Okay! We are back from a great trip that took us to Detroit (Ford Museum, Rouge Plant, and Hitsville), plus the side effects of the collapsed economy in the city. On up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We kind of wandered around Mackinac Island while the Republicans were having the caucuses and straw polls. They looked like Canadian Geese waddling around in their suits and dresses. It was evident that the GeeOpie people want to keep the riff-raff regular folks away by holding their conference on that snooty island that requires an expensive boat ride ticket. Anyway, on up to Canada (Sudbury, Grimbsby, Orillia, and down to Niagara Falls). The Fall colors were emerging in some places, and in almost full glory in others. I really got an eye full and a sad education on the economic hardships of other places like Lackawanna, NY (the collapse of the steel industry many decades ago), and what is said to be the economic ruin of Buffalo, NY when the St. Lawrence Seaway was opened back when. Yes, it was mostly a beautiful trip, with lots of unexpected wineries to see and taste (between Hamilton and Niagara-on-the Lakes), and the Finger Lake Region of Western NY state. Still, I am haunted by the hulking carcasses of factories and buildings from Detroit and along the Niagara River that just sit there as silent reminders of neglect and lack of concern. By the way, the falls at Niagara are spectacular, and there is one strip along the Canadian side that is elegant.....but if you go inland about one block, you are reminded of Panama City, Tijuana, and Las Vegas all rolled into one. Pretty Cheesy in such a setting of a magnificent specimen of nature's beauty.
Anyway, I did keep track of most of the news, and watched us close down our government. Oh, I also observed the Canadian economy and day-to-day life of the area. I did not see any bodies in the streets as a result of inferior medications, or social medicine. In fact, they all looked pretty healthy.
Let's start off with this, and see where the week goes, (thanks to Merrill Ring):
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