Coda ...

I've been having some good heart-to-hearts with Robert, my friend and blogging colleague, about many things as of late. We tend to use the other as an idea-foil when the writing-block Monster turns up unexpectedly. This morning as I cracked the knuckles for the last posting of 2008, my mind is remembering those conversations and banters. What better way to end the year than to pay homage to those good chats, the ideas they hatched, the postings themes that were left in the shelf and those mental itches left unscratched...

* The election of Barrack Obama changed politics forever; and for the most part -in my opinion-, for the good. The "experience" factor is forever gone as a strength and virtue for any politician. From hereon, we will judge them by their managerial ability to forge a strong team of advisers and cabinet members. Say what you will of Messier Obama, but he rarely lost his cool, he stayed on message, he went toe to toe with both the Clinton and Republican machines and came out without a sweat bead on his forehead. In the process, he forever changed fund-raising mathematics, got the country excited about a candidate for the first time in 28 years, got the world to salivate and an incoming President, completely filled his Cabinet a full month before he took office, -something I don't think has ever happened to my knowledge-, and finally, and in spite of a full-plate of serious and grave national dangers awaiting him, looks and projects himself as presidential, thoughtful and eager to tackle the Dragons. I never thought I would say this, but I am proud to have Barrack Obama as my President. I will be vigilant and watchful that his words and deeds conform to law and Constitution, ... but for now, and can do nothing but admire the man. Amazing...

* After 9-11-2001, a commission was set-up to inquire on the lead-up to that catastrophe and (hopefully) set recommendations to avoid such an event in the future. Its finding were published in a 600-page tome that is still holding up my Chevy's axle. One can make the argument, that the housing market collapse, the affiliated meltdowns of Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac et al ... the domino effect of the AIG, Bear Stearns failures etc... , at least merit the same type of commission to identify how this all happened, who was at the wheel when it happened, and the triggers needed to avoid similar disasters. Has anybody heard anybody calling for this? Not me. Which tells me both parties have had their hands in the largess of money coming in from these industry groups. Nobody, not the parties, not the Governors, not the Senate, not Pelosi, not Bush... and probably not Obama, ... nobody wants any flashlight of transparency shining in on any of this.

Memo to my President-Elect. If by 3:00pm on January 20th, you sit in the Oval Office and call for a neutral commission to investigate this economic meltdown, and allow the Justice Department to set up a Special Prosecutor to hire thousands of investigators and to the full extent of the law castigate those responsible for putting us in this pickle...., If you do that, and shake the rats off of the good Ship America, then you will have gone a long way in making me salivate to vote for you in 2012. C'mon, do the right thing! No matter where it leads...even if it sinks half the members of both parties,... let justice be done. Sure the mushroom cloud will be ugly, and your presidency may loose the luster it sorely needs to govern. Bu that one act alone will tell Joe Citizen that you are truly a transformational figure that will govern above and outside your own core ideology. This election after after all,... is about me Mr. President, ...not about you.

* The continued fall of the bastions of traditional media outlets such as newspapers, while fun to watch, is not something I wish continues. Sure at times I disagree with many an editorial piece, and yes the majority of them are of left-liberal persuasion and rarely give the other side "fair and balanced" access. Still, ... we need them. Look fellas, as much as I love to Blog, read other Blogs and peruse the web for my information and news, the truth is, the majority of Americana still sits in a Diner or their lunch-room and gets 99% of their news from the same crappy paper and ink that our Forefathers did. While there are some noteworthy Bloggers out there putting out some incredible and well-written pieces, most Bloggers, and I include myself in this category, do not have the training, education, will and responsibility to do the who-what-where-when-why of responsible journalism. We don't call 3 different sources to back up our writings. All most of us have is a laptop and a modem... that's it! We are opinion-makers for the most part. If the day ever comes that the majority of America or the world gets their public information and news source from the Blogosphere than I assure you we will be in the mother of all elephant dung-piles. Support your local paper and spend a buck a week to keep them alive and printing. It is the fourth power, it is the way we keep our Government accountable. A free, responsible and professional press corps is as vital to our way of living as the oxygen we need to sustain our lives. Think about that the next time you revel in the NY Times having to mortgage their building to survive.

* Finally, I marvel at one of the side-benefits of the blogosphere. About 2 years ago, I bumped into Conservative Commentary, a Blog run by a guy named Robert. I found him to be articulate, a great writer, heavy in his postings, funny as only an ex-Marine can be and as American-loving a person I've ever met. In time we began a mutual admiration society; him commenting on my postings, me commenting on his; and before you knew we were jumping the casual Blogging fence of camaraderie and delving into personal parts of our lives.

Fast forward to the end of 2008. Robert and I have shared emails, great chats, banter-ish conversations and comments on our Facebook pages, and are co-sponsors of his newest Baby-Blog, www.conservativeconvictions.blogspot.com, a place we hope turns out the virtual Town square Bazaar for all things conservative and all things that make America beautiful, interesting, noble, flawed and worth saving. Robert has not only become my co-worker, but we've become confidants on thoughts, life and other matters of life, ... I am proud to call the man my friend. I have never seen his face in person, nor felt the warmth of what I am sure is a firm handshake. Yet through the vessel of both our Blogs, through this very laptop, and across thousands of miles of fly-over country, I am closer in friendship to him, than many of the people I call my friends right here in Silicon Valley, California. Amazing the things than can happen in this medium, ...is it not?

Robert, here is to you my friend. Our Blogs have seen chaos and bliss, rain and sun, periods of activity and (in my case) endless absence. I have family, blood brothers, friends, musician buddies and many a kindred spirit that live in my heart. I welcome you as one of the few, the proud..... , the ones daring to sit in the House of the Pain Man and come out unscathed (Ha!). Happy New Year to you and yours, and may 2009 bring us closer to our shared goal of making mother USA a better place to be ...

..... OK, now that the man-love segment of the show is over, go back to your your things.... move along ... nothing to see here...... As to the rest of you?... I love you all, cherish the agreements and disagreements. 09' may not get better, but just give me a more interesting country and time and I can surely live with that...

Coda ...