allow Benghazi debacle, the IRS targeting conservatives, the seizing of personal communications from the Associated Press, and the selective waiving of fees by the EPA based on political persuasion? Incompetence? If so, then why haven't people been fired or forced to resign? No one is being held accountable, no one is accepting responsibility - all are pointing fingers, obfuscating, and hoping it will all just go away before anyone really starts to pay attention. You thought trust in government was low before. What happens to America when all trust breaks down between the government and its citizens? Nothing good.

Benghazi: I've talked about this one a lot. This one comes closest to touching the White House, and at least the State Department. But don't worry, "there's no there, there."

EPA: You probably haven't heard of this one, but it's out there. Apparently the EPA is playing favorites when it comes to who has to pay for requests for information. Perhaps not a major scandal, but the appearance of selective or disparate treatment is worth investigating further.

DOJ and Associated Press: This one is just strange. On the surface, the fact that DOJ may have been trying to identify sources of leaks of classified information isn't inherently bad, but the manner in which they "seized" this information from a press very friendly to this administration is just bizarre. One thing for sure, the press didn't like it, and ticking off the press cannot be a positive development for this administration. The DOJ has been over-politicized, and gives the appearance of being just that - an enforcer for partisan politics rather than just law and order.

>> Daily Mail: Eric Holder points finger at his DEPUTY who secretly obtained journalist's phone records

>> NPR: Holder Isn't Sure How Often Reporters' Records Are Seized

IRS: This is the big one, or at least, the one that will suck all the oxygen from the room, because the IRS is everyone's favorite whipping boy. Bottom line, the IRS has admitted to targeting conservative groups purely on the basis of their political persuasion. IRS officials have been caught in lies, but so far, no heads have rolled. The administration is rushing to blame it on incompetence and mismanagement, but in my view the problem is too far reaching and too systemic, for too many years to be anything but intentional. We might be talking Nixon-level stuff here. If not authorized by the administration or its handlers, this activity certainly wasn't frowned upon, and was likely encouraged. Oh, and just to make you feel better, the IRS is in charge of enforcing Obamacare. We can all expect to be answering a lot of IRS questions in the next few years. Don't skip these links. You need to know what's going on.

>> Politico: The IRS wants YOU — to share everything

>> Washington Post: Inspector general says ineffective management at IRS allowed agents to target tea party groups

>> USA Today>: IRS approved liberal groups while Tea Party in limbo

>> Daily Mail: Document: IRS ordered conservative educational group to turn over a list of high school and college students it trained

Remember which branch of government is responsible for running the State Department, the EPA, the IRS and the Department of Justice. It's the executive branch. All of this, ALL of this, the president has to answer for, because it is under his purview, his appointees. It is a reflection on his executive abilities. The bureaucracy has its own culture, to be sure, but you have to ask what kind of culture is being encouraged under this administration? I don't like asking such questions, and I don't like pointing out such things, but it is becoming painfully obvious that the so-called "politics of personal destruction" has been taken to a whole new level. If your right to freedom of expression and association falls victim to the heavy hand of government, your freedom is abridged, and the seeds of tyranny are sowed.

All of these stories, individually, are just berries on a weed. Each terrible and frightening in their own right, but not surprising. Why? Because the real scandal here is the accelerating unhinging of our political culture from any established norms required to maintain America's traditional social compact between the citizens and their government. When rules are optional to those in power, when accountability isn't even in the vocabulary, systemic abuses will follow.

Ingest too many of these berries, and you're bound to get a stomach ache. Indeed, it will poison your outlook, and leave you increasingly cynical. The ideal of America is not at fault - its practitioners are, and for that, we are all responsible.

The oligarchy of the bureaucracy, the press and the government are all fighting each other now. This may yet blow over and get swept under the rug again. Such to our peril. But I don't know. Maybe eyes will open this time, and people will see what we have created, and change course.

In the mean time, however, the feudal lords are fighting. Peasants beware.

Benghazi Breakthrough?

Well, maybe. I have made no secret on this blog of my feelings about Benghazi. What happened last September 11, the weeks and months leading up to that day, the months and months of obfuscation by all the major players, is nothing but a despicable travesty of the truth, of right and wrong.

I had all but given up on the story. The vaunted press, whose cause célèbre to shine the light on government has so clearly taken a backseat to an almost propagandizing patronage, has undeniably turned its back - for now - on its cherished Watergate heritage. Whereas then the press successfully exposed a government cover up, its modern progeny is working feverishly to assist in the effort to make Benghazi "go away." Today, however, there are signs, albeit small ones, that maybe - just maybe - the country might actually hear actual news reports and testimony about that horrible night. And maybe, they'll start asking questions.

This week, high level State Department whistleblowers testified at a House Committee hearing. These aren't some low-level lackeys, either. One is Mr. Greg Hicks - the deputy to the late Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who was killed that night in the attack. Another is Mr. Mark Thompson, in charge of the Foreign Emergency Support Team who had direct knowledge of the alleged orders to "stand down" and not deploy a rescue force. Finally, there is Eric Nordstrom, assigned to head up Benghazi security, whose requests for enhanced security support for the consulate was repeatedly denied in the months leading to the attack.

If you go looking for balance in the American newspapers, you're not likely to find anything but an effort to paint these hearings as a Republican effort to beat a dead horse in the faint hopes of damaging Hilary Clinton's presidential prospects. The bile just drips from their words, dismissive and derogatory. Politics always matters, yes. But so does the truth, at least in the world I want to believe in. You'll have better luck gleaning information from UK papers, if you can believe that. But what is more interesting is that the big three networks - ABC, CBS and NBC - may be showing small signs of actually covering the story if not objectively, more objectively than their newsprint counterparts. Consider:

CBS: Diplomat: U.S. Special Forces told "you can't go" to Benghazi during attacks

NBC: NBC's Lisa Meyers: Benghazi Hearing "Reopens" Case Against Hillary Clinton See also: Democrats Actively Working to Undermine Testimony of Benghazi Whistleblower

ABC: Exclusive: Benghazi Talking Points Underwent 12 Revisions, Scrubbed of Terror Reference

Go to the ABC link. Read the article, watch the video at the top of the page. Get informed. Will these questions lead to investigations, in turn leading to revelation of the truth? That remains to be seen. Careers should end over this, but unfortunately, the audacity of our present oligarchy and their loyal subjects in the press will do everything possible to avoid that outcome, honor and rightful shame be damned. But for the moment, kudos to ABC for the actual practice of investigative journalism.

Finally, though normally I wouldn't point to a political ad like this, this is just politically brutal, but it would have resonated if it had aired (which it did not).

Truth matters. And if an "objective" news source ever says a story "doesn't matter", question their objectivity. As the Wall Street Journal says, let the chips fall.

Update: I finally get a blog post out on this, and suddenly there's new and interesting developments. Not that we get to hear about it of course. Why? Because the White House decided to hold an off-the-record meeting with select journalists to provide "deep background" on the latest Benghazi developments. Why off the record? Probably because they don't want any names recorded with their quotes. More stories with anonymous sources to come. So, either the adminstration is providing the press a new set of talking points to push, or somebody's about to get thrown under the bus. Either way, it reeks of collusion. (Pardon me while I adjust my tin foil hat). Maybe it's nothing big, but one thing for sure - it sure is strange.

Channeling Joseph Heller

One of the most entertaining books I read in high school was Joseph Heller's Catch-22. In fact, I need to make time to re-read it, as it is a veritable quote machine. I find myself in the need to channel Mr. Heller now, if what follows proves to be true.

According to this report by Breitbart.com, DoD is clamping down on the free exercise of religious faith in the military (emphasis mine):

The Pentagon has released a statement confirming that soldiers could be prosecuted for promoting their faith: "Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense...Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis...”. The statement, released to Fox News, follows a Breitbart News report on Obama administration Pentagon appointees meeting with anti-Christian extremist Mikey Weinstein to develop court-martial procedures to punish Christians in the military who express or share their faith.

Of course, it depends somewhat on what they mean by "proselytization," as pointed out by retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin in this Foxnews.com video. But one has to wonder about Chaplains, and others who offer support of a religious nature.

I'll wait and see what form this takes, but the Pentagon statement that Fox News says was released to them seems to undermine the idea that this is just some imprecise wording of an inconsequential policy adjustment. I wish I could see the whole statement without the ellipses, but I haven't been able to find it yet.

All I can do now is channel Joseph Heller: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you." Indeed, "insanity is contagious."

Heaven help us.

More, submitted without comment.

A Dubious Designation

Being on top is not always the best place to be. So it goes with The Weather Channel's Top 10 Tornado Cities. Guess who comes in at the top of the list? I think I liked it better when this place was just hot and muggy all the time.

Behind the data:

Dr. Forbes gathered data from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center between 1962-2011. He added up the areas of the tornado paths within 75 miles of the city highlighted, including the tornado damage path widths and lengths. This methodology gives a more realistic probability of a particular location getting hit by a tornado than simply by using the raw numbers of tornado that have occurred within a metro area.

This part of the country, in tornadic weather terms anyway, is known as Dixie Alley. Apparently we're known for long-track, violent tornadoes. I don't remember seeing that on the brochure.

Ah well. Like the lady said, "There's no place like home."