i wonder what it'd be like to not have a conscience

Temperature update in Erinland: 80 degrees and bearable.

I believe I had a bout of heat exhaustion yesterday. I was woozy and fuzzy. I use that as my excuse for why I wore a dress that made me look as if I was the crazy cat lady. That and it was laundry day (the most decadent thing I have done in awhile: I paid someone $1/lb to do my laundry). Thankfully I was rescued and whisked away to the airconditioned loitering-encouraged-heaven known as Denny's where I enjoyed my first cup of hot coffee in 3 days. Though I was appreciative beyond belief, I think dramatic temperature changes are not so good for me. Upon returning home I managed to rally for a few hours of Deadwood Season 2 (a beautiful, beautiful thing--Swearengen is a god) and a game of Scrabble (yes I lost again), but it wasn't long before lethargy and fuzziness returned. A drive to Saugatuck led us to that goodly place, the Bar of Sand, where the air was cool and the conversation good. Unfortunately I couldn't even pull it together for a win at pinball or erotic photohunt. A storm blew in forcing us to remain seated at the bar longer than anticipated. I went home and lost again.

I started out my afternoon a winner.
I ended my night a loser thrice over.

628 people were killed in Baghdad last week which is far higher than the media has been reporting. People aren't able to buy food or cook. They are selling off their furniture to buy AK-47s and ammunition. Vigilante justice is the rule of law these days. I know that watching Israel bomb the beejeezus out of Beruit is far more sexy, but let us not forget what the hell's going on in Iraq, please. We created that disaster. WE DID. We are directly responsible for the chaos that is ensuing and for what? The hope that we could create another ally in the middle east through our oh-so-good imperialistic ways? Our track record on that score doesn't seem to be going very well as Israel is currently baiting Syria and Iran. Iraq is our problem now. And if we're not willing to be part of the solution then let's get out. In Mahmudiyah, 50 people were killed by Sunni insurgents and according to survivors Iraqi and U.S. soldiers just sat back and did nothing. A car bombing in southern Iraq killed 53 people. I cannot believe the administration didn't see this coming. Sectarian violence was inevitable especially given there was no real plan--no real objective--for this invasion. The only reason "peace" existed was because of a dictator. Democracy is a near impossibility where there is such division. And once again we're attempting to impose democracy knowing full well it will fail.

And in more U.S.FAILS NEWS, the Taliban has captured 2 towns in southern Afghanistan. Remember Afghanistan? The country we chose to invade in retaliation for 9-11 despite the Taliban being no friend of Osama bin-Laden--the man who was responsible and has still not been brought to justice or even found for that matter?

I am sick to death of feeling shame for being an American citizen.

14000 civilians have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of 2006.
It's only July.

God Bless the U.S.A.