Today an article appeared on CNN that sort of surprised me...several colleges across this great nation have come to the realization that the 21 year old drinking age is a failure. Yes, I said that, and I am now going to be a target for anyone who is a member of MADD...

Before you send me in front of the firing squad...come visit my reasoning below...

Over the last week I have read several diaries about the cold war, and I even wrote a diary about the cold war...in my diary some of the comments centered around the music of the cold war...

I thought it would be fun...and would take our minds off the serious issues of the day and chat about the music of the cold war...this diary will center on the 80's music of the cold war...mainly because that is the music I know well...if you know of music from other eras, please jump in with them...now, please jump into the cold war music pool with me...

The news this week has not been promising...Russia invades Georgia, the U.S. rattles sabers at Russia by signing a deal to put missles in Poland...The U.S. starts humanitarian flights to Georgia, Russia says the flights may include more than humanitarian aid...

I am having visions of the propoganda film I watched in Basic Training called "The Red Menance"...where we young idealistic soldiers were taught about the dangers of Communism and the evils of the Soviet military...

I really do not want another cold war...one was enough...I am posting this with photos of the border, so that we never forget what a divided Europe was like...

I was eighteen years old when I first saw the East/West German Border...

The sign says "Stop, Border Here"

Jump with me below the fold for my cold war story (with photos)...

I went out to day for an innocent lunch with a Conservative co-worker/friend...while we do often discuss politics...today was more of a "Hey, its Friday, let's go out and have Bacon Cheeseburgers and talk cars"

Well, was I ever in for a suprise!!

More below...

A year ago, I wrote this diary Quitting an Ugly, Disgusting Habit

Well, It has been a tough year without my trusty tin of Kodiak in my pocket...but so far so good...

More below the fold...

It has often been said that the United States has a two party system...while that is true to some extent, it is really a falsehood...what we should be saying is that we have two parties that are really good at organizing, raising money and have one size fits all platforms...and then we have a lot of also ran political parties...

In a search to help find my Conservative friend a candidate this year (He does not like McCain), I found a myriad of political parties...some were somewhat sane...others...well...are kind of out there...In what I hope to be series of diaries on alternate political parties (Depends on the response to this diary) I give you the first three in this series.

Come jump with me to the odd side of US Political parties.

My son and I were watching a movie last night, I forget which one, but there were a couple scenes in the movie where the Ku Klux Klan showed up...my son being an innocent 8 years old could not fathom why anyone would run around in bed sheets terrorizing people...so after being barraged by question after question about a group where that I can understand from a historical perspective however, have no understanding of this group in today's world. So I decided to help my son answer his own questions. Well, in doing so, I came across, well, something quite disturbing...

More below the fold...

Updated A few days ago I received an invitation to the grand opening of the new Campaign office for the Obama campaign here in Madison...a few years back, something like that would have gone into my junk e-mail folder...this election is different, I RSVP'd to the event.

Update: Brett Favre is back with the PACK!!!

More below the fold...

What a week I have had...so to sum it up, and to make me feel better, I am going to rant...some of it will be political...some won't be...but this will be a jaunty ride in a jalopy down a random rambling road where I am mere moments from ranting road rage...

Jump with me to the darkside!

I posted this once before and no one in Obama's VP search committee contacted me, so I have updated the reasons why Obama should select me as VP...I think I would be an excellent choice for the VP nomination

I added Snark to the title for those that are those that are sense of humor impaired...please give to the sense of humor impairment foundation, a sense of humor is a terrible thing to waste.

My reasons as to why I deserve the nomination are below the fold...

I meant to write and post this Saturday night...and title this "I had an Obama party today", but time got away from me Saturday evening, Sunday and Monday (Hey, I am popular guy, what can I say...actually, I am not...part of it was laziness)

Anyway, jump with me below the fold...

When I was a child, me and the neighborhood kids would get together and choose sides to play a game, whether it be football or baseball. The field would be the street...if we played baseball the bases were rocks a foul ball would be a ball hit into a yard. If we played football goal lines were driveways and the curb was out of bounds. Two kids were picked as team captains...generally it was always the same two boys, and I was always picked last...then, when I was twelve, the Y started a flag football program, it was for ages 8 to 12, so this was the only year I could play...well, things were not much different...being the smallest boy, and the least athletic, about all I did on the team was pick splinters out of my butt...

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I just saw a report on the CBS evening news that well, frightens and sickens me...

In this report it was stated that there is more money in the oil market than ever before...and that it is predicted that gas prices could be $6.00 a gallon before the end of the year...

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Memorial Day...always brings back memories of my Dad, my Uncles, and some of the men I served with...when I think of my Dad and my uncles I think of the sacrifices they made...and the memories that haunted them for a lifetime...when I think of the men I served with, I remember men, boys really, full of youth...

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Everyone complains about gas prices...they complain about the price of food...you read stories in the newspaper about how middle class families are being forced into food pantries...politicians are proposing that the gas tax be rolled back to help the American family...

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It was a beautiful spring day in 1996 when I first met you...at first I was not sure about you...but your pushy friend kept insisting I meet you... "take her out, you’ll love her" he said (Man was he pushy...calling me all the time to get me to take you out)...I was skeptical, you really were not my type, you were really flamboyant, always in Red...and I really was not the flamboyant type...but, we went out for a drive, and my young 29 year old heart fell in love you...

More, below the fold...

This is Part III of the Rank the Presidents Diary I have been doing, these diaries have generated some thoughtful debate...and they are kind of fun. One thing that surprises me, and I stated this in yesterday's journal as well, is the support Eisenhower receives on this site...and the divisivness of Truman's decision to drop the bomb on Japan...

Update...I see people voting for other...who is other?
Please comment we want to know.

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Yesterday, I wrote a diary ranking the Presidents of the Modern era (from FDR to W) Ranking the Presidents. We had a wonderful debate, and it was amazing to me how well Eisenhower fared on a progressive site like the Daily Kos...Today, I thought I would go a different route...which I believe shows that progressives like us can say to the other side "good job" when it is deserved.

Jump the shark with me