In eleven days we will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of man’s landing on the moon. It seemed then that we would be putting more and more people there and living there; we never even pitched a pup tent. We dragged a vehicle up there, drove around awhile and realized the whole damn place is pretty desolate all around. You can see that with the naked eye. Now there are plans to go back to the moon on private carriers. I think in less than ten years that will happen. But who will go other than wealthy thrill-seekers. Even now those wealthy thrill-seekers better hurry. The Chinese are up to something on the dark side of the moon, and I am certain we were probably looking for a good building lot for a military installation years ago cruising in our ATV. Get your ticket before it is all off limits.

If alive today, Karl Marx would surely say that television is the opiate of the masses. Too many channels, too many shows and series, one cannot keep up with it all. Yet when we try, we end up slipping into a druglike stupor as we search. Hours go by, and we fall farther behind. One great feature of “primitive television” was the beauty of truly knowing nothing was worth watching and you confidently turned off the television.

I believe this midterm election is not a referendum on President Trump, but a referendum on whether we can employ any common sense to solve our nation’s problems. The country is still moving to the right and a pragmatic view on solutions to those problems. President Trump recognized that and ran for president on that platform. The platform is the issue. The Democrats will fall short of a majority in the House, and the Republicans will retain control of the Senate.

The killing of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents, they have a new explanation with each new day, is more of a brazen message to the world that Saudi Arabia will do as they please. He grew up in a wealthy family, well connected to the royal family. He knew Osama bin Laden and was a go between the Saudi royal family and bin Laden. His constant criticism of the Saudi regime and conservative Salafism could only be viewed as betrayal of his good standing and support with the Saudi regime. Maybe there is a corollary here to Thomas Becket and Henry II. The story goes that Henry never ordered Becket to be killed, only complained loudly that he was tired of  Becket’s opposition to Henry’s disregard for the Church’s rights and privileges. Some of the boys heard his complaint and stabbed Becket to death in the cathedral. “Rogue” agents perhaps but aiming to please their king. Message sent, message received.

Today, on my parents’ wedding anniversary, I can only be thankful for their love through the years. Though no longer here with us, that love still sustains me, even as I remember how I disappointed them. Thanks mom, thanks dad, on your anniversary.