Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a war that resulted in the deaths of almost 620,000 soldiers. The cause: difference of opinion. This war was fought between the North and the South. Today, we grow more and more divided, but in a different direction: Left and Right. Is the present simply the past repeated with new variables? If so, is the future up to Fate, or do we have the freedom to shape our own destiny?

Today, we are divided into Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, north and south (still), public school and private school, .... It's like elementary school all over again: cool guys on that side of the playground, nerdy boys on that side, nerdy girls on that side, popular girls on that side, and if you're not on my side, then you're not invited to my birthday party ::sticking tongue out::

I find the other people like me among the Republican group, but I can easily get along with a Democrat -- so long as we don't talk politics. I mean, obviously if we have two very different ideas about the direction of our country, then we would only butt heads, the outcome of which would not change either's opinions, and we both know it.

Still, all of the people I know who own businesses vote Republican so that they will continue to receive government incentives to increase sales and increase profits. And most of the people who work for someone else vote Democrat because they're mad at their boss for not paying them more, and perhaps legislation could deliver them their retribution, afterall, they just moved into a new house that cost more than they'll make in the next 5 years, and the little woman just found out why she's been getting sick every day for the last week, so they vote for someone who'll get them their unearned piece of the pie -- somebody's pie, baked by somebody, in an oven that somebody bought or built from scratch.

As it is, business owners earn 5 times as much as their employees, and they are able to write things off their taxes in 27 different categories that employees do not. Here's an idea: instead of voting for someone who'll take those benefits away from everyone, why not just start a business so you can take advantage of those benefits, and vote for someone who'll help you keep more of your money during tax season?

You know who calls stuff like that "being dirty" or "hiding money"? Broke people. You know who calls it "being smart with your money"? Rich people. I see all these people on TV with their degrees and diplomas and their ultra-knowledge and liberal opinions, and, "you know," I think to myself, "those PhD's and $1.05 will get you a hamburger off the dollar menu." When it comes to intelligence, I believe the 5th grade dropout with a six-figure income -- in his own business -- is smarter than the chemical engineer with a five-figure income. Do you disagree?

How will the war finally end? A new candidate will emerge who says that if he is elected, we will begin to remove U.S. troops from other countries throughout the world, but that the United States absolutely will not tolerate attacks onto its land or its people and that any future attacks will have identical repercussions as this administration has implemented. He will be elected and this is what we'll do. Afterall, a police officer eventually gets his knee out of a suspect's back and let's him stand up off the gravel -- handcuffed -- and they are simply civilian soldiers; we can implement the same scenario on a global scale. *

And by the way, why are politicians such [meow]ies these days? If a senator wants to say something bad about Bush or Republicans, they use "this administration." If someone is going to imply something negative about me in front of millions of people who voted for me because they believed that I could lead them to a better life, I want them to say my name when they're talking about me, not sugarcoat their insults with generalizations or anonymity, or use sass to sarcasticly put me down while wearing a smile.

*don't get me wrong, I am pro-war, and I trust the president has set guildelines in his own mind concerning the requirements which need to be surpassed in order for the troops' removal, and if he says that those requirements have yet to be met then they have not yet been met; but I'm sure we will one day keep peace by simply standing on our shores and simply standing firm, with the leaders of homicide conspiracies cowering in their caves, or settled in their graves.

Today was June 6, 2006.

I have not seen the Omen -- the one that came out today -- but if it's anything like the others, I'll see it.

But not today. And probably not this month, but when it makes its way to the movie rental place, I'll go into the store and, well, look at the cover and think about renting it, but I won't.

I'll wait until it goes to video, and then I'll wait until it goes to the library. Then I'll take my library card and rent a movie so I can get some of my tax money's worth back from the government.

Afterwards, though, I'm sure I'll have to go to sleep with the lights on and one eye open, or cuddled up to my Bible in front of the fireplace, or in my car on the road to my friend's house in another state.

Well, another date in history has come and gone. And like New Years 2000, the world has not come to an end. Do good things with your lives.