I am an old print press hound. In other words, when I use to report for the Linton Daily Citizen in my former life, I was a writer not an on-air type of personality.  Sure there were a lot of my stories picked up by the area television  stations and the Associated Press, but it was the written word, not  verbal and not having my mug spread across everyone's television screen.

Any  way, recently, one of CNN's iReport Team producers, Daphne, suggested  that instead of my normal way of doing my iReports I forego writing my  thoughts first and reading as I did a video offering my opinion on a  subject, I just turn on my camera and talk.

Well tonight, I did that.

Now after viewing the video, don't judge me too harshly. Remember I'm just an old print press hound.

There  are other reasons I write down my thoughts now days as well. Adapting  and living with my various conditions, my focus and concentration are  not always the best. I can begin a sentence and get hung up on the word,  "a". Lose my train of thought...as if I have much to fuel that train  any way. So, to keep focus, to stay circumspect and concise, it is best  for me to write it down.

I  can also keep better track of my time that way. My rambling on and  on...ended up being over 9 1/2 minutes. Maybe I better stick to writing  it all out first.

That said, I did do up the video just talking which can be seen on iReport or by going to http://marksden.com/RandomThoughtsMidweek.wmv. Now unless you have a really fast internet connection, it will take awhile to download and play.

The  general gist is that in light of the murder of US Ambassador Chris  Stevens and 3 members of the diplomatic mission, is it time to pull out  the big stick?

Is the time to "walk softly" passed?

From  the Cornfield, you have to watch the video to understand what I'm  saying...but then again...talking off the top of my head may be rather  incoherent for some.

UPDATE: For the many of you who do not do the video route. Here is the story and point I attempted to make.

President Barack Obama has in the past quoted President Teddy Roosevelt, who often stated, "Walk softly, but carry a big stick". My question is in light of the current crisis, the murder of our ambassador to Libya and 3 members of the diplomatic corps as well as the other assaults on our embassy in Egypt, is it time to stop walking softly and bring out the big stick?

There was an old farmer who was selling a mule. The farmer claimed the mule would do anything you told it to do. A city slicker bought the mule, took him home and got no where talking to the mule. The man came back the next to the farmer demanding his money back.

"This mule won't do a thing I tell it to do!" the man declared self-righteously. The old farmer scratched his head and said, "Won't do a thing?" "Not a thing," the man rejoined.

The old farmerd reached down and picked up a 2x4 and hit the mule upside the head and told the mule to mosey over to the plow and get ready to till the field. The mule quickly ran over to the plow waiting.

The man in shock cried, "Why did you hit my mule with a 2x4? I thought you said the mule would do anything you told him to do."

"That's right," the old man said in his farmer's drawl. "But first you have to get his attention."

I learned long ago that with extremists you have to get their attention first. Perhaps its time we took out the big stick and got their attention. Maybe then they would think twice and perhaps listen to logic and reason.

From the Cornfield, just thought from an old, white guy this Wednesday night.