Welcome to Openly Eccentric where I don't have a standard opening line and I like it that way.

So, first up looking forward to the 2nd Portland Meetup at the Lucky Lab. If you missed the last one, it was a blast. See you all on 8/20 at Noon, and if you need further details, the announcement is right here!

Been a great week for me in general, although I admit I've been pretty quiet. Just walking around the neighborhood, spending time with the kids, and enjoying the lovely libraries here in Portland. It's a great feeling to be in a place that feels like home again. I love the fact I can come home, know the rent is paid, and with a little juggling so are all the bills. I don't have much, but I have more than enough. My kids have a roof over their heads, clothes, toys, and a decent school. I have my medicine and my writing. Things are decent. Not perfect, but decent enough that the political garbage infuriates me.

Because as a disabled vet, I know everything I depend on is gonna be slashed to the bone by greedy slimeballs who want their piece of my action. And I don't even have much. I barely have enough to get by, but I'm happy with that. I just fear that the first thing that whoever gets into office is going to do is declare that "Veteran's services are a disaster in this country..." And then punish the veterans by cutting the services because of alleged incompetence. Course, I'm paranoid, just a little, because I can't start a new job in the gig economy and risk my gout screwing over my housing...

But that is my rant, and I wonder how many others are like me... finally comfortable, and horrified by the idea that all the hard work will be taken away because some slimeball who never worked an honest day in their life will see my pension as their private piggy bank.

But on to the news
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Despite the big show in the Potemkin Village that is the Oympics, Rio is not doing so hot. Disease, corruption and outright murders are being quietly ignored by most of the world media. I'd like to say something positive about the Olympics, but I can't, because I have no interest. Every four years we suddenly care about these people, and just like a presidential election, endless amounts of money are spent, for an event that fades away quickly and doesn't seem to change anything.

Corruption is everywhere these days. Seems like everybody is grabbing what they can, and people are looking to anyone who promises to end it. Even in South Africa. That's right even a country with a "Ruling Party" can seem to get more votes for the opposition. South Africa's big mistake it seems was not creating TWO ANC's, and just have them start sniping at each other about whose tribe is better.

Ok, read this article, and try to figure out who is the Al-qaeda, Who is Isis, and who we're supporting... Because everybody seems to be making statements that say the opposite of what they say at home, at the same time as we're supposedly winning against the people we were just helping. Confused? Good, that means that you can't be against it, at least as far as the administration is concerned.

And China's deciding to flex some muscle against Japan. I would really hate for the human race's epitaph to be "Because of some rock sticking out of the sea, and the goop nearby".
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Finally, a little music. Sunday Morning Metal again, because I feel like it... Mixed with a little from a Movie I enjoyed..
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4LJdJeGE9k][video:https://www.youtube.c...