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Well, I didn't think it would happen, but we got home to California nearly on time and just after the year's biggest storm hit the West Coast. Personally, I don't remember the last time I have heard of anyone's airliner of choice holding their connection plane AND getting all their luggage on that flight, but that's exactly what happened to us after we were held up an hour late because of a window-defrosting problem in Pittsburgh. I thought we'd be stranded in Boston overnight because of either a canceled flight or missing it altogether, but I got to bed by 10 p.m. last night. (Not usually an early bird, but between a sick child, a sick me, Dramamine drowsiness, turbulence, and a decidedly unfavorable time of the month, it was the best to be expected.

As I wait to get my body clock back on West Coast time, I thought I'd share a headline that almost made me lose my sponge candy breakfast this morning (what?! I had a bowl of Life, too. Let the sick mommy have a day off from her diet.)

Justice Clinton?

Sweet canned Spam, now that's something I'd take as an equivalent to pigs flying: a female president with her husband eyeing up a Justice seat appointment. First, I still think most in this country would take a black President over a female one this year. Second, just yesterday, on my JetBlue flight back West, I saw the obligatory video shot of all the Supreme Court Justices talking with each other in their black robes, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg had zoned out and focused on something behind the cameraman's shoulder, making me think that either she just was tired of the entire charade with the rest of her male counterparts, or that she really, really misses Sandra Day O'Connor; either way, I had the impression that Ginsburg was having a devil of a time being in the same room with her conservative counterparts, Justices Alito and Roberts. But wouldn't it be interesting if she were replaced first? It was Bill Clinton who appointed her to the Supreme Court in the first place. (Thank goodness Ginsburg gets her say in it, though- she can be there til she pops up daisies.)

All we have to do is make sure New York votes Chelsea in to take over her mother's Senate seat, and we'll have a downright Clinton trifecta in all three branches of the American government. Yee-ikes. Is it a bad thing to hope that Ron Paul throws a bigger wrench into the elections than fellow Texan Ross Perot ever did?

Ron Paul's $6M surprise

As the holidays bear down on all of us, probably bringing all kinds of holiday cheer and stress, the last thing you probably want to read about is anything about the Presidential elections. Alas, the first primaries are coming so soon! There's less than a year until the United States chooses a new President, and there are plenty of options, so I suggest you start here.

One of the reasons Ron Paul is so newsworthy is partly because of three words: no income tax. He made quite a splash a few months ago with suggesting this and also pledging never to raise taxes (who says they would?), but that wasn't the least of it. According to Wikipedia:

Paul has been described as conservative, Constitutionalist, and libertarian.[2] He advocates an attenuated, non-interventionist foreign policy, having voted against actions such as the Iraq War Resolution, but in favor of force against terrorists in Afghanistan. He favors withdrawal from NATO and the United Nations. Having pledged never to raise taxes, he has long advocated ending the federal income tax and reducing government spending by abolishing most federal agencies; he favors hard money and opposes the Federal Reserve. He also opposes the Patriot Act, the federal War on Drugs, and gun control. Paul is strongly pro-life, advocates overturning Roe v. Wade; and affirms states' rights to determine the legality of abortion.[3]

I'm not sure about the whole NATO/United Nations thing; the one thing that this country needs is better foreign policy. But guys like him and Mike Huckabee are making a huge run and putting pressure on the other Repubs, notably Guilani and Romney. I have a feeling that this time around, America is going to be shouting for some "different" politicians than your average cookie-cutter pol in tailored suit and red or blue tie.

Well folks, it's off to the East Coast for me. I'll be blogging from a snowy location, don't worry, but I'll be out of action for the next couple days.