"BP is Baaack"

As some of you know, I had a recent health scare that took almost all my energy and concentration in recent weeks. A future blog will be written on the importance of (medical) second opinions. For now I can report I had a good result on my lab tests and so I say to you with happiness: “I’m baaack”

The Olympics

Opening and closing ceremonies took forever and were what I imagine being on LSD is like. The English are eccentric and these ceremonies certainly proved that. I wish the front page of the Union Tribune wouldn’t have had the medals count. Like a score card it lets us know how many medals we won versus say China and Russia. Of course we ended up with the most medals but what if we hadn’t? What then? Panic in the streets? Super PAC funding for the next Olympics? Perhaps we would have had a collective national depression. Must it always be about winning? Is that even the Olympic spirit?

Ever notice athletes win gold medals, settle for silver and are lucky to get the bronze. Finish fourth or below and well you got a nice trip and some cool clothes but you aren’t a winner. The fourth place finisher could mop up the streets with any of us but they slink home having to wear the mantle of “what happened”? I don’t like that part of the games.

Paul Ryan

Finally Mitt chooses. I would have thought Marco Rubio from Florida would have made a better choice for obvious reasons but maybe he didn’t want it. Ryan appeals to the more right wing of the Republican Party, and he has authored an economic plan. Plus he is younger at 41 years of age. He’ll be good on the campaign trail and he’ll bolster the idea the Mitt is the choice if you want the economy fixed. Still and all it’s still an old white man running with young a white man. I think it means that Mitt is all in on the economy. He is going to make the economy the biggest and only topic. That may work since the economy still sucks and Obama doesn’t have much of a plan beyond telling us he has a plan, that and to just trust him. But if other issues come up like: Afghanistan, illegal immigration, and social issues like abortion or gay marriage these two could be hurting. Ryan won’t hurt Romney like Palin hurt McCain but will he be enough to bring it home?

California Tax Bill in November

The Guv’ has made it clear to Californians that if they don’t vote to approve his request for some higher taxes this November it’s going to be a Grapes of Wrath type disaster. Of course the schools will take it on the chin. Immediately San Diego City Schools have said they will cut back to 160 teaching days (from the current 170 already which is already down from the high of 177 a few years ago). So parents either raise your own taxes or make plans to have your kids at home 202 days a year. That ought to scare the shit out of the adult voters.  There will be cut backs with cops and fire department personnel as well. As the Guv’ puts it, either vote for this tax increase or watch your home potentially burn to the ground, or maybe no cops to protect the kids that are out on the street with so much time on their hands. Of course the politicians wouldn’t think of not spending oodles of money on illegal alien kids in schools, or maybe get rid of the stupid and incredibly costly state testing which most teachers believe is only PR driven and a waste of time. Nope, we’ll keep the tests and get rid of the teachers, teaching days, cops and fire fighters. Brilliant!!

Betrayal

Recently a high ranking Army Officer and 2 aides met with local Afghan officials to discuss transition and other local issues. After they finished supping together the Afghani stood up, withdrew his weapon and shot all three servicemen to death. It illustrates for me yet again the basic principle that our country (I speak of our military non-leadership and politicians) refuses to learn. Many countries’ want us to take care of their immediate problems (Usually a thug in charge) but they really don’t like us in their country. The longer we stay the more the locals (the ones that once welcomed us) turn on our servicemen. Do you know how many servicemen have been killed by Afghani’s dressed in Afghan police uniforms or invite our servicemen to dine with them and then blow them up? Countless numbers and more every week. This happened in Iraq, Vietnam, and Korea. The point is they don’t want our religion, our “superiority”, our western ways or our “democracy”. Thank you for getting rid of our latest bad guy now get the fuck out seems to be the operative thought process. When we don’t (get out) they start killing us. This happens over and over and over again. Stupid is as stupid does!!