It's better to burn out than to fade away...

Let me start this post by apologizing for going AWOL for almost five months. I could tell you about all the changes in my life since that time (graduating from school, going through a long and arduous job hunt, finally landing a job with a steep learning curve, and finding and moving into a new apartment), but that would involve making excuses, which is probably what led me to neglect my blog since late Spring in the first place.

Now that I have high-speed wireless Internet service at my place (another excuse not to blog bites the dust), I will do my utmost to set aside time to write here on a semi-regular (i.e not once every 5-6 months) basis. While I don’t have anything particularly meaty at the moment, here are some issues and questions I’ve been thinking about lately, which means that I may address some of them here in the near-future:

- The American Apparel dilemma, for those looking for sweatshop-free clothing yet aren’t supportive of Dov Charney’s sleazy work environment and anti-unionism.

- Has Michael Moore’s Sicko advanced the health care debate? When will the American public's outrage reach a tipping point?

- Why does the Democratic Party continue to kowtow to Bush and the Republican minority?

- The flap over Barack Obama failing to wear an American flag on his lapel.

- The apology that so many pundits and talking heads owe Al Gore, who has turned out to be right about everything for which he has been ridiculed over the years.

- The African nation of Gabon, a primary source of manganese and one of the most prosperous, and least known, nations in Africa.

Talk to you soon,

SHP

P.S. Don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6th in your local elections.