A Rational Animal

A shot I snagged a couple of years ago; it reminded me of an arch, and I call this place "The Cathedral." 

I should have led with this post.

Some of you know that this has been a truly awful year for me in so many ways.  One of the reasons I relaunched ARA yesterday is that I was at the lowest point I’ve seen in a very long time, and I literally didn’t know what I was going to do.  I thought maybe the cathartic distractions of blogging would help, because I honestly felt like I was going to lose my mind with worry.  On the longest night of the year, it felt as though I’d never see daylight again.

And today . . . that’s all gone.  The resources I needed (have been owed for three months, as a matter of fact) finally came through - in a bigger way than I expected, too.  And I owe the universe a debt of gratitude.

And so I need to say a very public, profoundly grateful "chi mi’igwech" to Gichi Manitou** and life generally.

* Anishinaabemowin for "thank you."

** Anishinaabemowin for, literally, "Great Spirit"; translates roughly to "Essential Mystery," "Creator," or simply "God."

Is there a draft in here?

Everyone’s talking about how VetSec Jim Nicholson floated the latest lead balloon about reinstituting the draft, only to backpedal completely after the White Whores House hung him out to dry.  What nobody’s been reporting until now is what I find vastly more telling:

The Selective Service System is making plans to test its draft machinery in case Congress and President Bush need it, even though the White House says it doesn’t want to bring back the draft.

The agency is planning a comprehensive test — not run since 1998 — of its military draft systems, a Selective Service official said. The test itself would not likely occur until 2009. 

Um, did you get that?  Not until 2009.  I can just hear Bush now:  "BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Suckers!!!"

Because, of course, in 2009, who gets blamed?  Why, yes, you’re absolutely right - go to the head of the class.