pettyfoggery

My Dad, like many of us when we mention the subject, always said he’d prefer to just drop over with a sudden heart attack instead of withering away, mentally and physically.

So, this morning I actually choked up as the old man said goodbye to my brother, his youngest son, for probably the last time. He teared up too, and the only thing that kept the scene from being maudlin as my brother and sister departed Ohio on their way back to Texas, was that he was a lucid as he’s ever been since his incident. I was proud of him for maintaining his focus, yet it was the most heartbreaking moment I’d seen in the six weeks since he suffered a minor stroke and I’ve been staying with and caring for him

I’m sure sis and bro feel the same way. They most likely will never see him standing and waving goodbye again. We all knew the day was coming, just as we all know our day is coming, sooner or later. But it really hits home when those close to you are involved.

“I so wish I lived closer!” Sis said to me in the last minutes. Maybe so… but it was a source of pride to my parents that their youngest kids had the independence to move out and on, and twenty years ago it was a good excuse to hit the road for nine days. But now we pay for that.

I, on the other hand, live two blocks away, but might have gone six weeks without visiting. Increasing to a couple then maybe 4 times a week after mom died. Until the stroke. Now I’m his ‘visiting nurse’ for most of the day and for the first month, nearly 24/7. Despite the frustrations with his often confused state of mind, caring for him really isnt much of a chore. It’s one of those things that seems daunting until you’re actually involved in doing it. Somehow, now, it seems almost like a privilege.

The next moment is the one I really dread though… the day, coming soon, we check him into the nursing home. Because we know he’ll walk in but never walk out.

Besides not having met the pollution standards promised when they were given the host assignment, there’s trouble aplenty around the world and we hope -not- in Beijing, itself.

The Uigher muslim separatists have said they will do something to call attention to their plight, could be a terror act. And a ‘Free Tibet’ protestor was injured in a fall from the Chinese consulate in SF. Claims are that when she rappeled from the building roof, the Chinese cut her ropes.

Interesting to me:

That for a one-time short-schedule protest. I would assume, then, that if the US allowed ‘Free Tibet’ to invade and occupy the DC Embassy, holding the staff hostage, for 400 plus days, the Chinese would consider it an act of war.
I would agree.

“Within the year, he’ll start complaining ’bout his back;
And shortly thereafter, he’s investing in Iraq”
- copyright 2008, Pettyfog

From Soros’ wiki:

There have been suggestions that Soros’s political gifts may have served his own interests. In late 2006, Soros bought about 2 million shares of Halliburton, which had been a major target of criticism (for war profiteering) by MoveOn and the Center for American Progress. Soros’s critics allege that these organizations suddenly stopped criticism of Halliburton after Soros purchased the stock, and subsequently the stock values appreciated significantly, netting substantial profits for Soros.

Also see: Gladwell{dot}com: Blowing Up
I’m not going to excerpt for you, just point out This little gem:

My father {Soros} will sit down and give you theories to explain why he does this or that. But I remember seeing it as a kid and thinking, Jesus Christ, at least half of this is bullshit. I mean, you know the reason he changes his position on the market or whatever is because his back starts killing him. It has nothing to do with reason. He literally goes into a spasm, and it?s this early warning sign.