They're doing it again....

"Senior administration officials and counterterrorism experts view the coming months as a time to increase vigilance out of concern that Islamic militants may try to replicate the political success they had in Spain with coordinated pre-election train bombings.

Nearly 200 died in the March attack, and the prime minister’s ruling Popular Party lost to a rival who promised a pull out of Spanish troops from Iraq."

As I have written before - The conservative government was voted out in Spain because they LIED to the voters about who carried out the attack - even facing overwhelming evidence that it was Islamic Terrorism, they tried to pin it on the Basque seperatists because they knew the consequences.

Also, they were already facing low public opinion for committing troops to Iraq when the majority of their population was against it.

They lost because of lies, not terrorism. They lost because their leaders made them less safe, not more safe through their policies. They lost because their leaders made them more enemies internationally, not more allies.

Sound familiar? Keep your eyes open.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5353901/

Here is an interesting article about a problem we with working cars and the ability to move freely about probably never think about.

I guess we can look at this as yet another problem to the Wal-Martization of America.

Remember when the local shopkeeper was an honest profession? When people at the grocery store could be working as a career?

I know I see it in old-time movies, and it looks really nice. People knowing your name as you walk in, helping you out, helping out your neighbors.

I took my nephews (6 & 9) into the local Piggly Wiggly recently. We drove past the Pick & Save, and they asked me why we were going to the Pig instead.

"Because this is a Union store." I replied.

"What does that mean?" they asked.

"It means that they treat their employees better."

We saddled up to the deli counter (I needed some 'home made' salad for a picnic we were going to - I don't think I fooled anyone) and, along with my modest order, they were given a cookie each by the lady serving us.

At check out, they were each given a token for the vending machines with the little toys in them on the way out. Every employee we passed smiled and said hello.

They played with the rubber balls from the vending machine all night and into the next day.

"They really are nice here!" my 6-year old nephew made sure I knew as we left.

Since the Wal-Mart Supercenter went up in Oshkosh, we have lost 2 Union Supermarkets.

And another slice of our sense of community.

From 'Perspectives' in Newsweek this week.....

"Let freedom reign." President George W. Bush, in a note, shortly after learning that self-rule had been transferred back to Iraq

This is a very disturbing quote to me.

What does it mean, "shortly after learning"?

Shouldn't the authorization for transfer of power come from the Commander-in-Chief? Why did he need to be informed of the transfer? Didn't he decide it?

What are we coming to?