"It's Our Bleeping City"

A bloodstained Tsarnaev surrendering to police. The red dot on his forehead is a sniper's laser target. (Photo/Telegraph.co.uk)

I was not a victim of the Marathon attacks;

Wasn't near the bombings that stopped Boston in its tracks;

Didn't have my legs blown off and didn't lose a child;

Never went to view the site where running shoes were piled.

Didn't have to shelter in my home while the police

Searched throughout the city; only read the press release.

I have never met Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - never will.

Didn't know the brother who the cops were forced to kill.

Never understood what changed a boy who people liked

Into some crazed radical, or down which roads he's hiked...

Therefore, I'm not qualified and shouldn't have a voice

In his future punishment.  I'm glad it's not my choice.

Eric Holder's seeking death 'cause Massachusetts can't.

40 years ago this state decided that we shan't.

Since the bombs were terrorism, Holder says he rates

Execution 'cause he aimed at the United States.

Tell that to the people who were injured in the blasts;

Tell it to the amputees or those still wearing casts.

They should be the people who decide his punishment...

They're the ones he really hurt and not the government.

Wall Street's Hissy Fit

(Photo/InvestWithAlex.com)

Yesterday the markets dropped; they had a hissy fit

When Bernanke said the Fed would taper back a bit.

Wall St. knew that this was coming; there weren't any shocks...

Doesn't mean they have to like it - hence, the falling stocks.

Ben Bernanke quit his job as Chairman of the Fed;

Monday morning Janet Yellen will be there instead.

Tapering is likely to continue under her.

(Thanks to Ben Bernanke, we're much better than we were.)

Now that the economy is chugging right along,

Giving indications the recovery is strong,

Wall St. needs to come to grips; they need to do it now...

Not take out their anger on the NASDAQ or the Dow.

The Republican Response Limerick Response

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R/WA) offered the official Republican response.

Response was by Rodgers and she

At least, if you're asking me,

Said more about her

Then where the plans were

Put forth by ye olde GOP.

I thought she was lovely and sweet

But that doesn't help us compete.

Can't just be opposed

What have they proposed

To fix the pot-holes in my street?

The President offered a plan...

He's doing the best that he can

But he can't do much

Because out-of-touch

Republicans won't help the man.

The State of the Union - A Re-Cap in Rhyme

(Photo/LadyLiberty.com)

Nation watched the President tell Congress how we are;

Said that, in the last five years, we've all come pretty far.

Companies are hiring, the Market's through the roof;

Cited recent studies, gave examples, offered proof.

Wasn't soaring oratory, more a laundry list.

Made a plea to Congress just before he slapped their wrist;

Said he wants to work together but he also will

Act, at times, to circumvent opponents on the Hill.

He was not antagonistic towards the GOP

But he made it very clear; that's how it's gonna be.

I can't really blame Obama...  What else can he do?

When he asked for 40 things last year they gave him 2.

And the 2 he got he didn't get without a fight...

Every single bill faced opposition from the Right.

Maybe immigration will lure folks across the aisle;

Congress working as it should...  Ain't seen that in a while.

Afghanistan - Zero Option Isn't One

Hamid Karzai is happy to point out the exit doors. (Photo/The Telegraph)

After all the blood and tears that NATO forces spilled,

After all the thousands of our soldiers who were killed,

After endless battles to suppress the Taliban,

Hamid Karzai says we're free to leave Afghanistan.

(We keep making empty threats that we will walk away.)

Held a Loya Jirga; elders wanted us to stay.

Karzai says he'll let us know; elections will decide,

'though the other candidates all want us by their side.

Don't know why he's stalling or what's going through his mind.

I don't understand why the agreement's not been signed.

We aren't going anywhere with Pakistan next door

(Even though, I'd think, we could launch drone strikes from off-shore.)

There's too much invested; Zero Option's really not...

Not a lot of choices; once we broke it, it was bought.

As we try to do our best to fix this failing state,

Karzai's still in charge, which means, all we can do is wait.

Baby Steps In Geneva

Welcome to Homs. (Photo/Courtesy of @homsae)

Delegates from Syria (at least the ones who came)

Wasted lots of energy in allocating blame.

Lavrov and Kerry forced participants to stay...

Tried to save the accusations for another day.

Want humanitarian deliveries of aid

Into parts of Syria where they have been delayed.

Residents of Homs are starving; dying in the streets,

There amongst the ruins and the corpses wrapped in sheets.

Do you think those people care who gets to be in charge?

Problems that they're facing for survival are too large:

Will their children make it through the night, or will they die?

Can they keep their families safe when bullets start to fly?

Has the world forgotten them and does nobody care?

Is there any way to get the hell away from there?

Now, at least, the women and the children get to leave.

Let's hope that the talks can pull more tricks out of its sleeve.

Going Back to Plymouth State

 

I'm driving our son back to school

Where, thanks to the genetic pool,

He's proving he's bright;

We did something right...

His momma did not raise a fool.

At least, we can hope I did not;

That he'll use the brains that he's got.

Give trouble a pass;

Stay focused on class,

And know that we love him...  A lot.