My Favorite Vet

As politicians make speeches today, flanked by uniformed men and women, and surrounded by flags unfurled, my thoughts turn to one serviceman in particular. My father served in the US Navy. His father, and namesake, died while serving in the Navy. Bill Moon bought our family home with VA financing. His widow receives a modest, but much appreciated, veteran’s benefit each month. He died in a VA hospital in San Diego in 1977, and was buried in a VA cemetery in Los Angeles, a stone’s throw from the UCLA campus that his son attended. He was the first in his family to graduate from college, thanks to the GI Bill. But I don’t think he’d understand a popular bumper sticker: “If you love your freedom, thank a vet.” Why not thank a teacher? When was the last time our “freedom” was truly at military risk? He dearly loved this great country, but did not support the Korean or Viet Nam wars. If he was alive today, I doubt that he’d support the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. He taught us to love freedom but to hate war. So, here’s to you dad. I miss you everyday. Not just on Veterans Day.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

When will it be Mitt’s turn to excite the Republicans? Realistically, he’s the odds-on favorite to be the standard bearer in next year’s two-man race for the White House. So why aren’t the party faithful cheering Mitt? Maybe because many believe he’s the GOP’s John Kerry. Bright, articulate, seasoned, and … boring. The presidential election is lacking enthusiasm for both parties. The Democrats’ base of socialist liberals, union bosses, gays and barely-American Hispanics are all lukewarm about Obama. They feel he’s been too cautious on closing Gitmo, defending public workers’ outrageous pensions, and championing immigration reform, environmental issues and sinful same-sex marriage. So, the time to enjoy the 2012 political season at its finest is right now – watching the round-robin of GOP hopefuls pick each other apart on stage at debates leading up to the Iowa caucus and early primaries. Pop some corn, crack open a cold one and settle in to your overstuffed chair in front of the TV; it’s the best political entertainment we’re going to see for quite a while.

Quantity and Quality

Online articles about ways to lengthen your lifespan are a dime a dozen. You know, the usual stuff: stop smoking, exercise, eat healthy, manage your stress, etc. But I’m a sucker, and always read these fluff pieces anyway, hoping for a fresh tidbit. Like this morning. There on Yahoo! Health was a “top ten” article proclaiming the best ways to extend your life, complete with projections about how many years each would add. “Strength training” for 20 minutes twice a week adds 1.8 years. “Floss daily” adds 3 years. Going to bed “15 minutes earlier” adds 3 years. And then there was this shocker: “have more sex with your partner” which adds a whopping 8 years to your life! Really? I checked to see if a man had authored the article. Eight years? For most Americans that’s more than a 10% lifespan bonus. Add years and fun! Sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch? Actually, as it turns out, it’s not so much the sex as it is the satisfaction of a long-term monogamous relationship that counts most. So, maybe a woman really did write the article after all.

Popular Revolt

How can the Electoral College be a bad thing? It sounds so … what’s the opposite of uneducated? It has been an American institution for more than 220 years. That’s longer than “under God” has been in the Pledge of Allegiance! Don’t mess with a tradition that works. But that’s exactly what Governor Moonbeam is trying to do. Jerry Brown recently signed legislation providing California’s support for the National Popular Vote movement. This suspiciously sounding initiative advocates for national election for president by popular vote, rather than by the classic, sacred Electoral College. I see this as nothing more than sour grapes. The Electoral College has been a liberal target since George W. Bush beat Al Gore in the 2000 election, despite losing the popular vote. Crybabies! Get over it. Brown said: “It seems logical that the occupant of the White House should be the candidate who wins the most votes. That is basic, fair democracy.” Haven’t you heard of hanging chads and the Supreme Court? You lost. Move On, for gosh sakes. So now California adds its clout – and 55 electoral votes – to the movement to do away with the Electoral College. Who else is supporting this? New York. Vermont. Massachusetts. New Jersey. And Illinois. Not a red state in sight. Previously, California Governator Schwarzenegger vetoed National Popular Vote legislation, calling it “counter to the tradition of our great nation, which honors states rights.” But advocates are pressing on and hope to enlist enough support from other states to replace the Electoral College in time for the 2016 presidential election – the legislation would take effect nationwide if states controlling a majority of electoral votes agree. Prior to 2000, three presidents had won election without carrying the popular vote. The last one was Benjamin Harrison in 1888. With powerhouse presidents like Bush and Harrison, I shudder to think of what the American people would have been denied if the “popular” vote had won out.

Blue Money

Thank goodness football season is here. I was getting tired of trying to keep track of who is “number 1” in what’s become the GOP presidential candidate national sport. Mitt once held the pole position. But now Rick Perry has surged to the lead, replacing Michele Bachmann, who yesterday’s news. It’s hard to keep my scorecard up to date. Frankly, I’m waiting for Sarah to step forward and put to rest the “will she or won’t she” saga that has kept me absolutely riveted all summer long. Mr. Perry has the backing of evangelicals and seems to be the latest darling of my Tea Party buddies. And with good reason. His record of job creation, as George W. Bush’s successor as governor of the great state of Texas, appears impressive at a time of jobless recession, even if many of those new jobs are low-paying service industry and state government positions. Hey, minimum wage work is better than no work at all! But Rick is more than a one-trick pony. He’s a big advocate of states-rights, shifting “democracy” to the more efficient local level and away from wasteful Washington. Sounds logical to me. After all, Texans receive only $0.94 from the federal government for every tax dollar they send to Washington. No wonder Perry is “Fed Up!” as the title of his book exclaims. And I’m sure that “small government” politicians in other red states are equally outraged. Senator Jim Demint’s South Carolina grabs $1.35 from Washington for every dollar its citizens pay in federal taxes; Mitch McConnell’s and Rand Paul’s Kentucky collects $1.51, Sarah Palin’s Alaska gets back $1.84, Haley Barbour’s Mississippi hauls in $2.02 and John McCain’s Arizona attracts $1.19. What? Wait a minute, that can’t be right! So, who is subsidizing all of these reliably Republican strongholds? How about Nancy Pelosi’s California, which receives just $0.78 for every federal tax dollar paid by it’s tree hugging, pot smoking residents. Chuck Schumer’s labor union-coddling New York gets only $0.79 and John Kerry’s Obamacare-loving Massachusetts attracts but $0.82. Sounds suspiciously like a communist-style transfer of wealth from wealthy to poor. And patriotic Americans like Mr. Perry just can’t stand for that.

BofA Savior

I’m confused. Is Warren Buffet a blue-blooded, American hero capitalist? Or is he a tax-and-spend, class-warfare socialist? This week, Mr. Buffet purchased $5 billion in Bank of America preferred stock, shoring up the company at a time when it needed a white knight to come to its rescue. Seems that Wall Street has lost faith in BofA, due in part to its bone-headed acquisition of Countrywide, a key sub-prime mortgage lender in the eye of the now three-year national economic storm referred to as the Great Recession. But not Mr. Buffet, the “Oracle of Omaha;” you don’t get to be the richest man on earth by following the crowd. He saw an opportunity. Was it shrewd capitalism that motivated his bold move? Profit motive – the invisible hand that guides our economy – was certainly in play. Some speculate that Mr. Buffet stands to make at least $300 million a year from this investment, and could earn as much as $2.2 billon before all is said and done. Bravo, sir! Well done. You “saved” a cornerstone of American finance AND made a tidy profit. If he wore a flag pin on his lapel, the Republicans just might draft Mr. Buffet to run for president in 2012. But wait, not so fast. Is this the same Warren Buffet who just two weeks ago publicly stated that the rich – people just like him – were not paying their fair share in taxes? That Warren’s secretary was paying a higher percentage of her income to taxes than he was? That the US should reinstate the Clinton era tax rates on the wealthiest Americans, making over $1 million per year? That, my friends, sounds like reckless socialism to me. And we just can’t afford to listen to irresponsible people like that.

The Machine

Does it matter who’s in the Oval Office? On a friend’s advice, I ordered the Matt Damon movie, The Adjustment Bureau, from Netflix. The premise is that greater forces are at work, maintaining everything in order, according to an over-arching blueprint. Deviation is pointless, because “enforcers” of the orchestrated plan do whatever is necessary to keep it on track, regardless of what any individual prefers. It’s an acceptably entertaining film, though not an entirely original concept, and may be truer than is comfortable. I avoid believing conspiracy theories. You know, 9/11 was planned and aided by our own government and the moonwalks were staged. But maybe there’s something to this “big plan” idea, invisible hands guiding, pushing us down a predetermined path. Does it make any difference who’s President? Obama ran on a platform of “change” which pinko progressives would argue has not materialized; our troops remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, shrill partisan politics is no better, oil companies still enjoy big tax breaks and those responsible for tipping us into the “great recession” go unpunished. George W. Bush proclaimed himself a “uniter” in 2000, but there was no hint of that during his 8-year tenure, and he brandished “fiscal” conservative credentials, inheriting four years of federal budget surpluses but never balancing a budget of his own. The saintly Ronald Reagan also ran as a “conservative” but raised taxes in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986, pushed to increase the government debt ceiling repeatedly, including to over $1 trillion for the first time in the nation’s history, and he granted amnesty for millions of illegal aliens in 1986. So what gives? How can we square the presidential candidate’s campaign promises with their eventual, historical track record? Are they all liars? Does the reality of compromise once in power shift priorities and agendas? Or … is there a cadre of special interests at work, so powerful that no White House resident can resist their cosmic force? No, that couldn’t be. Sounds too much like a left-wing conspiracy theory!

When Terrorism Isn't

I’m with Bill O’Reilly. Why bring up the fact that Anders Behring Breivik – the suspect implicated in two heinous acts, killing 76 Norwegians – is Christian? That’s completely irrelevant. The non-Fox News media played the religious card, calling attention to Breivik’s rambling manifesto advocating a crusade to rid Europe of creeping Islamic influence from immigrants. The shoe-bomber and underwear bomber were committed to jihad, so pointing out – over and over and over – that these two were Muslim is obviously legitimate news. The Fort Hood massacre in 2007 was committed by an American soldier. And last week a plot was foiled to carry out a second attack at the same military base – by another American soldier. Each was Muslim. Their religion is very relevant. And was rightfully trumpeted in the media. What was Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh’s religious persuasion? I don’t recall that was covered in the media, so it must not have been important. Breivik is a nut-job, pure and simple – even his own court-appointed attorney says so. Why bring religion into this sad story? There’s no way a “true” Christian could be capable of such terrorism. That’s reserved for Islamic jihadists.

Don't cut me bro!

Finally something smart from hippy-dippy San Francisco. Superior Court Judge Loretta Giorgi struck a measure from the city’s November ballot banning most circumcisions. The good judge said the proposed law violates the Constitution’s guarantee of religious freedom. Yes! Circumcision is right there in the bible. And that’s enough for me. Admittedly, it’s in the Old Testament, which also advocates stoning adulterers and banning the consumption of shellfish and pork. But I’m pretty sure that the bible also protects your right to bear arms, so you have to take the bad with the good. Lefty proponents for allowing San Francisco to be the first U.S. city to hold a vote on circumcision argue that it’s a form of male mutilation and is unnecessary since it is not usually performed as a “medical” procedure; the ballot measure included an exception in cases where it is needed for health reasons. I say Americans should be in charge of decisions about their own bodies. Except, of course, in case of abortion. Hey, if a child objects to being circumcised, he should speak up!

Farm Teams

College football teams are acting like little more than triple-A clubs for the NFL. The term student-athlete seems to be anachronistic, a relic of bygone days and college lore. The University of Southern California is about to serve its second year of severe penalties and was stripped of a BCS national championship because its Heisman Trophy winner was treated (and paid) like a professional football player. The Ohio State University has vacated its football victories from last year and awaits NCAA sanctions stemming from favors to team players. The University of North Carolina, Auburn University (last year’s football national champion) and the University of Oregon (last year’s runner-up) are all being investigated by the NCAA for violations. College head football coaches routinely earn more than $1 million per year, not including endorsement contracts. And university scouts are currently offering football scholarships to players who won’t graduate from high school until 2013. Pro football is big business. And college football is following suit. The University of Texas is developing its own television network to control broadcast rights of its athletic programs. Other colleges will watch closely. There’s money just waiting to be made.

We Suck

I’m tired of doom-and-gloom media coverage about the decline of the USA’s economic global stature. Ask a random citizen on the street which country has the largest economy and you’re likely to hear “China” as the response. Not true … at least not yet. And we’re still number one in all matters related to military might, spending more annually than all other nations on earth combined. What I am pissed about is our decline as a sports power. We’re really beginning to suck. Japan just won the women’s World Cup. Another year without an American winning the British Open golf tournament. And Rory McIlroy, a guy from Northern Ireland – a country about the size of Rhode Island – wins the Masters golf tournament this year. Granted, golf isn’t a “sport” so much as a hobby, and most Americans could care less about soccer. But tennis is a real sport, and we suck there, too. No Americans in this year’s Wimbledon finals, semi-finals or even quarter-finals – men or women. A Chinese woman won the French Open tennis tournament; no American in sight. At the last Summer Olympics, the Chinese won the most gold medals. And at the most recent Winter Olympics, who took home the most gold? Canadians. Think about that for a moment. Even this year’s NBA champions, the Dallas Mavericks, have as their best player a guy from Germany. Really? In a sport the USA “invented.” At least our teams still dominate pro football and major league baseball. Baseball is a sport – right?

Bright Idea

It’s refreshing to see Congress concentrate on the important issues facing our nation. Like repeal of the light bulb efficiency law. With all the bluster this week about imminent financial disaster if the government debt ceiling isn’t raised, it restores my faith in the House of Representatives that they found the time to openly debate and vote on rescinding the federal phase-out of incandescent light bulbs. Viewed as a symbol of government regulatory over-reach, Congress unfortunately fell short of the 2/3 majority needed to repeal legislation signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007. Never mind that compared to compact fluorescent bulbs, old (or “classic” as I prefer) style bulbs are less efficient – using more energy to generate heat than light – Congress was taking a bold stand for Americans to make their own important lighting choices. I remain optimistic. House GOP leaders may soon try again to bring the repeal back for another illuminating floor vote – this time under procedures that require only a simple majority. Let’s hope so! But prospects for passage are not favorable in the Senate, controlled by less enlightened Democrats, the true dim bulbs in this riveting debate.

Big Boned

“Nation is getting fatter,” read the headline. Like that’s news. Have you really taken a good look at your fellow Americans? If you prefer to think of us as pleasantly plump, consider that in a dozen states, over 30% of adults are now obese. Colorado is considered the “thinnest” state with “only” a 19.8% obesity rate; that figure would have made Colorado the nation’s fattest state in 1995. So, hang on for the puffery from the liberal media. They’ll use this latest data from the Center for Disease Control to blame high fructose corn syrup. And to advocate for big government telling us what we can and can’t eat. In fact, the difficult-to-understand, but familiar Food Pyramid guideline was recently replaced with a Food Plate to show the proportions of foods Americans should consume. Surprise! The broccoli-loving, tree-hugging vegans in charge at the USDA are pushing their “healthy” living agenda. It’s time for government to get out of our kitchens, as well as our bedrooms. If we want to kill ourselves slowly and prematurely by eating too much, consuming processed food, and sitting on the couch instead of taking a walk, well by God, that’s our right as citizens of this great big country.

Unintended Consequences

Following Arizona’s lead, other states are passing laws authorizing police to check the immigration status of suspects who cannot provide identification and detain anyone found to be in the country illegally. We’ve built that big dang fence along the Mexican border to keep illegals out. Now it’s time to round up the ones who are here and send them back, south of the border. Georgia is one of the states with tough new immigration laws. But now Georgian farmers are having a hard time finding enough workers to pick their harvest before crops rot in the fields. Who could have ever imagined that would happen? Governor Nathan Deal has responded by encouraging unemployed criminals on probation to work in the fields, replacing Latino migrants who once filled those jobs. Bravo, sir, for your creativity in the face of adversity! Unfortunately, few convicts have been willing to work the long hours of back-breaking field labor for low pay. Hey, if unemployed probationers aren’t going to take honest jobs handed to them on a silver platter, then maybe we’re rounding up the wrong people to send to Mexico.

American Men prefer Boys

A recent Gallup poll indicates that red-blooded Americans would rather have sons than daughters. And of those who prefer boys, the margin among men is greater than among women. Republicans prefer sons by a wider margin than Democrats. Younger couples are particularly partial to male offspring. This is not a recent trend. In fact, in 10 similar Gallup polls dating back to 1941, sons have beat daughters every time. So, what could be the consequences? More testosterone = more war in the future? Less support for gun control? NASCAR must be giddy. Gender screening to weed out daughters prior to birth? Sound familiar? Reports from third-world nations where girls are killed at birth are not new. And what has the impact of China’s one-child policy had on that country’s gender mix? Frankly, I’d rather have daughters. They’re nicer. Cleaner. They stay in touch better than sons. And they’re more inclined to take care of you when you’re ready for the retirement home.

Priorities

God, Country, Notre Dame is the inscription over the eastern door of the Sacred Heart Basilica on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. It is meant to convey the conviction of graduates: service to God above all, then to country and alma mater thereafter. Got me thinking about politics and priorities. The party of “no” during the first two years of the Obama administration, Republicans successfully ran last November on putting job creation first and foremost. And they captured the House of Representatives by a vast margin. Six months into this new Congress, what has become of the promised “jobs” agenda? Eliminating funding for NPR and Planned Parenthood grabbed headlines. Read my lips, no new taxes – even for the richest 2% of Americans, for corporate jets or for oil companies – has been a familiar refrain. I’m sure these important issues are aimed squarely at employing more Americans. Some in the lamestream media now suggest that the GOP’s overarching strategy for the next 18 months will be to derail efforts aimed at spurring the economy and job growth, and thus Obama’s re-election chances. Robbed of oxygen, the fire will be snuffed out. Which comes back to priorities. How about: God, Grand Old Party, Country. Now that’s an agenda I can believe in!

Slacker

I rarely read the newspaper. I don’t know many people who do anymore. I figure, if it’s not spoon-fed to me on Fox News, the most trusted name in “news,” then it’s not worth investing my limited-attention span. But I did pick up a newspaper last week, and was shocked to read about a 59-year old man who robbed a North Carolina bank. For $1. His attorney said that James Verone was a good law abiding citizen before robbing the bank. In addition to being unemployed, Verone has chronic health issues. Evidently he robbed the bank so he could receive (free) health care in jail. I say throw the book at this slacker. He should do what every other American citizen who cannot afford health care does – go to the emergency room. It doesn’t matter if he can’t pay for treatment. Somebody else will pick up the tab. Like the hospital. And eventually the people who pay ever-higher health insurance premiums.

New York, New York

Family values took another hit this week when the New York state legislature approved gay marriage by a narrow of margin, becoming the sixth state to do so. Score another one for Adam & Steve, as gay rights opponents would say. I’m certainly no biblical scholar, but I don’t think Adam & Eve were actually married. Who would have presided at their ceremony, if they were the first two humans created? So, they must have had children – Cain and Abel – out of wedlock, just like Bristol Palin. But I digress. Gay couples have been able to adopt for some time. So, why not marry? Shouldn’t our society want to foster the kind of stable household for children that marriage provides? The fact that nearly 50% of marriages in the USA now end in divorce is beside the point. If two people love each other, let them enter into a legally binding agreement, regardless of sexual orientation. Sounds romantic. As that lefty pinhead and confirmed bachelor Bill Maher would say, gays should not be immune to suffering the same curse of sexless marriages that straight people have had to endure for centuries. As well as the blessings of lifelong loving, committed partnership.

40 Year War

In 1971, America declared “the war on drugs.” Are we winning? Who exactly are we fighting? How do we measure success? How much have we spent on this “war?” Over the last 40 years, we were run out of Viet Nam, invaded Grenada and Panama, undertook Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq, bombed Serbia, initiated a war to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban, invaded Iraq (again), and recently participated in the bombing of Libya, along with a variety of “police actions” worldwide almost too numerous to count. But one constant has been the prolonged “war on drugs.” And what do we have to show for it? An emerging narco-state in Mexico, with drugs flowing north and guns flowing south across the border. Defending a government in Afghanistan that supplies 90% of the world’s opium. 2.3 million Americans incarcerated in jails and prisons, up from fewer than 500,000 when the drug “war” was declared. In California, 11% of the state budget funds prisons, while 7.5% goes to higher education. So, is it time to declare victory? Or should we listen to bleeding hearts like Jimmy Carter (and the Global Commission on Drug Policy) and consider alternatives for dealing with the illicit drug trade. Like decriminalizing possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. And substituting treatment for imprisonment of non-violent people who use drugs. And concentrating coordinated international efforts on combatting violent criminal organizations which trade drugs across national borders. Sounds like a lot of liberal, defeatist wishful thinking to me. It’s better to stay the course; just keep trying harder to make a failed approach succeed. Now that makes perfect sense!

We're #37

The life expectancy for Americans is up. We’re living longer than ever before: 75.6 years for men and 80.8 years for women. Must be because we have the best medical care in the world. So, how do we stack up to other countries? Tied with Cuba at 37^th, way behind 11^th ranked Canada, and trending downward. Bostonians may be celebrating the Stanley Cup, but Vancouver-ites will live longer. Socialist European countries do quite well, placing 14 in the top 25 for life expectancy. Diet, exercise, obesity rates and uneven access to health care are factors contributing to our international fade. But there is a silver lining. We’re still ahead of China (80), Russia (135) and India (139). So, maybe 37^th isn’t so bad. Hey, we can’t expect to be #1 in everything.

Voting with Taxes

Turn on the news and you’ll likely hear a random politician declare with self-assurance: “The American people don’t want their taxes paying for …” War in Libya. Bank bailouts. Socialized medicine. Aid to Pakistan. Abortions. Farm subsidies. You fill in the blank. How does a politician know what Americans really want (beyond the lobbyists calling on him with checkbook in hand)? I say, ask them. Let taxpayers tell the government exactly where their taxes will be spent. It’s a simple idea: vote with your tax dollars. When filing taxes each year on April 15, include one more form: a ballot. Direct democracy. Cut out the middleman – the politician in this case – and go directly to the taxpayer. It is estimated that 20 cents of each 2010 tax dollar was spent on Defense, while 3 cents was spent on Education and 1/10 of a cent on Arts and Culture. Some bleeding hearts would say that’s insane. So let the tree hugger from San Francisco fill out her tax ballot and indicate that all $6,993 of her taxes will go to support Environmental Protection. And let the truck driver from Wyoming stipulate on his tax ballot that 65% of his $5,436 taxes will go to Homeland Security (to complete the anti-terrorist fence along the Mexican border), 35% to Veterans Affairs, and not a freakin penny to Foreign Aid. What could be more American than asking the good citizens of this country what THEY want? Let the mob set the priorities. Money talks, and this inspired idea is something that every rational person can understand. If “Washington is broken” this clearly is the way to fix it; if the people lead the leaders will follow.

The Right to Bear Arms

The NRA is asleep at the wheel. As I read that Jared Loughner, the gunman who allegedly killed 6 and wounded 14 others – including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords – in Tucson on January 8, has been ruled incompetent to stand trial, it struck me that every red-blooded American should be allowed to carry a gun. Anywhere. Anytime. The Second Amendment is clear: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” That means everyone. Convicted felons? Sure. Don’t let them vote, but carrying a gun is their Constitutional right. Terrorists? Yes, as long as they’re US citizens, like Timothy McVeigh. Why are there metal detectors at airports? If I want to carry a gun on a plane, that’s my right. Right, NRA? My right to protect myself 24/7 shall not be infringed. Following the massacre of 32 people at Virginia Tech in 2007, some gun advocates suggested that if people had been allowed to carry guns on campus – in the open or concealed – the violence might have been averted or casualties reduced because students would have been able to kill the killer. More guns in the hands of more people in more places seems perfectly reasonable.

End of the World

I was pissed when Harold Camping predicted judgment day for May 21. First, I’ve not been to church much for years. Religious, no. Spiritual, maybe. Self-righteous, absolutely. So, I’m unprepared for the rapture. But what really chapped me was that preacher Camping had scheduled the end of the world for the day before my birthday. Now, I’m a big fan of Christmas. Presents. Tinsel. Mistletoe. Carols. Did I mention presents? But the holiday spirit is more about “giving than receiving;” that doesn’t make sense to me. Birthdays make sense to me. It’s all about receiving. My day. My 24 hours in the spotlight. Once a year. Is that too much to expect? So, when I woke up on May 22, I rejoiced! I lived to see another birthday. Praise the Lord. But now I’m worried about Christmas. The good reverend has set October 21 as the REAL end of the world. This time, he says, God means it.

Bad Guys Always Win

I’m not a professional basketball fan. But I am amused by the current NBA finals. As of last night, the best-of-seven series is tied at two games each. The Miami Heat are the “bad guys.” LeBron James, the best player in the game today, fled his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers last year for Miami in a brazen attempt to win NBA championships. Who can blame him? He had no chance to win in Cleveland, and now leads the best team money can buy. Only the Dallas Mavericks, the presumed “good guys” in this equation, stand in his way. Americans love to wax poetically about their sports gods. Tiger Woods. Kobe Bryant. Brett Favre. Reprehensible individuals, rich in money and celebrity, bankrupt otherwise. Professional sports is business. It’s theatre and nothing more. Always has been. There are no “good guys” – just entertainers and their handlers, all out to make as much as they can for as long as they can. Now, I can’t wait to read about who wins game five tomorrow night in Dallas!

Double Standard

For as long as I’ve lived, Fidel Castro, the western hemisphere’s arch-enemy of capitalism and democracy – and therefore all that’s great and wonderful about the USA – has ruled Cuba as a caricature in fatigues, smoking a big cigar. Why can patriotic Americans travel and do lots (and lots) of business with China but not Cuba? Because Cuba is a communist country? Because of Cuba’s consistent human rights violations? Its crackdown on dissidents? Its suppression of free press? Oh, wait … that’s China. Maybe it’s because Fidel Castro kicked our CIA-backed ass at The Bay of Pigs in 1961. And while Europeans, Canadians, Mexicans and citizens of most freedom-loving democracies are free to visit Cuba, don’t you think 50 years is long enough for Uncle Sam to carry a grudge?

Doctor Death

Jack Kevorkian died this week. He was a pathologist who served time in prison. His was the public face of “assisted suicide” in the 1990’s. He had a hand in “helping” over 130 Americans end their lives. Some would say good riddance. After all, only God – and the government – should be able to (legally) end an adult’s life. Others would say he was an angel of God, a facilitator for the terminally ill to carry out their end-of-life wishes on their own terms, at a time of their own choosing. But who gives them the right to choose? And who gave Dr. K the right to help them? Kevorkian was 83 when he died of heart disease and cancer. Ironically, he may well have chosen to have his own “Doctor Death” help him end his life, rather than suffer through a painful, lingering demise. But he had no legal right to do so. RIP Jack.

Mike Tyson, Role Model

Kevin has decided to become vegetarian. He and Donna were watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Mike Tyson was plugging the release of Hangover 2. Ellen commented about seeing a “be kind to animals, don’t eat them” billboard on Sunset Blvd featuring Mike. Evidently he’s been vegan for a couple of years. Kevin says he’s been considering giving up meat – anything that walks on two or four legs – for years. Somehow, Mike Tyson – the man who bit off Evander Holyfield’s ear – seems to be the inspiration that pushed Kevin to finally commit. Bro, it sounds like you’re too cool to eat meat, but not cool enough to be vegan. Go big or go home!

Medicare

Medicare is in the news. Some people want to change it, others don’t. From what I can gather, it’s socialized medicine for the elderly. That sounds un-American. Except when we have socialized medicine for the military. Or for members of Congress. Hey, if an insurance company can’t make big profits by wedging itself firmly between a patient and her doctor … well that’s just un-Capitalistic. Everything works better when you turn it over to the invisible hand of the free market, and untether it from bothersome regulations. What could possibly go wrong? So, Paul Ryan, your time has come. Seize the moment. Please run for president … of a health insurance company.