Before I write anything today I would like to start off by saying that the demonstrations and protestors that interrupted John McCain's speech last night are beyond reproach. Giving a speech to accept the nomination from your party to run for president is a once in a lifetime moment for a fortunate few and the behavior of some in the audience was embarassing.

Now, onto Sarah Palin.

Left. Left. Left, right, left. Left. Left. Left, right, left.

Do you hear that? Do you feel that? I do! The War Machine is marching. The drum beat is pounding. The flames of misplaced patriotism and misguided fear are being stoked by Orwellian Newspeak with 'look over here' slight-of-hand tactics as their foundation.

Are you trembling? Are you scared? Good, great, grand! Mission Accomplished! Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Gerard will be taking Friday this week. I am not picky about what days I remain uncharacteristically silent on.

Lazy. Busy. Tired. Wired. Baffled. Muddled. Speechless. Whatever the excuse, I've been using it.

So, here - publicly - I vow to return to form next week with some interesting points and original thought.

Thanks for standing by. tjc

The little lady and I are saving to buy a house. Well, actually, we bought one two weeks ago, but it unfortunately fell through. So, we are back to building our nest egg in order to by a home that suits us. Anyway, in order to save money for anything, one must eliminate unnecessary purchases. We are both making a consistent effort to eliminate certain pleasures and luxuries in life.

The conversation turned to music, as it always does with Brooke. Instead of really focusing on the task at hand, we ventured off into creating lists of 10 records that we cannot live without. It's tougher than you think; it took me two weeks. And I couldn't even do it! Cutting one more record was too much of a chore, too heart-wrenching, so I kept it. Sure, the first seven or eight were easy, but then you start to think of records that you really like. You like them, but are they sponge worthy?

Today's post is both connected and disconnected. A collection of independent thoughts I have been thinking that coincidentally or perhaps not, seem to be interconnected and not so independent.

The idea of an assassination attempt on Senator Obama is a fear many of his supporters have held for a long time now. But as much as I personally thought it was a sincere possibility I'm not sure I ever truly grasped the reality of it until recent news out of Denver. It is that recent news concerning a plot to do just that in Denver during the Democratic National Convention that has brought those fears to a shocking reality. I have never in my adult years witnessed an assassination attempt let alone a successful one on my home soil of a presidential candidate or existing president. It is a sobering thought and it is an event I hope I never have to experience in my life time. It has left me wondering how a nation would overcome such an event, regardless of which party an individual would fall in line with.