Last day of the week

I've got a big problem.. Today is the last day of the week so I get tomorrow off. However, I've got loads of work to be done so I can't take a break. I was up late last night grading and I'll be doing the same tonight and possibly tomorrow night as well. The problem is that the one day break really makes waking up at 5am every morning worth it. I need that time to sleep and catch up with friends. So next week is going to be tough. But at least all my work will be caught up. Okay enough complaining...

Today Obama announced that he will withdraw all US troop from Iraq by the end of the year. Well.... I hate to be immediately sceptical but that is not the whole truth. The truth is that he will still be leaving over 5,000 "security guards" behind as well as contractors and the like. Lets not forget that the largest diplomatic base outside of the US is in Iraq. There is also the war in Afghanistan which he didn't mention. Basically this appears to be a distraction from failed policies that are repackaged and sold again and again without success and a bid for re-election. He promised that he would do just this as soon as he took office. However he did not, due to the fact that it is not just that easy to pull out thousands of troops from an unstable region. I really feel the only reason he is doing it now, so suddenly ( for shock factor) is to show that somehow he was a good president and that he should be re-elected.

Realistically I should be happy. I want our troops out of Iraq. But I want them out for the right reasons and I want them out in a different way than they were pulled out in the first gulf war. Suddenly, without effect.

Also, I have been following the occupy wall street protests as they grow across the globe along with the riots and austerity protest. And a theme that has been repeated is that somehow Capitalism is to blame. But I'm sorry, isn't it the rise in Socialism that is really the cause here? Its the rise in socialism that has brought Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal down in flames and the rise in Socialism in the US as well that has added to the disaster that is our debt crisis. Capitalism is flawed as is any other system in the hands of sinners. But it is the inherent faults in Socialism that has perhaps not created but exacerbated the problems we are seeing. Capitalism allows the so called 99% to become the 1%. Anyone can do it. Life is not fair! You should have to work for things. etc etc...