Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Blogging to slow
I know, blogging has already been slow. Not much going on in journalism land and we're off for a short vacation within our retirement to Indiana and then Up North. The house sitter will be here shortly and we are out of here.
For the next couple weeks you can follow (if you care) our adventures on my other blog grandmasrecess.blogspot.com. We'll check in from there.
By the way, a friend took us to Port Huron for a ride on the Huron Lady II last Sunday. It was really enjoyable. A nice trip up and down the St. Clair River and a little excursion on Lake Huron. Cost was only $15 for a two-hour trip and it was well worth it.
Of course, any time I spend on the water is always worth it.
Also spent a little time enjoying watching the shipping lane from Vantage Point.
Sometimes you find little jewels right near home.
For the next couple weeks you can follow (if you care) our adventures on my other blog grandmasrecess.blogspot.com. We'll check in from there.
By the way, a friend took us to Port Huron for a ride on the Huron Lady II last Sunday. It was really enjoyable. A nice trip up and down the St. Clair River and a little excursion on Lake Huron. Cost was only $15 for a two-hour trip and it was well worth it.
Of course, any time I spend on the water is always worth it.
Also spent a little time enjoying watching the shipping lane from Vantage Point.
Sometimes you find little jewels right near home.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
BP and fisherman at odds
The oil spill in the Gulf has exposed another major issue in this country. The underground economy is alive and well. As taxes increase, many folks are simply avoiding the problem by working in cash.
Now a bunch of fisherman in the gulf are having a problem getting paid because BP wants to base payments on tax forms and they simply don't have them, or have seriously underreported their income.
This could get ugly as fisherman demand payments for income they can't prove, but likely earned. I feel sympathy for the fisherman, but can also see BP's point that they simply won't pay out based on verbal statements. Heck, I could say I was a fisherman who lost money.
There are reports that some fisherman are making $3,000 a day skimming oil, which eclipses what they would make if they were fishing.
So, what to do? If you come clean that you have under reported your income will that sic the IRS on the fisherman.
Don't really know where I come down on this because I feel no sympathy for BP, but if you have been working for years under the table you have reaped an incredible benefit for not paying your taxes.
I'd be interested in what you think.
Now a bunch of fisherman in the gulf are having a problem getting paid because BP wants to base payments on tax forms and they simply don't have them, or have seriously underreported their income.
This could get ugly as fisherman demand payments for income they can't prove, but likely earned. I feel sympathy for the fisherman, but can also see BP's point that they simply won't pay out based on verbal statements. Heck, I could say I was a fisherman who lost money.
There are reports that some fisherman are making $3,000 a day skimming oil, which eclipses what they would make if they were fishing.
So, what to do? If you come clean that you have under reported your income will that sic the IRS on the fisherman.
Don't really know where I come down on this because I feel no sympathy for BP, but if you have been working for years under the table you have reaped an incredible benefit for not paying your taxes.
I'd be interested in what you think.
Friday, July 9, 2010
What is illegal?
I guess what the President and the Department of Justice are saying in the lawsuit against Arizona is that it is illegal to enforce laws against illegal aliens. The lawsuit is not based on the law being prejudicial, which is what they have been talking about, but rather challenging the law based on the fact that the State is not allowed to enforce federal law.
Wonder who is allowed to enforce federal law? Second question, why aren't they doing it? Now that would be a good lawsuit.
Wonder who is allowed to enforce federal law? Second question, why aren't they doing it? Now that would be a good lawsuit.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Carnival Cruise Fail. November cruise is high and dry
A family reunion cruise on the Carnival Pride in November is apparently off. Not the end of the world, not even close, but the response of the Carnival Cruise Line company is a little upsetting.
My wife and I love cruising, we have made four previous Carnival cruises, one to the Western Caribbean, one to the Eastern Caribbean, one to Alaska and one to Hawaii. They have all been great fun.
Over the years I have recommended Carnival to many folks and still could depending on how this all turns out. We booked this thing early to take advantage of great rates and a week that allowed six members of our family to all cruise at the same time.
Last night our travel agent and Carnival sent us an e-mail telling us that the ship was being sent to dry dock in early November and that our cruise was cancelled. It even rated a story in USA Today. As part of that, the cruise line was going to give us a $50 on board credit (that about covers my wife and stepdaughter's one day Mojito bill) and would find us another cruise, but could no longer guarantee our cruise price or cabin location.
Further, they would not make up the difference in the travel costs to a new port. So the trip is off. No huge deal for Joan and me, we're retired and can reschedule another time. But for the other four members of our party it's not so easy. They still work and vacations are not so easy to schedule.
My suspicion is that the dry dock dates were swapped with the originally planned January schedule because our cruise was under booked and January is a much more lucrative time to fill a cruise to the Bahamas. All that is understandable. What is not understandable is the lack of concern by Carnival as to making and taking care of other arrangements.
For members of our party who have already booked airline tickets, Carnival is offering up to $200 in an on board credit to repay any airline cancellation charges. How about paying those folks back in cash? That is, after all, what they paid.
If you ever sail on Carnival they keep emphasizing that they "want to exceed your expectations." In this case, not even close. As I said, this is not the end of the world and there are many people with much more important problems and issues than this, but it always amazes me when I see how tone deaf some corporations are when they disrupt people's plans.
My wife and I love cruising, we have made four previous Carnival cruises, one to the Western Caribbean, one to the Eastern Caribbean, one to Alaska and one to Hawaii. They have all been great fun.
Over the years I have recommended Carnival to many folks and still could depending on how this all turns out. We booked this thing early to take advantage of great rates and a week that allowed six members of our family to all cruise at the same time.
Last night our travel agent and Carnival sent us an e-mail telling us that the ship was being sent to dry dock in early November and that our cruise was cancelled. It even rated a story in USA Today. As part of that, the cruise line was going to give us a $50 on board credit (that about covers my wife and stepdaughter's one day Mojito bill) and would find us another cruise, but could no longer guarantee our cruise price or cabin location.
Further, they would not make up the difference in the travel costs to a new port. So the trip is off. No huge deal for Joan and me, we're retired and can reschedule another time. But for the other four members of our party it's not so easy. They still work and vacations are not so easy to schedule.
My suspicion is that the dry dock dates were swapped with the originally planned January schedule because our cruise was under booked and January is a much more lucrative time to fill a cruise to the Bahamas. All that is understandable. What is not understandable is the lack of concern by Carnival as to making and taking care of other arrangements.
For members of our party who have already booked airline tickets, Carnival is offering up to $200 in an on board credit to repay any airline cancellation charges. How about paying those folks back in cash? That is, after all, what they paid.
If you ever sail on Carnival they keep emphasizing that they "want to exceed your expectations." In this case, not even close. As I said, this is not the end of the world and there are many people with much more important problems and issues than this, but it always amazes me when I see how tone deaf some corporations are when they disrupt people's plans.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
A Civil War story worth hearing
This is a year old, but NPR ran a good story last July recalling the 75th - and final - reunion of soldiers of the North and South at the Gettysburg Battlefield. The Civil War is a particular interest of mine and World War II is close behind.
It is interesting to hear the recorded voices of men who actually fought at Gettysburg meeting for the final time in 1938.
If you are not interested in the Civil War you probably won't want to listen.
It is interesting to hear the recorded voices of men who actually fought at Gettysburg meeting for the final time in 1938.
If you are not interested in the Civil War you probably won't want to listen.
Monday, July 5, 2010
RIP Bob Probert, the original Red Wing #24
I love hockey and I especially love the Detroit Red Wings. Back in the "old" days when hockey let guys fight a little more Bob Probert was the main enforcer for the team. He would always take on the bad guy from the other team and never backed down from a fight. Well, don't take my word for it, here is a little YouTube.com montage. There are plenty more at the site if this isn't enough. Sad news to hear of his death at the relative young age of 45. He lived hard and played hard.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
After 50 years, time to stop and play
When I accepted an early retirement from the Flint Journal in December 2007 I knew in my heart I was not done working. My internal clock still yearned to work and produce. So I started a little business and contracted out some writing and communication services, which resulted in one main client, a local school district.
When I did my taxes last year, I realized I was working 25 minutes of every hour to pay Uncle Sam and decided that the fire to work had gone out. If you are curious about the tax math: 25 percent federal income taxes, 15 percent (the employee's 7.5 percent Social Security contribution and the employer's 7.5 percent Social Security contribution) and Michigan's 4.1 percent income tax.
In other words, it no longer made sense to continue getting up early, put on a tie and make my way to work. I loved the school work, but it was no longer worth it.
Also, a person wiser than me once said that "you'll know when it's time to retire." At some point this winter, while Joan and I were away on vacation, a clock went off in my head telling me it was time to stop. Not wanting to quit in the middle of a school year I decided that when the school year ended, so would my employment.
That was yesterday. June 30. For the first time in 50 years there is no paid work now or in the future. It feels great this morning.
As mentioned previously, my life has been blessed. Not once have I had to apply for unemployment. In the 1960s I was laid off from a sandblasting job in San Carlos, California on a Friday (my paycheck bounced by the way) and hit the bricks on Monday and found a similar unadvertised job with a competitor about three miles away. My pay at the time was $2.35 an hour. The work was hard.
In August of 1970, the Foster City Public Safety Department hired me and between then and July 1977 I worked for two Bay Area police departments. Most of that work was in communications and dispatching, but I was also a sworn officer and rode shifts alone and with other officers at the Atherton Police Department. It was great fun. During that time I also served as a paid on call firefighter at Foster City.
But I yearned to write and in the mid-1970s I went back to college to study journalism and eventually gave up the police work and moved to Michigan to attend Michigan State University to study journalism. I picked up a job as a bouncer at the Coral Gables bar on Grand River Avenue to make a little extra money. At that time we were living on the GI bill and money we had taken from my police retirement account.
Somehow I ended up as editor-in-chief of The State News, which at that time was the nation's largest daily college newspaper, leading a staff of 56 editorial employees. That experience left me with many lifelong friends and the knowledge that this was what I was born to do.
In the late 1970s, after leaving MSU, I was editor of a local weekly newspaper and a change in ownership forced me to quit when the new publisher demanded editorial changes that ethically I was not willing to make. For six weeks I hauled 80-pound bags of soft water salt to Lansing apartment complexes to make 35 cents a bag for each one I dumped. That kept me going through Christmas 1979 and then I took a job in January 1980 doing internal communications for a large Styrofoam cup manufacturer in Mason, Michigan.
A good friend who was working as a reporter at the Oakland Press in Pontiac let me know of a police reporter job opening in December 1983 and I started there the first week of January 1984.
My 23-year daily newspaper career was more fun than could be possibly described. Every day was a gift, most stories were a wonderful adventure and except for the occasional incompetent editor, it was a great ride. The bad editors are a source of constant amusement, even now.
There were days, like the one where my assignment was to fly on a World War II B-24, Liberator bomber, that I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. I was paid overtime to attend the clinching World Series game at Tiger Stadium in 1984. Life was good.
So I thank God for leading me to such a rewarding career.
My very first job I landed at 12. I did yard work at $1 an hour for my church and pastor in La Crescenta. Each Saturday, I rode my bike two miles to the church and rectory (which were next door to each other) and trimmed bushes, raked pine needles and mowed lawns.
Later when $8 a week was not enough to pay for my school lunches and Los Angeles Dodger baseball games (my brother and I had to buy our own school lunches if we didn't want bologna sandwiches every day and also pay for our own amusement) I located another yard work job at "The Brass Tree," a woman's clothing store on Foothill Boulevard within walk/bicycle riding distance of the church.
Between the yard work jobs, some babysitting work and other odd jobs I was making about $100 a month, which was plenty in the 1950s-60s. I could take my girlfriend out for a night on the town (dinner an a movie) for about $15. When I was old enough to drive I was expected to pay for my gas and insurance when I used the family car.
When I left Los Angeles after high school and moved in with my father and stepmother, I worked as a 'fly boy' for Pacific Lithograph, a printer in San Francisco. I loved commuting to work in the city and all that went with that.
When my first try at college failed I joined the Navy and spent some time growing up in the service. That included two tours of duty in Vietnam.
I have worked as a gas jockey, back in the days gas stations had "service." I was pretty much willing to do anything to make money, as long as it was legal. During my years on the police department I often worked special details and also worked an outside third job as a temp using my typing skills as a teletype operator at a Silicone Valley company to make extra money.
My police department pay when I started was about $500 a month and we were paid monthly. Without the extra work we would always fall short by the end of the month. Sometimes even with the extra work we still fell short of money.
I've probably had 40 different jobs in my life, each came with its own lessons and rewards. Each taught me something I could use for my next job. To me there is no dishonor in honest work. I respect folks who work hard and get their hands dirty.
My children and stepchildren have never been afraid to work either. I'm proud of them for that.
Retirement, at least to me, doesn't mean being idle. I have plenty of volunteer jobs that I am already involved in and, there's a big travel trailer in my driveway that wants to take me to the far reaches of America.
And I'll have the blog to keep me writing.
When I did my taxes last year, I realized I was working 25 minutes of every hour to pay Uncle Sam and decided that the fire to work had gone out. If you are curious about the tax math: 25 percent federal income taxes, 15 percent (the employee's 7.5 percent Social Security contribution and the employer's 7.5 percent Social Security contribution) and Michigan's 4.1 percent income tax.
In other words, it no longer made sense to continue getting up early, put on a tie and make my way to work. I loved the school work, but it was no longer worth it.
Also, a person wiser than me once said that "you'll know when it's time to retire." At some point this winter, while Joan and I were away on vacation, a clock went off in my head telling me it was time to stop. Not wanting to quit in the middle of a school year I decided that when the school year ended, so would my employment.
That was yesterday. June 30. For the first time in 50 years there is no paid work now or in the future. It feels great this morning.
As mentioned previously, my life has been blessed. Not once have I had to apply for unemployment. In the 1960s I was laid off from a sandblasting job in San Carlos, California on a Friday (my paycheck bounced by the way) and hit the bricks on Monday and found a similar unadvertised job with a competitor about three miles away. My pay at the time was $2.35 an hour. The work was hard.
In August of 1970, the Foster City Public Safety Department hired me and between then and July 1977 I worked for two Bay Area police departments. Most of that work was in communications and dispatching, but I was also a sworn officer and rode shifts alone and with other officers at the Atherton Police Department. It was great fun. During that time I also served as a paid on call firefighter at Foster City.
But I yearned to write and in the mid-1970s I went back to college to study journalism and eventually gave up the police work and moved to Michigan to attend Michigan State University to study journalism. I picked up a job as a bouncer at the Coral Gables bar on Grand River Avenue to make a little extra money. At that time we were living on the GI bill and money we had taken from my police retirement account.
Somehow I ended up as editor-in-chief of The State News, which at that time was the nation's largest daily college newspaper, leading a staff of 56 editorial employees. That experience left me with many lifelong friends and the knowledge that this was what I was born to do.
In the late 1970s, after leaving MSU, I was editor of a local weekly newspaper and a change in ownership forced me to quit when the new publisher demanded editorial changes that ethically I was not willing to make. For six weeks I hauled 80-pound bags of soft water salt to Lansing apartment complexes to make 35 cents a bag for each one I dumped. That kept me going through Christmas 1979 and then I took a job in January 1980 doing internal communications for a large Styrofoam cup manufacturer in Mason, Michigan.
A good friend who was working as a reporter at the Oakland Press in Pontiac let me know of a police reporter job opening in December 1983 and I started there the first week of January 1984.
My 23-year daily newspaper career was more fun than could be possibly described. Every day was a gift, most stories were a wonderful adventure and except for the occasional incompetent editor, it was a great ride. The bad editors are a source of constant amusement, even now.
There were days, like the one where my assignment was to fly on a World War II B-24, Liberator bomber, that I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. I was paid overtime to attend the clinching World Series game at Tiger Stadium in 1984. Life was good.
So I thank God for leading me to such a rewarding career.
My very first job I landed at 12. I did yard work at $1 an hour for my church and pastor in La Crescenta. Each Saturday, I rode my bike two miles to the church and rectory (which were next door to each other) and trimmed bushes, raked pine needles and mowed lawns.
Later when $8 a week was not enough to pay for my school lunches and Los Angeles Dodger baseball games (my brother and I had to buy our own school lunches if we didn't want bologna sandwiches every day and also pay for our own amusement) I located another yard work job at "The Brass Tree," a woman's clothing store on Foothill Boulevard within walk/bicycle riding distance of the church.
Between the yard work jobs, some babysitting work and other odd jobs I was making about $100 a month, which was plenty in the 1950s-60s. I could take my girlfriend out for a night on the town (dinner an a movie) for about $15. When I was old enough to drive I was expected to pay for my gas and insurance when I used the family car.
When I left Los Angeles after high school and moved in with my father and stepmother, I worked as a 'fly boy' for Pacific Lithograph, a printer in San Francisco. I loved commuting to work in the city and all that went with that.
When my first try at college failed I joined the Navy and spent some time growing up in the service. That included two tours of duty in Vietnam.
I have worked as a gas jockey, back in the days gas stations had "service." I was pretty much willing to do anything to make money, as long as it was legal. During my years on the police department I often worked special details and also worked an outside third job as a temp using my typing skills as a teletype operator at a Silicone Valley company to make extra money.
My police department pay when I started was about $500 a month and we were paid monthly. Without the extra work we would always fall short by the end of the month. Sometimes even with the extra work we still fell short of money.
I've probably had 40 different jobs in my life, each came with its own lessons and rewards. Each taught me something I could use for my next job. To me there is no dishonor in honest work. I respect folks who work hard and get their hands dirty.
My children and stepchildren have never been afraid to work either. I'm proud of them for that.
Retirement, at least to me, doesn't mean being idle. I have plenty of volunteer jobs that I am already involved in and, there's a big travel trailer in my driveway that wants to take me to the far reaches of America.
And I'll have the blog to keep me writing.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Connor Doran, a young man with a talent
A former colleague and his wife, Tim and Amy Doran, have raised a remarkable young man that some of us knew as an infant. Following is a YouTube.com that a friend posted on Facebook.
A great post for a Sunday.
A great post for a Sunday.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Life after Booth: Bay City Times environmental reporter leaves, starts website
Jeff "Mr. Great Lakes" Kart, the former environmental reporter for the Bay City Times has started his own website.
As readers here know, I'm not what you'd call an environmentalist. I believe in recycling, conservation and protecting the environment. While I don't subscribe to popular man made global warming theories, I'm always willing to listen and consider real evidence.
So stop over and see a former Booth colleague who is now out on his own. We wish you good luck and good fortune Jeff.
He has some great suggestions on how to find out if your beach destination is safe. We do disagree on Larry King, who I believe may be the worst interviewer in the history of television.
As readers here know, I'm not what you'd call an environmentalist. I believe in recycling, conservation and protecting the environment. While I don't subscribe to popular man made global warming theories, I'm always willing to listen and consider real evidence.
So stop over and see a former Booth colleague who is now out on his own. We wish you good luck and good fortune Jeff.
He has some great suggestions on how to find out if your beach destination is safe. We do disagree on Larry King, who I believe may be the worst interviewer in the history of television.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
When Generals attack
Apparently General Stanley A. McChrystal, President Obama's main man in Afghanistan went off the reservation in a big way in, of all places, Rolling Stone magazine. By now, you've heard all the soundbites and controversy, or can easily find it, but as much as I disagree with much of what President Obama has done and continues to do, he doesn't have much wiggle room here.
The only choice President Obama has is to fire the general. Anything else would be weak and would hurt not just his Presidency but future ones. Generals, especially ones in charge of a war, must serve only one master, the President.
If General McChrystal was unhappy with the progress of the war or the support, or lack of support he was getting, he had the option to resign and then make those complaints as a civilian. To do it while still under the authority of the President was simply wrong.
So like another famous General (MacArthur in Korea), McChrystal is on his way to explain himself to his boss. This can't go well. In fact, if the President's advisers had any savvy they've fire him now before he has a chance to resign.
McChrystal had to know the impact these comments would have, especially since he was talking to Rolling Stone (good for them, by the way in achieving a huge scoop).
The problem for Obama, of course, is once McChrystal is a civilian he will be free to unload on the President, his staff, the war strategy and anything else without any brakes on his opinions.
Like President Truman, President Obama has no choice but to try and weather the storm of firing a general. The alternative is too destructive to the good order of the service.
I feel badly for the morale of the troops serving in an already difficult conflict with all this fighting on Mt. Olympus.
The only choice President Obama has is to fire the general. Anything else would be weak and would hurt not just his Presidency but future ones. Generals, especially ones in charge of a war, must serve only one master, the President.
If General McChrystal was unhappy with the progress of the war or the support, or lack of support he was getting, he had the option to resign and then make those complaints as a civilian. To do it while still under the authority of the President was simply wrong.
So like another famous General (MacArthur in Korea), McChrystal is on his way to explain himself to his boss. This can't go well. In fact, if the President's advisers had any savvy they've fire him now before he has a chance to resign.
McChrystal had to know the impact these comments would have, especially since he was talking to Rolling Stone (good for them, by the way in achieving a huge scoop).
The problem for Obama, of course, is once McChrystal is a civilian he will be free to unload on the President, his staff, the war strategy and anything else without any brakes on his opinions.
Like President Truman, President Obama has no choice but to try and weather the storm of firing a general. The alternative is too destructive to the good order of the service.
I feel badly for the morale of the troops serving in an already difficult conflict with all this fighting on Mt. Olympus.
Friday, June 18, 2010
A smile at the expense of Congress
*The Haircut**
**One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut.**
**After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot
accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The florist
was pleased and left the shop.**
**When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank
you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.**
**Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill,
the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing
community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop.**
**The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you'
card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.**
**Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his
bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing
community service this week.' The Congressman was very happy and left the
shop.**
**The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen
Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.**
**And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the
citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.**
**BOTH POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON!** *
**One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut.**
**After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot
accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The florist
was pleased and left the shop.**
**When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank
you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.**
**Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill,
the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing
community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop.**
**The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you'
card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.**
**Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his
bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing
community service this week.' The Congressman was very happy and left the
shop.**
**The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen
Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.**
**And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the
citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.**
**BOTH POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON!** *
Well, that was fun
No one will ever feel sympathy for BP, certainly not me, but you had to love yesterday's hearings which resembled a Roman Coliseum event with the head of BP being thrown to the lions.
This was not about getting answers, it was about getting votes. From the idiot Republican apologizing, to the angry posturing of everyone else it was pure theater. These public floggings are great television and who can turn away from watching a bad accident on the freeway, but what did we learn after all the questions yesterday.
Bupkis. Zero, zip, nada, diddly squat.
When you threaten a company and their head with criminal sanctions, what do you expect? The guy is never going to come clean (pun intended) with a federal criminal investigation hanging over his head. Better to do the investigation and charge them and find out the answers in court. But there's no sound bites and votes if you do that.
So no thinking person, which leaves out Congress, would expect that someone would show up and actually tell the truth or give a frank assessment of what they know. But the cameras were on and the lions were loose. Like I said, it was fun, just not very enlightening.
This was not about getting answers, it was about getting votes. From the idiot Republican apologizing, to the angry posturing of everyone else it was pure theater. These public floggings are great television and who can turn away from watching a bad accident on the freeway, but what did we learn after all the questions yesterday.
Bupkis. Zero, zip, nada, diddly squat.
When you threaten a company and their head with criminal sanctions, what do you expect? The guy is never going to come clean (pun intended) with a federal criminal investigation hanging over his head. Better to do the investigation and charge them and find out the answers in court. But there's no sound bites and votes if you do that.
So no thinking person, which leaves out Congress, would expect that someone would show up and actually tell the truth or give a frank assessment of what they know. But the cameras were on and the lions were loose. Like I said, it was fun, just not very enlightening.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Gulf Oil Disaster, revisited
Six weeks ago I wrote a post that drew some criticism from supporters of President Obama because I criticized the federal government for a slow response (again) to a disaster in the Gulf.
Bush and his administration were slow to react to the disaster in Katrina and again, in my humble opinion, the Obama administration and red tape have snarled efforts to contain and clean up the spill in the Gulf.
I agree with those who say you can't blame President Obama for the spill, anymore than you could blame W for a hurricane. But the response to both is what is in question.
Apparently we have declined foreign help to clean up the mess and it took six weeks for the Army Corps of Engineers (think levees) to approve a small part of the Louisiana governor's plan to dredge a protective barrier to protect the coast.
Last night the President gave a speech that left me scratching my head. The plan to clean up the gulf is apparently rooted in the effort to pass an energy bill. What?
Tough talk is one thing, constructive action and leadership is another. Please Mr. President, get on the phone and tell the Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard to get the lead out.
For those who argued with me that the President had no role in this disaster (what can he do?, they said) let me remind you that the President himself said he was in charge. If he is in charge, then we have the right to criticize.
Maureen Dowd, no conservative apologist has turned suddenly very critical. This from Salon .com.
Bush and his administration were slow to react to the disaster in Katrina and again, in my humble opinion, the Obama administration and red tape have snarled efforts to contain and clean up the spill in the Gulf.
I agree with those who say you can't blame President Obama for the spill, anymore than you could blame W for a hurricane. But the response to both is what is in question.
Apparently we have declined foreign help to clean up the mess and it took six weeks for the Army Corps of Engineers (think levees) to approve a small part of the Louisiana governor's plan to dredge a protective barrier to protect the coast.
Last night the President gave a speech that left me scratching my head. The plan to clean up the gulf is apparently rooted in the effort to pass an energy bill. What?
Tough talk is one thing, constructive action and leadership is another. Please Mr. President, get on the phone and tell the Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard to get the lead out.
For those who argued with me that the President had no role in this disaster (what can he do?, they said) let me remind you that the President himself said he was in charge. If he is in charge, then we have the right to criticize.
Maureen Dowd, no conservative apologist has turned suddenly very critical. This from Salon .com.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Going it alone for news: Not as easy as it seems
Reflections of a Newsosaur has some reflections on journalists trying to go it alone. You may have to scroll up from the comments to read the article. Couldn't get a direct link to the article.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Another "not-so-green" house for Al Gore
Now that Al and Tipper are breaking up (and I do feel badly about that) you'd think he'd use that as an opportunity to green up his living quarters. According to USA Today, not so much. Those profits from "Inconvenient Truth" are helping finance a pretty "Convenient Lifestyle."
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Some 'new' media ideas
My friend and former colleague Mary Ann, who knows as much about online news stuff as anyone I know, is participating in a weekend conference in Detroit called "Journalism That Matters." Not my cup of tea, but at least some folks are trying to figure out a new journalism model, which puts them far, far ahead of the 'old' thinkers in the business. Mary Ann has posted her thoughts and a link to pictures of the event at her blog, Inside Out.
Friday, June 4, 2010
A word about comments
OK, time to revisit the comment rules. After bragging a couple days ago that I had not rejected a comment for over a year I was forced to do just that today. Feel free to call me an "idiot" or any name you like, but I will not post any comment that refers to a third party in a derogatory way.
So to the anonymous poster who called a former colleague an "idiot," look in a mirror, I think you'll find an idiot there. So my unbroken string of no rejections is now over, but I'll take a good debate here anytime, but keep it civil.
So to the anonymous poster who called a former colleague an "idiot," look in a mirror, I think you'll find an idiot there. So my unbroken string of no rejections is now over, but I'll take a good debate here anytime, but keep it civil.
Monday, May 31, 2010
FDR's prayer on the invasion of D-Day
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's prayer on the night of the D-Day Invasion. (Guess FDR didn't get the memo on separation of church and state - thank goodness).
“My Fellow Americans:
“Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
“And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
“Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
“Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
“They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
“They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
“For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.&
“Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
“And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
“Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
“Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
“And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
“And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
“With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
“Thy will be done, Almighty God.
“Amen.”
“My Fellow Americans:
“Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
“And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
“Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
“Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
“They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
“They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
“For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.&
“Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
“And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
“Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
“Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
“And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
“And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
“With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
“Thy will be done, Almighty God.
“Amen.”
A small man, but a big life
This made me think about all the ridiculous complaining I do. It also reminded me of a story I once found at a school board meeting in North Branch about Jessica Parks, a young woman born with no arms who did more with her life than 90 percent of the people I knew. The night I was there she was honored for her school spirit. Because I was swamped with work I handed off her story to a feature writer - Carol - who did a magnificent piece on the girl after spending many hours with her and her mother. Eventually it ended up as a segment on ABC's 20/20 as a result of Carol's initial story. I could not find the video, but there is plenty of video of Jessica on YouTube.com. Because of the ridiculous MLive.com archiving system I couldn't find the 2002 feature, but this link will take you to some video.
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