Laura of History Adventure #1 fame is off on an around-the-world trip while she's studying abroad. She's promised to put updates of her adventures from Europe and the Middle East on her own blog. Her updates might be a little sporadic, due to lack of inter-webs, but they should be enjoyable.

Nope it's not the international cooperation, or goodwill towards all people, or cheering for the only competitor from the country you've never heard of (Togo). It's the random sports that you get to watch once every four years. This year NBC is streaming those sports live on the inter-webs!

So far, I've watched fencing, handball, archery, water polo, horseback riding and women's field hockey. (The Summer Games has a lot more options than Winter's Curling). By far the most impressive to me is field hockey. Those little sticks look like they give the players back problems the way they have to bend over. But beyond that, the absolute skill and accuracy the players have passing the little rubber ball with their sticks is absolutely amazing! I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised, they are Olympic Athletes.

Another best, or worst, part is watching the young people participate in the games and lament at my misspent youth. The UK had a 14 year old diver competing earlier this week! I was doing absolutely nothing of value when I was 14; I was lazy, a bit of a slob and my only physical activity was playing baseball two or three times a week. These kids are top athletes. Even more depressing is watching the male gymnasts. I guarantee that the only thing that I can do from watching them is a forward somersault, and even that won't be very good.

We've got another week and a half of awesome random sports, I'm personally looking forward to Synchronized Swimming (Honestly!) and Trampoline. But even those sports will make me feel inadequate and lazy. Maybe I'll go for a jog.

I'm fine with politicians trying to have a good time and laughing every once in a while. I actually would encourage it. But just like with little kids on photo day at school, you can't force a smile. It looks to me like this is exactly what's going on here.

Add that to the humorous ads from the McCain Campaign this week drawing parallels between Obama and Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears and Moses; and the Obama Tire Gauges, and it becomes clear that sarcasm has become the number one tool in American Politics.

But like people back in the not-to-distant past would say, "There are two sides to every coin." Paris Hilton is hitting back with her own political ad! This ad is funny, smart and makes a point, albeit a bikini-clad point. A minus for McCain, she calls him "that wrinkly old guy", and this will be (and has already been) running non-stop on cable news.

It's a week like this that makes you love to hate politics in the United States. Only 90 days to go until the election!

As many now know, Anheuser-Busch the maker of Budweiser beer has been sold to the Belgian beer maker InBev. Many Americans are saddened by this news as Bud is a classic American beer and company. (I don't drink Bud, so I'm not sad.) But I am going to make a conspiracy theory-type argument about the sale.

InBev buying Anheuser-Busch caused the collapse of the Belgian government!

Today the Belgian Prime Minister offered his resignation to the King. Political pundits say that this has something to do with the divide between the northern Dutch speakers and the southern French speakers and the economic and political autonomy between the regions. But I know better. I think the Prime Minister was so disgusted that a Belgian company would buy the maker of "The Great American Lager" that he resigned.

Let's just hope that the new Anheuser-Busch InBev company teaches Belgium a lesson. That Belgium no matter how small, can still buy things to make itself bigger. I'm looking at you Luxembourg!

Another a post on a holiday. Happy Bastille Day. This isn't about Bastille day per se, rather part of the celebration. Every year a large scale military parade takes place down the Champs Elysees. The United States doesn't have this same kind of parades, displaying the might of the army like this, all at once.

Tanks, planes, soldiers, police and firetrucks and the cavalry, who can forget the cavalry! The French go all out.

This is something that I think we could use some more of in this country. I mean the US has spent more on defense in the last year than the rest of world combined. (Everyone knows that one, but here's a different comparison:) The US has spent more on defense this year than the US federal government has spent on education since the beginning of the US. (I find that one a bit more shocking, depressing, [insert sad word here])

Happy (Adoption of the Declaration of) Independence Day!!

Correct, I don't view the 4th of July as the day the United States gained independence from Great Britain. The Fourth isn't even the day the US declared it's independence, the actual vote for independence happened on July 2, 1776. John Adams, future President, went so far as to say,

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."

Well he missed the celebration by 2 days.

I like to celebrate the day independence became official. September 3, 1783 is the day the Treaty of Paris was signed officially ending the American Revolutionary War and forcing Great Britain to recognize the government of the United States.

Anyways, "Down the British, Up the Rebels!" Happy 4th of July Everyone!!

Sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield.
-George Orwell

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
-Robert Frost

When written in Chinese the word 'crisis' is represented by two characters. The first represents 'danger', the second represents 'opportunity'.
-John F. Kennedy