Among the things I'm pondering...

on this Tuesday morning are:

Why is it when the housekeeper gives me room a thorough cleaning, I suddenly can't find anything.  I could find things before she straightened up and organized everything.  Now I can't find stuff I want to find.  I will have to ask her later today where these things are.

Why is it whenever I leave the remote control on the bed, whoever makes the bed puts it somewhere different?  It's never put in the same place twice.  Today it was on a chair.  Yesterday the top of the dresser.

Why do we refuse to see movies that have been recommended to us by people we trust.  I didn't see the movie "Rescue Dawn" for years, even though someone whose opinion I trust recommended it some time ago.  I watched it over the weekend and thought it was quite good.

Are we discouraging other teams from returning to Monday night trivia, when it turns into a runaway?  There is a potential 40 point swing in scores from the final question, because if you wager 20 and you miss it (the final is always damn tough), you lose the 20 points you wager.  So if you bet 20 and miss, and someone bets 20 and gets it, they will gain 40 points on you.  Until tonight, we'd led by 21 or 23 points, and had the game clinched if we didn't wager recklessly.  Tonight, we were ahead by 44 points going into the final question.  So even if we were dumb enough to wager 20 and miss, and someone else bet 20 and got it, we'd still win.  I just wonder if we're discouraging others from competing?  Should we do worse on purpose?  Of course not.

What are the odds that everyone who has been advocating that we grant relief to people with large student loans they can't afford, will be angry when they discover that when the loans are forgiven under the government's new student loan repayment program, lead to a big income tax bill?  I think they're quite high.  Almost a certainty.  The program allows those with loans to pay only what they can afford and the loan's remaining balance is written off between 10 and 25 years later.  But the amont written off becomes taxable income.  I suspect we will hear major complaining about this in the near future.

Will you eat a McRib while they are available?  I can tell you I won't.

What will it take to educate people so that they understand that someone who earns the Medal of Honor did not "win" it?  Combat is not a contest where you "win" a medal for valor.  It's combat and if you perform an incredibly brave act, your valor may be recognized by a medal.  Most who earn the MOH don't live to receive it.  It's awarded to their next of kin.  Daniel Inouye, who earned the MOH and who died yesterday, lost part of his arm in the incredible act that earned him the medal.  If you're curious to learn just what he did, go here:  http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1942_nisei/inouye.html

Do people really think that D-list actress Phoebe Price actually looks like A-lister Jessica Chastain?  Or that there is any possible resemblance between Angelina Jolie and Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman?  One look at their respective bustlines would tell the tale. 

This date in History:

On this date in 1271 Kublai Khan renames his empire, creating the first Yuan Dynasty of China and Mongolia.
On this date in 1777, the U.S. celebrates its first Thanksgiving.
On this date in 1787, New Jersey becomes the 3rd state to ratify the Constitution.
On this date in 1892, "The Nutcracker" is performed for the first time for an audience.
On this date in 1916, the Battle of Verdun ends as the Germans are soundly defeated by the French.
On this date in 1932, the Chicago Bears win the first NFL championship game.
On this date in 1956, Japan joins the United Nations.
On this date in 1972, President Nixon announced that bombing of North Vietnam would resume after peace talks collapse.
On this date in 1978, Dominica joins the U.N.
On this date in 1997, HTML 4.0 is published.
And on this date in 1927, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark was born.  I listened to a speech he gave on the night before an anti-nuclear protest and he was riveting.