Malcontent.

I want to complain about the government today. This is hardly something new for me, but the several disjointed stories that bred this morning's discontent cover a wide array of issues.

First, on NPR's website, I noticed a story about xeriscaping, and when I clicked on the link it took me to Ketzel Levine's blog. Levine hosts an NPR program called "Talking Plants," and I consider her an expert in matters gardening. The city of Tempe, Arizona, took exception to one couple's dry and dead lawn. Now, let's think a minute. Tempe, Arizona is in the middle of a desert, right? Does grass, green, verdant, golf-course grass grow in the desert? No? Why, then, would you waste an extreme amount of water to grow a green lawn?

It would seem to me that the City of Tempe passed regs about having nice yards to avoid people having six junker cars on their front lawns up on cinderblocks. Not to bitch at people who don't want to waste water. It irks me that government gets involved in cases like this. What's next, the city fathers telling you what color you can paint your front door? Yeesh.

Next I saw a bit on Headline News about President Idiot. He was treated for Lyme disease in 2006; this information was only released today. This administration has never met a delaying tactic, a manner of stonewalling the free press that they didn't like. See my "Backwards Bush" counter over there in the sidebar? Thank whatever you hold holy that he's NOT eligible for a third term, I might lose my mind. Some more.

Then there's the fella who is an American citizen but was "mistakenly" deported to Mexico. Fan-tas-tique job there. I've said before that the Department of Homeland Security just smacks too much of Nazi Germany for my tastes. What's next, a department of the Fatherland? We needed another large governmental agency? Riiiiiight. Seems to me that all they do is stir up unnecessary hysteria. What's the terror alert level today? Who the hell cares?

Finally, in the roundup of all the news that's fit to make you ill is the FEMA trailers that some Katrina victims are still living in. The folks still stuck in them are suicidal and extraordinarily depressed. Gee, I wonder why.

Add to all of this the fact that it is 94 bazillion degrees outside (yes, that's a real number, it IS 94 bazillion!) overcast, cloudy and muggy enough to take your breath away, and it isn't any surprise that I'm feeling a bit malcontent today.

Probably because I've been at home for most of this summer, it seems to me that I can't remember a nicer summer, weather-wise, in recent history. I attribute that mostly to the fact that I'm noticing more since I have more free time. Until about a week ago, it was sunny, warm but not too hot, and dry. Perfect for lying by the pool and reading Harry Potter. But in the last week, the humidity has shot through the roof and it has rained every day. We desperately needed the rain, but I sure could do without the gloomy skies that are usually more typical of say, November, here in Ohio.