Nobody # 794

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Nobody # 794

Nobody Asked Me But:

Alas, President Obama, my Philosopher King, is too much, too often the philosopher and too little, too seldom the king.<<<

Since I couldn’t make it to the White House lawn for President Obama’s first State Dinner, (even though that couple ahead of me didn’t even have to show their invitation) I was unable to give him my Utopia List of suggested changes, political and social, for our country, so I am breaking the story here.

MY UTOPIA

Professional people will be paid according to their importance to society. This will make teaching the highest paid profession, which in turn, will attract the best and the brightest to the classroom. This change alone will solve most of current educational problems.

No major league baseball will be played after October 15.

Heavy fines will be levied on anyone who proposes expanding the NCAA basketball tournament beyond 65 teams.

The First Amendment will be clarified to reinforce the principles of freedom of religion within a totally secular state.

My United States will be governed by a parliamentary system with a hard two-party limit. (Only the two parties with the highest voter registration will be allowed to stand for election.)

Congress will launch a long-past-due investigation as to why Willie Mays was never unanimously elected MVP.

Immediate self-defense and genocidal prevention will be the only legitimate and moral reasons to go to war.

All colleges and universities will establish equal admission requirements for athletes.

Coaches who cheat and politicians, reporters and news commentators who lie will immediately lose their jobs and may not apply to return to any job with the same or similar responsibilities for five years.

All citizens will accept taxation as the legitimate cost of civilization.

There will be no age requirement for Medicare.

All television commercials will have a short shelf life and will only be held over if a consumer panel rates them high in entertainment value.

Apple will change its iPhone contract from AT&T to whichever company is rated as the best carrier.

The Constitution of my United States will establish government spending priorities with these three listed together as highest: public safety, public health and public education.

There shall be no super-majorities requirement to pass any legislation or approve any appointment.

Sports agents will have to pay a large fine and serve an automatic prison sentence if convicted of contacting an amateur who is not eligible to turn professional.

Discourteous people will be warned once and then shunned.

Adam Lambert will be shunned, period. He should not have needed a warning to know better.

There will be a national championship tournament for college football.

Every football team in the Pac-10 will play every other league team every year.

The Unites States will enthusiastically join other nations in a treaty to ban the use of land mines.

All candidates for political office must pass a non-standard comprehensive test with a grade of 80% or better. No cramming allowed.

A quid pro quo will be declared in which I will not try to convert vegans to meat-eaters, and they will stop trying to proselyte my carnivorous self.

For an entire off-season, USC Coach Pete Carroll will be required to wear a tee shirt. On the back it will read “I am a hypocrite!” The front will say “Good Sportsmanship means nothing to me.”

There will be no reality television shows. They will be banned not by law, but by ratings, because my well-educated utopians will not watch such putrid trash. *Note to my family: “American Idol” and “Dancing With The Stars” are not considered reality shows, so you can watch them all you want.

In basketball, the principle of “no harm, no foul” will be the rule rather than simply a cliché.

Anyone living in our house will take 2 extended vacations every year and at least 10 short ones.

To promote the general welfare, our government will provide interest-free loans to Starbuck’s so that they can, wherever feasible, remodel their stores to provide outdoor sitting areas like the one pictured above. (On Foothill in Glendora.)

Nobody 793

Sunday, November 22, 2009
Nobody # 793

Nobody Asked Me But:

QUOTES ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM

Republicans: “It Is a cruel hoax and a delusion.”

Ads taken out in 100 newspapers: “This reform will mean the beginning of socialized medicine.”

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page: “The legislation will lead to deteriorating service.”

Another Wall Street Journal editorial: “This reform is politicking with a nation’s health.”

From business groups: “Washington bureaucrats will invade the privacy of the examination room.”

And

“We are on the road to rationed care, and patients will lose the freedom to choose their own doctor.”

And

“This is a socialist program that will compete with private insurers and add to Americans’ tax burden so as to kill jobs.”

WOW! Can all these people be wrong? EXCEPT – all of the above were written in mid-1960s as warnings about Medicare – A program that these very types are now fighting to save from health care reform. GO FIGURE!<<<

RIGHT ANSWERS

Q. Mr. Right: Just what is it that you are protesting?

Mr. Right: “I am enraged that our President bowed to the Japanese Emperor.”

Mr. Right: “Americans don’t bow to other countries. They bow to us. They respect us. We don’t respect them.”

ABSTINENCE

Evangelicals tell their kids. Say Don’t! And if that doesn’t work, say STOP!

But did you know that - white evangelicals lose their virginity on average at age 16? The only earlier “losers” are black Protestants.

I guess this means that many evangelical kids get confused. When they are confronted with hot and heavy situations they say: Don’t! Stop! Don’t! Stop! DON’T STOP!!

Did you know that (Part II) - in Lubbock, Texas, where abstinence education has been mandated since 1995, the rate of gonorrhea is now double the national average, while teen pregnancy has spiked to the highest levels in the state?

(Both of the above from "The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.")

Mr. Right CONCLUDED:

Mr. Right: “Especially Japs --- and Chinks and Ragheads --- and Dagos and Wops.”

Republican leader John Boehner on blocking federal funds from being used for abortions: “The majority of Americans have spoken and their will must be done.”

Republican leader John Boehner on blocking any public option as part of the health care reform: “The minority of Americans have spoken and their will must be done.”<<<

Action: “If the public-option plan is in there, as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote."Joe Lieberman

Reaction: How does Joe act “as a matter of conscience” when he has none?

Reaction # 2” The only time character and Lieberman should appear together is when there is an a in front of character.<<<

Reaction # 3: Still on Joe, but on another subject. I still believe that Lieberman places the welfare and interests of Israel above those of the United States. This begs the question of whether or not he is a fit person to represent this country in the Senate?

MORE ON JOE

In 2006 Joe campaigned for reelection by bragging about his MediChoice plan, which would have allowed any American to buy into a national health insurance pool like the one federal employees have.

Ah – Joe, that sounds a lot like a public option.<<<

Action: Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, Hillary she'd "look forward" to talking politics with Sarah Palin over coffee sometime soon.

Reaction: If your coffee tastes funny, Madame Secretary, DON’T DRINK IT!<<<

Action: The Republican National Committee, last week, instructed its insurance company to remove a provision from the committee's health insurance policy that covered elective abortion for employees.

Reaction: RNC – Find a very large towel and remove the egg that is all over your face.<<<

My first teaching job was to teach a course called American Problems in world famous Ajo High School. In honor of that memory, I am introducing a new section called America’s Problems.

AMERICA’S PROBLEMS

We have become a consumer society rather than a producer one. We value what we have, not what we create. We want NOW rather than LATER.

In a CNN poll last Monday, when asked Do you agree with the Pentagon's decision to bar the release of photos allegedly showing detainee abuse, 70% of Americans answered yes. What ever happened to “the people’s right to know?”

11% OF AMERICANS STILL THINK THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA IS A MUSLIM.<<<

From the Arizona Daily Star Wildcat Message Board: “Will Coach Miller win it all at Arizona? That is not the question to ask: He WILL win it all, the question is: how many times!!! The good Lord led him to Arizona. Thanks for coming coach!”

I can handle God supporting a coach. I can even handle Her being a Cat fan. But please tell me She is not recruiting for Miller.<<<

Actually, the way the NRFPT Bruins played in losing their opener last Monday, I am more inclined to think the Arizona fan is on to something. It seemed very like the Moses story with God hitting UCLA with a “can’t shoot straight” plague and an “out of control” virus.<<<

Reporter: Excuse me sir, are you with this mob, I mean, group?

Sir: Yes I am a proud charter member of the United States of Cheap.

Reporter: Could you tell us a little about your group? What do you stand for?

Sir: “Gladly. We do not believe in taxation with or without representation. We don’t even believe in representation. Just let us alone ---

Sir: ---- except when we need you to you protect us and build our highways and roads and schools and send our Social Security checks and”<<<

Q: Who’s the greatest player that Coach Wooden has ever seen?

A: In a recent interview, Coach named Kobe because of his ability combined with his work ethic and the effort that he puts out on both ends of the court.<<<

AS IF

USC football coach, Pete Carroll is upset because Stanford, with a 48-21 lead in their game last Saturday, went for a 2-point conversion. AS IF Carroll hasn’t run up a few scores during the Trojan up years. Color him hypocrite.<<<

Quote: "This bill has been behind closed doors for weeks," "Now, it's America's turn, and this will not be a short debate. Higher premiums, tax increases and Medicare cuts to pay for more government. The American people know that is not reform." - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Reaction: Liar, liar, pants on fire.<<<

Action: Students protesting the proposed UC fee hike took over UCLA's Campbell Hall this morning and chained the doors.

Reaction: A 32% hike over 2 years: That’s almost criminal. You go students!

Reaction # 2: The real criminals, of course, are the criminally stupid people of California who are seemingly oblivious to the reality that the educated are our greatest asset.<<<

This week’s quote of the week is from Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show.” “I think that most of the people who want limited government really want government limited to Republicans.”

Nobody 792

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Nobody # 792

Nobody Asked Me But:

“Some days the Republican Party seems to be going crazy. Its public image is often shaped by people who appear to have gone into government because they saw it as a steppingstone to talk radio.” David Brooks

Every morning I receive a free online briefing from the Sporting News. Actually it is not very brief. It has become one of my required morning reads. On page 3 they always have a sports personality – player, coach, etc. answer a questionnaire about his or her life.

I decided I would answer it too, with a couple of added questions, to update my profile.

Born – 8/26/34 in Lansing, Michigan.

Status – Married to Barbara.

Alma mater – Arizona State University, University of Arizona. UCLA – by choice and marriage.

What’s on TV – Mad Men, Bones, Bruins (UCLA), 24, Lakers, Glee, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

What’s in iPhone - Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez.

What I drive - 2006 Lexus IS300.

Favorite flicks - Godfather 1&2, Casablanca, Young Frankenstein, Gunga Din, Sleepless In Seattle.

Magazine subscriptions – Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Time, Newsweek, Architectural Digest.

Bookmarks – New York Times, LA Times, Time, Bruin Report Online, Slate, CNN, Arizona Daily Star.

What I’m reading – “Wolf Hall” (a novel about Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII) “True Compass” (Ted Kennedy’s Memoirs).

Superstition – I wear Bruin blue and gold boxers on game days.

Worst habit – I procrastinate – but I will get better at that tomorrow.

On my study wall – Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, Picasso print of The Laughing King, Ice cream sign –“When in doubt, eat ice cream.”

Love to trade places with for a day – The President or a NY Times political columnist.

First job – Caddie in Memphis at 15. General work at a Mom and Pop grocery store in Flint at 16.

Talent I would most like to have – Computer geek.

For dinner – Tacos, (Barbara’s) macaroni and cheese (Barbara’s), steak, chili, potato salad garlic toast, cabernet. (Not all at once – different meals)

Favorite athlete to watch – Tiger, Kobe.

Sporting event I would most like to attend (next to the Final Four of course) – British Open.

Favorite physical attribute – Legs.

Least favorite – Wrists.

Dream date – Dinner with Barbara at Georgia Brown’s (D.C.)

Favorite city to visit – London, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.

Favorite team as a kid – Detroit Tigers.

Favorite value in others – Honesty, I like to know where I stand.

Greatest love – My wife and my family.

My heroes – My children (They survived me and prospered.)

My bucket list - See Paris and Rome. Take a Mediterranean Cruse. Return to Stonehenge. Watch an oral argument at the SC. Eat ice cream in Oxford. Take my grandchildren to DC. Teach a class at Stanford.

Where have you been all my life – Risotto and Lisbeth Salander, aka: “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” Lisbeth is the most interesting fictional character I have come across in a while. (Barbara – Please note that neither of these is a romantic interest, although I do have a slight crush on fiery shrimp and roasted corn risotto.)

My motto – The going up is worth the coming down.

Nobody 791

Sunday, November 8, 2009
Nobody # 791

Nobody Asked Me But:

As I write this, no one knows whether Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, is a Muslim nut or a nut who is Muslim. I deeply hope for the latter, because I know it is almost impossible to be both the land of the free and land of the profiler.

A day later: Hasan seems to be a little of both, essentially a tortured fanatic rather than an enthusiastic one. Whatever the cause, the result is the same. Innocent Americans are dead and loyal American Muslims are again in an unwanted spotlight.<<<

History was made yesterday evening when the House voted 220-215 to pass House Vote 887 - H.R.3962: On Passage Affordable Health Care for America Act. 219 Democrats and ONE very courageous Republican (Anh Cho from Louisiana) chose to do their moral duty. 1

76 Republicans and THIRTY-NINE Democrats disgraced themselves. And now, on to the Senate!<<<

Before I change the subject, I have two timely interviews on this issue.

INTERVIEW WITH A TEA PARTY PERSON

Sir, could we ask you a couple of questions?
A: That depends. Are you Fox News? I only talk to Fox.
Q: No, but this is being televised live. You will be watched from coast to coast.
A: Well, in that case, go ahead. But no left-wing questions. I HATE LEFT-WING QUESTIONS!
Q: What is your name sir? And is that a bible you’re carrying?
A: Just call me Fed Up! And no, this is not a bible. This is THE Bible! The Living Word!
Q: Fine Mr. Up. Could I ask you a question about something in the bible?
A: Anything. Any time.
Q: First - how can a Christian be against health care for everyone?
A: Because it is a communist plan disguised as socialism.
Q: What about Jesus and the story of the Good Samaritan? Didn't he help the needy and wouldn't the health care reform do the same?
A: The Samaritan - another socialist. And Jesus may have leaned a little to the left too. And anyway that story was not in the original Bible. If you check closely, you will find out that it was added by Harry Truman in 1947, just after he desegregated the military.

INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR ZERO

Q: Senator Zero - “Is it true that the Republican health care draft would permit insurers to continue denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions?”
A: “That’s Senator Zoro, and yes that is true. Profits must be protected. As must campaign contributors.”
Q: “But aren’t they one and the same?”
A: “That is just a coincidence.”
Q: “Back to these people who cannot get coverage. What happens to them?”
A: “Who cares?” A: (continued) “They are probably Democrats anyway.”
A: “Wait! Is this being televised? Erase that last answer and ask me the question again.”
Q: “What happens to these people who can’t get coverage because of pre-existing conditions?” A: “They are in God’s hands.”
Q: “What about those who are covered?”
A: “God contracts their care out to insurance companies.”

ACTION/REACTION – HEALTH CARE REFORM

Action: Senate Democratic leader says Health bill may miss year-end deadline.

Reaction: Get another Senate Democratic leader.<<<

Action: “There is too much government spending on health care, and Medicare does not provide sufficient coverage.” - Tea Party loony

Reaction: Huh? There is too much government, and we want more of it?<<<

Action: One of the anti-health care marchers, a Mr. Davis, said Americans “need to think more about the quality of life, rather than the length of life.”

Reaction: Do you suppose that this guy can qualify to receive some of that death counseling under the new law?<<<

Action: The Republicans introduce their health care reform (at last) and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports on it as follows:

(1) Coverage would be more expensive for older people and folks who are sick.
(2) The pool of people without health insurance would end up being less healthy, on average, than under current law.
(3) The GOP plan would add 3 million people to the insurance rolls by 2019, but the overall percentage of uninsured would stay the same.<<<

Reaction: Why am I not surprised?

Reaction # 2: Have they no shame?


ACTION-REACTION --- POLITICS

Action: "I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing (Health Care Reform) than we do from any terrorist right now in any country." Rep. Virginia Foxx, Republican, North Carolina

Reaction: Does Rep. Fox get a North Carolina handicapped-parking pass for being intelligence-challenged?<<<

Action: On concession night last November, Senator McCain instructed Sarah Palin, his running mate not to speak. Palin spoke.

Reaction: Is Sarah really the anti-Christ?<<<

Reaction # 2: And is it true that Sarah is so oil happy that her favorite line for her husband is drill, baby, drill?

Action: (The morning after Tuesday’s elections) “The Republican renaissance has begun.” Michael Steele - Republican National Chairman

Reaction – I guess no one told the voters in New York's traditional Republican 23rd Congressional District, where the Far Wrong shrunk the tent by chasing the moderate Republican out of the race and then lost to the Democrat. It was the first time a Democrat had won in the 23rd since the 19th Century.<<<

Action: Fox News had set up an entire studio, so that Sean Hannity could capture the moment of Doug Hoffman's victory.

Reaction: I hear they are still there, still waiting.<<<

Action: Limbaugh and Palin urge right wing to step up efforts to purge moderates from Republican Party.

Reaction: I hope they succeed. That will leave them with 20% of the vote – in a good year.<<<

Action: "Moderates by definition have no principles.” Rush Limbaugh

Reaction: Is it true that Rush then added – “Even so, I still don’t like them?”<<<

LIFE

Action: A 20-year-old woman from Iraq has died in an Arizona hospital, nearly two weeks after her father, police say, ran her over with a car because she had become "too Westernized."

Reaction: You know how I feel about capital punishment, but I could almost change my mind for this guy.<<<

Action: As the 1980s began, 17% of California’s budget went to public universities and community colleges, and 3% went to prisons. Today only 9% goes to higher education and 10% goes to prisons.

Reaction: Obviously the people of California would rather incarcerate its citizens than educate them.<<<

Action: Jeff Bleich, the chairman of the Cal State University Board of Trustees writes that we must “shame our neighbors into correcting this spending imbalance.”

Reaction: How do you shame those who have no shame?<<<

SPORTS

Action: "Of course she’s (Jamie McCourt) concerned," Wasser (her attorney) said. "She is an owner of the team. She’s very concerned. This lady eats, lives, breathes Dodgers.”

Reaction: That must have been boring for her body guard/lover while they were spending an in-season month in Europe.

Reaction # 2: That’s the Dodgers who were “in season,” not McCourt.<<<

Action: Florida Coach Urban Meyer suspends linebacker Brandon Spikes for the first half of his next game for eye-gouging.

Reaction: Knowing that Meyer is a tough disciplinarian, I am sure that had Spikes actually gouged out an eye, he would have sat him for a whole game.<<<

Action: UCLA beats NAIA Concordia 62-61.

Reaction: Until the last five minutes, that was about as bad as I have ever seen a Bruin team play. From minute one to minute 35 they looked rattled.

Reaction # 2: Playing lousy and winning beats playing lousy and losing.

Reaction # 3: What about my blue and gold boxers? I always wear them for luck. Do I consider them lucky and continue to wear them because we won last night? Or, considering how poorly we played, do I discard them as unlucky?<<<

Action – seen on the Bruin Message Board: Their two biggest weaknesses were defense, toughness and rebounding.

Reaction: Must have been a Trojan infiltrator. Everyone knows that Trojans can’t count.<<<

Note: The cartoons are from the pen of Mike Luckovich of the Atalanta Constitution. I think Luckovich is the best political cartoonist working today.

Sunday, November 1, 2009
Nobody # 790

Nobody Asked Me But:

In 2004, Cardinal Ratzinger, who would become Pope Benedict XVI, wrote a Vatican document urging women to be “submissive partners, resisting any adversarial roles with men and cultivating feminine values like listening, welcoming, humility, faithfulness, praise and waiting.”

What is little known is that Ratzinger also had guidelines for men. These rules, long thought lost, have recently been rediscovered. Here they are.

Belch all you want.
Be boorish in every situation.
Bash gays – both verbally and physically.
Prey on little boys if you so desire.
Screw every humble woman who listens, welcomes, praises and waits faithfully.<<<

I went to a bookstore the other day and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said that if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.<<<

CEO CODE OF ETHICS Everybody needs a code, an ethical standard by which to live. Nobody, through its sources, has just discovered the CEO Code of Ethics and Standards. It has two parts.
(1) Reward for the good times, because we created them.

(2) No punishment for the bad times, because they are not our fault.<<<

Note: The picture above shows several CEOs who gave themselves large bonuses and were immediately turned to stone. New Yorkers are asking: Did God do it? Did Obama do it? Or are God and Obama one and the same?<<<

If you are concerned about the difference between campaign expectations and the reality of the Obama presidency so far read Anna Quindlen’s excellent essay in the current Time Magazine, linked here – http://www.newsweek.com/id/219371.

In a side bar Quindlen makes this excellent point about the public option – “By the way, if you're confused about the public option, just ask yourself this question: Would you like to be eligible for Medicare at 40 rather than 65?”<<<

CNN Poll: Would you pay $4.95 to attend a motivational speech by President George W. Bush?

Yes – 52,934= 31%

No: 118154 = 69%

I am one of the yeses. $4.95 to hear an ex-president speak? That is the bargain of the year.<<<

Seen recently on a Tee shirt - London Paris Rome Camarillo.<<<

GREAT MOVIE REVIEW ONE-LINERS

“Director Peter Billingsley shot most of ‘Couples Retreat’ in Bora Bora. The results are boring boring.”<<<

A GUY CAN CHANGE, CAN’T HE?

This next statement may damage my credibility with all of you. After all, I'm the guy who told you that a Coldstone Sweet Cream with raspberry mix in (when fixed right) along with Starbuck's black chaser was one of life's ultimate eating experiences.

Ah, but there's the rub - when fixed right. The Sweet Cream must be of perfect consistency, neither too hard nor too soft. And there must be exactly the right amount of raspberries mixed in perfectly.

My new number one has no contingencies. A Coldstone chocolate malt is always perfect and every sip, followed by a sip of black, makes “my eyes light up and my tummy say howdy.”<<<

SPORTS PAGE

(Sports Editor pictured here.)

At the PAC-10 basketball media day Thursday, Oregon Coach Ernie Kent joked that people were coming up to him and asking, “Aren’t you the president’s brother-in-law?” (Mistaking him for Oregon State Coach Craig Robinson.)

You can see why people made that mistake. Kent and Robinson are both – - quite tall.<<<

Action: USC President Steven B. Sample to step down in August.

Reaction: WOW! I know Oregon smashed the Trojans yesterday, but I didn’t think Sample would take it that seriously.<<<

And should it be against the law for the University of Arizona to continue to call itself “Point Guard U?”

Let’s examine the evidence. Arizona has 4 current NBA players who play all or some at point guard - Gilbert Arenas, Jerad Bayless, Mike Bibby and Jason Terry.

UCLA has 6 – Baron Davis, Earl Watson, Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison, Jrue Holiday, and Russell Westbrook.

It is hereby ordered that the University of Arizona stop, cease and desist from using the nickname Point Guard U and immediately transfer position of said nickname to UCLA.<<<

Chris Erskine had a wonderful piece in the LA Times last week about his love for baseball and the Dodgers. But he does think games should be shorter saying: “The only thing that should last five hours is a dinner with Mel Brooks.”<<<

WORLD SERIES PREVIEW

This preview was written before game one – and before I read other previews.

Infield
Philadelphia - very good
Yankees - superb
Edge - Yankees

Outfield
Philadelphia - very good
Yankees - average
Edge - Philadelphia

Catcher
Philadelphia - very good
Yankees - very good
Edge - even

Starting pitchers
Philadelphia – Lee = excellent, Pedro – VG, then tails off badly
Yankees – Sabathia = excellent, Pettitte = VG, tails off
Edge – Yankees (slight)

Relief
Philadelphia - low average
Yankees - Excellent
Edge - Yankees

Bench, including DH
Philadelphia - above average
Yankees - above average
Edge - even

Hitting Philadelphia - excellent
Yankees - excellent
Edge - even

Fielding Philadelphia - excellent
Yankees - very good
Edge – Philadelphia

Prediction – Yankees in 7 in an exciting World Series.<<<

Is Cliff Lee a closet Harlem Globetrotter?

Did you see the two fielding plays Mr. Nonchalant Pitcher made in game one? First was the pop fly he caught one-handed with a bored expression on his face. The second was the behind-the-back stab of the ground ball with another ho hum expression that gave way to a small smile.<<<

THE UNEMPLOYED

Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming: “This energy tax bill will be an American job killer. It’s the next attempt by the administration to promise jobs for all, create some for a few, and let the rest of us fend for ourselves.”

Reaction – Us? Does Barrasso consider serving as Senator as being unemployed? In his case, who am I to argue?<<<

Some call this home office for Longaberger hand-crafted baskets one of the world’s ugliest building. But I think it is great.<<<

40% of all Americans actively deny evolution as compared with 27% in Turkey, 15% in Iceland and 13% in Britain.

Let’s see now, where to move. Turkey? I don’t think so. Iceland? Intriguing but how many hot tub experiences does a guy need? Britain? Maybe – except for the blasted fog.<<<

So Arizona is about to turn over their prisons to a private company. I don’t like it! I do not recommend an easy life for those convicted of serious crimes, but neither do I like the idea prisons for profit. Too much possibility for barbarism.<<<

Q: Will a public option in the proposed health care bill really undercut private insurers?

A: Let’s hope so.<<<