Mid Term Exam - Part II

If you think there is no prayer in school, stop by during exams

Mid Term Summer School Exams: In case you had to make up some work in summer school you know this is mid-term exam week. So we will join all the other dummies for our current events exam:

Section 2 – the Current Events:

1.Who has the inside track for the Democratic Vice Presidency?
a. Sean Hannity
b. ABH (Anybody but Hillary)
c. Rush Limbaugh
d. Nicholas Sarkozy (French President)

2. What was discovered after California’s 5.4 earthquake?
a. Judge Judy’s bunker
b. A new “Rock and Roll” video
c. Lootings and muggings continued as normal
d. Vegas hotels now boast beachfront property

3. Which is the most viable Republican VP candidate?
a. Keith Olbermann
b. Bob Dole
c. Cindy McCain
d. Somebody ready to go on Day 2

4. To build and keep a fortune one must:
a. Invest in an IRA
b. Search for a high interest rate
c. Prospect in search of a gold mine
d. Become a Senator in Alaska

5. The newest hot location of eternal rest is:
a. Happy Gardens
b. Fred’s mausoleum and delicatessen
c. Boot Hill
d. An airliner restroom

6. The news that caused the most panic this week was:
a. The L.A. earthquake
b. Fires in the Bay area
c. Another salmonella outbreak
d. Miley Cyrus might quit Hannah Montana

7. Sen. Obama had his biggest love fest with:
a. The Germans
b. The President of France
c. The Israelis
d. The American News Media

8. Sen. Obama traveled to Europe aboard:
a. Virgin Atlantic
b. U. S. Airways
c. Delta Airlines
d. O Force One

9. Senator McCain’s release of 1,200 pages of medical records:
a. Show he’s healthy
b. Show he’s physically fit
c. Show he has no addiction problems
d. Was the first of 30 chapters

10. The Supreme Court’s pro gun decision resulted in:
a. An NRA membership increase
b. Safer streets
c. More shooting ranges
d. Dick Cheney peppering his neighbor with buckshot

That’s the midterm boys and girls. Hope you studied.

A little blogging music Maestro... “High School Never Ends” by Bowling for Soup.

Dr. Forgot
See me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Dead Dinosours Are Nearly Gone

A Camel is a Horse Designed by a Committee

From American Camels to Solar Power: What is a camel? If you are of ”a certain age” you might remember the cigarette ad that boasted, “I’d walk a mile for a Camel.” If you are a fan of the late poet Ogden Nash you might remember his poem about a dromedary (an Arabian camel). If you are a U.S. history buff you might remember that for several years before the Civil War the U.S. Army experimented with the camel as a beast of burden in the desert southwest. A pyramid-shaped gravestone in Quartzite, AZ marks the grave of Syrian camel tender Hadji Ali (given the American name Hi Jolly). Or you might have read a recent Tom Friedman column in which he remarked that a certain Agassi fellow could “…sell camels to Saudi Arabia.”

An Agassi who is not the Famous Tennis Star: When most Americans hear the name Agassi they think of perhaps the greatest tennis player in the world. Some know Andre Agassi as an entrepreneur and community servant who has underwritten Boys and Girls Clubs and the Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas. But recently another Agassi has come on the scene who knows a thing or two about the desert and entrepreneurship. Shai Agassi writes a blog about alternative energy called, “The Long Tailpipe – Shai Agassi’s Blog.” http://shaiagassi.typepad.com. This Agassi is an Israeli whiz kid and software exec who is keenly interested in alternative energy. In particular, he has a plan to free his country, and by extrapolation the world, from its addiction to cars driven by oil.

America the Bedraggled: Our president has been lampooned, been the butt of jokes, and mumbled, jumbled, and stumbled over words. But he made one comment that is profound and true – “we are a nation addicted to oil.” And regarding oil, like beachfront property, “they ain’t making it anymore.” Still, we sit in our addictive stupor. Like so many winos lying on a cold concrete sidewalk hoping that some passerby will be kind and generous enough to drop a bit of change into our upturned hat, we anxiously await our next fix. Our politicians take millions in PAC money from the record profit oil companies and figuratively inject the dollar-filled syringes into their needle-track arms. Oil company hopefuls dig like miners in a played-out mine hoping to find that next mother lode of oil. But sooner or later, unlike the sun-drenched poppy fields that supply renewable energy for heroin, oil reserves are finite in supply because our dinosaurs of today are not dying to create more tar pits.

A Young Man With a Dream: If Shai Agassi is successful with his dream he will provide the American beasts of burden the ability to survive on renewable energy as do their four-legged cousins of the Middle Eastern deserts. An irony is that if successful, Israel might well become the major energy producer in the Middles East and the world. Agassi’s plan is to provide cars that run on renewable energy – battery powered by electricity from sun, wind, or water sources. All electric and hybrid electric cars are not new. Toyota offers the Prius. Most other automakers offer some sort of electric hybrid. The Tesla is an electric sportscar that has caused many heads to turn. But to the product, Agassi has offered a networking idea. Can’t imagine such an animal? Think electric cars on a cell phone format – an AT&T cellular/Hertz Rent-a-car hybrid model if you will. Buy or lease a phone (electric car) from a provider, recharge the battery at home, and pay the provider for the minutes (miles) used. Drop by a neighborhood garage or call AAA to replace the battery if it dies. Not quite a seamless analogy? Of course not! If it were, it would already be in place. But it takes visionaries like Tom Freidman to recognize possibilities and geniuses like Shai Agassi make it happen. Still too Star Wars for you? It is a good thing William Hewlett and David Packard (founders of Hewlett Packard), Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, and Eli Whitney, didn’t feel that way.

Earth, Wind, and Fire: For the past 100 years or so the civilized world has sucked resources out of the earth to advance technology. Black gold has sustained not only the internal combustion engine but hundreds of other items such as plastics which are also petroleum based. Other resources that are renewable such as wind and fire (solar energy) have not yet been developed by man’s ingenuity. One hundred years ago it was not necessary to develop other resources. Today it is a good idea to do so. Tomorrow it will be a necessity.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Rearview Mirror” by Pearl Jam

Dr. Forgot
See me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Mid Term Exam

Don’t Try to Lose weight; It Always Finds You

Mid Term Summer School Exams: In case you had to make up some work in summer school you know this is mid-term exam week. So we will join all the other dummies for our current events exam:

Section 1 – Current Events:

1. What movie did Senator Obama live out last week?
a. Batman
b. Tron
c. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
d. If it is Tuesday This Must be Iraq

2. What was the Republican’s favorite foreign phrase last week?
a. Que sera sera
b. Mama Mia!
c. Como esta usted
d. Ich bin ein Beginner

3. Which is the closest visit to Sen. Obama’s birthplace?
a. The Iraqi oil fields
b. The Berlin Wall
c. The Jordanian palace
d. A manger in Bethlehem

4. What did Rudy Guiliani’s son lose this week?
a. His allowance
b. His hair
c. His secret service status
d. His lifetime membership to the Duke Miniature Golf Assn.

5. If Senator Obama loses the presidential election he will become:
a. Unemployed
b. A senior senator
c. The Mayor of Chicago
d. Chancellor of Germany

6. To offset the trip to Europe coverage, Sen. McCain:
a. Took a nap
b. Announced that airport security had arrested the Thief of Bagdad
c. Boycotted the airlines
d. Had French toast at Denny’s

7. Sen. McCain greeted the Dalai Lama with:
a. Your Holiness
b. Your Highness
c. Your Grace
d. Hello Dalai

8. When 200,000 screaming Germans greeted Sen. Obama:
a. Hearing was impossible
b. Seventeen German girls fainted
c. An accordion played, “Hail to the Chief”
d. France surrendered

9. Senator McCain’s thoughts on a vice presidential candidate:
a. Rudy – too many exes
b. Newt – ditto
c. Mitt – too young
d. Tim Pawlenty – Who?

10. When oil dropped under $ 125 a barrel the White House said:
a. “Told you so”
b. “See. We threatened do explore in the U.S.”
c. “Ahh, a return to cheap oil”
d. “We’ve got to bail out those poor struggling oil companies.”

That’s the mid term boys and girls. We’ll send you your results.

A little blogging music Maestro... Any selection from “High School Musical” will do.

Dr. ForgotSee me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

News, Views, and Ptooos

Media Take Comedians Seriously and Politicians as a Joke

Sorry, No Political News Today: I know, I know. One guy is on tour and the other is on tour. Both are sniping at the other and each is telling whoever will listen that he is the way, the truth, and the light. In case you’ve overdosed on pontificating politicians, phlegmatic pundits, and the paralysis of analysis, wash your mind out with this item. Corey Warburton is 14. He looks like a typical teen with scraggly hair, backwards baseball cap, and a skateboarding addiction that he feeds whenever he can. On his way to a skate park he found a note – a suicide note along with glasses and a shirt on a bridge. He scanned the icy water and saw a body appear to move, so he did what any hero would have done – he jumped into the freezing water. He reached the woman who said, “Help me,” and for the next 30 minutes struggled to get her to shore. Finally another teen saw them and dived in to help pull the 70-year old woman to safety. She is expected to make a full recovery. Sort of restores your faith in the “Yes We Can” generation, doesn’t it?

From the Bureau of Inane Sadistics: Today must be a slow news day if you don’t count the political deluge that has impregnated our media for the past year or so. All the big time anchors with their reading glasses on their nose, their off-color hair dye, and pompous attitudes are worshipping at the political alter, hoping to get an exclusive with the next president. That leaves the second string to amble on down to Texas like a candle in the wind to be blown out and around the storm center. Somehow, a miked up tied down, bundled in much more than swaddling clothes reporter screaming to be heard above the din of Mother Nature is the latest bandwagon upon which the major stations have boarded. Any port in a storm, I guess. That leaves the interns – those crazy young creative Katzenjammer type kids who are left to tend the newsroom. So when the cat is away what stories do the mice play?

Marriage is for White People Only: “I am a statistic” cries Dionne Hill, oh so single but looking for Mr. Good Beau. She reflects on her fifth grade teacher who went to college, stayed a virgin, got married, and had her first bundle of joy at age 26. At age 12 Ms Hill – not the lawyer from Texas – had a dream to follow in her teacher’s footsteps. But at age 30 she is still searching. She cites the discrepancy – nearly half of America’s black women vs. a quarter of their white sisters have never been married. Her teacher, she concluded, achieved success because she was white. Hill withstood jokes and heckles from her co-workers and questions from other single black women. She has not given up hope, though. After this article there must be some eligible bachelor who will come knocking.

White Women Get Hammered Too: Our last story from the annals of the creative Youtube-genner tells about the dating load shouldered by white women. I guess equal time is important in the lives of the kinder-writers. Judy McGuire, a white woman who calls herself “The Frisky,” opines that women get called crazy more than men. To avoid the wacko label Ms. Frisky warns that when going out on dates women refrain from using the icebreaker, “My therapist says.” In fact she warns against any discussion of psychotherapeutic medications. Stay away from religion and politics she warns, and steer clear of any discussion of recovery. Finally, she suggests that gals wait until they are sure he has fallen for them before showing him the collection of restraining orders that have been taken out against her. Perhaps those gals should go with their new boyfriends to a doctor who specializes in psychiatry and proctology. Look in the Yellow Pages under “Odds and Ends.”

A little blogging music Maestro... How about that classic by Aerosmith, “Crazy.”

Dr. ForgotSee me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Do You Believe?

It’s the Economy, Stupid

From the Fiscal Penthouse to the Two-Bit Outhouse: It has taken fewer than eight years for our current president to work his economic magic. When he took office in 2000 he inherited the largest budget surplus in American history. Whether or not it was the result of his Democrat predecessor, his Democrat predecessor’s Republican predecessor, or a normal cycle does not matter. Fact is, “W” and his advisors inherited a Midas fortune to the tune of $ 230 Billion. Soon the cache was gone and the cupboard bare. The entire surplus had been spent. Whether squandered or not, it was gone, all $ 230 billion. But spending did not slow down. The administration continued to spend money that did not exist until the budget deficit had far exceeded $ 230 billion. Our nation’s checking account went $ 230 billion in the black to $ 230 billion in the red, but that didn’t even slow things down as the budget deficit hurdles past $ 400 billion. Iraq is costing Americans $ 5,000 per Iraqi – triple the Iraq GNP (that would be the equivalent of $ 121,000 per American). This fact, plus $ 4.00+ for a gallon gasoline, $ 150+ per barrel of oil, the mortgage crisis, and other money woes has placed the economy as the #1 concern on the minds of the American people.

Coincidence or a sign: American prestige internationally is at an all time low. Efforts by the current administration to repair our image abroad have resulted in dismal failure. So what? Our economy is the main concern of most Americans. Why worry about what some Frenchman, German, or Middle Easterner thinks about our country when we are a nation that is hurting. Presumptive presidential candidate Senator John McCain chided Presumptive presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama for not traveling abroad, so Senator Obama lined up a trip to the Middle East and Europe. Aside from the McCain minions complaining that their candidate is now being upstaged by the media coverage of Senator Obama on his trek, other events have occurred. As the Senator from Illinois sat down for discussions with various Middle Eastern leaders the price of oil has dropped by about $ 20.00 per barrel. Coincidence, or a sign?

Positive Economic News in Banking: Ok, maybe the drop in the price of oil was a fluke. Could the foreign tour bring hope to the quivering banking market? The mortgage crisis has resulted in bank losses, sales, mergers, and general panic for the past year. During the tour of Senator Obama stocks of some of the hardest hit banks began to inch up. Wachovia, on the heels of a near $ 9 billion loss saw its stock value rise by 27%. Washington Mutual stock increased 6%, Key Bank and First Third stocks shot up, Sun Trust of Atlanta increased share values by 16%. The list goes on and suggests some hope for the beginnings of an economic recovery. Coincidence or a sign?

This Could be Legacy Consideration Time: Most presidents who have served during difficult times have seen their approval ratings fall. Our current president is no exception, although his ratings have taken the drop to a new nadir. With presidential elections just a few months away this is also the time presidents begin to be concerned about their legacy and begin doing things they hope will improve that legacy. President Bush has flip-flopped and dropped his opposition to several popular bills and issues including a housing bill, climate change, a G.I. bill that would fund education, and even on his stubbornly held position of a timetable to remove troops from Iraq. Coincidence or a sign?

A little blogging music Maestro... From the Politics album by the artist Korn, “See You on the Other Side”

Dr. Forgot
See me also at http://vegasnews.squarespace.com/

Anchors Aweigh

Our Country’s Best and Brightest

Military Academies: Years ago, it seems like it was in the 1800s, I graduated high school. My academic career was not stellar, I was no athlete, but somehow I stumbled through college and earned a degree in Psychology. Four years after my high school graduation a young cousin was completing his high school career. He was a superb student, a brilliant football player, and had leadership qualities that attracted many colleges including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He chose West Point, had an excellent career as a student and quarterback and upon graduation served his hitch in the Army. After his obligation was completed he decided to become a “lifer” meaning he made the Army his career. My cousin retired from the Army last year at the rank of Four Star General. The son of an ordinary family was able to perform extraordinarily because he had the right stuff for one of the United States Military Academies.

Seven Days Without a Blog Entry can make One Weak: Last week I had the opportunity to visit another of the United States Academies. The United States Naval Academy is located in Annapolis, Maryland. I’d been there only once before on the occasion of graduation of a Midshipman who happened to be the son of a close family friend. I was taken by the beauty of the campus and community but did not realize the depth and breadth of education provided. I had often wondered what it takes to become a Midshipman and had questions like, “Is the Naval Academy Coed?” as well as How many minorities are represented? Can foreign students attend? and Where do Marines go for their Academy training? I started my search at www.usna.edu even before I made the trek to Annapolis. What I discovered between my research and the time spent at the Academy restored my faith in the younger generation as well as my faith in the leadership of our Navy.

From Gawky Kid to an Officer and a Leader: Any young person who is interested in becoming a Naval officer can follow one of three routes: Navy ROTC programs found in many colleges around the country offer full scholarships which not only pay college expenses but provide a stipend for pocket money while attending. A second option is for a young person to join the Navy, (referred to at the Academy as the Big Navy), and apply for Officer Candidate School. The third and most competitive way is to pass through the Naval Academy in Annapolis. To do this a high school student contacts the Naval Academy via their web site. They are then assigned a Blue and Gold Officer from their neighborhood who becomes their liaison.

Standards are High – Not for Sissies: The candidate must demonstrate scholarly ability with transcripts showing good grades in challenging courses, solid College Board Exam scores, good character, and leadership. The standards are high, the training rigorous, and the classes intense. But the reward is an education worth hundreds of thousands of dollars plus around $ 10,000 per year while attending the Academy, a guaranteed job upon completion and the education and training to become one of our nation’s leaders. Midshipmen have gone to Naval and Marine Corps careers in aviation (there are more pilots in the Navy than in the Air Force), business, engineering, and many other fields including the presidency of the United States. There are 19 majors to choose from and yes, the Academy looks like the country and includes women, varied ethnic backgrounds, and even Midshipmen from foreign countries. The essence of this builder of leaders cannot be captured in one blog entry. Even the great web page www.usna.edu cannot capture its essence. One must attend an event at the Academy to fully appreciate it.

A little blogging music Maestro... The official Navy song, “Anchors Aweigh.”

Dr. Forgot
See me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Alabama Justice?

We Get the News we Deserve

Front Page News: It has often been said that Americans get exactly the government they deserve. In 2000 a candidate arrived on the scene with plenty of flair and a good ole boy Texas accent, even if he was from Kennebunkport. Some say he had gotten into college thanks to Daddy’s juice. He was no athlete. Not a scholar. Did like to party, though. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, same as many other college kids whose families were unable to buy them a legacy. Never was very successful in a career. He was well liked as a baseball team owner but otherwise bumbled his way through businesses. Went bust in the oil business. That should have been a clue. But with the help of his family legacy he was able to get nominated and maybe, maybe not, won the election. Four years later he won again. Today our country has a record debt although he started with a record surplus. We’re in the longest war in memory after invading a country that posed no threat to us. His rating is at a record low and our country faces the biggest economic challenge since the depression. We deserve the government we elect.

Ditto the news: We have become a nation of briefs. Texting has a nu language u can not c. In depth news media has been reduced to 10 second sound bites. The printed media is bleeding red ink. Friday’s paper was an example why. Page one teased a new Batman movie, “Cool Crossover SUV,” a potential Emmy winner, and a quarterback. Buried on page two is the most outrageous story since the Selma debacle. A trucker was hauling onions through Alabama when he was pulled over on his way back to California. He wasn’t speeding. No safety violations such as a broken taillight were observed. He wasn’t driving erratically. He was simply pulled over for “a routine inspection.”

You in a Heap ‘a Trouble, Boy: For years Alabama was the butt of jokes about its uneducated cops, speed traps, and hillbilly justice. Those days were thought to be a distant memory until Manual Castillo was pulled over. His crime? The trooper didn’t like what he heard from Castillo. Did the trucker curse? Was he disrespectful? Did he refuse to comply with the commands of the man with the gun? None of the above. Castillo, a legal U.S. resident with all the appropriate driving documents, did not have language skills to meet the standards of the trooper. So he was given a $ 500 ticket!

Conclusion to Truckers, Avoid Alabama: Keep in mind that Castillo passed all oral and written exams to be a legal U.S. resident plus all written, oral, and driving tests to earn a commercial license and drive an 18-wheeler. He speaks well enough to pass the road test and inspections along the way. He was quoted as saying, and NOT through an interpreter, “It just doesn’t seem fair to be ticketed if I wasn’t doing anything dangerous on the road.” Sounds like plain English to me. Maybe Castillo was searching for a translation of, “Y’all gotta gimmie yo’ license, boy.” He plans to pay the $ 500 and not return to Alabama. If the judge is related to the cop who pulled him over, his choice is probably a wise one.

A little blogging music Maestro... The Cops TV theme, “Bad Boys, Bad Boys.”

Dr. Forgot
See me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Weekend Summary

The Enemy is Not Liberalism nor Conservatism – it is B.S.

Pardon, your Slip is Showing: Senator John McCain has become a familiar face on the campaign trail by now, as has his beautiful and rich wife Cindy. The good senator claimed in his 2002 memoir that he was separated from his first wife Carol before dating the dashing Cindy. Carol, a former model who had endured her husband’s captivity with grace, reared their three children, and suffered a tragic auto accident, said she had no idea Senator McClinton was two-timing her. MoniCindy claims she pursued him. Seems the Officer and Gentleman fibbed a bit. In the divorce papers he admitted he and his honey-bunny were “cohabitating” for the nine months he claimed to have been true blue – like the states he wants to turn red, as in his face, at being caught in a loverly lie. But compared to the sexploits of Bill Clinton, the Noodle Gingrich, and Bathroom Boy Larry Craig, this war hero’s peccadillo is chump change.

We mourn their passing: Just one month since the world lost a giant in the political analysis arena, Tim Russert, Tony Snow passed way. After earning his stripes as a newscaster with the so-called mainstream media, he moved to Fox News then became press secretary for President Bush. Though he mingled with some who mangled and slanted the news, he always was credible in his presentation. We’ve also just learned that Dr. Michael DeBakey, pioneer of heart surgery and transplantation, has passed away. He was born just five years after Teddy Roosevelt took office and was 99 at the time of his passing. A moment of silence to recognize the passing of these giants.

Far from Iraq but nearly as dangerous: The California wildfires – there have been well over 2,000 thus far - now have the National Guard to try to quell them. The first of 400 Guardsmen to be deployed to fight the fire include several who’ve seen enemy fire in the Middle East. Although the heat is similar to the 115+ in Iraq and the task can be dangerous, the fire does not shoot back or plant IEDs. Also the families of the soldiers are happy that their deployment is close to home. Morale is higher than the temperatures. This is a war worth fighting.

Can you hear me now?: The newest iPhone, the G3, was introduced Friday by Apple. Still only available on the AT&T network the much anticipated souped-up superphone had lines of people waiting to purchase it. However those who skipped a patty-melt lunch for the launch of the info-laden listening device were treated to a meltdown instead. Thousands of proud new owners found themselves blowing into the microphone and asking, “Is this thing on?” Employees politely told customers to take their phone and shove it out the front door. Activation could not be completed at stores due to a global glitch and they had to sell, sell, sell. The new iPhone is faster, more powerful and does tons of things the old one does not – including work properly. It reminds me of the man who bought an expensive watch that was waterproof, dustproof, sang in 33 different languages, worked in 20 fathoms of water, was accurate to a millisecond – and he lost it.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Hanging on the Telephone” by Blondie
P.S. We will be on hiatus and incommunicado for the next week. See you next weekend.

Dr. ForgotSee me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

The Kickoff is Coming

Politicians shake your hand before elections and your confidence after

No Glue Factory for this Bronco: Coach David Plouffe is planning his strategy for the kickoff game in Denver. His star quarterback, #1, Iron-Man Obama had been scheduled to meet the press in the Denver Pepsi Center. Problem was that that venue was more Pepsi Light since the arena could only accommodate 20,000 screaming Pepsi generation fans. Coach Plouffe wanted to showcase his recent draft pick in a bigger venue so he figured, why not get on his high horse and more than triple the number seats available for screaming fans? He hoped the move would Orange Crush the competition. So the Barackster will suit up for the Denver Demos in 50 days or so and throw a touchdown toss of his hat into the ring of the official presidential nomination.

Who will be the Star Quarterback’s backup?: The fans have been frantically trying to forge their Fantasy Football player selection for the second string quarterback. The Chauvinist Cardinal fantasy team’s most logical pick for the number “Twoster” to the Iron-Man would be “Iron-my-shirt” Clinton. But that one won’t happen. Fantasy drafters have said “Bye Bye Bayh and Biden,” Missouri Senator McCaskill was passed on because an Obama-McKaskill ticket had too many letters for the jersey. Ditto for Rockerfeller, a converted Center, unless he uses his first name, Jay. Some like Bill Richardson for the backup slot because of the double minority play. Other possibilities include Tom “Hundred-Yard” Daschle, Kathleen “Rebellious” Sebelius, Dick “The Gipper” Gephart, and Al “He’s no Bore” Gore. We can hardly wait to see how the fantasy draft goes.

Repubs Hope America will Take a Liking to this Viking: If Senator Obama plans to hold his acceptance speech on the night of a pre-season NFL game in the Mile High city, The Republicans can answer from St. Paul, Minnesota’s Xcel Energy Center one week later. Led by battle-scarred veteran John McCain, the official announcement will touchdown the night of the opening of the NFL season. Head Coach Rick Davis’s head has reportedly been on the chopping block lately but he must figure that all the opponent’s fans will be in the bars to watch the game and miss the announcement. It has also been reported that Coach Davis is worried that his starting quarterback will have difficulty reading the teleprompter plays. Also Republican strategists concede that playing to a full house is not their quarterback’s greatest strength.

Who will navigate the Second Seat in the McCain fighter plane?: The list of the possible draftees to back up the Republican’s Arizona Wrangler is a long one. Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, journeyman backup has been with the Denver Demos, the Iowa Independents, and the Rhode Island Republicans and clearly wants the job. Lindsey “Otto” Graham would also drawl his South Carolina accent if he were selected. Texan Kay Bailey Hutchison is among the other possibilities as well as “Gator” Charlie Crist, and Jed “Who’s Your Daddy” Bush. But the Vicar of Vicedom on this team looks like the recently graduated Bobby Jindal. Don’t touch that dial, folks, this could be a barnburner.

A little blogging music Maestro... Hail to the Victors

Dr. ForgotSee me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Presidents and Heroes

I looked for spiritual fruit and found religious nuts

Little separation between church and state: Much has been made of the religious faith of presidential candidates. Although our forefathers did their best to separate religion from politics religion is still very much at the forefront. When John Kennedy ran for office as the first Roman Catholic the opposition made many snide bumper sticker slogans including, “Elect the Pope – Eliminate the Middleman.” As enlightened as we’d like to think we’ve become in the 50 or so years since his election, the internet smears regarding Senator Obama’s religion have been so intense that a substantial percentage of the unwashed American public still believes his faith is Muslim. He has spoken many times about his Christian faith. Although religion should not matter, it does. Senator McCain professes to be Baptist via Episcopalian, the most popular choice of presidents. Eleven of our presidents claimed to be Episcopalian, 10 Presbyterian, 5 Methodist, 4 each Baptist and Unitarian, 3 Disciples of Christ, 2 each Reformed, Congregationalist, and Quaker, and one each Catholic, and Jehovah’s Witness. Presidents Jefferson, Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson were nondenominational.

Long shot is really no shot: Those sellers of lottery tickets come up with clever sayings like, “Take a chance. Columbus did.” But in some cases it seems the chances of winning the lottery were less than winning the big panda bear at a fixed carnival game. A professor in Virginia bought a five-buck lottery ticket that promised an ultimate payoff of 75 grand. But he felt anything but grand when he discovered that the hand that dealt the grand had been pre-determanned and he had been flim-flammed. Seems some wiener had picked a winner before the professor took a chance. This was not some 10 minute oversight. The biggie had been won a month previously! Barnum was right. There is one born every minute.

Breathing free air for first time in six years: The bad news is that they were often held in subhuman conditions. The good news is that they didn’t have to live through six years of the Bush-Cheney administration. The even better news is that they will probably become rich once the books are written and the movie comes out. Mike Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell were the Americans who had been held hostage in Columbia for six years and were dramatically rescued along with a dozen other hostages. In a recent interview Gonsalves was the most outspoken about the captors who have named their organization FARC. He stated, “They say they want equality… that is just a lie to justify their criminal activity.” It will be interesting to see how the publicity surrounding the daring rescue will have any impact on the terrorist kidnapping activity in Columbia.

What is a hero?: As Americans we are sometimes quick to heap praise on somebody who happened to be in the right spot at the right time, just doing their job. In my humble opinion if we bandy the word hero around too easily it loses some of its impact. A parallel example is the standing ovation that occurs at the end of nearly every live performance. Europeans are much more reserved about that sort of thing. They save ovations for truly outstanding performances. But we ovate at the drop of a curtain, just as our news media calls a fellow a hero for doing what is expected. The value has dropped but that does not mean heroes do not exist. Hanna Salwen is a hero. She’s 15 years old.

Her journey to heroism started when she saw a Mercedes stopped in traffic next to a homeless person and commented that the difference in cost between that car and a more humble one could buy many meals for the homeless. Her comment turned into family dinner conversation and she and her family agreed to put their $ 1,800,000 Atlanta house up for sale and donate the proceeds (about half the value) to charity, specifically the Hunger project. Hanna is a hero. So is her family.

A little blogging music Maestro... David Bowie’s “Heroes.”

Dr. Forgot
See me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Don't Drink a Fifth on the Fourth

If You Can Read This

If You Can Read This, You’re Too Damn Close: So said a popular bumper sticker from years ago. Of course, several “answer” bumper stickers followed along the lines of “If You Can Read This, Thank A Teacher.” The more things change the more they stay the same. The message has to get out to the people. Only the medium has changed along with some of the cleverly put slogans. You Tube, Facebook, MySpace, and the myriad of other internet sites has brought the message off the paper and onto the screen. What Gutenberg did for the Bible and other printed words the internet has done for the airwaves. Any Tom, Dick or Harriet can become a citizen journalist – and at times it seems they all have. The face of communication has been altered. 2,4,6,8 let us all communicate. Citizen journalism may not keep politicians honest (Remember Cheney’s “So what?” remark) but it sure shows the warts that mainstream media makeup used to cover. Robert Greenwald is one person who removes the makeup. His clips showing candidates contradicting themselves are becoming legend.

Welcome Home Fellas: Hats off to the Columbian military coup that rescued 15 hostages who had been held by Rebels for six years and more. Three of the rescued hostages were American contractors whose plane had crashed while working. The episode happened so quickly and was so well reported that it could have been the plot from a movie – and probably will be. After the euphoria subsided the skeptic in me wonders if the story was just a little too perfect. It is not though our government has ever lied to us before, but I keep thinking of some of the stories of heroism from Iraq like the Pat Tillman story and the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch. Both initial stories turned out to have too many false and misleading components. We are all grateful for the heroism of our soldiers and for the rescue in time for the Fourth of July celebrations and hope the government spin doctors did not sully this report.

Tidbits from Yesterday: We reported in an earlier blog that the FISA amendment was about to be voted on. The original FISA act of 1978 gave government officials permission to spy on suspected wrongdoers and those who would conspire to do harm to our country. To protect the right of the innocent certain procedures needed to be followed prior to placing wiretaps and similar spying. However the current administration abused that law and many others by having phone companies such as AT&T place taps on lines of hundreds of people that were suspected of nothing. Now they are trying to push a FISA amendment through congress that will give the telecoms immunity for any laws they might have broken. The House already approved the amendment. The Senate votes on it July 8. If you are outraged call your Senator and hope s/he will not be on vacation that day.

Finally, Fun and Folly on the Fourth: Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, or Independence Day. This year with an early wildfire season in California the Governator asks the public not to shoot off fireworks. Sellers are unhappy (Light a Sparkler – go to jail). In Indianapolis the Highway Patrol warns that stopping on the Interstate to watch fireworks is illegal (Did anybody not know that?). In Connecticut officials confiscated a half million dollars worth of illegal sparklers and the manufacturer wants them returned (Damn the laws, full speed ahead). And finally, ABC reports that due to the shortage of ports available to receive dangerous cargo, China, which makes 98% of America’s fireworks, is unable to fill many of the orders, thus causing a shortage of fireworks for sale in the USA. U.S. companies stand to lose $ 35 million to $ 30 million in sales (The Fourth might whimper instead of bang this year).

A little blogging music Maestro... “Born in the USA” by the Boss, Bruce Springsteen.

Dr. ForgotSee me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/

Laying Eggs and Squealing Tires

Of Chicken Eggs and Jaguars

We eat chicken before it is born and after it is dead: My good friend Jim and I were to meet the other day for lunch. He’d had a hankering for an omelet for days so we went to a joint whose specialty is the omelet. It was closed. I teased him about being the first person ever to be thrown out of a joint when it was closed. Jim took my teasing well and our conversation turned to gas prices and how this generation of youngsters will never know the freedom and joy that we, the car generation knew.

Just for car lovers: By car lovers I do not mean the back seat of a 1949 Packard. Only a certain age group will understand that. Suffice it to say that any child born in the back seat of a car with an automatic transmission probably grew up to be a shiftless bastard. Cars were a huge part of the lives of those of us who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s. Any kid who had wheels was immediately bolstered in status in the eyes of his peers as well as the eyes of the opposite sex. My first car was a ’47 Willys Jeep panel truck, purchased for $ 200 in 1958. I was almost two years away from my 16th birthday so I was not exactly legal behind the wheel but I convinced my father to allow me to have the Jeep by using is as a newspaper delivery vehicle. Each afternoon 2,000 newspapers would arrive by truck in my father’s garage. We’d count them, tie them, and deliver them to paperboys around the city. Hard work for sure but is started me on my addiction to cars.

Every make and model: Over the years I’ve owned nearly every make and model American car. In college I’d make extra money by purchasing a sad looking car from a student for a song, wash it, wax it, replace dented parts with newer ones from the junkyard, then resell it at a tidy profit. It was a good business for a Psych major. I’ve owned Buicks, Fords, Cadillacs, Pontiacs, Ramblers, Packards, T-Birds, Mercs, Dodges, Plymouths, Lincolns etc. etc. But my dream had always been to own a Jaguar. There was something about the stuffed shirt upper class attitude of the Brits that made a Jag my dream car. They were very expensive and had a terrible reputation for breaking down, but they were regal and elegant. Then Ford bought the company, preserved the good parts and retooled the factories to improve the bad. The result was from 1992 onward the Jaguar brand soared.

Finally a dream come true: It was 2000 and I was driving home past a brand new Jaguar dealership. Sitting in front was the most beautiful burgundy colored Vanden Plas (the Jaguar top-of-the-line model) I had ever seen. I wheeled into the lot and was met by a salesman who had sold me a BMW at another dealership a few years earlier. I knew the price of that car was too steep for my blood and he told me that it was the car was in fact not new but a 1998 model just returned from a Red Carpet Lease. Seems a casino boss bought his girlfriend a new Jag every two years. He told me the price and it was almost within my range but I left in my old Lincoln.

It’s not me, it is Kismet: When I got home and checked the mail there was a card from the new dealership. It said, “Make your best deal at our new dealership then use this coupon for an additional $ 5,000 discount.” Needless to say I returned and became the proud owner of that Jag. It is my Sunday car. More than a decade old with fewer than 60,000 miles. It purrs. Jaguar has since been sold to Tata Motors of India but I’ve got mine.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Baby You Can Drive My Car” by the Beatles.

Dr. ForgotSee me also at http://vegasbuzznews.com/