"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

Hello once again friends, neighbors, and accidental tourists. Yes. I am aware that I put the wrong calendar date on last Friday's edition. You deserve an explanation. The eye doctor demanded that I either remove my contacts every evening or quit wearing them altogether. That's because of being a Type 2 diabetic. I had been wearing the extended 30 day version for ten years without incident but that did little to sway her opinion. Stay with me here. Since I've never, not even once, been able to put my contacts in by myself, it requires the wife to do so and since that would mean she would have to do that every morning at 3:30 a.m. (which she was willing to do), the bottom line is the fact that I now wear glasses. They tell me I am fortunate because I can see perfectly without my glasses up to about 18 inches. Therefore, I do not wear my glasses when I use the keyboard. The wall calendar is, duh, on the wall. I looked at Friday and the 16 looked like an 18 to me because I am over 3 feet from the wall calendar and last time I checked that's considerably more than 18 inches. I'm not going to mention the doctor's name because she has no desire to go into the witness protection program. Yes, I am aware that you didn't ask for an explanation. I felt compelled to share it but you can skip it if you like. What? You've already read it and it's too late. Sorry. With that, I have checked, and I do believe that today is Monday, and it is the 19th day of January, 2015, and much of our nation is on holiday in remembrance of the late civil rights icon, Martin Luther King, Jr. As for the calendar mishap, I did correct the official copy held hostage somewhere out there in the blog kingdom because someday it might resurface and I wouldn't want it to be misleading. Got it? Thanks.

I recently listened to an in-depth report from the BBC regarding the concentration of wealth in the United States. If asked what is the richest city in the US many would immediately choose New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Those are not in the running. The richest per capita city in our nation is none other than the Washington, D.C. area. It, along with the surrounding suburbs, are home to those who influence or have direct control over the spending of 1/4 of the funds available in the US economy. Yet, this area produces only one product. Government. From the halls of Congress to the executive branch, millionaires are very common, if not the norm. Lobbyists, contractors, and government employees that support this massive outlay are also a part of this booming infrastructure. The city itself is an enigma. With all of this wealth, DC itself is known for its corruption, its crime, poverty, and unbelievable waste. These are the findings in this report. I report, you decide, but there is something for us all to contemplate: No wonder we are in such a mess.

I am not insensitive to those who prefer that I would not write about political matters. I enjoy the funny stories as much as anyone. It is, however, a daily visit, and the stuff I write about reflects those things that make up my little part of the universe and that includes a wide range of subjects including the political climate we live in. We also all have opinions. I would be the first to say that I am not always right. I've actually had folks contact me when I had the facts wrong in my blog. Those wrong facts caused me to voice conclusions that were not warranted. Made aware of my misunderstanding, I dutifully did a retraction in my blog and thanked the person for making me aware of the situation. My mom reminds me from time to time of how my grandfather used to say that if you don't vote you give up your right to complain. That sounds good but to tell you the truth, in America you can complain anyway, whether you vote or not. You can even be wrong. I do attempt to fact check my work. But since I am a staff of one, stuff can slip through the cracks. I also strive for balance and I always try to remember to thank God for His goodness and His grace, mercy, and love. Whatever I write about, having Him on our side gives us all hope. Amen. ....More later.