General

So, it would now appear that candidate Kerry, shall, indeed, accept the expected party nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Boston this summer. A trial balloon has burst, perhaps? Interestingly, former candidate, Al Gore, had bumped the convention to an earlier time in an effort to jumpstart the cash necessary to mount a challenge for the White House. This time around, it was candidate Kerry hoping to extend the time-frame within which he could raise new monies before having to formally accept the Party’s nod and then live within the constructs of campaign finance reform. By the time the convention rolls around, many news cycles will have passed and few will remember this consideration; however, in the true spirit of campaign finance reform, it will be awhile before any one political party will be able to stake a unilateral claim to future reform initiatives.

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They call dogs “Man’s Best Friend.” I sure hope that that is not true, given my stock in humankind, but I must say, when one of our dogs, Aspen, passed away last Tuesday night, it hit as hard as a ton of bricks. Aspen was a ten year old, spritely little dog with the purest of white fur and a wonderful demeanor. We got Aspen from the Humane Society in Lowell in 1994. From the minute we clicked on the leash to take her for that “test run” Aspen’s eagerness to pull us along for the ride never seemed to let up. When we discovered Aspen on Wednesday morning, it was one of those family moments that serve as bookmarks. You remember when and where. For a very long time. I am not sure just what it is about pets that gets to our core, but the loss is, truly, real and heartfelt. Perhaps that is yet another gift from God that we need to give thanks for – the opportunity to experience the companionship of a pet, if even for a short time.

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After Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s day in the hot seat at the Senate hearing on the Iraqi abuse allegations (and accompanying photos) it is no wonder that the buzz is circling around the question regarding Rumsfeld’s future as the head at Defense. The buck does not stop with Rumsfeld, however. The president needs to step up and take that heat.

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Dear Soldier: Thank you for your service to our country. Our family prays for you, daily. We cannot begin to imagine what your life is like rignt now, as you fight in Iraq, Afganistan and other countries around the world. There are reasons to believe that some soldiers have fallen down on their charge, their duty, to perform with honor and dignity. We read of the prisoner abuse and it makes us sick to think that one of our own could exact such indignity upon another human being, regardless of the circumstances. Please know that despite the actions of the few, we do not attach our concerns to you. We believe in what you are doing, your service to America. We appreciate your bravery, your will to succeed, and only imagine how important it is to you to know that you are trusted, honored. You are. Keep up the good fight, Soldier. Know that God is with you, and that our prayers are with you also.

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Country fan or no, keep an ear out for second place Nashville Start finisher, George Canyon. While I can’t even remember the winner’s name and will do my best to forget his penchant for a misplaced Tom Petty sound in the country genre, George Canyon, a dead-ringer for Buzz Lightyear, a hat-wearing Canadian, out-played the others by a furlong. It was clear from the beginning, even as Canyon was the judges’ first selection, that he would not grab the Gold. As per my prior post, I’d put “Star” ahead of “Idol” any night of the week. And the USA network’s relatively diminuative reach over that of Fox makes the comparison that much more telling.

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