Whining in July

My regular schedule has me off the next couple of days. Sort of the luck of the draw as I could have been working. The new job is not for me to be sure and I don't know why I thought that working in a prison setting would be a good idea. I feel like I am the one under sanction.  Oh well, never take a job that is continually advertised as available. There is a reason for it. I knew this but violated my own policy.

 Be that as it may, it looks like there will be something in the public school system (I know) on the horizon very shortly and I am sort of counting on it. If it doesn't pan out, well, back to bartending I go for a bit. Perhaps combine it with some pizza delivery or some such. I shit you not. I would come out ahead in the income dept to be sure.........Come to think of it, perhaps (like many a leftist blogger) I could write some blog posts and "bleg" for "donations." Nah......

There have been a good many things of importance (and some unimportant) the last week or so and I don't know how anyone could get by without my take on a few issues. Here goes........


It seems that Anderson Cooper of CNN has, as they say, come out of the closet. Really Anderson? You could have just stayed inside. It is not like your tastes were not pretty obvious. I suppose Anderson should get a medal for such "courage." (This would fall into the unimportant news category).

The Iranian Parliament, which reportedly holds little power, has drafted legislation that calls for Iran to block crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz that are destined to any power that supports sanctions against the Islamist state. Good thing for the Iranian people that this legislative body has no teeth. Iran is already suicidal enough........

Assad apparently has said he regrets his forces shooting down a Turkish warplane the other day. I bet he does. He mentioned that the Turkish equipment was flying in the same area that Israeli warplanes regularly fly. Perhaps it was a case of mistaken identity Mr. Assad? Turkey, as one of the few real militarily competent Muslim forces, would make short work of the Syrian armed forces. A comparison of their naval capabilities alone is enough to draw that conclusion. What is somewhat disturbing however is that we don't know just where Turkey intends to go. Is she interested in becoming a dominant power in the region and perhaps becoming an Islamist state herself (and therefore a problem for the West)? Hard to say at this point. One must remember that Asian Turkey is not European (NATO membership notwithstanding). A resurgent and aggressive Turkish nation could make things very interesting with the balance of power in the region. Arabs have little use for Turks and would not likely sit still for long under a Turkish yoke. Turkey does have a long history of domination in the region. Not recently to be sure but........

The whole problem becomes more interesting by the day. Iran (did I mention they are suicidal)has said they will not stand idly by if the Turks attack Syria. Hizbollah says they will join the fray in support of their Syrian brethren. Israel would do well to keep her forces on high alert as whatever may (or may not happen) will affect them. I recently heard a television preacher talk of Armageddon. Maybe those silly folk who beg for money while sporting their "kiss me quick" haircuts and pinky rings know what they are talking about after all. Now that is a scary thought.

The SCOTUS has upheld "Obamacare." It seems that the administration bristles at any part of it being considered a "tax" though. Let us be honest. Anytime government takes money from the citizenry, for any reason what so ever, it is a tax. If I have to pay a small fee to get a license to bartend in the Republic, well then, this is a tax. A voluntary tax to be sure, but a tax none the less. Same with a traffic ticket or overdue library book fine. Money goes to govt coffers and therefore it is a tax. A tax is a tax is a tax. Whether some of the money is voluntary (for services rendered), or involuntary (income taxes), it is still taxation.
Is this "Obamacare" good or bad? There is no doubt that there are many who are left out of the loop when it comes to quality health care. Anyone, regardless of income or their insurance situation, will be treated though. If you have a heart attack, are indigent and without insurance, and it is found that triple bypass surgery is immediately necessary, you will get that surgery. What people don't get without a decent health plan is preventative care. Will this "Obamacare" actually fix that problem? Does it really prevent "job lock?" Will it cost me and mine any more money than we actually pay now? I have not studied this enough to have a relevant answer but I can assure you that if this is something that the federal govt has a hand in then there is a strong possibility that it will be a boondoggle.

The SCOTUS has also struck down parts of the Arizona Immigration law(s). This, coming out of the great state of Arizona, was something born of desperation. Our states along the southern border are on the front lines (so to speak). If the federal government does not seriously do much to combat the problem of hordes of illegal aliens coming from the south then the states are compelled to act. A president (any president) takes an oath to defend the nation. Border defense is (or should be) a priority of any nation state. Does a president violate his sacred oath by not mandating a real border defense? The Border Patrol and affiliated agencies (God Bless them) no longer have the manpower or the teeth to handle this problem alone. There is only one solution but cowardice and (frankly) treason out of DC prevent the rather easily solved problem to be taken care of.  After all, it is not like there is not a war (insurgency) raging just to the south (and perhaps even spilling over into our southern counties).

Saints coach Sean Payton sure is having a tough year. First a (non paid) suspension from the NFL and now this? He and his wife are reportedly getting divorced. When it rains it pours and Sean is getting drenched.

Andy Griffith has passed on. May he rest in peace. Some of us still watch and enjoy his work.