NOT EVEN HALF OF THE DAY IN THE LIFE

NOT EVEN HALF OF THE DAY IN THE LIFE

By Andy Weddington

Thursday, 22 May 2025

 

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.  - Marcus Aurelius

Reveille at 0400 this morning. 

Not planned. 

Coffee, light breakfast, and a walk.

Topics the brain decided to tackle ...

National Defense

President Trump's recently announced shield to protect the United States (offspring of President Reagan's SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative) ought not be called Golden but "Platinum Dome."

Why? 

The Constitution is gold. Pure gold. 

Platinum is stronger and more durable than gold.

Platinum for defense, to protect.  

Someone still on active duty ought steal and submit the idea. Maybe a Bronze Star their recognition. 

Dementia

Every member of Congress ought be individually polygraphed with one question: At any time while President, did you suspect President Biden was not cognitively competent therefore unfit for office?

As for members who fail? (Psst ... it should be all of them.)

Charge with dereliction of duty, jeopardizing national security of the United States, etc. Punish. 

Science 

Last evening NOVA aired an hour program about the Universe. 

And that triggered thought the scientific theory of the ever-expanding Universe has been adapted by Congress - known for following science, legit and junk - and applied to managing the federal budget/national debt. 

This morning Senator Rand Paul (R, KY) said the country is at place where the cost of servicing the debt exceeds the Defense Department's budget. 

Somewhere in there is good one-liner about a big bang and bang for the buck but I've not time to tinker with crafting it. 

Someone else please take for action.  

Department of Justice 

Nearing walk's end and listening to a podcast a recently confirmed senior official, an attorney, in reply to a 'why question' said, "I don't want to speculate as to motives ..."

What?

Say that again.

You don't want to speculate as to motives?

What?

Speculating is how problem identification and solving works. 

First, speculate. Make list of speculations.

Second, triage. 

Third, investigate. 

Fourth, reject speculations proved without merit.

Fifth, validate speculations proved with evidence.

Sixth, zero in on why.

If not so doing, then incompetent, coward, or both. 

And that led to conclusion, "We're doomed."

Doomed! 

Then came time for family. 

There was midday 'Barnyard BBQ' today at the community where mom and friends live. 

One of the organizers brought four chickens and their family three months old pet goat named Juliet. 

Juliet had quite the personality. Pleasant. 

None of the people are spring chickens. 

Some with dementia.

Nearly all beyond caring about National Defense, Science, the Universe, budgets, deficits, Department of Justice, or any other nonsense. 

Their world small. Calm. They like it that way. I look forward to the day.

A bluegrass band entertained. 

Just about ready to depart and one of the chickens laid an egg; brown. 

Shirley Temple came to mind.  

Perhaps the stress of strange environment made for the egg.

Just marvelous!

And I'll close with the '6 Phases of Everything' a wise colonel proffered me 43 years ago. Go ahead, try finding anything to which application cannot be made.

1. Enthusiasm

2. Disillusionment

3. Panic

4. Search for the guilty

5. Praise, promotions, honors, raises, awards for non-participants

6. Punish the innocent 

3 through 6 is pretty much hitting on all cylinders in government and media these days. 

Yep, we're doomed.

But it's good to be happy!