Please Be Honest

Yesterday, Ft. Hood was the site of a terrible mass killing.  So far, there are 12 dead and more than 30 wounded.  The gunman was Major Malik Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist that was about to be deployed to Iraq.

Almost immediately, an FBI spokesman announced that the shootings were not terrorist-related.  My question, “How did he know that it wasn’t terrorist-related.”

The FBI, to maintain any credibility, needs to remember what the “I” in FBI stands for–Investigation.  How about a full investigation before making any claims about the motivations behind the shootings.

It would be foolish not to at least be a little suspicious about Hasan’s motives.  Just because he has a Muslin name doesn’t mean that he is a terrorist, but that also isn’t a reason to discount it either.

The facts will come out during an investigation.  Some of the details that have already come out are leading in the direction that Hasan may have been a jihadist.  We don’t know the facts yet.  However, let’s make sure everyone is honest.  Too often, public officials have been to fast to declare that there isn’t any terrorism connection to violent attacks.  I’m afraid that in a rush to appear politically correct, we are ignoring important facts.

Please be honest.

Health Care Reform–Like It or Not

Speaker of the House Nancy Peloski has announced that the health care reform bill will be up for a vote on Saturday.  I have found this entire issue very interesting.

Most people are mainly happy with their current health care plans.  However, the Democratic leadership–both the president and congressional leaders, is insisting that a massive change be made and be made quickly.

The coverage of uninsured Americans is a major stated goal of the reform.  However, under the proposed changes, many people will remain uncovered.  Lower medical costs is another stated goal.  But the reforms will cost massive amounts of money that we don’t have.  Tort reform would have the biggest impact to cost reduction, but there isn’t any tort reform in the bill.  The added costs will be shifted to the taxpayers.  The true results will be getting a lot less for a lot more.

Medical care makes up about one-sixth of the American economy.  The reform bill will put that massive portion of the economy under government control.  The government, which almost by definition is inefficient and often ineffective, certainly will not be able to manage this complex system better than the market can.  We only have to look to our neighbor to the north to see what will happen once the American medical system is under government control.  Drops in quality and in quantity.  Rationed care.  Long waits for surgery.

What is the rush?  Why not make focused, incremental changes to fix the things that actually need to be fixed?  Unfortunately, I think the answers are pure politics.  To get such a major bill passed, it needs to be viewed as a dire emergency.  Immediate action.  The bill has less to do with medical care reform than the need of the democrats to get their liberal agenda passed while the have the opportunity.

In the election one year ago, the people voted for hope and change.  Unfortunately, not enough thought went into what those changes would be.  Hopefully enough of our elected representatives in Congress will understand that these proposed changes are too radical to become law just because of political pressure.

Attending a Funeral

Some people just hate attending funerals; other consider it an obligation and never miss one.  In Brazil, Ademir Jorge Goncalves was happy to attend this funeral–it was his, but he was very much alive.

His family misidentified a body as Goncalves’ and proceeded with the funeral the following day.  Goncalves spent the night at a truck stop with friends and didn’t hear about his funeral until it was already in progress.  He rushed to the funeral to let his family know that he wasn’t dead.

The Marriage Vote in Maine

Maine voters rejected the legislature’s attempt to legalize same-sex marriage in the state.  In very single state where the question has been put to the voters directly, the people have rejected same-sex marriage.  The 5 states that allow same-sex marriage have done so by judicial mandate or  legislative action.  30 states have passed constitution bans on same-sex marriage.

In my home state of California, Propositions 22 and 8 both stated “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”  Proposition 22 passed in 2000 and Proposition 8 passed in 2008.  Proposition 8 was particularly divisive.  The No on 8 side has even identified Yes on 8 donors by name and address.  And the divisiveness will return.  The constitutionality of Prop 8 is being decided by the state supreme court.  The question will also once again be placed on the California ballot.

One of the most troubling issues in the same-sex marriage debate is the name-calling and lack of civility, mostly directed from the pro-same-sex marriage side toward those who oppose same-sex marriage.  For example, Proposition was widely called Prop H8. Unfortunately, most all the hate that I witnessed during Proposition 8 was only was from the No on 8 side.

Traditional marriage has been the foundation of society for thousands of years.  It should be maintained and supported.  There is no room for hate on either side of this issue.  It is possible to differ without personal attacks.

 

Good Bye, Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend.  It’s the end of Daylight Saving and the beginning of the circadian dysrhythmia.

I get up at 5:00 AM, often without the alarm, and leave for work between 5:30 and 5:45.  I don’t mind driving to work in the dark.  In fact, I enjoy it.  And I particularly enjoy the daylight at the end of the day.   Beginning Monday, that’s gone.  By the time I get home, there won’t be much light left.

The other problem will be 5:00 AM.  5:00 is early enough.  But Monday morning, I’ll probably be awake at 4 o’clock.  And that way too early to have your eyes open.

Some Understand, Some Don’t

Former Vice President Dick Cheney spoke Wednesday to the Center for Security Policy.  Once again, he proves that he understands the threats against America and how to deal with them.  The text of this speech is here.

I’m afraid that President Obama is losing resolve in the national security arena.  He made the correct decisions regarding Afghanistan, only now to back away for them–or at least stall.

How Never to Be Wrong

It’s simple.  Just believe in Global Warming.  When it doesn’t make a lot of sense, call it Climate Change.

Then, if it’s warm, it’s global warming/climate change.  If it’s cold, it’s global warming/climate change.  If there is a big hurricane, it’s global warming/climate change.  If there is a drought, it’s global warming/climate change.  2009 is turning out to be to one of the coldest years in decades.  It’s still a case of global warming.

No matter what the climate issue, you can blame it on the false science of global warming/climate change.   Because you are a true believer, all things are possible.

Then, under the banner of climate change, you start making major public policy decisions.  Major impacts to the world economies.  But it doesn’t matter, we will be saving the planet from something that is only a figment of a computer-generated model that happens to be the darling of the left/liberal politicians.

Another Case of Fools Who Run Schools

Matthew Whalen, a senior at Lansingburgh Senior High School in Troy, New York, was suspended for having a 2-inch pocket knife in an emergency kit in his car.  The principal suspended him for 5 days, the maximum, and then the superintendent suspended him an additional 15 days.  Just another case of zero-tolerance/zero-wisdom from school officials.

Read the story here.

This comes on the heels of a 6-year-old being suspended from the Christina School District in Newark, Delaware.  He has to attend a reform school for the crime of bringing a combination knife/fork/spoon to school.  A school official stated that “rules are rules” and “At this time, the  Student Code of Conduct does not take into consideration a child’s age in a Level three offense. This is the first incident this year involving a student under the age of seven in possession of a dangerous instrument. Christina School District staff and the Christina Board of Education are constantly examining ways to improve policies regarding student discipline.”  The six-year-old’s story is here.

I think what is dangerous are school officials that don’t possess the skills  of good judgment.

A Busy Day

Geocache Find #5000

Apheresis

I had a busy day yesterday.   I started the day with a 4-mile hike up the Chumash Trail in the Santa Susana Mountains. The trailhead is just a couple of miles from my house. The purpose of the hike was to find my 5000th geocache. The third find of the day was the milestone find. We continued up the hill and found a total of 9 geocaches along the trail before we had the turn back and call it a day. I’ve posted the story of the hike here.

After the hike, it was home for a 30-second shower and quick change of clothes and then off to the American Red Cross in Woodland Hills to donate platelets.  If you are wondering about the headphones, they are to block out the screams when they stick the donors with the big needles.    Truthfully now, since donating platelets takes more than 2 hours, we are able to watch a movie while donating.  It helps pass the time.  Yesterday, I was on one of the newer machines that only employs one needle.  In the past, there was a needle in both arms.  Blood leaves my right arm, get processed by the machine and everything but the platelets and some plasma in returned to the left arm.  I must prefer the one-needle approach.

After the Red Cross, I came home, logged my geocaching finds, and then made a quick dash to Brittany Asplund’s wedding reception with Wendy.  We were only able to make the last few minutes because Wendy was gone all day at a sewing/embroidery class.

After the quick reception visit, it was on to a church luau in the backyard of the host.  October 10th is a little late for a backyard, outdoor luau.  It was pretty cold.

A busy day.  And next week’s Saturday will be even busier.

A Few More Thoughts on the Peace Prize

Awards should be for achievement.  Awards are earned.  Awards derive their meaning from the effort required to achieve them.

A gift is something received without it being earned.

Hopes and aspirations aren’t achievements.  They are only thoughts that haven’t produced results.

Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite.  He used his fortune to create the Nobel prizes.  His will said that the Peace Prize should be awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”

Clearly, President Obama hasn’t accomplished anything yet to earn this award.  It was a gift from the Peace Prize Committee.  I think President Obama understands.  He said, “I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee.  Let me be clear:  I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.  To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who’ve been honored by this prize — men and women who’ve inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.”

I don’t fault President Obama for being selected for the Peace Prize.  I think he was as surprised as any of us.  I do criticize the Committee for their choice.  It’s a selection without merit.  Another step toward showing that the Peace Prize has little to do with peace and more and more a way to promote a leftist political point of view.