The Lost Candy

That candy that wasn't in my suitcase when I unpacked in Mountain View on October 17 evening turned up today. I was in the library borrowing books and movies, and I reached into the outside pocket of my canvas bag for something, and...there it was! Not only had I examined this canvas bag in California (not the outside pocket, alas, for I was too "sure" that I had packed the See's Candies bag between my travel pillow and my jacket), but also I even carried the canvas bag on the airplane with me to fly home. I could have had a piece of California brittle anytime I wanted! (And I had one this evening with a cup of tea, during a break from my get-out-the-vote calling for MoveOn.org.)

It rather looks as though what has been lost is some of my mental acuity! (At least, I think I used to have a fair amount.)

But this experience, too, seems to have been a useful one. For one thing, I went from "lost candy" to "lost innocence" and have started to think about mankind's ability to blind itself to fairly plain facts in order to suit its prejudices or other preconceptions. And you know, if you've been following my blog, I'm concentrating on political and religions "blinding." One thing I haven't clarified yet is my concept that a simple syllogistic schema is operative. I've labeled "syllogism" the example:

It's inconceivable that the president of a country like the U.S. could send Americans to die for a made-up or lost cause.
Therefore, George W. Bush hasn't done so.

But a syllogism consists of three statements, not two. What's the missing statement? (And how do the two current statements need to be adjusted accordingly to reveal the "blinding logic"?)

I think I know, but as a quiz (or a puzzle to amuse those of you who belong to MENSA), maybe you'd like to take a stab at it? (I assume you know how to comment.)

Another useful thing about the "lost candy" is how great I felt when I discovered that it wasn't lost! I felt lighter. I felt as though some burden I'd been carrying had been lifted off me. I walked out of the library with a livelier step than I'd walked in with. The college girls looked even sexier! Made once, my day was made yet again.

And I got to thinking. I recalled how depressing it has been having George W. Bush in the People's White House. And I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way. Obviously, there are many millions who feel similarly put upon and dejected. And angry.

Well, then: How heavy a weight nationally will be lifted off the People of the United States when the Busheviks are defeated? It'll be huge. The Planet Earth might even heave a sigh of relief.