It's Over

"Game Over".

The iconic phrase once limited to pinball machines and video games has made its way into modern American English and is often used interchangeably with "S.O.L.", "Screwed The Pooch", and "Epic Fail".

Any of these terms can be used to describe where the human race is today.

More specifically, it is where America is today.

The world is literally coming apart at the seams, and we're ruled by fools.

In January 2010, Haiti was struck by a 7.0 earthquake. American politicians made their pronouncements and threw a few dollars at that rock in the Caribbean, and as soon as everyone felt good about themselves , promptly abandoned it.

Even the media packed up and went home to leave thousands to die of disease, and suffer chronic shortages of food.

And now Japan, where the effects of the disaster have global implications (both environmentally and economically), hasn't seen near the level of help that Haiti received.

I want you to go here to 2010 Disaster Calendar, and go through the year, month by month, and look to see how your fellow man suffered and died.

We're only three months into 2011, and already the list is impressive. Just go look.

And so....

Today, Obama is taping his March Madness picks while a series of reactor meltdowns threaten the world.

As Japan reeled from aftershocks, and began trying to sort things out last Saturday, Obama played .....golf.

And cranked up his re-election campaign

Meanwhile, Germany is shutting down seven of its aging nuclear plants due to safety concerns.

Don't worry, American Nuclear Plants Are Better Prepared.

And the unrest in the Arab world continues to escalate with Saudi Arabia having to deploy additional troops to quell an uprising in Bahrain. A state of emergency was declared in Bahrain by its monarch as he clings tenuously to power.

Egypt's young revolutionaries tell Clinton, essentially, GTFO. Story here.

Libya is embroiled into what has turned into a very bloody civil war. No one seems to be willing to help oust Gadhafi, in spite of early statements in support of the rebels, no strike that, FREEDOM FIGHTERS.

Italy turns its back on refugees from Libya.

And taking advantage of the distractions, Iran sends weapons to Gaza...again.

That is only part of what is going on in the world, and then we have the stuff here at home to contend with. Hopefully you're all keeping up with the local news.

Tsunami Damages, flooding - which will get worse, our own government funding anti-American groups while it runs out of money, escalating prices for food, imported commodities and fuel continue to rise, counties and even states face bankruptcy.

There are no riots. No bombings. No pitched battles in the street. Just more drugs in the government workplace.

And somehow, people in their collective complacency, realize something isn't right. I just don't think they know what to do.

Mayberry recently expressed his dismay over the fact that the bulk of the American people seemed to not be willing to do anything to change the situation. He even pointed his finger at the III percent movement and today, announced he didn't care anymore.

At one point in my life, I was a crew chief for a stock car team running the now defunct Featherlite SouthWest Tour. We were a California team running short tracks. Low on money, big on hard work, and high on dreams (and gasoline fumes).

Spend all week with a welder, a sheet metal brake, and a wrench just to watch the car get torn up in a single Saturday night show.

It is completely different watching a race from inside the pit, or a spotters position, than from the stands. You see things, smell things, and hear things developing before many of the fans.

You're often powerless to stop what you know is coming.

You can be on the radio shouting at your driver to dive to the inside of the track as a wreck develops up in the front of the pack....but sometimes that just isn't enough.

I think that's where we are. We see what's coming, and we're doing everything we can to get people's attention. You the readers are part of this too. You see what's coming and that's why you keep coming back. I like to think maybe it is because you take some comfort in knowing you're not alone....or crazy.

You've all seen the wrecks during a race. The cars spin and gyrate across the track. Smoke, flame, twisted metal, and exploding parts flying all over the place...and even death. Yet, the cars keep moving down the track.

Maybe we are just watching the wreck as it starts. It will be a long time before the twisted wreckage comes to a rest. Humanity, and society, have been running a huge race with a packed field. It is going to take a while for all of it to stop and for people to start sorting through the wreckage.

Mayberry, maybe that's what we're here for. Maybe we can't stop the wreck. But we have the tools, and the ambition to build again. Maybe we'll get it right this next time.

In the meantime, all of you, don't give up trying to flag off the drivers who haven't yet been collected in the wreck.

Maybe it won't be "Game Over" for them.