Like all fairy tales, this story has a moral and is metaphorical, (actually, there are a number of metaphors one could draw).  We’re all familiar with the Jack and the Beanstalk story and it’s multiple, mixed moral messages.  It’s title suggests that it is strictly about someone named Jack and a Beanstalk, but in reality it has little to do with the beanstalk, (except as a method for Jack to get up to and down from the Castle in the clouds).  

It’s really about a ne’er do well kid named Jack who didn’t pay attention to his mother, did something real stupid, and due to, nay, in spite of a series of improbable events, including stealing something, he turns out okay. 

It is of course a fantasy, but a quick read between the lines shows how it parallels real life in a lot of ways.  Of course the premise of the story is as follows:  Jack’s mother sends Jack to market with a cow to trade, he gets 'seemingly’ swindled into trading it for a bag of 'magic beans.’   When he arrives home exuberant over his purchase and what the beans can supposedly do, she gets understandably upset and throws them out the window.  Well naturally the beans take root overnight, it wouldn’t be a fairy tale if something ridiculous like this didn’t take place, and grow into a huge beanstalk, which ascends the clouds.

I had lunch with a friend of mine the other day and we talked about a lot of stuff; business, life, politics, the coming elections, and other weighty matters.  During our chat, my friend brought up an issue that has just been nagging the snot out of me ever since.

I would guess that most people understand that we have a substantial delay between the time a president is elected and the day he or one day she takes the oath of office.

Putting aside the 20th Amendment, which calls for the delay, for a minute; I suppose it was needed due to how slow communication and travel issues were back then when we went from a full six months delay to the current two and a half months.  

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about a lot of different things, and I’ve decided to speak out on some of them.  Since we are involved in a huge election cycle, let’s start with politics.  Speaking strictly as a journalist, it doesn’t really matter to me which candidate wins in any race, be they democrat or republican, liberal or conservative.

However, as a concerned citizen that happens to publish an online newspaper with a growing readership, I can remain silent no longer on some issues, races, and candidates, and feel the need to speak for We the People.  While I’m sure this first issue is happening in many states and races, I am horrified that there are several races happening in my state of Florida where some candidates have either directly stated that they won’t engage in debates with their primary opponents, or seem to conveniently not be able fit these critical debates into their schedules.

Okay, as previously discussed, I had a fun day on the 4th.  There were some strange things happening and I intend to let you all know about that tomorrow.  However, I saw something last night that I have never seen before and I wanted to share the experience and photos with you.  

I enjoyed some fireworks in Wellington, FL, grabbed the beginning of a great story, and while waiting for the traffic to die down before even attempting to leave the parking lot, we saw some people letting loose some 'Chinese lanterns.'  As you can see from the picture, they are pretty simple devices.  

No bigger than an apartment clothes hamper and made of very lite material with a small tray of burning fluid for the heat, they are basically a miniature, un-piloted hot air balloon.  I definitely thought they were very cool; however I couldn’t help but be reminded of liberal politicians of both parties.  Not much in the way of substance, and held aloft with a bunch of hot air via a spark that quickly burns out and crashes to the ground.   Anyway, enjoy the photo.