Of mice and men

I prepared another giant stir fry this morning. I did the onions and mushroom separately so I can add some of this mixture to the spaghetti sauce I will make later in the week. I like Newman's Own, but the salt content sends me to the homemade variety. We shall see about the cost as well. I found a couple of good recipes for sauce.

I did not finish this, obviously. So I will share with you some thoughts about various topics. Nothing fails the "should I use it" test.

A South African friend (I am lucky enough to have six), just posted on FB a picture of an elephant half-standing with about a third (vertically) of its face missing. The caption said, "This is what poaching looks like." At first the photo stunned, then shocked, then angered me. The desperateness of people, the state of the world causes me much pain. Just like most stories, two sides exist. Did the ones who killed the elephant for its tusks desperately need the money or are they simply savages in a dog-eat-dog country? Why do we as a nation ignore Africa yet meddle in the Middle East? We cannot solve our own problems, why do we try to fix messes elsewhere?

In the same vein, I fear us, the citizens of this country. The leaders of our country fail to compromise or think of the common good. The rhetoric flies during election years. Electioneering corrupts into half-truths or out and out lies. Voters seem to pick a candidate, not on what he says, which you wonder if you can believe anyway, but by which party he or she belongs to. Then nonvoters and voters alike start the misinformation campaign for the next lucky president.

I have a hard time with folks who insist their way is the only way. These folks base their opinions on one source. What if that source's campaign lies in propaganda?

2: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
3:  ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect
Our candidates, our leaders, our government would not do that? Do you know with certainty? Do we hate admitting we are wrong? Why do we continue down the path when we know we will meet what we feared?

I will step away from the soapbox for now.

Miss you, Dude.

Later.