Kentucky Derby 2008

Every year for 2 minutes in the first Saturday in May, the world turns its gaze on Kentucky. Or so Kentucky thinks.

Here it's just called "The Derby". Last week I took part in my 13th consecutive Derby, working as a photographer's assistant.

Most of the pictures here are taken by me, so you can see why I'm the assistant, not the photographer.

How to be Green..

Buy more stuff!

In America, consumption is the fix for whatever ails us.

Just look at Home Depot's website. "Make every day Earth Day by shopping at Home Depot."

You'll hear that we should all put in compact fluorescent bulbs. But doesn't that seem wasteful? We're going to throw away perfectly good incandescent bulbs? Is that right? Nobody is telling us to just turn the doggone lights off. Just slow consumption.

We've heard since we were kids that the US has 6% of the world's population and uses 40% of the world's resources, or so. So why aren't we looking at that as a possible solution.

Need to conserve gas? Buy a hybrid! Don't examine driving less, eliminating unnecessary trips, only eating at restaurants that are within walking distance, using public transportation, etc...

Nope. The American Way is to consume your way out of problems. Eat yourself thin. Don't give up eating cookies. Rather, buy cookies in 100 calorie packs (paying for more for packaging, etc.).

Economic downturn? Don't save money, or be careful about what you spend it on. Instead, go out and spend. In fact, here's a check from the government for "Economic Stimulus". So, our government has decided that digging deeper into the national debt is ok. Borrow money to give to people to spend, so that our consumption can boost the economy? Sounds like what people are doing already with credit cards.

Anyway, I'm off topic. Pay attention to how you're supposed to buy yourself green. It's fun to watch.

Eric Thomas is Regional Champion in the 100-Calorie Pack Cookie Eating Contest.

Vote Homeland Security, addendum

Read Friday's post first. I had another thought about how the muslim world might view a President Obama.

I had this thought today. Imagine if after Fidel Castro stepped down, an entirely different type of leader was put in office.

No matter what you think of Cuba, "Communist Dictator Fidel Castro" has just become the accepted description.

Now instead of Raul Castro taking his place, it's a ticket of Andy Garcia with Gloria Estefan. Both Cubans. Both just as Cuban as the Castros but somehow, we don't see them as a threat any more.
Seems like they're reasonable, no?

I'm just saying, a young Islamic terrorist-in-the-making might have the wind taken out of his America-hating sails if he sees someone a little more like himself in the white house. It might make him want to look past the propaganda coming from some Islamic leaders, and search for the truth.

(Recently I fear the truth of what our country is up to is not a lot better than the anti-American propaganda.)

Vote homeland security

This is not a political blog.

Brace yourselves: Kentucky might actually matter! The Kentucky primary is in May sometime, and so Kentucky is never on the radar politically (or in any other way for that matter).

But because the Clinton campaign can't add, the campaigning might continue right up until the (completely not) decisive contest in the Bluegrass State.

Senator Clinton will be here tomorrow. She'll step over the border for about an hour from a campaign stop in Indiana.

************

Remember 2004?: Scare tactics were used in the campaign: "A vote for us keeps you safe at night." From both sides.

However, by all reports, we're less safe today because of our nations dealings overseas. Now propagandists can easily portray the US as evil agressors. Forget what's said over here for a minute. It's easy to make the assertion that America hates the Islamic world. It would be easy to convince a young muslim of that.

Just look at the data (with no impassioned rhetoric from either side). America invades and occupies an islamic country, killing civilians in the tens of thousands, probably more. America disrespects holy sites over there.

It's a poster for anti American recruitment.

So how do we vote for security? Counteract that image? Make young
impressionable Muslims think twice before attacking American targets?

Elect someone named Barack Hussein Obana as president. Sure seems less
likely that our country is evil if that guy with that name is the image of
America.

Before you say "That's a silly reason to elect someone," remember 2004.
That's exactly the single issue that drove campaigns.

If that's the single issue that drives you to vote, he's your candidate.

Also the "Bad things will happen if you don't vote for us" argument strikes me as being the dictionary definition of terrorism. Using fear to achieve a desired behavior.

This is still not a political blog.