A Cherry, Cherry Christmas

Living in Arizona for the winter has its benefits. However, at Christmas time, we begin to wish we could see snow (not feel the cold or drive on the ice!). We turn on our Christmas carol radio stations, and even have downloaded all our favorites holiday songs to my new iPod Touch.

Although there are many of the new generation of singers who put out Christmas albums, we still prefer the old standards, especially White Christmas, written by Irving Berlin, and sung by Bing Crosby. No other version can top that one, but I have many other versions downloaded for variety.

This year we got an early Christmas gift from friends: Neil Diamond's latest, A Cherry, Cherry, Christmas. Always fans of Neil, we loved the new album. My wife said, "Isn't he Jewish?", to which I replied, "So is Irving Berlin" who wrote the quintessential Christmas song. No matter, I thought as I mentally went through my list of Christmas songs I had downloaded. I had picked one from Barry Manilow, a couple from Barbra Streisand, and one for Carly Simon. Today I probably will download a few new ones from good Old Bob Dylan, and maybe even Bette Midler.

I might even pick up a few from Kenny G, with his wailing sax.

You might have guessed the theme here by now. All of these great Christmas "carolers" are Jewish! Isn't that great that Christmas itself transcends religion with these folks? My next blog will be about all the Christian singers who have done Hanukkah albums.

Merry Christmas to all.

All's Fair in Love and War

A couple of weeks ago I was amused reading that the Taliban and possibly other insurgents in Al-Qaeda's mold were complaining that the U.S. was not fighting a fair war. Their main complaint was that our military was using unmanned drones to attack hideouts and other suspected terrorist nests. They didn't seem to like the remotely driven little "bees" buzzing around their people with close to complete impunity.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, how is that for pure irony? The terrorists fight a war against civilians, they target non-military sites, they use women and children to carry their homicide bombs, they wear no country's uniform, and they fight a guerrilla war -not in jungles but in cities full of innocents. And the U.S. is unfairly using unmanned drones? I have no answer for that.

Movie Commentary - Precious

Besides the obvious "must-see" and "Oscar-worthy" appellations that go with good flicks, this film is one to reflect on. A young Black girl, with all the problems of poverty, incest, illiteracy, and then some, takes the viewer on a gut-wrenching tour of her life.

It would be easy to dismiss this movie as just fiction, but the only fiction is that it is not one true story. It is, rather, a composite of true stories in the poor Black experience.

Children are passed on to the next class in school without being able to read, write a cogent paragraph, or add a simple list. Teachers either do not want to deal with the same student again, or fear being thought racist. Poor children are, more often than others, subject to earlier sex, whether it be incest or with strangers. Food and other resources are often scarce and the whole family, or the whole culture, acts more like "hunter-gatherers" spending an inordinate amount of the day seeking the bare essentials of life. Changing homes as often as the middle-class changes its sheets, it is illustrative that Blacks often ask "Where do you stay?" instead of "Where do you live?"

Precious is one film that should be seen not only by middle class white white folk so they can at least see the grinding existence of our poorest citizens, but also by those of the poorer classes so they can see the universality of their experience and learn, just maybe, how to get out from under that repressive way of life.

No one in America should live as Precious does, especially children who have no choice at all. Sometimes it is not enough for those of us who are in better straits to cluck our tongues and say, "You must take responsibility for your own actions." A true statement, for sure, but it does not always apply to those who are children or those who are not given the slightest help to even point them in the right direction. Children learn this existence and it becomes ingrained despite what they might see on TV. And then more children are born, and the dreary saga continues to the next generation.

There is no one answer, heck, there are no one hundred answers, but there are answers, both internal and external. Every one of us has to figure out our part of the solution to make the American Dream as least a reachable possibility. Think about it.

Tiger's Roar is Muted

The truth could hardly be more bizarre than the ideas people (and tabloids) come up with about what happened at Tiger Woods mansion in Florida last week. Now we know that it wasn't just a simple accident that triggered the golfer's fall from grace. Even if the "accident" had never happened, the dirty secrets would have been revealed in some fashion, total truth or not, in a short while.

The hubris of Woods and others in high places is still amazing. That they think they can flaunt "the rules" with impunity forever is beyond belief. Yet one by one these celebs - whether political, sports world, or Hollywood - each fail to grasp the meaning of that old adage, "two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead."

Tiger will recover some of his luster from this current circus, but his image will be forever tarnished in most peoples' minds. Years from now, when the casual observer sees Tiger, he or she will recall the marital infidelity in an instant no matter what he has done from that time (or will recall worse if we haven't heard the whole story yet, and it is a good bet we haven't). Most people over 30 today cannot look at Bill Clinton without recalling his dirty little alcove secret. Tiger will suffer that same process, although maybe not quite as graphic, even though he won't "see" it.

People will still follow him and "glad hand" him when they can, and extol his golfing prowess, as they should. But the burnished image he really wanted to display to the world, and that his sponsors banked on, is gone forever. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Dispute Leads to Wrecked SUV and Some Bruised Feelings

Let's see. A prominent sports figure and his wife were having a shouting match in their home in an exclusive gated community at 2:00 a.m. No blows are exchanged but the room was blue with the torrid language. The wife wanted to know why the tabloids reported that he was having an affair. If it was not true, she says, they couldn't print it.

The sport hero argues that it is not true at all, tabloids always print lies, but eventually loses his temper and tells his out-of-control wife that he is leaving. He scrambles downstairs to the garage, still in his daytime clothing, as they have been arguing since they headed for bed and hadn't changed.

He climbs into his luxury SUV, hits the garage door opener and begins to back out. As he clears the garage, he sees his wife waiting on the long driveway with his Big Bertha golf club. He continues to back out, but she begins to strike the club at the SUVs windows. She manages to knock out the driver side rear window with the massive club. He stops, shocked that she could be this violent. This gives her time to get the other side and, after a few direct hits, knocks out the other rear window.

Truly fearing for his safety, the sports icon backs down the driveway faster, trying to get away. He misses the end of the driveway in his haste and caroms off a fire hydrant.

The truck still is operable, so he puts in in Drive and begins to head down the street looking back to see if his wife is chasing him. He oversteers, jumps the curb, and crashes into a neighbor's tree. He feels his face in pain before he passes out in the seat.

His wife, upon seeing the crash, now knows it has gone too far. She loves her husband and rushes to his side only to find the doors jammed. She remembers she is holding the golf club and batters the car until it gives up her husband. She pulls him from the car, lays him on the lawn and calls 911.

Well, it could have happened!

2012 - Movie Review

The previews for the "blockbuster" 2012 were intriguing, if not over the top. The CGI was great (special effects) so we thought it worth the price of senior tickets to see John Cusack and family romp around the earth looking for a place untouched by the Mayan pronostication of the end of the world.

The concept was far-fetched but not nearly as ridiculous as the story line itself. Yet, it somehow all seemed worth it to see landmarks and shrines fall to dust while thousands of human lives were snuffed out. It held my attention at least long enough to make me not recall that I ate a whole large bucket of popcorn, by myself.

I started to get antsy in my seat at one and a half hours, glancing at my watch during a bright scene, wondering when it was going to end so I could relieve myself of my large Diet Coke. At two hours, I shifted in my seat getting ready to bolt for the door when the credits started crawling, but had to wait until the whole 158 minutes ran by before the exhausted crowd all lurched toward the exit. Other than the comedic story line and the incredible length, it was not too bad. I'm sure glad I got the discounted senior rate, however.

Cruises Can Cause Obesity

We just returned from our sixth cruise adventure in about 20 years. Last year we cruised with Royal Caribbean Cruise lines to the so-called Mexican Riviera, stopping at the ports of Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlan. This year, somewhat unhappy with Royal Caribbean, we returned to Carnival and hit the other Riviera ports in Mexico: Acapulco, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, and Manzanillo.

My wife and I, being a little on the "fluffy" side (Ewes not fat, ewes fluffy), worked to lose a little weight before we boarded the funship, Carnival Spirit. Knowing that food is a highlight, (heck, the centerpiece for many), we thought it would be prudent to pre-lose the 5 pounds one puts on during an 8-day cruise.

While we cannot be sure, but judging from what we saw on board, many cruisers fit the profile of the 60% of Americans who are obese. Few looked like they starved before the cruise, although in fairness, either did I look malnourished. What I noticed on this cruise compared to others was the sheer number of obviously obese people on board. Cruising is certainly anathema to weight loss. The Biggest Loser reality show would not stage an episode from a cruise ship.

Although I came out even after the cruise (lost 5, gained 5), I was shocked at the number of morbidly obese people who come on a cruise. I actually include myself in that group, but still marvel at the people stuffing their faces with pizza or ice cream or escargot (OK, I ordered two escargot appetizers, but those little guys are seafood, aren't they? Never mind the melted butter).

Cruises offer three full dining room meals each day, and if you don't like the more formal dining arrangement, the buffet on the Lido deck offers many more selections. The pizza place and ice cream shops are open 24 hours, as is the great room service (we took advantage of that a couple times too).

The ships do offer fitness centers and swimming pools as well as a running track and there were many people doing all of those things. But it was the wrong people. The skinny Minnies (and Mickeys) were the ones sweating on the Stairmasters and treadmills, racing around the deck, weaving between the fat folk as they completed their laps. I did, however, see a few of the more portly in the swimming pools and hot tubs, but they were only bobbing up and down - not a great workout.

So my advice to the plumpsters like me is to avoid cruises altogether. They are not healthy places, and who knows, the cruise lines may make you buy two seats in the lifeboat.

Government Accountability? Really?

I love my country. I have always loved my country and have never joined any radical group seeking to tear it down. I would never burn a flag or fail to stand for the National Anthem. I am proud of most of our history as a standard of freedom. Nobody is perfect, as we are fond of saying when we slip in some fashion, but our country and its leaders don't even come close to perfection.

Our constitutional framers noted that we should "form a more perfect union..." They meant that we should strive toward perfection knowing that we might only achieve a "more perfect", not completely perfect union. But I think we are slipping

We are now trying to spend our way out of a recession and that concept might work, except for the enormous waste of precious dollars. Government contracts seem fraught with fraud and lack of accountability, particularly in the war zones. Billions cannot be accounted for, and we are daily amazed at who is on the "payroll."

Bank bailout funding failed to attach a condition that would have made the banks turn the money around to make safe loans. There were no conditions, or weak ones at best, to limit executive pay when these firms still owe the U.S. Treasury billions of dollars. Instead, some of the companies continue their risky business as if that is their undeniable right.

The SEC still doesn't get it, even after the Madoff debacle, that there needs to be some oversight and regulation to protect the lowly investors from disaster. Saying that they were "asleep at the switch" (and still are) is laughable. They weren't asleep; they were wide-awake aiding and abetting this horrible fraud on people by their inaction and tacit approval.

Our government can't seem to handle even the most crucial things. It seems that no one is capable of steering this incredibly large ship, and instead think only locally and not globally. The distribution of the H1N1 vaccine is the latest example. Setting the shortage aside (or blame it on the manufacturers), the distribution system is so flawed as to possibly cause unnecessary deaths. Americans should not have to stand in long lines, waiting hours to get a shot, or worse, to be told they have run out. Europe seems to be able to do this in an orderly fashion, but we are rank amateurs.

The U.S. life expectancy is less than many other nations, and our mortality rate for newborns is climbing. We tout ourselves as a leader in the world, but we see our influence has ebbed in many areas, and now the "almighty dollar" is falling from grace as the world monetary standard.

Congress has the lowest approval rating in years, yet they continue to dither on important matters, making the issues so partisan that nothing can be accomplished. Health care, as important as it is, will not arise as a bold new plan, but instead we will settle for a series of compromises that please almost no one. The are few, is any, real statesmen anymore - those legislators who were willing to do the right thing without regard to their own re-election or campaign donations.

If you have been to western Europe you would note the condition of their transportation system - highways, rails, trains, subways - are all far superior to our dirty, graffiti covered, rail systems. Our infrastructure is deteriorating more rapidly than we can repair it. Roads and bridges are failing, the electrical grid is one attack away from chaos, and our schools are falling apart, both literally and figuratively. Our students skills are far less than they were, and far, far less when compared to many other industrialized nations. Where we were once the leader, we now seem willing to follow with a "good enough" attitude.

"The Rise and Fall of the American Empire" is a book waiting for the last chapters to be written, but it is closer than we think. America needs to act now to right these most egregious problems, stop the terrible waste of precious dollars, and hold others accountable to the highest standards.

It can be done, but it has to start soon or we will slip into mediocrity and become a second-class nation, fallen from its once magnificent glory.

Noor Almalecki - R.I.P.

On Monday, November 2, the 20 year old Iraqi born girl who had been run over by her father on October 20 for being too "westernized", died from her injuries. Her father will be likely be charged with intentional homicide. "Honor killing" must be an oxymoron.

Being Peevish - Language Errors Again

Many in my family roll their eyes when I point out misspellings in restaurant menus, in news channel crawls, signs, or nearly any other place they crop up. Some think I should lighten up and let the errors roll off my back and take a laissez-faire attitude about our language.

I can't.

When I hear some say "ex cetera" instead of "et cetera", or "excape" instead of "escape" (there is no "x" sound), I get crazy.

The latest irritation was a CNN interview with a retired army officer regarding the Fort Hood Massacre, when he started with saying that shootings occur on "all army posts's", adding a superfluous "s" to the plural. The plural of post is posts - very simple. Just as some say that they made a round of "conference breakfasts's. " Breakfast is singular and if you must have a plural, it is "breakfasts."

The nice gentleman went on in the interview to use the above "ex cetera", and then capped it off with the pronunciation of the word "heinous" (usually followed by "crime") as "heeny-us" instead of the correct "hay-nus." Some will say "hee-nus", still wrong, but better than "heeny-us."

The last error of this veteran soldier was perhaps the most egregious. He was a former officer in the 1st Cavalry unit, yet he still made the error many others do. He said "Calvary" instead of "cavalry." Christ died on Mount Calvary, and horse mounted troops (or tanks, today) are "cavalry." A good way to remember to say the right thing is to use one of their own adages: "If you ain't Cav, you ain't."

Now about that use of "ain't"...

Take Some Responsibly For Yourself, Please!

Two years ago, a police officer stops a car and driver for drunken driving. The 21-year-old female passenger is also drunk but not incapacitated. She is not wanted for anything else. The cop arrests the male driver, places him in his squad, secures the vehicle, and takes the passenger to a nearby convenience store so she can call for a ride. She has a cell phone and is walking upright.

The passenger walks in and out of the store (as seen later in security cams) and seems able to walk in a straight line. She has her cell phone in her hand.

This female passenger is now complaining about the Tempe (AZ) Police Department because after the officer left to process her male drunken partner she opted to take a ride from two strangers (male and female), who then took her to a vacant house in Mesa where the female proceeded to sexually assault her. It seems it is now the cop's fault because she made some very poor choices.

The investigation later showed that she, indeed, drank to excess. She then got into a car with another drunk person who was caught driving while intoxicated. She was free to go at the scene of the stop, but was given a ride by the Officer to an open business. She then opted to get into a car with strangers instead of calling other friends or a taxi for a ride.

Those bad choices led to a very unfortunate event where she was sexually assaulted. Facts. She now wants to blame the police for her situation, when the real culprit is the assaulter. How could any cop have reasonably known that a 21 year old tipsy woman, who he left at a populated place, was going to be raped?

Before I get accused of "blaming the victim", I find the assault and the other actions of the strangers to be repugnant and well as heinously illegal. But where do we draw the line on whose life is it anyway? Who is responsible for being in this situation? Could the police officer have done something else? Of course. He could have called for another officer to provide "taxi service" to this woman. He could have had her taken to a detox facility if she was incapacitated, but didn't think she was. She was never his responsibility beyond getting her off the street to civilization where she could secure her own ride. Imagine if the police had to take responsibility for every adult they come in contact with that had too much to drink.

I suspect there is an "ambulance chasing" shyster somewhere in the mix. But I could be wrong.

Winning Hard Hearts and Minds of Iraqis?

The United States often seeks to win the "hearts and minds" of the countries in which we have a military presence, to wit: Iraq. It seldom works well, but the U.S.A. put billions of dollars into their country's road works, water systems, electrical grids, and schools. We often fund their health care and even pay their army and police at times.

We have been doing this for some time in Iraq, propping up that country with our "blood and treasure" hoping that they will like us. We think we are nice people, so what's not to like? And we ARE nice people, no doubt, trying to make things better for their people as well.

Recently in Arizona an Iraqi immigrant was accused and later arrested in London after running down his own daughter with his car in a parking lot; she was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Apparently he thought she was getting too "westernized." If this is the mindset of even a few Iraqis about us westerners, then how can we ever overcome their hatred for what the collective "we" represents? We love democracy, rule of law, freedom of religion, and equality - among many other great tenets of freedom.

But if an Iraqi father will run over his own daughter because she has shamed him in some way by being too "westernized", then the battle is lost, not to mention the war. You have to wonder why this man moved his family to the "west" if he didn't want them "westernized"? Pray for the 20 year old girl.

Las Vegas - Still Glitzy, But With Changes

Speaking of Las Vegas where we spent about six days in October, I began to think about how many times I has visited this city of lights and "Lost Wages." I estimated about 30 times so now could reflect on some of the changes we have seen over the last 40 years or so.

Las Vegas is said to be suffering from the same economic decline affecting the rest of the world, but unless you look closely it is not always evident. I see that as a good thing. First, for the workers who still have their jobs, and second, because I want to return again and again and not find boarded hotels and casinos.

Our first forays to Nevada's Mecca were to ogle the sights and maybe play a game or two. As the years went on, we spent more time seeing the sights than actually gambling, or rather "gaming."

The newer hotels and casinos today - The Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn, Encore, Rio, Palms, and a few others exhibit the decadence that appeals to the visitor. Some are classy, some are over the top, and some are plain kitschy, but all are far beyond what any of us will have. That is the attraction: to be in a fantasy world; to watch people be happy and sad (often within minutes), and to escape our own existence if only for a few days.

We once stayed at the Dunes, the Sands, the Stardust - all gone now. We visited the Desert Inn where Howard Hughes holed up (where the Wynn stands now), and even stayed in the Flamingo bungalows where Bugsy Siegel put his high rollers. The Flamingo, in its remodeled glory still stands, but the bungalows are long gone. The Venetian stands atop the Sands property where the Rat Pack often entertained. The Bellagio lake and fountains now cover where the Dunes tower once stood.

Today, the slots do not take quarters and if you win, won't spit out pounds of dirty change, but will print you a nice ticket you can cash in. The slots still produce the sounds of the change being paid out, but even that will disappear once someone asks what that noise is.

The dealers talk to you now, and the fearsome pit bosses are now overly friendly and don't seem as likely to bust your kneecap if you misbehave. Where it was once discouraged to chat with a dealer, it is now OK, although some are still tight-lipped and look like they'd rather be anyplace else besides chatting with rubes from Wisconsin. Lucky for them the dealer tips ("tokes") are pooled or they would be paupers.

The food, which was once so cheap that it made no sense to go to McDonald's, is now quite pricey. Buffets; once the poor, broke, gamblers chance at a meal; are now upwards of $20 plus. Drinks can be found for less, but a nice martini at Caesar's is $14.

There are still bargains to be had, for sure. Room rates are reasonable if you search online, and the valet parking is always a deal even with the $2-3 tip. Hotels in most cities gouge the traveler for parking and it is (nearly) free at even the best hotels in Las Vegas.

The downtown area with Fremont Street at is center used to be the seedy part of town that was known to cater to locals and those with only a few dollars. The fifty-cent shrimp cocktail is mostly gone, but there still can be found a shrimp delight for a dollar. The table limits are lower at Binion's, the Four Queens, and even the classier Golden Nugget so gamblers don't have to risk so much on each dice toss at the crap tables. Some casinos are a little shopworn and the clientele won't grace the cover of People, but it is a friendly place, and much enhanced with the addition of the "Fremont Street Experience". The street is covered with a sort of video light canopy and each hour the show in the sky is something to behold, at least once. Queen's "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You" were blasting from the 550,000 watt sound system when we were there.

Unfortunately the area between the Sahara, considered to be the northernmost hotel on the "strip" and the downtown area is still seedier and getting worse. During the day, the wedding chapels are quaint and fun to see, but at night no one should be walking this area. Yet, that is still somewhat of a attraction - to see the billions spent on (and at) the Palazzo, and just a few blocks north, tattoo parlors, street folk, and bail bondsmen.

While I once enjoyed the $1.99 breakfast, and the $4.99 T-bone in 1974, I knew that it could not continue just as the $1.00 limit blackjack and crap tables had to go as well.

Las Vegas is still that fun destination, not so much for families as they tried to cater to in the 80s, but still with that glint that says riches. Bring money, leave it there, but still have a great time. No where else does it feel so good to just break even.

Big & Tall - No Way to Fly

Last week we went to Las Vegas for a few days and opted to fly from Phoenix rather than drive from our winter home in Mesa. Southwest Airlines had a sale so $49 for a round-trip ticket sounded better than driving six hours each way through the desert.

I have always feared flying, not for the usual reasons most might have; but because airline seats are generally built for the average 19th century adult, and not for the big and tall. I qualify on both counts, starting with a height of 6'4", and a weight that can only be guessed at. Surprisingly, despite my girth, I can fit into the seats width-wise, but knee room is often a problem. With extra long femurs, my knees push into the hard plastic back of the seat ahead and I spend the whole flight fearing that the passenger in front of me will suddenly want to lay down in my lap.

Reclining anywhere but First-Class should be a felony. Even for those vertically challenged folk whose knees are not crushed when the seatback comes back, the view of the top on a stranger's head is not usually a pleasant one. Miraculously the tray tables still seem to work with the seats back, but with my snack and Diet Coke on my table, the hair hanging above waiting to drop a strand (or worse) into my drink does not enhance moi bon appetit.

I try to anticipate my front neighbor's intention to shoot backwards by bracing his or her seatback with my knees. They try to recline but meet resistance and cannot figure out why the feature does not work. I smile when they finally give up after a few tries, and rest easier for the rest of the flight. There are some, however, who will wait a minute to try again, often surprising me when I am not on recline alert, and find the seat shooting back toward me followed by shooting pains in both knees. My only recourse is to let out a retched, pain-induced scream, which all but the most obtuse understand is from them causing me pain and suffering. Most will look over their shoulders, see the problem, and apologize for the assault.

Some, however, will look peeved at me for being so tall, and one even announced, "I have a right to recline!"

I responded with, "And I have a right to be able to walk for a few more years", which settled it for that flight.

When possible I try to get the aisle seat so that I can extend one leg at times. I can also lean toward the aisle to ease my incursion into the next seat space. Luckily (for me) I travel with my wife mostly, and she endures the incursion better than most strangers. Southwest Airlines seems to "get it" that moving that drink cart up and down those narrow aisles is not the most efficient, so they take drink orders like a cocktail waiter, and deliver my Diet Coke on a tray. Those airlines still using those heavy, wheeled Patton tanks, will continue to ply the aisles inevitably ramming my knee and driving my femur further into my hip.

Seat belt length does not seem to standardized across the airlines, so I sometimes find my seat belt to be tad short (or two tads short) so have to ask for an extension from the flight attendants. Most will discreetly get the belt extension and slip it stealthily to me as they pass in case I might be embarrassed. I'm not. But one attendant could not have cared less about my possible mortification when she came down the aisle, holding the extension high for all to see and then said, "Who needed this seat belt extension?"

On the return flight from Las Vegas, we managed to get in line early enough to select an aisle seat for me so once I got settled with my knees planted firmly on the seat in front of me, my seat belt fastened (no extension needed) and my slight trespass into my wife's personal space, I was feeling fairly smug, until I glanced across the aisle.

Sitting not 18 inches from me was Ali Vincent, the last season winner of the Biggest Loser reality series. She was reading a People magazine, turned to an article on some celebs weight loss. Ali was from Mesa so I couldn't help touch her arm and say to her that I was glad to see that she was still successful. I mentioned something about her being an inspiration and she was very gracious and thanked me. She must have wondered what kind of inspiration I was talking about as she surely noted my seat belt cutting into my abdomen and my wife listing slightly toward the window.

Who Knew? It's Clinton with the Cojones

While President Obama is always the cool and collected one, there are more than a few Americans who wonder about his "Mr. Nice Guy Who Will Talk to Anyone" demeanor. Diplomacy is fine if there is progress, but there comes a time when good old plain talk is in order.

Today, Secretary of State Clinton was in Pakistan trying out her charm to get the reticent government of that nation to do a little more of our bidding. They were offended. They were incensed that the U.S. might put conditions on the $7.5 billion we give them. They said it threatens their sovereignty. How can a country declare it is sovereign (read independent) if it is on the dole from its ally, the United States?

When the Pakistani press got its back up and wondered what right the U.S. had to put conditions on our aid, Secretary Clinton could take no more. She basically said that if you don't like the conditions, then don't take the money. Maybe the U.S. needs to say this a little louder to the countries who benefit most from our largesse along with Pakistan. Israel is getting a little feisty these days and Egypt needs to show a little more progress toward democracy if they want to keep taking our money.

Clinton is supposed to be the diplomatic one, but her tough talk will have to stand in for the President until he sees that we are being duped far too often.

Returning Soon, in the fall!

This column has lapsed for a while now. I have lots of excuses but won't bore you all with them. Keep an eye on October for a return to Sharp Commentary.

JJ

I'm Ticked, I'm Peeved, But I Am Never P***ed Off

Most petulant peeves are just that: petulant. Little annoyances most of us have that, in the big picture, are of little consequence.

But this one ticks me off more than others, although still probably petty compared to dying from swine flu (oops, H1N1), which would be pretty annoying.

I am speaking of the increasingly common usage in the mainstream, of people saying they are "p***ed off" at something. This word, associated with uh....urinating, is nearly as offensive as its companion word (uh...slang for # 2). For some reason, p***ed is seen in magazines, heard in interviews on broadcast TV and other places where it shouldn't be.

Occasionally, a "star" will utter the word as in "That really p***es me off!" and then quickly says to Leno or Letterman, "Oops, can I say that on TV?" Well, obviously someone thinks they can or it would have been bl**ped. And the English must hear it even more if Chef Gordon Ramsay is illustrative of its use, as he tells nearly everyone to "p**s off".

I guess it is just one more instance of the "dumbing" of American English, that through use (and misuse) it has been added to the vernacular.

When irritated, I get "peeved", "ticked off", but never "p***ed off". For me, that should only be reserved for the fly on the toilet seat.

A (Healthy) Cry in the Wilderness

It was beginning to be one-sided with all the screaming about health care reform (or lately, health insurance reform). Sometimes the most influential voices in any debate are either the loudest, or the ones who speak last. For sure, there have been some loud, and at times rude and obnoxious, screeches at the so-called Town Hall meetings. Most of those were opposed to what they thought was being proposed as ObamaCare (ironically, Obama has not written one word of the current bills in play).

Now, there is finally a sleeping giant aroused in the name of a non- (or multi-) denominational religious group called Sojourners and Jim Wallis. He writes a calm statement about the misinformation and fear mongering going on now. So much of what is said and written is pure hyperbole - a widely irresponsible and inflated view of the bills as written so far.

Proposed end-of-life counseling, which could put many older folk at ease about how their lives might end, has been twisted into "death panels" by Sarah Palin and others. Now with so much mis-information, even the good parts of such legislation have been removed to take away some of the fuel from the fire. The sad thing is that, as it was written, the voluntary (not mandatory) counseling was to be paid for by whatever health plan that was crafted. Folks near the end of life could have felt comfortable talking with their own doctors and others about advanced directives, the same things we are counseled on each time we are in the hospital.

Dialogue is a good thing and it helps to clear the air and quash rumors and reveal falsehoods. The problem has been that the public discourse has often been monologues - the views of one side screamed over the voices of others. That is not productive, not fair, and certainly not democratic.

How Will You Say the Year 2010?

The year 2010 is fast approaching and it is creating a sort of apprehension for some folks. The question is: How do you speak 2010? For the past nine years, most people have been speaking the years as "two thousand", two thousand one", up to "two thousand nine".

I had been mildly irritated with Charles Osgood of CBS's "Sunday Morning" program when he would say "and now for the headlines this day, August ninth, twenty oh nine." He has been doing it since the millennium and it kind of grated on me. After all, the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey was not "Twenty oh one: A Space Odyssey"; it was Two-thousand one..."

But 2010 and beyond presents another issue. I suppose we could (and some will) say "Two thousand ten" but in keeping with past practices, I've come to realize, it should be, as Charlie determined 9 years ago, "Twenty ten".

The proof is in how you spoke the years 1776, 1890, 1910, 1941, and the like. We all said "Seventeen seventy six, Eighteen ninety, Nineteen ten, and Nineteen forty-one". We did NOT say (in keeping with the "two thousand one" theme) "one thousand seven hundred and seventy six", did we? (Except on hoity-toity documents like diplomas and wedding invitations thought to add some class). So it was Seventeen, Eighteen, and Nineteen so now the next number should be "Twenty"

So Mr. Osgood, you were right all the time, and Twenty Ten it will be. I can check one more thing off my peeves list.

Health Care Reform Discussion Getting Uncivil

The health care reform debate is a hot one, but unlike formal debates, the rules seem to have been tossed aside. Town Hall meetings, which can show democracy at its best, are deteriorating into rude and crude yelling sessions, often with one side screaming to block others freedom to speak their views. Hardly democratic and disrespectful of the freedom of speech tenet, some people are choosing to figuratively cover their ears and say "La la la la" to avoid hearing what the other side might be saying. Only it is not quite that nice.

When one side organizes to create such a ruckus so as to keep others from expressing their views, it is not what our forefathers had in mind when they sought to assure open dialogue, no matter the issue.

The sad thing is that most of the loud mouths do not have the whole story, and seem to be parroting the words of others, namely talk show hosts. Certain buzzwords appear in their yelling, on their signs, and in the media reports. They'd rather spew the drivel of radio entertainers then think for themselves and actually read some of the proposed legislation.

To be sure, there is a long way to go before any agreement is reached on this issue. All the more reason to have cordial, civil, and respectful dialogue to talk out this extremely important topic which will effect every one of us. But to promulgate hyperbole, extrapolating to the point of ridiculous is of no possible help.

Both sides need to tame the rhetoric, and both sides need to allow others, not of their persuasion, to speak their piece....in full sentences, and without getting hoarse. I am not so optimistic that we will get to that point because there are many whose agenda is to stifle other's rights. They could not stand still for someone having the floor for even a few minutes without tossing rude epithets, or worse, threats, to the speakers. Let's continue to pray for peace, but now for peace within our own borders. Another Civil Was is fomenting.

Nothing earthshaking today. Just a great day overall. The weather is decent, the family is calm, and the political world is still as crazy as ever. I suppose I could make some predictions.

Sonia will confirmed as and Associate Justice. The CARS or Cash For Clunkers program will be refilled, not sure if for $1 billion or $2 billion, but something.

The "birthers" hounding Obama about not being a natural born citizen will not stop any time soon. They seem to not be satisfied with this certified copy of the Hawai'i birth certificate; they want to see the original from the bowels of the archives. Heck, I'd like to see it too. I like history so I like old documents. Actually, though I am not one who subscribes to the birthers blather, I think it odd that the President doesn't just have the officials dig deep and bring up the original certificate and show it to the world. But you know, I'll bet that some STILL will not believe he wasn't born in Kenya.

The recession seems to be ebbing, as it often does after about 18 months, so I don't really know if the stimulus money did any good, or if this sign of recovery is just the normal cycle. But things seem to be improving no matter what, and that is good. We must not fail to watch our backs though. One terrorist attack might cause us to lose lots of momentum. Pray for peace.