Days , like chordwood, burn and keep me warm, untill there is no more in the pile. Then the fire goes out.

Watching the wheels of the world go round and round I see my pile of wood diminish relentlessly. Sometimes I think I have found someone to share fires with but I am wrong. It seems to always end because of me. I am just not the kind of person others want. Ce la vi, I guess.

The US. stimulus bill goes into effect amid the usual party lines. The hypocrisy on all sides gives me pause. Civilization is doing what it has always done. Flying blind. Billions of dollars are being gambled at the least, our lives, and our children's lives, at the most. No new thinking from anywhere. This flaw in civilization might be rectified by enlisting and listening to voices of people traditionally kept out of the loop of power.

The use of the death of someone as a reminder of that person may serve a useful purpose, it may not. Not my call. But all to often I see a death used in an effort to rally people's emotions for or against a cause. This too may be a good thing, but many times it is used in a cold, calculated way to get us in a frenzy. Making decisions when all worked up may not be the best way to see and act upon the truth. Mob mentality is why we have the rule of law, in most cases anyway. Yes, there must be times when the rule of law is wrong or misapplied. A good reason not to have a death penalty, don't ya think?