Some quick hits

Just a few quick hit thoughts after a long Thanksgiving weekend in the US.

Hugo Chavez is threatening to nationalize banks in Venezuela. Ho hum... What else is new? Nationalize the oil industry! Get rid of the opposition media! Rig the election laws! But don't worry because this will not necessarily impact anyone outside of Venezuela, right? After all, the current US administration is currently in agreement with the Chavez administration regarding the current imbroglio in Honduras (a disputed and unwilling transfer of power that was supported by the elites that legally endorsed the removal of the former president but is alleged to have been an illegal coup by Chavez and his supporters). Come to think of it, when it comes to nationalizing certain industries, perhaps Chavez can learn a few things from his neighbors to the north.

Deferred success is apparently an old idea that continues to make its rounds on the internet. I found the subject being posted again last week and have to admit that I was more than a little disturbed about the subject. Of course, when I tried to follow up and get the whole story (maybe I should be a reporter since I seem more inclined to get the whole story before I just write up some opinion and post it as "fact and news" than a great many "news" organizations - and yes, I use that term loosely), I found that some of the original news sources seemed to be lacking. So I tried again a day or two later and discovered that this story is about 4 years old. Ah, yes, the power of the internet to recycle "news" every so often so that we can all get upset on a regular basis over stories that were resolved long before. Oh, and before I forget, my initial thoughts on "deferred success" - um, no, thank you. Do we need to have equality? Is equality even possible? Heck no! If it were, then I would want to be as beautiful as the people in the movies. That would be fair! But, since that seems highly unlikely, then why can we not recognize that equality is not obtainable in the form that people such as the originator of this harebrained idea might wish and instead offer opportunities that do not discriminate?! To suggest that failure is not an option is ridiculous! In the real world (which is obviously not inhabited by the aforementioned people), failure is not only a possibility but a distinct reality in many cases. But success is rarely instantaneous and often the result of previous failures which have offered the knowledge and experience for said future potential success.

Cancer is a vicious killer that I would not wish on my worst enemy. But recent months have continued to provide hope for those who have been afflicted with this terrible disease. Breast cancer may have some hope with a natural solution. And now the possibility that magnetic discs can attack and break up cancer cells offer more hope. There continues to be a great deal of research and funding poured into potential cures and we can only hope that the cures can be found before more people suffer through this terror.