Safely home

This post comes from Desert Farne, my home in Albuquerque. The upstairs was only 95 degrees this evening but the A/C is on, the ceiling fan in my bedroom is running, and a smaller fan is blowing directly on me in my office right now. Re-entry is always a bit rough but my energy bills (for six days of cooling per month) have been very nice this summer.

Maggie got a bit adventurous in the Phoenix Skyport. Here she is on top of my laptop checking out the scene.

And here she is lined up ahead of the crowd, ready to board. Those who travel Southwest will recognize the numbered pillars telling us where to stand in line. Maggie, of course, was above it all.

As I fumbled for my keys I was greeted by my neighbor Anthony. I had to walk over and use his garage light to see as I dug around in my briefcase to locate said keys. Nice to be home.

While in Phoenix, where I had a long layover, I got to read posts on Sarah Palin, McCain's VP choice and I agree, it was a desperate choice. While she has an extremely high approval rating in Alaska, she may well be a great gift to the Dems this election.

As others have noted, McCain has spent months saying that inexperienced 40-somethings are not fit for the White House. Well, there goes that line of attack. She is far brighter than Dan Quayle though some suggest the better parallel is Spiro Agnew, an inexperienced governor with some corruption issues. (Corruption? In Sen. Stevens' Alaska? How can this be?) She seemed, in one of the earliest interviews, unbelievably unclear on the role of Vice President (who briefed her?) and very eager to promote the causes of Alaska. What a great national and international visionary she makes.

I also saw several posts contrasting the Obama approach to this campaign, which sounds as though it is a discussion by grownups, and the increbibly juvenile GOP approach - one which is about all kinds of games and no substance. I have long thought that an immature male adolescent psychology governed a great deal of politics and especially among the GOP. Fratboy sniggering, irresponsibility, testosterone poisoning, recklessness, insecurity, and lack of direction. Yep, that sounds like the Grand Old Party of the past few decades. Which is a great pity. It would be nice for the United States if the Republican Party were returned to sensible grownups.

They pose as grownups in contrast to the DFH of the Democratic Party but if one brushes aside the words and looks at their actions it is clearly a facade, one - I believe - deliberately designed to deceive.

This should be interesting.
--the BB