MIDAS - by Russell Andrews

This thriller parallels some of the real life political events but puts a dangerous spin on some of them and points out some of the dangers of having a closed and secretive administration. Did the secret meeting with VP Danforth to determine an energy policy include some of the major oil producers from Saudia Arabia or elsewhere. What were the goals of the meeting; to keep the oil companies happy? to keep the oil prices high' to make the U.S. independent of foreign oil supplies? Are terrorist attacks good for the current administration by keeping people fearful so that they can pass more legislation that would diminish the rights spelled out in the constitution? Can a local cop bring down corruption at the highest levels of government? If you want to know the answer to that question, then pick up this book. It is also an Audio Book. I listened to it rather than read it. A good and entertaining way to exercise while listening to an audio book.

odyssey - jack mcDevitt

OK - on a lighter note. It has been awhile since I have read a Science Fiction novel but I recently picked up "odyssey" by jack mcDevitt and although I haven't finished reading it yet, I find it some what fascinating and thought provoking. It takes place in the late 23rd century when space travel has become common place and global warming has not yet destroyed life on earth but is having a serious impact on the climate and the debates in the political arena have to do with the spending priorities of the governing bodies. In the mean time, there has not been any contact with an advanced civilization but there is evidence that they did exist at one time but are now extinct. But there are some strange and unexplained events that could be evidence of existing intelligent and technologically advanced life forms. The "origins project" is an ambitious project in outer space that is trying to determine the origin of the universe, but will it destroy the universe instead? Can it be stopped before that happens. I will stop now before I give away any more of the plot.

Iraq

Is it a facade? Will it still be "Stay the Course" but with different rhetoric? It appears to me that the President is trying to listen to everyone, at least until he can find someone who agrees with what he has already decided and then he can have some backup for his postion. And it also appears that the democrats are going to do what they always do in situations like this, lay down and play dead. Is there going to be a change in policy as a result of election? I seriously doubt it. Can democracy be imposed on a country that has no history of democracy and has many different factions that are violently opposed to each other. He says he can't support a policy the would lead to defeat, I say there is no policy that will not lead to defeat. In this case what is defeat? If the only thing that can be declared a victory in Iraq is a stable democratic government and a lack of violence in the country, then there will never be a U.S. victory in Iraq, whether we are there two more years or fifteen more years. Can the democrats stand up to the President and force him bring the U.S. troops home? I don't think they have the stomach for it.