So I took my lunch break at the Mall today. Taking a break from the string of fast food places near the office. As I walked around the Mall sipping my Iced Mocha Latte (lest any of you think I that I have somehow removed myself from the posh American lifestyle), I marveled at all of the options crammed into the mere 1.3 million sq ft of retail space. As of late, I have noticed that a large portion of the wares offered in our capitalist society can best be summed up as crap. And when I use the word crap, it refers to clutter or junk not so much the other connotation of poo that is oft associated with this word. Now to be fair, much of the crap sold in stores today is merely crap to me. That is to say, it is something that has no use whatsoever to me (or I already own 3).

BUT beyond the differing utilites to different people there is an astounding amount of utter and total crap on the market. Seriously, the next time you are shopping look around and think about how much of the products being offered "matter" in any large view of things — or even how many things will even be used a month after being purchased. It has reached the point that the only novelty in "novelty items" is that anyone would actually buy them. But people do. The market value of any item is defined as a willing buyer and a willing seller — but honestly, the American buyer has become all too willing. Forget the record low interest rates or quick and easy credit terms, the real problem is that we will buy just about anything at any price these days.

As I pondered the meaning of the ever reduced standards placed on products by the adoring public, I realized that the terrorists are PARTIALLy right. The best lies are those that are filled with half-truths — and the Jihading terrorists are supported by lies. But let's look at the underlying half-truths. American's do love stuff and we buy a LOT of it. Capitalism/commercialism have long been a fundamental principal of the "West" and most of that stuff is at best for our amusement/entertainment and at worst merely crap.

WHY? Why do we spend so much time and effort gathering wealth so that we can turn around and spend it on stuff that ultimately doesn't make us happy? Ultimately being the key word. Sure, a lot of stuff is great for a while – a few rare items will even bring you joy for years to come… but ultimately, the fulfillment fades and we search for something else to fill the void. The 2nd half-truth: stuff doesn't make you happy. Doesn't feed the soul. Doesn't fulfill the inherent desires in all of us… What does, well, that's a whole other hour of philosophizing…

But let me be clear here. The terrorists are WRONG. Fiscal fulfillment, while fleeting, is NOT intrinsically evil. Our obsession with stuff, our "decadence", does make it easier to scapegoat America as the cause of all that is bad in the world. We have, they don't — we must have some how taken it away from them… We are powerful, they are not — we either caused their pain or should have prevented it. Ok, ok, end rant.

After attending a reunion last night, I can now say I am officially old or responsible or an adult (bar mitzvah, what?) or something. While it had some serious resemblances to prom (same room, DJ, pictures…), it was actually a blast. A few were noticably absent and several were serving in Iraq, but the rest of us got together and showed we can still party with the young guns. After stories of other reunions, I expected a lot more posturing. But I have to say that I am proud of my old class. Proud that no one – to my knowledge – made a big deal that their car/job/dog was sooo much better than the rest. Proud that, the most oft asked question was "what area do you live?" not "what do you do?". Proud that, as young as we are, many had already left traditional professions and were pursuing something they loved. Life is too short to slave away for just a paycheck. But moving forward, I'd say what I most took away from my reunion was a couple more players for the weekly poker game (suckers!) ;)

This is great! A small town New Hampshire police chief is gathering national attention for his creative approach to a touchy subject. Illegal Immigration has become a growing problem in this country with over 8 MILLION illegal imigrants — almost half a million of whom are "fleeing" deportation. Opponents point out the large security risk such lax enforcement creates in a post 9/11 world. Proponents claim that enforcing immigration law would create racial/ethnic atrocities and that illegal immigration should be overlooked since most illegals are simply looking for work. This article is great because it shows that small communities can still handle things themselves without needing the Federal Government for every exigency. Which is the true reason the ACLU is concerned. Not fears "that a police chief has the right to set federal policy", but that people might realize that local governments could set their own policy instead of wringing their hands waiting for the feds. The ACLU has been learning that the American people are not as easy to control as the Federal government. …Chamberlain was nudged into action in the summer of 2004, when he stopped a van for speeding along New Ipswich's short main drag. He found 10 Ecuadoran men inside, all of whom readily admitted they lacked legal papers. Chamberlain placed a phone call to ICE. "The feds were, like, 'Whatever. Just give them a ticket and let them go,' " Chamberlain said. "I was shocked." After that, the chief sat down with a local prosecutor and tried to find a legal foothold. They settled on New Hampshire's trespassing law, which states: "A person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place"…

• New Tack Against Illegal Immigrants: Trespassing Charges