Nobody 777

Monday, July 27, 2009
Nobody # 777

Nobody Asked Me But:

Lately I’ve been thinking:

About how glad I am that Greg has found the woman for whom he has long been searching. Marie is perfect for him. Their wedding in Reno on July 11th was beautiful. Dad was the so-proud Best Man – actually second best to the groom. Both families were well represented and, yes, a great time was had by all.

I went from proud to concerned as Greg (or Michael as he is called by all outside his family) entered the hospital two days later for his first round of cancer-fighting chemo. Thankfully it went very well and his doctors say he is progressing ahead of schedule.

I spent that week in Reno being with my son and his beaytiful bride and having some quality time with my grandson Benjamin.

I drove home on Saturday, July 18, my car loaded down with millions of dollars worth of baked goods from Schatts in Bishop. but I was there for a very short three days. Long enough though to celebrate a wonderful 20th anniversary with Barbara.

(We had a great anniversary dinner at Gardens at Glendon in Westwood. We started with delicious guacamole prepared tableside. Then Barb had excellent halibut and chips. My lamb chops with curry and condiments were even better – at least to me.

Then, on Wednesday, I flew to Tucson to see “Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince” with Elizabeth, Ryan and Emily. It was excellent as was the rest of the week – filled with games, long conversations and good wine.

(The picture is of Elizabeth with one of their 8 or 9 chickens which goes with their 6 dogs, 2 horses, a bird and a snake.)

I kept in phone contact with Greg and was thrilled that after a couple of bad days when he first went home he was doing much better by week’s end.

(Let me be clear here. For me to give an up-beat report is not to, in any way, minimize the ordeal through which my son must pass.)

Thinking some more:

I was not joking when I told Barbara a week ago that if Congress fails to pass a significant health care reform bill this year I would like to move out of the United States. If we can continue to ignore this vital need as we have been doing for over 50 years (100 if you want to count TR’s effort) then this is not a legislative government nor a people that I can longer respect.

People die because of health insurance companies will not cover their pre-existing conditions.

These same companies use every trick in the book to expel legitimate members who get sick and thus become too costly.

The young, the poor and the old are too often without adequate coverage.

Costs skyrocket because profit is the bottom line, while quality goes down. We are now significantly down on the quality list of comparative nations.

(Commonwealth Fund found, last year, that the United States had the most expensive health care in the world, yet was in last place among industrialized countries in preventing deaths through timely and effective medical care.)

In a compassionate nation, quality health care is a right and it is based on need and not on ability to pay.

That is the kind of nation in which I want to live.

No, because of family and friends and finances, we will not move if it fails. But I will wish that we could. And that is the ultimate damning statement about my country.<<<

Nobody 776

Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Nobody # 776

Nobody Asked Me But:

Action: New York’s Republican Rep. Peter King on Michael Jackson - “There's nothing good about this guy.”

Reaction: Rather than jumping on Jackson, shouldn’t King be doing the “people’s business?”

Reaction # 2: I agree that the media coverage is off-the-charts overboard, but then I am not an elected official supposedly focused on much bigger problems.<<<


Action: In an Independence Day message to supporters, Sarah Palin said she was leaving office for a "higher calling."

Reaction: That is not the first time I have heard the Republican Right referred to in this way. In fact, I think it is on their masthead.<<<


Action: Palin’s lawyer says the governor needed a break after being "on duty now for two and a half years solid."
Reaction: Is it true that she will run for President’s for the next two and one-half years and then take a break for the final year?<<<

Action: Sarah Palin says - "I am not a quitter. I am a fighter."

Reaction: This was the day after she announced that she was quitting.<<<


Action: The South Carolina Republican Party announced that they are censuring Mark Sanford.

Reaction: Sanford says he will try to fall back in love with the party again.<<<

Action: David Brooks mourns the death of dignity in public figures. He misses reticent people like Ronald Reagan and Joe DiMaggio.

Reaction: I liked the Reagan who made jokes after he was shot, but I didn’t much like the reticent man who was semi-estranged from his children. And while I admire the dignity of DiMaggio, I admire the honesty of a Ted Williams more.

Reaction # 2: But there are degrees. I’ll take modesty over chest-thumping in my athletes and my politicians.<<<


Action: President Obama tells the Russians that “by no means is America perfect.”

Reaction: It is very refreshing to have a President who is not afraid of the truth. Pay attention Fox News and you may learn what “fair and balanced” really means.<<<

Reaction # 2: Here are a few examples that the President could have used.

Slavery
Segregation
Mexican War
Spanish-American War
Red Scare
Japanese internment
McCarthyism
Vietnam
CIA interventions in Latin America
Iran in 79

Reaction # 3: The list of America’s positives is longer but everybody remembers them. Not so the above.<<<

Nobody 775

Sunday, July 5, 2009
Nobody # 775

Nobody Asked Me But:

Action: Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton rush to Los Angeles to support Michael Jackson’s family.

Reaction: Lock up the silver, Jackson family, and forgetabout being on camera. The parasite pair is in town.

Reaction # 2: Every time there is a tragedy or an emergency having to do with Black Americans, these two rush to the scene and grab the spotlight. Have they no shame?

Reaction # 3: Dumb question. Of course they don’t.<<<

Action: Craig Barrett, the former chairman of Intel, recently suggested that any American kid who wants to get a driver’s license has to finish high school. No diploma – no license.

Reaction: Make this guy czar of education.

Reaction # 2: Sometimes we forget that the simplest reforms are among the best.<<<

Action: 58% in CNN poll say Michael Jackson was the greatest pop star of all time.

Reaction: Count me among the minority. If you are talking singles only, Elvis is still an easy number 1. If groups can be counted, then it is the Beatles.<<<

Action: The Los Angeles Times would not permit the use of the word gay until 1987.

Reaction: Et Tu Times?.<<<

Action: It was 61 years ago, July 26, 1948, that Truman issued Executive Order 9981which ended racial segregation in the military.

Reaction: I will respect Obama even more when he finally does the same for sexual preference.<<<

Action: President Obama has the ideas, lets Congress fill in the details.

Reaction: That is an excellent way to turn grand ideas into half-assed realities.

Reaction # 2: That’s like deciding to have a great feast and letting the local kindergarten select the menu.<<<

Action: Geoffrey Miller, a leading evolutionary psychologist, says that men tip better in restaurants because they have been programmed to show off their surplus wealth as a measure of their mating desirability.

Reaction: With whom are they trying to mate – their date or the waitperson?<<<

Action: Andrew Young, a former campaign aide to John Edwards, says in his book proposal that the ex-Senator and his mistress, Rielle Hunter, once made a sex tape.

Reaction: Well, after all, she did originally sign on with Edwards to make campaign videos.

Reaction # 2: Do you suppose that this new video shows him taking positions that were not on his official platform?<<<

Action: California’s D & R legislators fail to strike a budget deal to prevent the state from having to issue IOUs.

Reaction: A pox on both their houses but a bigger pox, a HUGE pox on the Republicans for trying to balance the budget on the backs of the sick and the poor.

Reaction # 2: Since Governor Arnie is also willing to crush the needy, isn’t it past time to terminate the term of the Terminator?<<<

Action: Palin says she would beat Obama.

Reaction: Ah, Sarah. I don’t think Barack is into the whips and chains thing.<<<

Action: Palin says, “Life is about choices!”

Reaction: Apparently not if you are pregnant.<<<

SIGN ODOM

Action: The odds makers have lifted the LeBron-Shaq Cavaliers to co-favorite status with the Lakers to win the 2010 NBA championship. Both teams are now listed at 9-4.

Reaction: Not on Minnehaha where the Cavaliers are no better than co-favored with the Celtics at 3-1 to make it to the league finals.

SIGN ARIZA – Oops! Too late.<<<

Action: On Wednesday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer called on lawmakers to get back to work on a new budget — one that includes a tax increase. Yes, you read that right – increase. Brewer says she wants a temporary increase in the state sales tax to alleviate cuts to K-12 education, health and human services and public safety in the face of an at least $3 billion budget deficit.

Reaction: How many times have I told you that not all Republican politicians are bad?

Reaction # 2: All right. All right. Maybe this is the first time.<<<

Action: Mark Sanford now says that he has “crossed lines” with women other than Chapur and that after dancing with them he has gone “to a place I probably shouldn’t have gone.”

Reaction: “Crossed lines?” That has to mean he took them through Georgia into Florida. A place he “shouldn’t have gone?” I’m not sure but I think there is a No Tell Motel just across the state line.

Reaction # 2: I surely hope that he is not going to pull a Clinton on us about those “crossed lines” and claim “I did not play tic tac toe with those women.”

Reaction # 3: Sanford also said he was "trying to fall back in love with his wife." Do I dare say her response should be “Don’t try for me Argentina?” Nah, I don’t dare.

Reaction # 4: With a humble apology to Johnny Cash

I find it very, very hard to be true
I hate being alone when each day is through
Yes, I'll admit I'm trying to fool you
Are you still mine,
I’ve crossed the line. – Mark Sanford<<<

Action: Iran Cleric Says British Embassy Staff to Stand Trial.

Reaction: Don’t look now but Iran’s nutcase leaders may be close to “jumping the shark.”<<<

Action: Former UN Representative John Bolton again advocates bombing Iran.

Reaction: Let’s get down to the nuts and Bolton. Is there a bigger nut than John Bolton?<<<

I wrote a small poem a couple of weeks ago. I don’t think it is Poet of the Year level but it’s worth sharing.

THE LION AND THE RABBIT

When I was prime t’was lion time,
My manner mostly bold,
But rabbit tries to take the lead
As I close in on old.

My rabbit measures every word,
No fool he wants to be,
My lion roars at anything
His power sets him free.

When I’m my rabbit I cringe and crawl
And quake lest I offend,
That chance he’ll take, my lion says,
To fear he will not bend.

I love my lion’s courage,
My rabbit leaves me cold.
That’s why I’ll try, until I die,
To live my life in bold.