Our next door neighbors are odd. Sure, most next door neighbors are a little odd it seems, but ours are really odd. Let me give you a few examples of the oddness of our neighbors:

They always watch goings-on through the drapes. They know everything about the neighborhood.

So what I saw Saturday afternoon shouldn’t really surpise me at all, but it did. I was going through the house closing windows when I heard an odd “whirring” sound. I looked through the front window and I saw the neighbor vacuuming the yard to pick up their grass clippings.

Just an hour earlier I had seen them raking the yard and bagging the clippings, but apparently that wasn’t enough. They were actually vacuuming the yard.

So about the time you think you live next to the oddest neighbors in the world, just remember they could be vacuuming their yard.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions–things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

“The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car.

The sand is everything else–the small stuff.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.

“Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers.”

This last Thursday wasn’t just Cinco De Mayo, it was also the day we as a nation moved a little closer toward a complete totalitarian state. The US House passed an “emergency spending” bill which included a rider for the Real ID Act.

Incase you’re not familiar with it, the Real ID Act is designed to force states to design their driver’s licenses to comply with federal antiterrorist standards. This could curb Americans’ access to everything from airplanes to national parks and some courthouses.

Starting three years from now, if you live or work in the United States, you’ll need a federally approved ID card to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service.

This bill passed through the US House by a vote of 368-58, only three republicans voted against it.

This Real ID Act has been attached to an “emergency” military spending bill because it’s difficult for politicians to vote against money that will go to the troops in Iraq and tsunami relief.

This bill absolutely has my blood boiling. It tramples all over the concept of States’ Rights and it’s a major step toward the restriction of free travel by innocent Americans. Today the Real ID - tomorrow you’ll have to “show papers” to cross a state border. You can laugh all you want, that day is coming.

The thing that bothers me the most is all the goddamn “sheeple” who tremble at the mention of the word “terrorist” and believe measures like the Real ID Act are designed to keep them safe.

It will do little to stop criminals, because criminals have never cared about the rules, but decent citizens will have to jump through hoops and come to accept presenting papers to travel in-country just like the Soviets we looked down on.

I have always been a conservative, I’ve always leaned towards the Republican way of thinking. However I cannot cotton to the fact that this measure has been steamrolled through the House by the Republicans, lauded by Bush and likely to face no opposition in the Senate because of Republican control.

Why, I’m starting to feel more liberal every day. I still think John Kerry is a dingus, but I seriously doubt he could fuck things up as badly as Bush is managing.

Shame on all of us. This is happening and we’re doing nothing to stop it! We need to get out and scream at our politicians to STOP! Stop the nonsense in the name of security. It doesn’t provide any and it just insults everyone’s’ intelligence.

Canada looks more inviting every single day.