Thursday Thoughts

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Just a couple today

Personal Well Being

About a month ago I had some major stomach problems. After a couple of days of a liquid diet, or just really light eating the stomach issues passed. Since that time however I have been developing much better eating habits. Just eating more meals, but making certain they are light meals, instead of my normal habits of 3 huge meals a day, plus the occasional snack. Well that change has made a big difference. I have dropped about 10 pounds, and my energy level has really improved. Rarely do I have an evening when I get home and just want to pass out on the couch after dinner. Instead I have the energy to actually do something, even if it is just a small project like helping Kim move some furniture in the boys room. I just have to keep this up, avoid falling back into the old bad ways. And then maybe find some ways to get some better snacks, and heavier exercise to get myself really fit. But all of this has made a world of difference in my attitude recently, it's pretty amazing.

Where's our Huey Long?

Just read an interesting blog about this Pittsburgh shooter where the writer tries to make a point that this guy is a symptom of a greater class rage that is slowly developing in this country. I am not entirely convinced, But it does make me wonder, we have more than our share of Father Coughlin equivalents: Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, Bill O'Reilly etc. But where is the Huey Long? Where is the voice of the little people crying out for more government? Who essentially advocates class war? Who comes out and says: "You know what, you're damn right we are talking about taxing the rich. Tax them and the huge corporations. It is time they paid their fair share. And if they won't pay, up against the wall with them!"

I have a friend who volunteers with poor people and he has stated that he is surprised there isn't a revolution in this country. And to be honest I agree. I know that a lot of people have made their share of mistakes to get themselves in economic messes. But when the cost of college education keeps going up, the cost of basic health care goes up. And the gap between the low paying jobs and the good jobs gets wider it does make you wonder. The rich and the wealthy have done an excellent job of handling the message in the past couple of decades. But as more and more forms of communication come out I wonder how soon it will be until some charismatic leader figures out that the real message isn't just about reform, it needs to be Revolution. I am not certain it needs to get there, but it might take someone leading that charge to throw the scare into the powers that be to allow real reform.