Category Archives: United States

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT

We offer observations on the human condition from a 22 year  old  mind trapped in an 82 year old body.

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT

I no longer possess the unlimited energy of an 8 year old.

Two white shirted men in coffee shop-executive meeting?

Some walk in hurried small steps, some do not.

Leave a child alone, she will find a  way to entertain herself.

As a child I considered tests to be boring and  confusing.

Paying taxes is simply paying what one is due in order to live in America.

If you desire to fail, you will.

My mother would be lost in this fast food world.

Some seek a connection with a machine, some with people.

To be poor in America is to be unnoticed.

Some count bodies, I count butts.

To eat alone is to think alone.

A tall thin attractive woman always captures my attention.

I wonder which is more productive, meeting in coffee shop or in office.

I no longer am a brisk walker.

The only enduring fame is that within your family.

In modern America the quickest way to fame is to shoot someone.

I feel warm snuggling my back against the couch.

I do not play with fingers while waiting, some do.

As ye sow, so shall ye reap. Still true.

Barack Obama Smells BO

In a speech at the National Defense University the president raised some interesting issues such as continuance of powers given to him to kill who the hell he desires if only he supports those murders with some evidence that bad guys were out to harm the United States of America. He also wants to close down Guantanamo Bay prison because it finally  dawned on him that millions of Muslims in the world do not like him around and killing people-particularly, those of the Muslim faith.

I guess this is a good step to restore basic American values such as an independent free press that can print whatever  it desires. I realize a Fox News reporter printed the secret story that North Korea might threaten use of nuclear weapons. I must confess joy at being let in on this story.

Now, if former constitutional professor Barack Obama can shift his focus from sending drug users to jail and send a few Wall Street criminals to prison, perhaps, he can go down in history as a defender of the United States against Wall Street terrorism.

Iran, Its Sad Story Continues

The people of Iran possess a well educated population, they possess excellent sientists and scholars who seek to create a modern society. However, they are led by a group of ancient thinkers seeking to use outdated ideas and views in the modern world. The Interior Minister announced the names of those eligible to run for president of the country next month. The name o f Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani does not appear even though he once led the nation. Neither does the name of Esfander Rahim Mashaei, close ally of current President Ahmadinejad. It is clear that Ayatollah Khamenei intends to control the leadership of Iran and he will only allow someone who obeys his will to become the president.

There was hope that Rafsanjani might open doors to negotiate with
Western nations and find a way out of the current impasse over nuclear weapons. That road is now blocked. There is slight hope that Iran can end its diplomatic isolation and access to the means of creating a dynamic economic system.

GOP Creative Thinking

Extremism in the service of God allows an individual to engage in distortion and lies because the end goal is-truth. The White House released to Republicans over 100 pages of Benghazi emails which were then released to the public by congressional Republicans. According to CBS News, Republican versions of some emails used alternative language than that given by the White House:

White House: “We need to resolve this in such a way that respects all the relevant entities, particularly the investigation.”

Republican: “We must make sure that t he talking points reflect all agency equities, including those of the  State Department and we don’t want to undermine the FBI investigation.”

White House; “The penultimate point could be abused by members to beat the State Department for not paying attention  to Agency warnings”

Republican: “The penultimate point is a paragraph talking about all the previous warnings provided by the Agency(CIA) about al-Qaeda’s presence and activities of al-Qaeda.”

We need a special commission to investigate the Republican party in Congress!

Forgotten European Youth

Among the tragedies of Europe’s dance with austerity has been a dramatic rise in unemployment throughout the region. An estimated 50% of young Spaniards lack jobs and similar figures are evident in Greece or Italy or even Sweden. Hundreds of Swedish young boys and girls went on a rampage through the streets of Stockholm showing their anger at being ignored and having their lives put on hold. They set fire to over 300 cars, burned down a restaurant and threw stones through store windows. There are even reports of a police station being burned to the ground. The initial outbreak most probably arose from police killing a 69 year -old man who was wielding a machete. Young people felt the police over-reacted.

It is time for Europe to abandon the austerity tactic and go back to some old fashioned John Keynes stimulus to the economy. Sweden might borrow the Depression CCC which placed one million young Americans to work on infrastructure tasks. FDR even pushed through bills that paid artists to paint or musicians to play music of people to put on plays. Provide meaningful work and riots will cease and desist.

Don’t Steal My Valor!

Congress is greatly concerned that some men who never served in their nation’s armed forces will go around pretending to have been in combat. The Stolen Valor Act makes it a federal crime to falsely claim to have received a military medal for valor in action. Maximum punishment is a fine that could range up to $100,000 and even result in a year in prison. For example, claiming to be a combat veteran on a job application can result to a one way pass to prison.

I wonder if there is need for a new bill about Stolen Valor. As I recall, Vice President Dick Cheney wanted war and strongly urged the invasion of Iraq. Of course, this is the same man who obtained SEVEN draft deferments during the Vietnam War because –”I have more important things to do.” Then again, George Bush spent the Vietnam War in southern regions of the United States of America.

Shouldn’t it be a crime to place others in combat if you are a coward who fought against going to fight?

HEADLINES FROM WORLD PRESS

We offer samples of headlines that appeared in the world press along with our comments.

UK, Guardian:  ”Boyfriend Says Vagina Repulsive”

What a prick.

USA, Daily News:  ”He Thought She Was Pregnant”

Let me explain about the birds and bees.

New Zealand, New Zealand Herald:  ”Cop Faces Drug Charges”

OK, now we should halt and frisk all cops.

Turkey, Hurriyet:  ”Assad Should Go”

The question is-where?

Russia, Moscow Times:  ”Spies Square Off”

Why not just share information and make life easier for spies?

Denmark, Copenhagen Post:  ”Too Many Smart People”

Boy, is that a dumb remark.

USA, aol:  ”Governor Orders Bibles Back In State Owned Cabins”

Did he check with God?

Abortion Wars Continue

The issue of abortion is complex, both sides offer valid arguments and the goal is to adhere to sensible thinking. The Supreme Court has ruled that  the viability of a foetus is to start at 24 weeks and prior to that date, a woman has a right to decide what happens inside her body. Conservatives insist they oppose “the government” telling people how to run their lives, but when it comes to the abortion issue, they want “the government” to intrude strongly into the lives of people. A federal court struck down Arizona’s ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Judge Marsha Berzon ruled that “a woman has a constitutional right to choose to terminate her pregnancy before her foetus is viable.”

Abortion supporters continue to insist “the state” has a right to decide what constitutes a human life. It would make sense if those who oppose “the government” to adhere to their beliefs when it comes to the abortion issue.

Drone On With Death

President Obama will present to the nation his rationale for sending drones to kill enemy forces and the  overall strategy of countering terrorism. There is no doubt that drones have and will be capable of killing terrorist leaders. There is also no doubt drones also kill innocent people in the process. The essential theory of using  drones is to kill leaders. Unfortunately, there is no example in the twentieth century that killing leaders led to the collapse of a terrorist group. Osama bin Laden is dead, but al-Qaeda has GROWN IN POWER since that death. Al-Qaeda is now in Mali, in Chad, in Libya and its allies are now in Nigeria-DESPITE THE DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN.

In the process of using drones the United States has gained the hatred of millions. We challenge President Obama to provide evidence that killing leaders ends terrorism.

Oh, he will also talk about Guantanamo. On that point, he is right, close the damn place once and for all.

Racial Profiling In NYC Schools!

Anyone who has worked in New York City schools knows only too well they are segregated and certain schools receive greater resources. In a complaint filed with the federal Office of Civil Rights, parents are charging that city schools send black and Hispanic children to  underperforming schools . Education Law Center attorney Wendy Lecker was blunt. “The city is sending African-American and Latino students to schools where they are much  less likely to earn a diploma. We want new policies to give all students a fair shot.”

The issues are deeper than black or Latino students. The NYC school system is dominated by test scores rather than learning scores. It defines intelligence by a score given on a test rather than critical thinking ability. Adminstrators pressure teachers to test, test, test rather than pressure them to develop creative lesson plans that aid students to draw upon their innate creative thinking.