They never tire of looking for someone to punish

Here, on March 15, I pointed out some of the similarities between Hitler's Germany and President Obama's administration. It wasn't until recently that others began making that connection, soon after Nancy Pelosi injected the word "Nazi" into her description of dissenters at public health care forums, and revealed more of the administration's bias.

Now, another comparison raises its ugly head. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the self-proclaimed President of Iran, has called for the prosecution of Iran's top opposition leaders following the recent disputed election. Similarly, President Obama, against his pledge to bury the past, seemingly is going to allow Attorney General Holder to attempt to punish the very people who kept us safe since 9/11. . . and the beat goes on.

. . . what I read in the newspaper

"I started the washer, put the clothes in, added detergent, and probably threw in the fabric softener right on the OPOSSUM before I noticed it lying in the wash drum," said Krista May of another pleasant little town nearby. Because I have tried unsuccessfully to generate the nickname "Possum" for myself, I was immediately interested in the saga of the neighboring marsupial.

May opined that the opossum had got into the washer by nudging open the lid of the top-loader and jumping in. I suspect, more likely, someone had followed the instructions that recommend that the machine lid should be left open after use. (Grandmother) Jacqueline May said it was quite an adventure, and the family took some cute pictures.

The County Animal Control reluctantly "relocated" the opossum to another area. Let's hope that is not a euphemism.

Watch out!

Teddy Kennedy (1932-2009) has joined Mary Jo Kopechne in the afterlife. I hope she kicks him in the nuts.

Strange bedfellows

Sometimes I am reminded that I don't know everything, like my father-in-law thought he did. It appears I missed the fact that the state of California has a law which prohibits linking teacher evaluations to student performance. The article in the Sacramento Bee by Torey Van Oot (what a great name) goes on to say that, surprisingly, it is being enforced, and Governor Schwarzenegger, the kindergarten cop, wants it repealed. Why?

Money, of course. Part of President Obama's stimulus package provides $4.3 billion to schools which penalize teachers for the failures of students and their parents. Democrat politicians just never tire of looking for someone to punish.

I find myself actually agreeing with California Teachers Association Vice President Dean Vogel, when he says that merit-based pay "just [doesn't] work." I guess the CTA's love of liberalism ends when they get their pockets picked. Hopefully, hidden in there somewhere is the knowledge that education is primarily the responsibility of the children as nutured by their parents.

Forum

There is nothing wrong with health care in the United States. You can expect to receive the finest treatment in the world. So, what are we arguing about?

Like everything else, it's about the money. It's like a game. The health care providers present outrageous bills, and the insurance companies pay the amount that pleases them. Nobody thinks a bandage is worth $20, and when you see it in print, you tend to laugh, but it's not funny when your premiums go up.

It seems to me that about the time the government created the ill-advised Medicare program, private insurance companies saw the chance to jump on the gravy train by covering people before they retired. Then, the attorneys joined the party, and the big money started to flow.

Years ago, sick people saw their doctors and paid just about as much as the physicians thought they could afford. It was a kinder, gentler time. Interestingly enough, paying your doctor bills in cash today can still be affordable if you negotiate. Processing insurance claims requires doctors to hire extra staff, and great savings could be achieved if 1. We eliminated health insurance, and 2. We severely restricted court ordered malpractice awards.

More government bureaucracy with its rules and regulations is counterproductive. Tell your legislators you don't want it.

Two for TV

(AS SEEN) I want to commend our local Republican state legislators for considering our feelings more than their Democrat counterparts did, when they gave their staff members generous raises in this time of recession.

Now I know why I lost interest in pro football a while ago. Brett Favre, with his childish yes-I-will, no-I-won't ambivalence is a perfect example of why we shouldn't pay those prima donnas so much money to play games.

#601

As I begin the next 100 blogs, I promise to continue to try to improve the world in some of the following areas:

Fighting creeping socialism

Combatting racism

Ferreting out inappropriate teachers

Uncovering nonsense science

Eliminating foolish political correctness

Opposing punitive treatment of selected non-criminal segments of society

Advocating the removal of marriage from any government control

Determining how much of the global warming argument is purely political

Returning government to elected officials who care about the people, and

Emulating Noel Coward, who had "a talent to amuse."


THE GENIUS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA: Upon viewing Old Faithful recently, he was heard to say, "That's a geyser, there". . . and the state-controlled media was present dutifully to capture the moment.

Open letter to the residents of Corcoran, CA

Please be advised that Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme has been released from prison, and soon will be seeking housing in your community. We don't think she is a danger to herslf or others, but in the interest of safety, we hereby remind you that she is still infatuated with the Charles Manson who resides in your vicinity, and she may repeatedly try to visit him. We cannot recommend she succeed.

Although it may violate her rights, you could decide, as a community, to refuse to sell, rent or otherwise provide her any lodging. (Please pretend we never said that.)

Sincerely,
Federal Bureau of Prisons



#600

Stupid/brilliant

The people who are driving the biggest smoke-belching, gas-guzzling clunkers are those who can't afford to buy new cars. Those who can negotiate car payments are trading in newer and more efficient vehicles, which the government then destroys. Please tell me how that makes sense.

The passing of Les Paul (1915-2009) cannot be allowed to go by without comment. The father of the solid-body electric guitar and multi-track recording has made most of the music you listen to today possible, and his playing style may never be surpassed. Even Jimi Hendrix, somewhere on his cloud, is now asking Paul, "How did you play that?"

Mi dispiace

Yesterday, first born and I left our pleasant little town, and went the 40-50 miles to another pleasant little town where the birthday girl (she's still Daddy's little girl) works, and went to lunch at one of the three restaurants the locals recommend. It was supposed to be "Italian."

Wednesday at lunch, and the place was quite busy. Most of the patrons were older men, some accompanied by female companions who were old enough to be their wives. I would opine that they were affluent farmers of rice, the local crop of choice. What recession?

After consuming tiny salads, my companions enjoyed their entrees. My salad was larger, and featured one. . . count it, one grape tomato, which was one more than both of theirs. The bread was "sourdough," cold, dry and tasteless. I had the spaghetti ($7.95) and meatballs. . . count 'em, two ($3.50). Had I been asked my opinion of it, I would have responded, "I've been to Italy."

I have decided that if I don't suffer through some mediocre spaghetti, I will never find some that, at least, matches that which I enjoyed at Mel's Bowl in Alameda in the '70s. I have long since despaired of finding the real Milanese sauce I ate in 1960.

Justice

Sonia Sotomayor, the self-proclaimed "Wise Latina," has become a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. I am a wise white man who has had the "married-with-children," experience which she seems to lack, and I understand the Constitution well enough that I probably wouldn't have had 15 of my 16 decisions overturned.

EXTRA: Tomorrow will be the penultimate FAMILY BIRTHDAY of the year. It will involve lunch, and my blog will be late, if not missing. If a story develops, you'll read it here. . . or not.

A second one for Friday

I almost contributed to P BS the other night when they played "Leonard Cohen in London," which I enjoyed immensely. Cohen is a brilliant poet and a thoroughly charming performer. I reached for the phone, and then I remembered that they used to play the Crazy Liberal Lady, which I hope is gone, but I no longer stay up until midnight, so I can't be sure. What I do know is that they broadcast Bill Moyers and another piece of propaganda called "Now," and, of course, most of their science programming is gloom and doom about how someone is ostensibly destroying the environment, an action for which I refuse to feel guilty. How can I be sure my money will only be used to buy the music and drama programs that I enjoy, without a political message?

"Makeup of California GOP lags state's ethnic diversity"

Behold the awkward title of an AP story out of Sacramento, which may not have made it out of California. It may be the most racist state-controlled news item I have ever read.

Let's begin with the word "diversity." Every time I hear it, I cringe. Diversity celebrates the differences between people, while anti-racism is about emphasizing the ways we are the same. Doesn't that make ethnic diversity a bad thing?

The article itself states that 79% of Republicans are white, as though that were a bad thing. It further recommends that the party pander to various ethnic "communities." There is only one community -- the American community. Again, racism will continue to be with us until everyone shares the same goals and rewards. Pointing out the differences is counterproductive.

Thanks, Bill

Isn't it ironic that a discredited former President could do the job that the verbose current President didn't have the guts or the inclination to undertake? Isn't it curious that Bill Clinton was welcomed in North Korea like a rock star? Don't you wonder if Bill exercised any official duty, while he was there? Do you care if he employed lying, his greatest skill, with the North Koreans?

What is important is that two Americans have been freed from unreasonable charges, and are home in the bosoms of their loving families, specifically, Mr. Laura Ling and Mr. Euna Lee. Hmmm. Would you marry a woman who wouldn't take your name, not even hyphenated?

PARENTHETICALLY: The case of the three Americans who "found themselves" in Iran is less clear cut. Who would be "hiking/camping" on the Iraq/Iran border today? Ling and Lee are journalists; what are the other three? Spies? Direct government involvement might confirm that.

Prophecy

The commercial I just saw on TV said the average family can save $3,100 this year by shopping at Walmart. If you are average, and you shop at Walmart, may I suggest that you put away all those savings in an interest-bearing account, because when the Walton State Store, a subsidiary of the Obamination, runs everyone else out of business, you will have to pay whatever inflated price they want to charge.

Walmart is run by seven of the richest people in the world, and they didn't get that way by being magnanimous. What they did was intimidate their suppliers, and then make a sweetheart deal with Chinese sweatshops. The volume they handle allows them to stock their shelves with cheap, inferior goods which you must soon replace. The latest goldmine of consumables for them is food. At the expense of the farmers, they will undersell all competitors until none remain, when you will meet their price or starve. Whose survival do you suppose seven rich people will consider the more important? (As published on 8/9)

If I'm proven wrong before you or I die, I'll apologize.

HOLD ON: I just heard that Bill Clinton is in North Korea talking about the hostages. If he is successful, I promise to stop calling him names. UPDATE: It looks like he pulled it off. I'm going to pretend he didn't give up anything important, and no more "Slick Willie" from me. It's thanks, Bill; how's the wife?