From the White House on May 15, 2007:

“In respect for their devotion to America, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved on May 11, 1950, as amended (64 Stat. 158), has requested the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated the minute beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance.”

Please take a moment today to remember what this day is about for Americans. It’s not about beaches, cook-outs or sleeping late. It’s about honoring those who have paid the ultimate price in service to our country.

My gratitude goes out to them, their families and their loved ones.

I went to the bookstore Friday evening and bought Al Gore’s latest book, “The Assault on Reason“. You’ll see it over on the right under “What I’m Reading Now”.

When I was returning from overseas last week I picked up the latest issue of Time Magazine at the airport newsstand, which had the former Vice-President (or as he likes to wryly introduce himself in the “An Inconvenient Truth” film, “I used to be the next President of the United States”) on the cover and discusses his new book (with a nice excerpt) and the question of whether he might run for President in the 2008 elections.

This country could do a hell of a lot worse. In fact, we currently are.

I also watched Mr Gore on Larry King earlier this week. His consistent answer when asked if he would run for President was “I have no plans to run for office” but I noticed that when Larry asked him if he would consider a cabinet post, his response was an unequivocal, “No, I have no interest in a cabinet post”. So, it does seem that the door might be open should Clinton, Obama or Edwards end up in a 3 way split of party support. Although I would be thrilled with any of the previously mentioned candidates, it would be a kick to see Mr. Gore finally get what was stolen from him 8 years ago.

If you’d like to join the “Draft Al Gore” movement, you can do so here, here or here.

Originally I wasn’t going to post anything about the tragic shooting deaths and injuries at Virginia Tech. Our friend Hanni is a graduate of VT and after checking with her to see if she had any friends still on campus (she didn’t, thank goodness) I thought I would leave it to others to write about the sad events there earlier this week. And I still will leave that to others.

But then I found out a woman who works in a department I supervise has a son who is a professor at VT. Thankfully he was not on campus the day of the shootings. Then I was told that a man in another department in our office has a son who was shot in the leg during the rampage. Again, thankfully, he will heal. Physically, I’m sure, faster than he will emotionally.

Anyway, the son who is a professor sent the photo below to his mom and she shared  it with me today. In turn, I thought I would share it with you.

April is Autism Awareness Month. The optimal treatment of autism involves an educational program that is suited to the child’s developmental level. 

Although I have missed Blog Girl while she has been away, I have also enjoyed the solitude of the Blog Cave the past few days. I’ve been able to get quite a bit of reading done and spent several hours working on designing and coding my new writing website. I was even able to relax a bit by sleeping in until 6:45 this morning. That will become even more important in the coming days.

I found out a few days ago that I’ll now be spending even more time away from home each workday. The big government agency that I work for finally found a new building for us. The biggest problem with it is that is now an hour’s drive each way from the Blog Cave to the new drone dump, so 90 minutes a day that I used to have during the work week to do things in the Blog Cave will now be spent driving on Central Florida’s wonderful toll roads. It’s not really as big an issue for me as I make it sound; after all I was able to spend 2 years driving just 12 miles a day round trip from the Blog Cave to work and back. But I got spoiled and will miss the time to work on projects or just relax in the Blog Cave and I certainly won’t enjoy the tolls I’ll be paying.

Speaking of which I went Thursday night after work and bought an E-Pass transponder from my neighborhood Publix, then came back to the Blog Cave and signed up online to fund the E-Pass so on Monday I won’t have to fumble for change at each toll booth. I don’t really like the idea of the E-Pass because to me it’s just another way for Big Brother to keep tabs on me, but like a lot of things we do these days, the convenience is what ultimately draws us. The toll roads are set up in such a way now that if you don’t use an E-Pass, you’ll end up sitting in a mile long line of other drivers waiting to throw quarters into the bin and so you still waste the time you hoped to save by taking the toll road in the first place.

While I’m griping; about the only TV that I watch in “real time” is the local news and sometimes the national news or news talk shows. Everything else is DVR’d and I get to skip through the commercials. But I have to tell you that the increasing preponderance of campaign and candidate commercials are about to make me swear off even the news programs until after next Tuesday night. It seems like EVERY commercial is related to the upcoming election. I guess it’s doubly aggravating to me because I have already voted, so there’s nothing I’m going to hear that is going to change my vote. Thank goodness we got rid of the land line house phone and I don’t have to listen to a dozen recorded calls from candidates and causes every day when I get home.

Blog Girl will return home Sunday afternoon and even though I have enjoyed my time alone, it will be nice to have her back in the Blog Cave.

Earlier today I was watching “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” and almost fell off the couch when, during an interview with our excuse for a president, George Bush, the two Georges had this exchange:

STEPHANOPOULOS: James Baker says that he’s looking for something between “cut and run” and “stay the course.”

BUSH: Well, hey, listen, we’ve never been “stay the course,” George. We have been…we will complete the mission, we will do our job, and help achieve the goal, but we’re constantly adjusting to tactics. Constantly.

Is this guy serious??? Is he now lying so damn much he can’t even remember the numerous times he’s mouthed the words, “Stay the course” in reference to Iraq? Is he so stupid that he doesn’t think every previous quote from him with those words is going to be cited over the next few days?

I can’t wait to see what Jon Stewart does with this on his next show! LOL!

Here’s just a few examples of how often the shrub has asserted that we must “stay the course”:

July 10, 2003 - “We’re making steady progress,” he said. “A free Iraq will mean a peaceful world. And it’s very important for us to stay the course, and we will stay the course.”

August 30, 2003 - “We will stay the course, we will help this young Iraqi democracy succeed, and victory in Iraq will be a major ideological triumph in the struggle of the 21st century.”

April 13, 2004 - Three times in the same speech “And, yet, we must stay the course, because the end result is in our nation’s interest.”

“And my message today to those in Iraq is: We’ll stay the course; we’ll complete the job. My message to our troops is: We will stay the course and complete the job and you’ll have what you need.”

August 4, 2005 - “We will stay the course, we will complete the job in Iraq.”

August 30, 2006 - “We will stay the course, we will help this young Iraqi democracy succeed, and victory in Iraq will be a major ideological triumph in the struggle of the 21st century.”

And yet today this doofus stated, “Well, hey, listen, we’ve never been “stay the course“, George.”

Hmmmmm…maybe the shrub has decided to “cut and run” from his “stay the course” mantra of the past 3 years.

This is the kind of thing that always happens when Cheney and Rove pull their hands out of Bush’s ass and let him speak without their puppeteering to control his mouth. Now, Tony Snow will have to figure out a way to spin this so his boss doesn’t look like the biggest moron this side of Kim Jong-il.