At 3:30am I was awakened by a loud noise, which maybe was good, because I was having one of those retired nurses dreams about four kids with strep throat. What a thing to dream about. (I wonder what proctologists dream about??)

I got up and got my .38 caliber revolver out of the bedside stand and went to look room to room for whatever caused the racket. Nothing. Looked outside. Nothing.
Then I saw my six feet tall cactus plant that was sitting on a bench next to the kitchen table had fallen over on some other plants. The cactus is top heavy and badly in need of re-potting. I straightened it up and leaned it against the wall for support.
Then I tried but couldn't go back to sleep, so here I am tapping away at 4:30am. (The clock on the computer says 9:46am, that settig is wrong, and every time I reset it, it does what it wants, so forget about what it says.)

Here in the night, unable to sleep, I think. I'm not Nostradamus; no matter, this is what I think. The United States that I love, flawed though it is, is on the way out. Too many countries with nuclear weapon capability and lunatics with their finger on the button could bring this giant down. That would be the quick way.

But the way things are going now is very effective too. Slower, but just as destructive. Consider--How would a pack of wolves bring down an elephant? First they would lure it into their territory and weaken it by attacking its feet and harassing it endlessly and draining it of strength until it falls to the ground. We are a giant who is quickly expending its energy and strength and resources by going far afield and continuing useless futile wars, unwinnable wars because the wolves can go to ground over and over. The US is spending, spending, spending, draining itself, and soldier's dying for nothing--nothing--as our infrastructure back home slowly falls to ruin.

One day the Chinese will lay claim to this country, and we will be so weakened, they will just march in and take over. Our leaders have hitched their wagon to China, a ruthless ambitious star who will one day own us, and the countries the US have occupied will align with them. Mexico will be eager to join; Canada will have to join or go to war. This country had a spectacular rise, emerged as THE world power, but world powers and elephants can meet the same fate--that is what I see.

The oceans will die, turned into sewers like fresh water sources--clean water will become scarce. No surprises there. Since the US cut its space program, China will be the one to have satellites and space stations and lay claim to the moon. You will have to have a microchip implanted in your arm so you can be scanned at any time. Refuse a chip--executed. Food sources will become scarcer and scarcer; battles will be fought over it. A new virus will arise out of Africa and decimate Europe. Fuel will be rationed--only government officials will be allowed to use planes. The Earth will wobble on its axis and weather patters will change, causing snowy winters in what used to be the Brazilian rain forest, and heat waves in the Arctic. Sea levels will rise to cover coastal cities under 200 feet of water. Call me a doomsdayer; it is what it is.
Now I'm going back to bed. Thinking is exhausting.

susil