We ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Here we are just one month from November 8, voting day in U.S.A., and major bombs are dropping on the electorate to influence voting and bring a merciful end to the political conflict. When will the bombs stop? A history lesson seems appropriate. In each case, within a month of Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day, May 8, 1945) and the announced date of the Japanese surrender (August 15, 1945), the bombs didn't cease dropping. They kept on coming until the last moment. And perhaps recorded somewhere are the names of the last combatants killed before peace broke out. In the Pacific theater the first atomic bomb named "Little Boy" destroyed Hiroshima on August 6th. On August 9th the second atomic bomb named "Fat Man" leveled Nagasaki. Japanese surrender followed just days later.

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Donald Trump's "Little Boy' is the tape revealing his proclivity to ravish attractive women, at least verbally. "Fat Man" is Hillary's penchant to tell voters one story and Wall Street fat cats a completely different story on the same topic. Which bomb delivers the worst result? Tellingly, "Little Boy" did not persuade Japanese authorities to end the conflict . . . and as of this morning "the Donald" vows to continue the fight. The media, expending ink by the barrel, is attempting to persuade voters that Trump's errant talk, affecting only those close to him, is more serious and dangerous to our existence than Hillary's lies that affect the entire populace. Who will win this battle of words? I have read all 21 wonderful sea novels (circa 1800) written by Patrick O'Brian, and featuring a flawed but lovable British Navy Captain Jack Aubrey, master of the "H.M.S. Surprise". The little ship was always under-gunned compared to foes' superior armament, but the crafty captain was clever enough to prevail. O'Brian's first novel titled 'Master and Commander' became a very good film of the same title. A scene from the film, depicting life in the officers' mess, offered a choice between two unsavory biscuits from the ship's stores. It is linked here. Perhaps the "choice' is reprised in this election. Enjoy the brief 50-second clip. Undoubtedly there are more bombs to drop . . . and voters will have to decide which have inflicted the final death blow that leads to surrender . . . and victory.

The Lesser of Two Weevils - Master and Commander

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