Urban Cowboy

Yes, it looks like we have an " urban cowboy" in the White House. Like Gary Cooper in the movie "High Noon" our president Obama against the will of the American populace with a coalition of one nation so far (USA) seems willing to attack Syria on behalf of the terrorist rebels of Syria over a claim that Syria's Assad used chemical weapons against its citizens thus crossing the "red line" set by President Obama. And how does using chemical weapons in Syria affect America's interests with the potential of leading to an escalation perhaps of World War III by bringing Iran and possibly Russia into the Syrian civil war? I don't know. I do know however if President Bush were president today and did what President Obama is proposing there would be a "national outcry" and demonstrations across America about "Bush the cowboy war monger".

Now, what is the objective of sending bombs, cruise missile, and maybe a few "killer drones" into Syria when it has been reported that the "rebels" have used chemical weapons themselves and may even have used them this time just to bring America into this conflict and provide them with an air force that they don't have? Obama has stated that this proposed action is not for "regime change" but to show that chemical weapons use can and will not be tolerated without consequences.

Is America's role in the world to be the enforcer of world behavior against all atrocities? If so, then where was America when hundreds of thousands of people were being butchered and starved to death in Africa in western Sudan (Darfur)  or in Uganda where approximately 1.9 million people were displaced ? Where was America when dissidents in Iran wanted to topple their theocratic government? Where is America when Christian citizens in Egypt are killed and their churches burned? Is Obama's "red line" only concerned with how people are killed (chemical) versus being butchered by machetes, shot, or burned alive?

Oh, and what is the calculation of how many civilians will be killed with the US missile attack? Possibly or probably more people will die as "collateral damage" from the US attack if it comes than were killed by any chemical weapons. What happens if a missile strays off course and kills a few Russian advisers stationed in Syria?

Maybe, like in a chess game, the world leaders are thinking a few moves ahead. Maybe, by lobbing a few missiles into Syria, Iran will direct missiles into Israel. Israel will then attack Iran and attempt to destroy the Iranian nuclear facilities.

Yes, our "urban cowboy" in the White House if he proceeds is playing a dangerous game where  many unforeseen and unintended consequences can develop. I think we should "stay away" from this situation and let the Syrian government and the rebel terrorists fight it out amongst themselves. You didn't see any Syrians intervening in the American Civil War of the 1860's did you?

Hot Stuff

  Here's a photo of a few hot peppers I grew in my garden this year. I tried eating a whole one recently and for sure these peppers are "hot stuff!" My mouth , tongue, and lips felt like they were on fire and swollen and numb all at the same time.

Yes, this pepper was hot ...but not as hot I imagine as the "Ghost Pepper" (Bhut Jokolia) which is the hottest pepper in the world and approximately 400 times hotter than "Tabasco" sauce.

Some peppers have been used as a weapon and recently the "Trinidad Moruga Scorpion" pepper has superseded as of 2012 the title of world's hottest pepper. Peppers are rated using the Scoville heat units and the "Ghost Pepper" of up to 1,041,027 units compared with Tabasco rating of 2,500 to5,000 "Scoville heat units. Hot stuff indeed!

A Sweet Death

▶ Real News: REAL HISTORY: BOSTON MOLASSES DISASTER - YouTube  I don't know why but today I was thinking about the Great Boston Molasses Disaster of January 15, 1919 where 21 people died and 150 people were injured when a huge molasses tank blew apart with what was described as sounding like machine gun bullets as thousands of steel rivets popped off of the huge molasses tank sending a river of molasses traveling thirty five miles an hour and between 8 and 15 feet high as approximately 2,300,000 gallons of molasses roared through the North End leaving death and destruction in its wake.

Some people say that before you are born you choose your "life path" and also your death is also determined in advance. This theory states that there are no "accidental deaths". I guess these people chose a "sweet death" by molasses. There is an expression "slow as molasses" but with this raging river of molasses "ole molasses" wasn't slow on that day.

Would you choose "death by molasses"?  Or would you rather drown in a huge vat of cold beer?  Or would you choose dying by falling off of a mountain?  Did you choose to die in your sleep? Did you choose a "quick death" or a lingering slow battle from some affliction or other?

Some people say that being born is more traumatic than dying and that no one really dies as your soul is eternal as you transition from one level of consciousness here on the earthly plane to the next level of existence. God knows, time will tell.