Miss me?

Yes, I know it's been 11 days since I last posted an opinion piece for From the Cornfield.  That doesn't mean I haven't been keeping up with the news or politics  or anything else happening in the world. It's just there's really not  that much to have much of an opinion about without repeating myself over  and over.

Now, I have been posting each day in my personal blog, Inside My Mind. I also did upload a synopsis of my 9-month post-surgery follow-up to CNN's iReport today. So I haven't been exactly slacking...well not completely.

So, what has been going on?

My  thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been killed  indiscriminately in recent days including the mall shooting Tuesday in  Oregon. The domestic violence seems to be escalating.

Let's  hear it for North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un. He may not be the  "sexiest man alive", but he is one of the world's most dangerous. The  launch of a missile into space is troubling enough that even China is  not happy.

Looks  like Bashar al Assad is in the throes of a death gurgle as his  desperation is showing. His latest acts against his own people, such as  the scud attacks, reveals how near the end his regime is. Of course, the  US is trying to figure out how to keep Al Qaeda from staking ground and  laying a foundation inside the country at the same time.

On  the Benghazi tragedy, nothing new and nothing forthcoming. Any  discussions and briefings have moved behind closed doors. Questions  remain, but answers are not forthcoming.

On  Fast and Furious, the Justice Department has put forth a motion asking  the court to stay out of the fight between the Congress and the  Executive Branch. However, it is unlikely the court will butt out. Most  likely the trial will proceed on the Contempt of Congress Citation  against Attorney General Eric Holder.

The  Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases involving same-gender  couples equality with straight couples. However, the cases won't be  heard until March...so a long time before any real comment here. One  case zeros in on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act  (DOMA) and the other deals with Proposition 8 that banned same-gender  marriage equality in California.

As  we rush headlong in a frenzy to plunge over the fiscal cliff, our  nation's leaders are acting like Nero fiddling while Rome was burning.  Each day we see and hear more pontificating and no action to keep the  country from being tossed back into recession and the loss of thousands  and thousands of jobs. In the last couple of days, finally, apparently  President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner have been talking,  but seem to be getting farther apart instead of closer to a resolution.

Oh, by the way, did I mention that Mark's Den has a new home?

No,  Iohn and I are still in the Cornfield and haven't relocated to a more  hospitable climate. We just moved one door over and down the hall from  the small 1-bedroom that was home to Mark's Den for the last year and a  half into a much larger 2-bedroom apartment that is about three times  the size of our old apartment. The best part is our landlady offered us  the bigger place for the same amount of rent. Internet access, cable and  all utilities are still included as well. Iohn's been busy making  various repairs the place needed, but can't beat it.

A  lot is being made about today being 12-12-12. To me it's just another  day. Yes, I realize this will not come again for another 100 years. But I  find nothing mystical about it.

Are you ready?

Some  have the notion or want to believe that the Mayans predicted the world  will come to an end in 9 days from now. I think a lot of people will be  greatly disappointed when they wake up to the same old faces and  troubles on Saturday morning, December 22.

That's  a round-up, but as you can see at this time there is not really that  much to write about or to form an indepth report on until something  breaks in the world of politics.

From  the Cornfield, I may not be pounding out a daily opinion piece, but  that doesn't mean I'm not listening, reading or paying attention.  Remember primary season begins in three years.