Dolce far niente

"Too much law make people mad." "Hawai'i"

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

More results

I only made two correct talent choices this week, because the judges selected the idiot who dives from a ludicrous height into a kid's wading pool filled with 12 inches of water. Last night he upped the distance a few feet/inches/whatever, but he promised next time there would be fire half-way down, and additional flames around the pool.

Both Howie Mandel and I asked the obvious, "Why didn't you do that this time?" Nevertheless, they picked him over the magician with multiple pieces of equipment, who, I think, is the one who is supporting all those assistants. Chacun a son gout.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Adage of the day

Juan Williams, fired by NPR, is speaking out. He has learned that if you sleep with liberal dogs, you wake up with fleas.

Welcome to the real world (FOX), Juan.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Cynthia Tucker

If you are hoping that racism is alive and thriving in America, be sure to read Cynthia Tucker's weekly column. She is an educated and successful black woman who, somehow, manages to see a racist behind every tree, and gleefully knocks us over the head for allowing America to help her to expound that nonsense from her position of financial security and editorial freedom.

This week, she took the opportunity to excoriate one of "her own," Presidential candidate Herman Cain, another strong, accomplished black person. She attacks him for having a justified fear of Islam, whose main religious tract commands that all other religions must be sublimated or, lacking that, their members be exterminated. I am of the opinion that if you profess to be a member of an organized religion, you must be committed to its every principle. How do you suppose the everday devout Muslim can deal with those of us whom the Quran says must be converted or die?

[When you read Tucker, you can detect her innate unhappiness. Although she acknowledges that Cain will probably not be the Republican candidate, in her bitterness, she can't resist calling him a "narrow-minded know-nothing." Ah, name calling -- the final refuge of disappointed Obamaites.]

Finally, Tucker states that, "Many black voters. . . take great pride in the nation's first black president," as though skin color had anything to do with one's qualifications for public service. How proud can anyone be who now knows that President Obama is little more than a cheap Chicago politician who has run up the national debt to the brink of default, and can only offer, as a remedy, to punish the most successful among us -- the people who provide the jobs -- with abusive taxation?

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Talent results

Once again, I picked three winners. I didn't realize I was so mainstream as to agree with the votes of the rest of America. The judges selected the motorcycle act over the magician (not the one with five assistants) as number four.

My first choice was another singer, probably because I remember how much work it takes to display all your musical talent to skeptical audiences. Actually, I was a star in my own mind, and nobody ever booed. I am still available for weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, quinceaneras and gay bath houses (like Googie Gomez). No karaoke or community sings, please.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Next. . .

Tonight, I am going to watch some of the talent America has, again. Last week, my favorite (an eleven-year-old girl with a 30-year-old voice) received the most votes, and my second choice also moved on. I predicted the third group because it was large and did that frantic dancing the kids like. The fourth quarterfinalist was a surprise to me, but not to those who enjoyed Michael Jackson and his "dancing."

Perhaps, tonight will produce the ultimate winner, because age eleven is too young for Las Vegas. After all, because he can afford multiple pieces of equipment, one fellow can make five scantily-clad young women appear and disappear at will.

The question remains: How much of talent is genetic, and how much is practice? I have already opined that most talent is developed, because "natural" has its limits. Fortunately, most of those who are over-produced are seldom see again, like Milli Vanilli and Charlotte Church. Unfortunately, however, John Tesh, Brian Setzer and Andrea Bocelli can still be seen from time to time.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Letter to The Bee

I would like to thank David A. Lehrer for his article "Bill crafts Disneyland version of history," in which he criticizes that foolishness known as the recently enacted SB 48.

Public schools teach about the important events that have shaped the world of today, and the people who were involved. There were men and women of various races and ethnicities, and the only thing we need to know is what they accomplished. Organized religion has caused significant social upheaval, and its leaders must be given their share of the credit or blame as well, but singling out people because of with whom they have sexual relations is supremely irrelevant.

Friday, July 15, 2011

"Bill crafts Disneyland version of history"

Excerpt. . . from David A Lehrer, president of Community Advocates Inc., a Los Angeles-based human relations group

"[California] Senate Bill 48 expands the Education Code mandates for 'culturally and racially diverse groups' to include lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender folks and requires that they be 'accurately portrayed,' an inarguably noble goal.

"But within a few lines of extolling accuracy, SB 48 warns that no 'textbook or other instructional material shall contain any matter reflecting adversely' upon the persons portrayed. The state's 'standards' further warn that when ethnic or cultural groups are portrayed, their 'customs. . . (must not be shown) as undesirable and must not reflect adversely on such differences.' Either historians portray history and the groups that have made history 'accurately' or they mold what they write so as not to 'reflect adversely' on the groups and their customs; they can't do both. Our leaders are trying to craft a Disneyland version of history -- a veritable Fantasyland -- everything is going to be both accurate and positive. . . .

"Maybe it's time to stop this silliness and ask that our textbooks take a fresh, honest look at history; recount the roles of all relevant groups without political embellishment or distortion."

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Did you know?

As long as there are babies, there will be Chevies in which to bring them home. -- Wisdom, courtesy of General (Obama) Motors

DISCOVERY: I caught the end of "Heat Lightning" (1934), and was favorably impressed with Aline MacMahon (1899-1991). She did extensive work in the theatre, but was nominated for an Oscar for "Dragon Seed" (1944). I will be looking for her other films.

SPEAKING OF FAVORABLY: Be on the lookout for the new Kathryn Hahn sitcom. "Free Agents." There's something about that woman. . . .

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

So,

President Obama threatens to withhold Social Security checks if he doesn't get his way. What a bastard he is.

I don't believe he can do it, though. Ignorance always nurtures idle threats.

EXTRA: I went to the doctor yesterday to confirm I was still alive. While waiting for my ride, I spoke with two conservative couples about "the ocean dump," and Obama's great thirst for re-election. North state. . . I love it.

A LITTLE MORE: As seen on some Dish show -- A car trailing shoes and cans, bearing the sign, "Just Fuckin' Married." There are occasional uses for that word.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Clarification

The E-R edited one sentence out of my recent letter, and I consider it key to explaining my proposal to tax everyone's annual income exactly the same percentage. I stated that we should additionally eliminate all deductions and exemptions, and assess the tax equally on everyone's gross income.

Let us say that the taxable level of income is that just above full-time minimum wage. For the sake of argument, let us say that everyone earning that little needs every penny to keep body and soul together. Then, let us pick an arbitrary percentage, say 5%. Using that figure, people earning $20,000 would pay $1,000 in income taxes. Those earning $1 million would pay $50,000, with the majority of taxpayers somewhere in between. There would be no loopholes or shelters.

I specifically mentioned that marital status and dependent children should not figure into tax calculations. I was married while serving in the U.S. Army in France. We had a religious service performed by an Army chaplain, and, at the insistence of the host nation, a civil ceremony in the office of the mayor of the village in which we lived. At neither of those rites did we give one moment's thought to the tax implications of our action. Later, we had four children, and at no time did we ever say, "Look at those tax exemptions; let's have some more."

The tax code contains hundreds of other ways to allow some people to gain the advantage over others. All that language should be eliminated. A fair percentage across the board should mollify even the most virulent of class enviers.

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Man the bastions

My letter to the editor (below) was published today. I used to have feelings of great compassion for Native Americans, before they began to imply that I didn't. When I voted against Indian casinos it was in opposition to gambling only. I felt the Indians had been snookered by Big Gambling, and I didn't feel it was in their best interest.

When I learned that the Indians had actually entered into an incestuous pact to defraud the people of California, and that many tribal members, without doing any work at all, draw large annual sums of money purely because they are Indians, I grew angry.

Therefore, when Mr. Pina excoriated "my people," the new minority in the state, I felt obliged to defend myself. Nevertheless, when the war party arrives at my door, I hope I can convince them to smoke the pipe of peace, although with all the restrictions the government imposes, there may not be a location in which to do so. Perhaps, if we filled the calumet with peyote. . . .

Monday, July 04, 2011

Spaced out

In the region of Florida the AP calls the Space Coast, hard times are coming. With the end of the program where we pretended to walk on the moon, and visit some "station" somewhere, Cape Canaveral will cut 7,000 jobs, and the restaurants and hotels which had catered to the visitors who came to partake in the fantasy will be closing. The local jobs agency estimates that NASA has infused $1.2 billion into Florida's economy, and that two jobs will be lost for each aerospace job eliminated. Thank you, President Obama.

With the close proximity of Disney World, another amusement park might not be a viable replacement money maker. Might I respectfully suggest legalized prostitution, some of those popular Indian casinos, or a giant pot farm and retail dispensary. Then, Florida will begin to look just like California and parts of western Nevada. . . from where Harry Reid (D-NV) hails.

WE COMMEND the founding fathers, who, without air conditioning, managed to think clearly in the heat of early July. (No parade for me again today.)