Writer's Block: A super debate

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Well, I definitely like Spiderman's girlfriend, while I'm not sure if Green Lantern even had a girl.

Writer's Block: A super debate

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Well, I definitely like Spiderman's girlfriend, while I'm not sure if Green Lantern even had a girl.

The Neighbor Dog

The next-door neighbor is doing some yard work, pruning the trees and shrubbery. I started bracing myself to make an approach about their dog. The dog has taken to moaning long and loud in the early mornings, a most piteous wailing. It hasn’t interfered with my sleep, as I am an early riser, but Father has complained. When I looked to see if I might be able to tell what is wrong with the dog, I noticed how filthy and disgusting the dog’s water container is, not to mention the empty food dish, empty who knows how many days.

Preparing for an opening to talk to the neighbor, I found and cleaned Bo’s old food dish, the double-dip blue one. Then it came. He was doing the bushes next to our yard, and I needed to collect our recycling bin anyway.

I asked, “Do you speak English?” and I am immediately stumped when he says no, but I press on, disbelieving that he doesn’t have some familiarity with the basics, as my request is a simple one, even if not entirely without its risks. As he was an older chap himself, perhaps around my age, I thought we could manage alright.

At first, I thought he was simply dumbfounded at my handing him this blue doggy dish. However, after he said that he is already using something and I finally made clear my concern about the dog only having dirty water to drink, I saw the flash of anger in his hot latin eyes. If I were any more clearly his inferior, or if we were only younger with our blood running hotter in our veins, I suspect he would have struck me. If we were European gentlemen in olden days, I am sure he would have challenged me to a duel on the spot, and seeing how horribly they treat that beautiful dog, I would have gladly accepted.

In the end, he brusquely hands me back the dish and waves me off like the annoying gnats of a summer evening. At least I tried, which should ease my conscience, if not the dog’s tough lot. I just hope I didn’t make matters worse. How I miss the Neumanns, that dear old couple.

The Neighbor Dog

The next-door neighbor is doing some yard work, pruning the trees and shrubbery. I started bracing myself to make an approach about their dog. The dog has taken to moaning long and loud in the early mornings, a most piteous wailing. It hasn’t interfered with my sleep, as I am an early riser, but Father has complained. When I looked to see if I might be able to tell what is wrong with the dog, I noticed how filthy and disgusting the dog’s water container is, not to mention the empty food dish, empty who knows how many days.

Preparing for an opening to talk to the neighbor, I found and cleaned Bo’s old food dish, the double-dip blue one. Then it came. He was doing the bushes next to our yard, and I needed to collect our recycling bin anyway.

I asked, “Do you speak English?” and I am immediately stumped when he says no, but I press on, disbelieving that he doesn’t have some familiarity with the basics, as my request is a simple one, even if not entirely without its risks. As he was an older chap himself, perhaps around my age, I thought we could manage alright.

At first, I thought he was simply dumbfounded at my handing him this blue doggy dish. However, after he said that he is already using something and I finally made clear my concern about the dog only having dirty water to drink, I saw the flash of anger in his hot latin eyes. If I were any more clearly his inferior, or if we were only younger with our blood running hotter in our veins, I suspect he would have struck me. If we were European gentlemen in olden days, I am sure he would have challenged me to a duel on the spot, and seeing how horribly they treat that beautiful dog, I would have gladly accepted.

In the end, he brusquely hands me back the dish and waves me off like the annoying gnats of a summer evening. At least I tried, which should ease my conscience, if not the dog’s tough lot. I just hope I didn’t make matters worse. How I miss the Neumanns, that dear old couple.

Libya: Operation Odyssey Dawn

America is now engaged in military hostilities in a third Muslim country:

Coalition forces launched "Operation Odyssey Dawn" today to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 to protect the Libyan people from the country's ruler.

The goal of the military coalition is to prevent further attacks by regime forces on Libyan citizens, officials said, adding that the coalition also wants to degrade the ability of Moammar Gadhafi's regime to resist a no-fly zone being implemented.

U.S. military forces are on the leading edge of the coalition operation, taking out Libya's integrated air and missile defense system, Defense Department officials said. The ordnance is aimed at radars and anti-aircraft sites around the capital of Tripoli and other facilities along the Mediterranean coast.

Operation Odyssey Dawn is commanded by U.S. Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear aboard the command ship USS Mount Whitney. The Mount Whitney joins 24 other ships from Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom and France in launching the operation.

Cruise missiles from U.S. submarines and frigates began the attack on the anti-aircraft system. A senior defense official speaking on background said the attacks will "open up the environment so we could enforce the no-fly zone from east to west throughout Libya."

In addition to the cruise missiles, the United States will provide command and control and logistics. American airmen and sailors also will launch electronic attacks against the systems.

The United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada already have announced that they are part of the coalition. Officials expect Arab countries will publicly announce their participation soon.

I remember in the old bloggy-debate days, I was actually supportive of the Iraq war, thinking along Thomas Friedman's lines that we were going to do a Japan or a Germany and marshall the place to a full-fledge democracy. Now, however, I better appreciate that all our efforts in the region only come back to bite us on the ass. After all, that's how we got Osama bin Laden, no? We helped the Afghanis against Russia, among whose unumber was bin Laden, and we see how that played out. So many years and failures later, we cannot have the resources to keep doing this, as I wonder if we are laying ourselves open, dwindling our resources dangerously, when we may have more serious need of them in the near future, as the region seems to be boiling over.

Libya: Operation Odyssey Dawn

America is now engaged in military hostilities in a third Muslim country:

Coalition forces launched "Operation Odyssey Dawn" today to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 to protect the Libyan people from the country's ruler.

The goal of the military coalition is to prevent further attacks by regime forces on Libyan citizens, officials said, adding that the coalition also wants to degrade the ability of Moammar Gadhafi's regime to resist a no-fly zone being implemented.

U.S. military forces are on the leading edge of the coalition operation, taking out Libya's integrated air and missile defense system, Defense Department officials said. The ordnance is aimed at radars and anti-aircraft sites around the capital of Tripoli and other facilities along the Mediterranean coast.

Operation Odyssey Dawn is commanded by U.S. Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear aboard the command ship USS Mount Whitney. The Mount Whitney joins 24 other ships from Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom and France in launching the operation.

Cruise missiles from U.S. submarines and frigates began the attack on the anti-aircraft system. A senior defense official speaking on background said the attacks will "open up the environment so we could enforce the no-fly zone from east to west throughout Libya."

In addition to the cruise missiles, the United States will provide command and control and logistics. American airmen and sailors also will launch electronic attacks against the systems.

The United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada already have announced that they are part of the coalition. Officials expect Arab countries will publicly announce their participation soon.

I remember in the old bloggy-debate days, I was actually supportive of the Iraq war, thinking along Thomas Friedman's lines that we were going to do a Japan or a Germany and marshall the place to a full-fledge democracy. Now, however, I better appreciate that all our efforts in the region only come back to bite us on the ass. After all, that's how we got Osama bin Laden, no? We helped the Afghanis against Russia, among whose unumber was bin Laden, and we see how that played out. So many years and failures later, we cannot have the resources to keep doing this, as I wonder if we are laying ourselves open, dwindling our resources dangerously, when we may have more serious need of them in the near future, as the region seems to be boiling over.