Thursday, July 22, 2010

NOT OFTEN I SIDE WITH FRANCE

France voted in favor of outlawing the Burqua type of clothing women wear in middle eastern countries. It was said to affect some 2,000 women. Huffing Post, one of my all time favorites, had an article by Ms. Spelling against such a law. However......

I'm in favor of the ban. The logic of Ms. Spelling is flawed. This is not an assault on Islam or on women or on Muslims or any combination thereof. I would also ban it in the U.S. It could be a man under there and it could be a bomber under the bee keeper outfit. In my opinion, it brings down the property values on the street they walk and I'd be reluctant to walk near them as they might have assault rifles under the death threads.

If the women don't like it, they can move elsewhere. This is not a law, as suggested, as to tell what to wear, but a law stating what cannot be worn. There are laws against dressing to impersonate such as doctors in a hospital, policemen and so forth. This could be a terrorist impersonating a woman.

I think France would rather err on the side of safety and so would I. Also in Muslim countries, they force western female visitors to look like death. I did not see one word about this in the article. What goes around, comes around.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

I WOULD HAVE BIT IT CLEAN OFF

I read in Salon about Jessica Stern and her sister's rape when they were little kids. It happened the same day, same place, same time frame. It moved just about every person commenting with anger and sympathy.

Like other readers, this made me sick to my stomach. The police gave the sisters no justice. They only they doubted them. Your father indicated, perhaps not directly, that he was not interested in justice. "They probably have forgotten about it".

At some time in the rape, the man told her to lick his penis. She had the idea of biting it, but didn't. If it were me, I would have bit his penis clear off and then tried to poke his eyes out. As gruesome as that may sound, it would have saved other girls, exacted punishment that fits the crime, saved her sister from this bastard, and if Jessica survived, she would not have spent all these years as a victim.

I know it is almost cruel for me to suggest this, but I would not have hesitated for a moment.

I read about the women in India in pink Saris, banding together in the thousands, exacting justice from the misogynist men, wife beaters. I suggested the Stockholm Syndrome drenched women in the Middle East try to do the same.

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Sunday, July 18, 2010

THE PROBLEM WITH DIVERSITY

Diversity, in the U.S. adds to the wealth of our nation in terms of tolerance in living together, a fund of ideas, enrichment of language, the arts and sciences. I'm sure I left out a bunch, but we've taken your huddled masses and we have benefited.

However diversity also has its problems with making decisions in the public best interest, in resolving social problems owing to the many views, and there is less cohesion that tie us together. Diversity does not protect minorities well.

In America, we love our country and flag but do not love each other. The war cry is often "not in our backyard". Immigration, Gay Rights, and formerly Civil Rights were and still are major struggles.

In Argentina, you can make a point that the Catholic Church is wrong and people and legislature may follow, but in the U.S. you have to sell all Churches, Synagogues, Mosques, Temples being wrong. It is easy for a Karl Rove type to poison many wells and make common social agreement that crosses party lines more difficult.

A byproduct of diversity is that money and power become the prime motivating engines so only the courts can provide equality and only in some jurisdictions.

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HOW I QUIT SMOKING AFTER 50 YEARS

During one visit to my doctor about 2 years ago, a substitute doc saw me and suggested a chest xray. I took it but my doc must have forgotten about it, but with some prodding, told me I had a shadow on my lungs and better give up smoking. I know this is a little sloppy, but I do like my doc even if he was forgetful.

My brother told me about his wife trying "Commit", a lozenge and I bought it in Cherry flavor at the drug store because Costco only has the, ugh, regular flavor.

To make my money go further, instead of dissolving the entire lozenge, I would use about 20% of it and put it aside for later use. Every time I had a fit, I'd pop in a lozenge and use another 20%.

I noticed the nico-fits getting further apart and I all but stopped taking them in the 12th week. I still had a supply in case of emergency and had a little here and there but not on a regular basis.

I bought some Nicorette gum, cinnamon flavored and used a small supply until the 16th week.

Yes, it is is almost two years. I have a flashback now and then but only lasts a few seconds. I don't mind people smoking near me but I rather not smell it. I do take a COPD pill to open the lung cells for better function but I may outlive my heirs.

I like the fact that I no longer involuntarily reach for a cig, that my car now smells good, that I don't need a cig with coffee, after a mean, with some wine. I can write this without the crutch. I sleep and taste better, don't cough, but have to fight my weight.

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Monday, July 12, 2010

It seems Mel Gibson's significant other has been showered with foul language, threats, shouting, and actual physical abuse. Komrad Oksana Grigorieva in what might be called the great KGB tradition had the foresight to tape some of these diatribes. I have a feeling the tapes might bring in a handsome amount at Southerbes or Christies.

Mel Gibson threatens murder, on tape, but am sure he would not actually kill her, yet the tape will be worth its weight in blue diamionds at the divorce trial.

Gibson better make guy flicks because women might balk at supporting him. Mad Mel needs anger management seminars, a few hints about being politically correct, 12 or more steps of misogynist avoidance therapy, and when he uses the "C" word, he really should explain to the recipient whether it is a noun or a verb.

When that is all done, blindfold him and drop him off at Ben Gurion Airport. He can see how that anti semite thingy is going for him.

I'm just glad he's not gay.

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Sunday, July 11, 2010

THE CREEPING OF THE GIBSON

I read lots of Blogs stating that the writers do not care what Mel Gibson does but if he makes a good movie, they will buy a ticket. Comparisons are made to Roman Polanski and Woody Allen and surely, people flock to their movies.

I like to talk about each person separately. The complaint with Woody Allen is that he married his daughter. Roman Polanski is said to have raped an 8 year old and Gibson is on the tapes for being a racist, a bigot, and anti Semite. I'm here just talking about Gibson, who loves to picture himself as this innocent, kind of simple person living in this horridly complex world. He is anything but.

I don't really care what actors do in their private lives as to abuse of their own bodies, of getting married and divorced with the frequency of drinking milk, and most of their crazy publicity seeking stunts.

If they are in a good movie or play, I'll watch it, and if it is a dog, I'll avoid it. I believe if their personal life does not impact society, it should not influence my personal choices.

There is a difference when the person is a racist, a criminal, a bigot, or discriminates. I think it would be phoniness on my part for me to support such an actor with attendance. Mel Gibson is someone who I will never attend his work.

So for those who don't care if Gibson is a creepy anti Semite and racist pig, then they will support his work but I join those who think he is disgusting.

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LEGALIZING DRUGS IN THE U.S.

One of my favorite news services, Salon, posted an article, presumably written by a drug user extolling the virtues of legalizing drug use though admits that in the U.S. there is little chance of it happening.

So, I read the article and it was the usual once sided argument, and I read each of the comments. Almost, if not everyone who commented believes that legalization would be a seemly solution both for society as well as the government coffers.

I did not jump on this bandwagon. I have some concern about the number of additional people added to the drug user ledgers when they do not fear the law. Would legalization be a catalyst to produce large additional numbers of Zombies? Oh, if you don't like my use of Zombies, just substitute another word.

So, would it be good for more Zombies driving or can they be forced to stay home when I go out for a spin so I have a better chance of seeing tomorrow? Is there any guarantee that my taxes would not increase owing to greater numbers on the public dole, greater strain on health care, increases in taxes owing to commensurate unemployment insurance costs.

Would there be a greater productivity loss that reflects in higher consumer prices? Would Zombies still steal to get money to pay for it legally?

I am told you can get high breathing the air in Amsterdam, the poster boy for legalization. Is this emblematic of what my town would look and smell like?

The idea of legalizing drugs has some merit, but I would like more information before I punch the voting card.

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Thursday, July 8, 2010

ON CORPORATE VILLANS

Today, the Daily Beast, a fine news service, had an article on Transocean, the owner of the oil platform they leased to BP that is killing the Gulf. The article discusses the odious practices of Transocean and who they deal with.

I remember a recent article on the 10 worst companies in the world and the reason for the ranking. Transocean could be the poster boy, the keynote speaker at the "Corporate Worsts Convention" appropriate held on the Cayman Islands.

I believe for most businesses their corporate culture gives us an indelible blueprint predicting their future dealings. Some are great corporate citizens even to the point of requiring all suppliers to meet certain codes of conduct and even encourage employees to spend time in public service.

Yet, there are many who consider the public or national interest tertiary at best, who will throw their grandmothers under the bus to turn a buck, who will cut forests, poison the water and air, deal with rogue nations, and fiddle while Earth burns.

Even if fined a few hundred million, they pay it out of petty cash if their lawyers can't get the fine delayed or reduced and they throw a party for lawmakers on some tropic island while their PR team tells us they are our long lost brothers who help make our life and environment safe and clean.

I think their PR team picks a neatly dressed Cougar, who walks like a ramp model and talks in a sultry voice telling us that the screwing we get is really worth the screwing we get. Sometimes, they use an ugly Octogenarian so we can believe that this granny wouldn't lie to us.

On occasion the spin is subtle. Like the former monopoly AT&T changing their logo to lower case (at&t)because some Madison Avenue exec told them it has a softer more cuddly image. Now they can screw us and we hope they'll remember our name in the morning.

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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

UNHAPPY PARENTING 101

One of my favorite on-line mags, Salon, has an article about parents who find themselves unhappy rearing a child, being a parent. I just had to comment

Personally I don't care if parents are unhappy having to give up a Lotte here and there and changing diapers compared to a pedicure. I don't care if they have to struggle because they thought the Lord will provide and they have children every 10 months.

The world if full of single parents. In all cases, at least, one of them sucks. The number of high school drop outs tell me that the unhappy parents shouldn't have been parents at all. These morons blame their kids, spouse, school, all but the whole in their double digit IQ boat.

Here is a clue. If you don't know what it takes to bring up a child, don't get pregnant. If you know what it takes, don't complain. There is an expression about a drunk waking up sober but a moron wakes up a moron.

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Sunday, July 4, 2010

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

I asked a Brit if he thought it was a poor idea to lose these colonies, and he just said that we never could listen to instructions. As though to jokingly say, good riddance.

It is not the British that I think about on July 4, nor the fireworks, the sales that are in all the stores, and I hardly even think about it being my country's birthday.

My thoughts go to the part of the Declaration that we recited in school about We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, and amongst these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Here, Jefferson talked about the people, not the government, just the people.

Later on I half memorized the last Sentence, That in defense of this Declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine guidance, we pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. This part was not for the people; this part talked to our government.

I would like each President, each member of Congress, each member of the Supreme Court, to doctors, insurance companies, lawyers, and police to read and understand the promise given to me and my children and their children, to my neighbors and friends and to all of you and those near and dear to you.

While I wish all a happy Independence Day, I write this as a lament.