Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page 2

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=78 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mogswebsite.com"><U><IMG SRC="1761300c0.png" border=0 width="48" height="12" ALT="Home" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Comprehensive Index"><U><IMG SRC="17628f0c0.png" border=0 width="143" height="12" ALT="Comprehensive Index" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Mogs"><U><IMG SRC="17633d0c0.png" border=0 width="61" height="12" ALT="Contact" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/MainGraphicsArea/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/Main"><U><IMG SRC="17644d0c0.png" border=0 width="77" height="12" ALT="Art Gallery" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/MOGSPart2/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/MOGS"><U><IMG SRC="17655e0d0.png" border=0 width="94" height="13" ALT="Photo Gallery" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/Interviews/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/Inte"><U><IMG SRC="17664c0c0.png" border=0 width="76" height="12" ALT="Interviews" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Tabl"><U><IMG SRC="18aab0190.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0033" FACE="Arial" ><B>PAGE 2</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CCCCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>     </B></FONT><B>H </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#C0C0C0" FACE="Arial" ><B>= </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#9999FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Humor     </B></FONT><B>S </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#C0C0C0" FACE="Arial" ><B>= </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#9999FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Serious     </B></FONT><B>F </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#C0C0C0" FACE="Arial" ><B>= </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#9999FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Fiction     </B></FONT><B>NF </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#C0C0C0" FACE="Arial" ><B>= </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#9999FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>NonFiction</B></FONT></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=402 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div>  <A NAME="original_stories_by_mogs___page_two"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="the_cold____6_29_01"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>The</B><B> </B><B>Cold </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BBBBBB" FACE="Arial" >... 6.29.01</FONT>    <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#339966" FACE="Arial" ><B>H, NF</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="#they_re_playing_my_song" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>NEXT</U></A>     PREVIOUS     <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Tabl"><U>TABLE OF CONTENTS</U></A></div> <bR> <div> I awoke with a cold one morning,</div> <div> Much suffering I did feel...</div> <div> My eyes began to itch, my nostrils proved faucets,</div> <div> Even sneezing became an ordeal;</div> <bR> <div> Sneezing, hacking, choking, and coughing,</div> <div> Has temporarily become my daily grind...</div> <div> If I could grab that cold, grasp a strangle hold,</div> <div> I'd make it kiss my miserable behind;</div> <bR> <div> Plenty of fluids we're told, will attack that cold,</div> <div> It's for our own wellbeing...</div> <div> Give me a baseball bat and I'll smack that gnat,</div> <div> A little organism is what we're fleeing;</div> <bR> <div> Okay, you're right... There, I said it,</div> <div> I'm feeling rather bad...</div> <div> Regardless gram negative, or even gram positive,</div> <div> I'm feeling a bit less than glad.</div> <bR> <div>        - <I>(c) 2001 Mogs</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> <A NAME="they_re_playing_my_song"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>McClanahan Mufflers</B>    <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#339966" FACE="Arial" ><B>F, H</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="#spinning_ball___03_26_2001" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>NEXT</U></A>     <A HREF="#the_cold____6_29_01" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>PREVIOUS</U></A>     <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Tabl"><U>TABLE OF CONTENTS</U></A>     <A HREF="#original_stories_by_mogs___page_two" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>TOP OF PAGE</U></A></div> <bR> <div> A quiet drive through the country took a turn for the worst after going over the forty-seventh rise in terrain. I'm respectful to the ideal that many folks would call it a bump in the road, but rolling terrain, and rises, are what one finds in the country.</div> <bR> <div> A loud pop, followed by the clanking sound of metal falling to the asphalt, had given way to the roaring sounds of an old truck without a muffler. My quietness had morphed into a dreadful noise that had horses running toward their stalls for dear life. My quiet, relaxing, country drive, had turned into a rolling boom box on wheels.</div> <bR> <div> In what could only be described as combined agility and reflex, I reached behind the bench seat and searched for my ear protectors. Little did I know that just up the road, another rise in the road would have a toolbox lid crashing down on my nimble fingers.</div> <bR> <div> While I had glanced over my shoulder, wanting to free that aching hand, I had approached a curve, and two tires had left the pavement. The truck went into a series of wobbles and shakes that had the toolbox lid repeatedly slamming my fingers. A few choice words left my mouth as I tried rescuing my captured hand. That toolbox was hungry, and considered my hand to be an entree!</div> <bR> <div> In a last ditch effort to free my trapped hand, I pulled my arm over the back of the seat, only to find a pair of vise grips had clamped its teeth into my thumb. As my tortured digits made their way in front of me, the vise grips released their death grip, and plummeted to my lap, forcing a strange, high pitched squeal from my lungs. As soon as I happened upon a straight stretch of road, I managed to get all four tires back on the pavement, and tossed the vise grips over my shoulder.</div> <bR> <div> Through the rear view mirror, I saw a hornet's nest lying in the middle of the road, and on the antenna, remnants of a hornet's nest were sailing in the breeze.</div> <bR> <div> There we were, my hound dog Chet, and I, traveling along on a country road, sounding like a diesel truck at a tractor pull, with two hornets swarming inside the cab. Like a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, I took a swing at the two hornets, inadvertently catching the corner of the sun visor. The visor fell, creating an avalanche of maps, newspapers, and other debris. Any bystander would have thought a paper factory had blown up. Both windows were rolled down, and papers were flying everywhere. There'd been enough papers stuffed above the visor to fill an encyclopedia warehouse.</div> <bR> <div> Trying to block out the roar of the engine, deal with two hornets, and peer through a cloud of paper, I took the next bend in the road on two wheels. A gush of wind cleared the cab of debris, but the antenna acted as a catcher's mitt, catching much of the paper as it flew out the window.</div> <bR> <div> If I kept the truck cruising at 35 mph, the newspapers flapped in 3/4 time. In case you've never had that happen while trying to negotiate a country road in the midst of chaos, it's quite impressive.</div> <bR> <div> Now that the cab was finally rid of hornets, papers, other loose debris, and part of my sanity, I noticed I had cracked the rear window when I tossed the vise grips behind the seat. One of the sliding glass panels had fallen out of the track, and landed on my hound dog lying in the truck bed. That old hound let out a yelp that'd make the best trumpet player blush with envy. Fortunately, Chet only contributed a brief solo to my traveling boom box on wheels.</div> <bR> <div> My quite afternoon drive had taken on a life of it's own, and traveling further would have only postponed my return home. Between the lost muffler, the hornets, the broken window, and everything else, I was ready to pack it in, and head for home, but there wasn't anywhere to turn around on the narrow, country road. I had passed the horse farms, driven beyond all signs of civilization, and hadn't seen a turn off in miles. I must have driven another eight miles before finding a suitable place to turn around, and even that area was close to a bend in the road.</div> <bR> <div> A glance in the mirror showed no traffic in sight, so I maneuvered to the edge of the road, and brought the roaring truck to a halt. With the turn of a key, I was welcomed with silent meditation as I reflected on my eventful road trip. I could have sat there for hours, and my exhaust enhanced road trip would have been over, but that wasn't an option. When I grabbed the door handle it swung open with a crackling yawn, as I jumped out of the truck to remove the flapping papers folded around the antenna.</div> <bR> <div> Walking to the rear of the truck, I saw Chet's head peering around the cab from the bed of the pickup. There was a slight bounce in his upper body suggesting the wag of a tail. His eyes told the tale of a thankful, appreciative, dog. I threw the wind blown newspapers in an old box beneath the rear cab window. Chet seemed to be fine, so I picked up the sliding glass panel and placed it in the box to keep the newspapers in check during our ride home.</div> <bR> <div> I lowered the tailgate and told Chet, "You're gonna ride up front, buddy!" The roar of the engine without a muffler had to be hurting Chet's ears. The hound jumped from the bed, headed straight for the driver's door, and I helped him up, into the cab. When I turned the key, Chet let out a whimper as if to say, do you have to do that?</div> <bR> <div> No sooner than I completed the turn around, a truck came around the bend. I shoved the petal to the floor and the engine roared. Chet's eyes were bigger than his food dish back at the cabin. The roar of the engine must have been too much, or he'd developed a sudden passion for singing. That old hound started howling like there'd be no tomorrow.</div> <bR> <div> I learned a few miles back that if I kept my speed at 35 miles per hour, the roar of the engine wasn't too bad, so I backed off on the gas feed, and Chet let up on the howling.</div> <bR> <div> The truck behind me had gained on us, and honked his horn. I was the only other vehicle on the road, so I couldn't understand why the guy wouldn't pass us. If it had been me, I'd have passed just to get away from the noise. I realized the road was narrow, but it wasn't so narrow that he couldn't have passed easily. I gestured with my hand for him to go around us, but he didn't, he just tapped his horn again. After his third tap on the horn, my next hand gesture only involved one digit.</div> <bR> <div> Have you ever noticed how nature has it's own way of humbling a person? As I reached to adjust the outside mirror, an overhanging tree limb nearly yanked that digit from my hand. I let out a yelp that even made Chet proud. He got all excited, wagging that darn tail, and barking at me, while I pulled my arm inside the cab and grasped my finger. The truck swerved to the left, and the guy behind me honked his horn. Again.</div> <bR> <div> "That's it!" I barked at Chet, "This has got to stop,"</div> <bR> <div> Again, with very little shoulder next to me, I pulled over and stopped the truck. I looked in the rear view mirror, and the guy that was following me had pulled over also. Slinging the cab door open, I hopped out of the truck and headed for the vehicle parked behind me. His radio was thumping, like I hadn't been dealing with enough noise already.</div> <bR> <div> About the time I reached the parked truck, the driver stepped out, stretched, and motioned for me. The closer I got to him, he began to smile, and pointed to the side of his truck. I stopped in my tracks as I read, McCLANAHAN  MUFFLERS.</div> <bR> <div> "If that don't beat all," I thought out loud.</div> <bR> <div> I asked him what all the honking was about. I told him how my old truck had dropped a muffler about an hour ago, and that keeping my speed down lessened the roar. I asked him why he kept honking instead of just passing me since there was no other traffic, and plenty of room to pass. The man chuckled about the fact I felt the need to tell him I had lost a muffler. He mentioned something about having figured that out on his own.</div> <bR> <div> The man then asked me how many miles I had left to go. I explained the problems I'd encountered up to this point, and that I had another fifty miles to cover. He reached into the cab and lowered the volume of the radio.</div> <bR> <div> With an outstretched arm, he introduced himself as Thad McClanahan, owner of McClanahan Mufflers. We shook hands, I told him my name, and I mentioned that old Chet was waiting for me in the truck. We talked about our dogs for a few minutes before I asked him, once again, about the horn. He grinned, and said he knew I didn't know what he was up too once I flung my arm out the window at him.</div> <bR> <div> I asked him if he lived in that neck of the woods, or if he was just passing through also. He smiled, and said he had lived in that area for forty five years. As it turned out, Thad was delivering a load of new mufflers to his shop, and his truck had mufflers of every size and configuration on it, along with U-bolts, clamps, you name it. That truck was a shop on wheels. He even had a welder rigged behind the cab. He had almost any tool a person would need to do mechanical work on the spot.</div> <bR> <div> As to his horn blowing, he said he had noticed the out of town plates on my truck, and figured that I had a fair piece left to drive, so he thought he might be able to interest me in a muffler. He was right. It'd been a long day, and a quiet ride home seemed kind of inviting at the time. We didn't talk price, yet I agreed to let him put a muffler on.</div> <bR> <div> While Thad was installing the new muffler, right there in the middle of nowhere, he shared some home spun philosophies about life. For instance, he felt it was just good business to lend folks a helping hand. When he finished the installation, I tried to pay him for the muffler, and for his time and trouble, but he wouldn't hear of it.</div> <bR> <div> He said, "It wasn't any trouble, I don't punch a time card out here. You were out here in the middle of nowhere, and you needed a muffler. FortunateIy, I happened to be here too, carrying a truck load of mufflers, and even the tools." It almost seemed as though I had offended him by offering to pay for the muffler. Of course, he could have just sold me that muffler, and that would have been the end of it.</div> <bR> <div> I saw the whole thing as simply, one muffler sold, and one satisfied customer. Yet, Thad looked at things from a different perspective, and somehow I thought maybe he was right. After all, based on the few experiences he shared with me while installing the muffler, he had built his business by helping others, and he got a certain satisfaction out of that.</div> <bR> <div> Thad even approached that day, as an opportunity--why sell me a muffler when he could put one on in fifteen minute's time, even out there on a country road. He said that I'd probably tell folks about it, and he'd sell four mufflers down the road, by letting me have one for free.</div> <bR> <div> That's when I started to feel awkward. I felt compelled to offer an apology for the hand gesture I'd given him about a mile back. Yet, when I brought it up, he told me to spend that quarter on someone who cared. He said, "I knew you weren't from around here, let's leave it at that."</div> <bR> <div> Chet had started barking, I guess he was getting lonesome sitting in that old truck by himself, so I told Thad I'd better head on out, and let him finish his delivery. We swapped a few hunting and fishing lies before we left, while I helped him carry his tools back to the truck. I thanked him again before he climbed into the cab, said goodbye, and drove away.</div> <bR> <div> I learned another lesson about people that day. I had always been told that eggs were cheaper in the country. I can't really say if that's true, or not, but country folks are certainly rich in character.</div> <bR> <div> That old hound of mine displayed all the patience of a summer storm as I climbed back into my pickup. For the third time that day, I started up the old truck and once again, we were on our way. I couldn't help but notice Chet had cocked his head to the side, as if to wonder where the noise had gone. I didn't tell him. We had fifty miles ahead of us, and I figured he needed something to think about.</div> <bR> <div> <I>             - (c) 2001 Mogs</I></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> <A NAME="spinning_ball___03_26_2001"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></FONT><A HREF="#election_2000______s_nf_1" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>NEXT</U></A>     <A HREF="#they_re_playing_my_song" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>PREVIOUS</U></A>     <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Tabl"><U>TABLE OF CONTENTS</U></A>     <A HREF="#original_stories_by_mogs___page_two" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>TOP OF PAGE</U></A></div> <div> <B>Spinning Ball</B>...04.05.06<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >    </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#339966" FACE="Arial" ><B>S, NF</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Some people will make a living,</div> <div> While others, they make a life.</div> <div> Twilight absorbs our skylines,</div> <div> Another day morphs into night.</div> <bR> <div> Restful nights console the soul,</div> <div> As we gravitate toward sleep.</div> <div> Troubles invade and take a toll,</div> <div> We're awakened while others weep.</div> <bR> <div> Duty bound to make each day,</div> <div> On a spinning ball worthwhile.</div> <div> Endure smooth and rough terrain,</div> <div> Let persistence guide each mile.</div> <bR> <div> I wandered from my family, </div> <div> In youth, I wondered, too.</div> <div> Bound by love and caring,</div> <div> The sun was shining through.</div> <bR> <div> We all must find the reason,</div> <div> Bring purpose unto this life.</div> <div> In youth I found real meaning,</div> <div> This woman I now call wife.</div> <bR> <div> Decide on a worthy marriage,</div> <div> Too many crumble to an end.</div> <div> Overcome each arising problem,</div> <div> Instead of break, choose to bend.</div> <bR> <div> Something about this marriage,</div> <div> Real wisdom should be told.</div> <div> We have outlived our appliances,</div> <div> You guessed it -- they got old.</div> <bR> <div> The ball is spinning faster,</div> <div> Families have separated far.</div> <div> Advancing new technologies,</div> <div> Communication makes the par.</div> <bR> <div> Spinning around on an axis,</div> <div> Life can seem a bit too cold.</div> <div> The hearts we touch in others,</div> <div> Mindful paths paved in gold.</div> <bR> <div> <I>       - (c) 2006 Mogs</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066FF" FACE="Tahoma" > <A NAME="election_2000______s_nf_1"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></FONT>NEXT     <A HREF="#spinning_ball___03_26_2001" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>PREVIOUS</U></A>     <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Tabl"><U>TABLE OF CONTENTS</U></A>     <A HREF="#original_stories_by_mogs___page_two" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>TOP OF PAGE</U></A></div> <div> <B>Election 2000</B><B>    </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#339966" FACE="Arial" ><B>S, NF</B></FONT></div> <div> (11.29.00)</div> <div> Generally speaking, none of us really have a direct voice in our Democracy. As citizens of the United States of America we're part of a Republic Democracy. Our whole form of Democracy is based on representation of the people. We plead our cases to elected representatives that take an oath of office to accurately, faithfully, and lawfully represent the will of the people. The electoral college is not unlike our other forms of representation.</div> <bR> <div> On November 7th, 2000 we each cast a vote to win our state's representation, backing, and approval of a candidate. Each candidate stands to lose all, or win all. Why would one candidate chose to let another candidate have the total say as to a recount? Thus, Bush entered legal challenges that are within the laws of this country. </div> <bR> <div> As to the legal actions, regardless of anyone's party affiliation, one cannot expect a contender to simple roll over and play dead when he's been challenged by the other contender.</div> <bR> <div> A hand recount of votes has a much greater potential for error. I submit to anyone here that to sit down in front of just two thousand same papers, and start tracking numbers, holes, whatever, those tracks start running together mentally. And if one or two slipped by, it'd be unintentional, yet they would have still slipped by.</div> <bR> <div> AL Gore continually speaks of the will of the people and how their vote should count. However, his interest seems only to be in Florida's counties. His words express an interest in one's vote, yet only if those votes are in a pivotal state. And where is Al Gore's concern for the overseas military votes? Keep in mind, he's wanting to be their Commander-In-Chief.</div> <bR> <div> For the record, the State of Florida's 25 electoral votes went to the Republican in 1992, and their 25 electoral votes went to the Democrat in 1996. It isn't unreasonable that they could once again go to the Republican in 2000.</div> <bR> <div> I also understand the letter of Florida's laws being followed, but in the case of some of the overseas ballots it got in the way of Federal law. Our overseas military personnel are protectors of all 50 states. Yes, I think Florida blundered by debating many of those postmarks. What more can I say.</div> <bR> <div> <B>       On Assigning a Ballot's Intent...</B></div> <div> The differences between Gore and Bush are brought to light by their arguments. Bush can more easily stand behind his arguments, yet Gore enjoys phrases like "It's all so simple. We need a full and complete count of every vote cast for the good of the American people."</div> <bR> <div> Al Gore's main argument seems to be based on the fact that the popular vote weighed in on his side, yet the electoral vote weighed in on Bush's side, therefore something must be wrong. I'd like to ask Gore's supporters why his argument seems to hold water to them? In all the years we've been voting there's always a chance for the elector vote to contradict the popular vote. The last time it happened was in 1888. It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen, it can happen, and it's all part of our Republic Democracy. However, Gore continues to turn this tried and tested election process into his personal whipping post about how unfair the counts have been. If I cast a vote that raised questions as to it's legitimacy, I wouldn't want a small group of individuals in a room deciding what my intent was.</div> <bR> <div> Al Gore wants a "hand recount" of votes.  A couple of things need be considered when a small group begins assigning intent to a confusing ballot. Possibly the most important aspect to consider is the fact that "election day" cast ballots are anonymous once that vote is cast, and any ties to that particular person vanishes. The only exception I can think of would be mailed in ballots. So what you're left with is a small group of people assuming intent based on a piece of anonymous paper. Think about that for accuracy in a recount. The fairest, and safest means to do a recount would be using reliable machines. In this manner, you have a machine simply counting pieces of paper. What you wouldn't have is people deciding what kind of person cast the ballot held in their hand. The plain fact is, nobody has anyway of knowing who actually cast that ballot, or what they were thinking when they cast it.</div> <bR> <div> People can call it anything they wish, but those hand recounts do little more than add further confusion. Yet Al Gore feels better about his chances, providing a small group of people will make an assumption as to how someone else voted, and why they voted as they did. That's only adding confusion in the heat of confusion to change an outcome. There's nothing scientific about it and not much credibility in it, therefore Al Gore's only concern for the America people is his concern for winning this election by any means possible. No, I don't think the "hand recount of votes" is a good thing.</div> <bR> <div> I hear a lot of talk about how it'd all be so different if the shoe was on the other foot. I'd like to suggest to the ones that really believe that, to think a little deeper. The shoe IS on the other foot when you consider what's at stake here. The last time a candidate won the popular vote, yet lost the electoral vote, was back in1888. We're looking at two candidates that have to approach this election from both ends of the process. We have done our job if we voted. Now, it's in the hands of the electors, that's why we can't have people campaigning our electors. Each one of them took an oath to their respective states to "represent the people" of that state. If G. W. Bush does win the state of Florida's electoral votes, by our election process he will be our "voted in" winner.</div> <bR> <div> I found the following comments in a November 30th, 2000 MSNBC Online news article:  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#009999" FACE="Arial" >Having won the Nov. 7 presidential balloting by more than 300,000 votes nationally, Gore wants the Florida courts to overturn Bush's 537-vote win there.  Gore, asked about his odds, said: "I think they're still 50-50."</FONT></div> <bR> <div> The statement above certainly indicates a person that's trying to change the rules of the electoral process after the game's already been played and decided. We can't toy with the electoral system after an election just to suit our whims. If the Democratic Party had such a problem with the electoral process, where have they been all of these years? Why haven't they been trying to change it before this election? Could Al Gore's team have been so busy defending President Clinton's antic for the last eight years they simply forgot how we elect a president? I've tried to approach this thing from several angles, yet I can't find a "reasonable" explanation for many of their actions.</div> <bR> <div> <B>       As to public speaking, both sides need some work ...</B></div> <div> I don't think George W. Bush is the best thing that's ever happened, but here's something else to ponder. Al Gore appears very unnatural in both his demeanor, and his presentations. His "laughs" come at untimely cues, they "do not fit" his words, phrasing, or his timing when he orates. Is he hiding something? Is he not made of the "right stuff" for the job he so wants? We all know that a candidate is schooled, groomed, and tooled in many areas, could it be that Al Gore simply can't get it right? Is that what we really want in a World Leader? If you want to be higher up on the ladder, you had better know how to play the game.</div> <bR> <div> There are leaders and there are followers. Al Gore's team is approaching this election as a group of followers. Why he chooses speech writers that talk down to the American people is beyond me. Maybe we should be expecting more from our politicians, and letting them know that we expect more from them.</div> <bR> <div> I don't think for a minute that all Democrats are bad people, and certainly not all Independents and Republicans are good people... However, it's my humbled opinion that Al Gore is a poorly maneuvered puppet for the Democratic Party. I think it's been brought to our attention like never before during this election. The Democrat's perceptions are what might be for the worse after this election is over. During any election there'll be some votes that are kicked out by a machine. That's nothing new, and I dare say that it happens in every state where manual voting machines are used.</div> <bR> <div> Plain and simple--Al Gore isn't a part of every election so there are things to be thankful for.</div> <bR> <div> <I>     - (c) 2000 Mogs</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Election 2000: Part Two</B><B>    </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#339966" FACE="Arial" ><B>S, NF</B></FONT></div> <div> (12.14.00)</div> <div> <B>December 13th 2000, G. W. Bush becomes President-elect...</B></div> <div> I suggest that if anyone let the Democrats down it was their own party. My reason for saying this is due in part to the fact the Democrats didn't fight for a "set standard" to use in recounting their "selected" counties. </div> <bR> <div> The Democrats picked the wrong fight in order to win their contest of the election. Anyone is certainly free to hold that against the President-elect if they choose to do so. However, I notice some are debating their points with half truths. I could take their reasoning more seriously if someone would clarify exactly what the Bush team did that was out of line as opposed to any of the actions taken by the Gore team.</div> <bR> <div> A complete recount of all the counties in Florida with "set standards in place" wasn't blocked by either party. The recount that was blocked consisted primarily of three select counties, with no "set standard" in place. Such a recount would have compromised the integrity of Florida's voters. I've hinted several times that Gore's team of lawyers went about the contest in the wrong way. They probably could have won their recount had they chose a different angle, yet that's in no way the fault of the Bush team.</div> <bR> <div> Up to this point I've purposely dodged the issue of the dimpled ballots. I found the whole pretense of incidental "dimples" extremely questionable, and highly unlikely if the vote was cast correctly. Therefore, I'm withholding any real thoughts on this area. It's my opinion that the dimpled boxes be thrown out regardless of the party dimpled.</div> <bR> <div> I have a respect for the elderly. I also have respect for their right to vote, but let me take this one step further. Our right to vote should be taken seriously. If we're likely to have a problem in doing so, we should ask for assistance. If people asked for assistance and they were denied assistance, that was wrong.</div> <bR> <div> It's been said that I got what I wanted since I voted for Bush. Sorry, but I won't know for sure if I got what I wanted until 2-3 years down the road. I'm not that shallow in my thinking.</div> <bR> <div> Some Gore supporters seem resentful because the Bush team utilized laws that were "in place" to fight a questionable recount, yet the Gore team used laws to ask for "selected" recounts, yet did nothing in the way of offering what would be acceptable standards for both sides. Attorneys and the courts could have worked together on setting a standard. Did they? Once again, where is the basis of their resentment? Both sides tried to use laws and options at their disposal to their own advantages.</div> <bR> <div> Is the fact that the Democrat's team of lawyers didn't use their best judgments in their battle to win the White house that many are bitter? If that's the case, why continue the rhetoric over Bush's tactics? Bush's team didn't "lose this election" for the Democrats, they "won this election" for the Republicans. Each party fought their own contest, and on their own terms. Both parties counter punched based on what was thrown at them. One party was simply more prepared to meet the challenge, and that party came out the winner. Both parties tried to win. America has never had more than one president at a time. In each "open" election, there's only one winner for the Presidency.</div> <bR> <div> If my chosen party would have lose, yet they fought a good fight, there'd be no injustice involved. However if my party loses due to not being prepared for the battle, I'd be upset too, yet not at the opposing team.</div> <bR> <div> The U.S. Supreme Court asked for clarification from the Florida Court. The Florida Court waited until the 11th hour to take that request seriously. It wasn't the Bush team or the Gore team that delayed their response.</div> <bR> <div> The issue of absentee ballots were also key players in this election. The military has a huge role in gaining the respect of other countries. Regardless whether someone believes in fighting for a cause, the military is a big part of the freedoms we so enjoy, and the freedoms that have made this country great. Our armed forces protect our national interests as well. They don't protect only the Republicans. They don't protect only the Independents. They don't protect only the Democrats. Our military protects the interests of our country on a whole.</div> <bR> <div> When a group of Democrat citizens refused to show support for the overseas military ballots, they were looking out for their "own" interests, not the best interest of the country. Gore's team took close watch as to those lawsuits, yet I hardly think they were wanting those suits thrown out.</div> <bR> <div> The President of the United States has to look after all of the interests in this country. Both parties fail miserably in their efforts at times. I've never said either party is correct all of the time, it just doesn't work that way.</div> <bR> <div> I realize how disappointed many people are after this election. I've never boasted that my man won, I simply debate certain issues involved with the outcome. I just want the best from whoever is in the White House. I don't (know for certain) which person that would have been.</div> <bR> <div> I've been a registered Republican since the early eighties. Before that, I was a registered Democrat. I found myself leaning more and more to the Republican side of issues, so I changed my party affiliation. To be quite honest, I could be an Independent, but most local issues wind up being Republican or Democrat. Thus, in "primary" elections I wish for my voice to be heard.</div> <bR> <div> I say to the ones that are bent out of shape this early in the game and simply ranting that Bush stole the election, try offering a little more substance to your arguments and one day you'll be taken more seriously. In the meantime, half-baked arguments about how Bush's team stole this election do little more than remind me of Jessie Jackson and his soapbox. Personally I think most Americans can do much better than that, and that's all I've ever asked.</div> <bR> <div> <I>     - (c) 2000 Mogs</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Election 2000: Part Three</B><B>    </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#339966" FACE="Arial" ><B>S, NF</B></FONT></div> <div> (12.20.00)</div> <div> <B>On December 18th 2000,</B></div> <div> <B>Electors in the states that Bush won voted for Bush...</B></div> <div> <B>Further points to ponder about our political process...</B></div> <div> The following is about more than just two political parties. It has more to do with any given party's perception of right and wrong, and our own perceptions as voters. We're both participants and spectators in the political process, yet sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees...</div> <bR> <div> Not everyone is concerned with those mute points. There are those who probably think I would defend Bush at all costs. That simply isn't the case. I don't defend his party as much as I defend the mindset that all involved knew how our political, and court systems works.</div> <bR> <div> I wonder why there's so many lawyer jokes? There are some good lawyers out there, you know! Do you think it might have more to do with HOW our court system works? I think so.</div> <bR> <div> Another mute point that's often overlooked as people are debating the outcome of this election was a PRESS CONFERENCE by Vice Presidential hopeful Joe Lieberman. Mr. Leiberman stated how PLEASED the team was to have this election settled in the courts.</div> <bR> <div> It was Mr. Lieberman who announced during a press conference that, "In America, this is how we settle disputes. We go to the courts and let the courts decide."</div> <bR> <div> With that statement said, he represented a party that would abide by the court's ruling. I'm fairly certain that they were all aware of who was sitting in both courts.</div> <bR> <div> Was it an error in judgment for Mr. Leiberman and the team to make such a claim? What we've witnessed since their "much wanted" court settlement, both on this board and off the board, are people who have refused to yield to what their party was satisfied with in having this election settled. Simply stated--have the election settled by the courts.</div> <bR> <div> Here's one of the problems with the way that press conference was handled. They shouldn't have assumed that a court settlement would be their victory. Mr. Leiberman and the team are lawyers and they know the judicial system. They also know that clever tactics are common place in our courts. The point is, they felt worthy in their skills to be able to win this thing.</div> <bR> <div> If you have two worthy opponents engaged in a legal battle, where is the unfairness? Again, both sides knew the people that were sitting in the judge's seats. Had this election be in reverse, both sides would have engaged just as hard to win. No major party goes into an election PLANNING to lose.</div> <bR> <div> You pick vulnerable issues and concerns, campaign, and try to rally the people for your cause. When all is said and done, you let them cast their ballots. When you have an election as close as this one was, you contest the election. Once you take it to the courts, it's up to attorneys to do the winning.</div> <bR> <div> Sadly, in an election like this one, some feel betrayed. We're all human. I've said before that I think Gore (might) have won this election "by the electoral college" had their team approached the court battle differently.</div> <bR> <div> However, that's now a mute point. We witnessed an election marred by errors in MANY areas, and on both sides.</div> <bR> <div> As Americans we're somewhat fickle in many aspects of politics. Whether we'll ever change is anyone's guess. We basically have a two party system, being contested by other parties, yet all sides feel they offer the best hope to the American people. I think the third party's shining moment can happen down the road.</div> <bR> <div> If you look back just a few short years ago, another issue was focal point of a Presidential campaign. I've used the following example many times because it spoke so loudly to me. Much of the media, and a portion of the American people crucified Dan Quayle because of a "spelling bee" he attended. I'm sure there were things that could have actually been debated about him, but in the end that misspelled word actually spelled DEFEAT for his political career.</div> <bR> <div> IMHO, that mentality served as a shining example of how silly the American people can be in their thinking. Whether or not they were correct in their views of Dan Quayle, many people let a misspelled word be the basis of their argument and thus, allowed a potato to fight their battle. America as whole has to get past this type of thinking in order to move forward.</div> <bR> <div> <I>     - (c) 2000 Mogs</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#original_stories_by_mogs___page_two" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>TOP OF PAGE</U></A>    <A HREF="id172.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>PAGE 1</U></A>    <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#9999FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>PAGE 2</B></FONT>    <A HREF="id170.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>PAGE 3</U></A>    <A HREF="id196.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories, Essays, Editorials, Humor: Page"><U>PAGE 4</U></A></div> <bR> <div> Website Design by Mark McKinley ~ Logos & Photos (C) 1999-2012 Mark's Online Graphics Site</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>