It going to be a hot one...

It's 9:15 a.m. I am sitting here by an open window on the west side of my house with the windows open.

There is no breeze. Not even a wisp.

From my past experience this indicates it will be a hot day. Mind you we only live 15 minutes from the beach, and most times are provided with a pretty consistant onshore flow.

But not today.

No problemo! I'll just go out for a dip in the pool! Oh wait, that's right, we don't have a pool... but we do have sprinklers on the front lawn... Now I just need to remember where I put my speedos...(please avoid that mental picture at all costs!)

In between cups of coffee and entertaining the world's most handsome son, (bias? I don't need no stinkin' bias! It's a fact!) I came across an article in the LA Times entitled: "U.S. plans arms deals for Mideast allies"

Normally I tend to breeze over these articles, but the numbers in this one caught my eye.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-arms28jul28,1,1222527.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=2&cset=true

"WASHINGTON — The Bush administration will announce next week a series of arms deals worth at least $20 billion to Saudi Arabia and five other oil-rich Persian Gulf states, as well as new 10-year military aid packages to Israel and Egypt, a move to shore up allies in the Middle East and counter Iran's rising influence, U.S. officials said Friday. The military assistance agreements would provide $30 billion in new U.S. aid to Israel and $13 billion to Egypt over 10 years, the officials said. Both figures represent significant increases in military support..."

I believe if my math is correct that total military aid package adds up to $43 billion dollars.

If my recollection of history does not fail me, didn't we do the same thing in Afganistan via Pakistan in the early to mid 80's?(Covertly mind you, Cold War, etc...)

Who was it that said "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it..."

Just imagine what $43 Billion dollars could do for many of the primary public school systems around the U.S...Hmmm...

The first lessons my wife and I are trying to teach my son is sharing and fairness.

When he is old enough to comprehend the lessons, I will use articles such as this to show him how money is sometimes foolishly spent, in addition to the importance and the potential long range effects of choices we make in life.

I'm sure he may be bored with most of it, but if I can squeeze in one important lesson that he will remember for the future, then all the better.