Ups and Downs

Congratulations by my Son

He passed his black belt training last night (Friday 6/26) and is now a first Dan. He did well in the testing.

Governor Scandals

Scandal hit all sides of the aisle in North and South Carolina:

In NC, our past Governor's associated may have pulled some strings to create a high paying state education job for the Governor's wife. There were other things going on as well with respect to foreign travel. Messy.

In SC, I hope the Governor carried on an affair and eventually ran off leaving the state without leadership for some days. This strikes me as worse than Clinton, who lied about an affair, but didn't abandon his governmental responibilities and the GOP impeached. They guy should resign (like Clinton should have) and spare his state. Both guys seem to have equal sense of honor.

Celebrity Deaths

Michael Jackson died under expectedly sad circumstances. I wasn't much of a fan of anything post-Motown. His life seemed somewhat tragic, but his life was his responsibility, so it is tough to offer up much on it.

Farrah Fawcett died of cancer after a good fight.

Ed McMahon died at 86 after having had the opportunity to do lots of fun stuff. Lucky guy.

Iran's Leaders Now Seek Execution for Dissenters

Iran's leaders suck. If "kill'em all and led God sort'em out" doesn't come to mind with the latest round of crap from Iran's clerics, it should. These guys make Dick Cheney appear as a sympathetic leader. Of course, let's face it, your society issued in a theocracy that gives it leaders ultimate power to decide who is a lawbreaker and then condones upon those leaders the ability to determine who should be executed for breaking their laws. You're living in something worse than a dictatorship - which may have many of the same attributes, but doesn't claim that your execution is the will of God.

It is going to take a lot of deaths and dying in Iran before government gets better.