Addendum ...

AS as matter of common sense, we can't treat foreign visitors trying to enter this country as if they're all would-be terrorists and then expect to readily host an international event of the magnitude of the Olympic Games. I think the U.S. Travel Association is more right than wrong.

Friday, October 2, 2009

OHMYGOSH, now I know for sure that someone is praying for me. Why am I not feeling blessed?

MEANWHILE, here's how the Swiss do health care — it's not government-run — but U.S. doctors probably wouldn't like it much because it's regulator/insurer run.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

SLOWLY, too slowly, intelligence can prevail over ignorance. Thus, this essay by Air Force Col. Om Prakash, winner of the 2009 Secretary of Defense National Security Essay competition.

The essay was published in the Joint Force Quarterly, the official publication of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It's title: "The Efficacy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' " Efficacy? Nope, there isn't any.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

YES, young lady, too many people think it's cool to be stupid. Tell us about it.

Sunday, September 27,2009

"BEING young and gay is no longer an automatic prescription for a traumatic childhood," writes Benoit Denizet-Lewis in the New York Times Magazine. It's a hopeful sign when, even gradually, knowledge and intelligence overcome ignorance.

the tin ceiling in a friend's building

Friday, September 25, 2009

THERE'S an English prof at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who offers "a defense of the digital revolution and a keen examination of how technology both improves and complicates our lives." It's a book titled "A Better Pencil" and it's reviewed at salon.com

Thursday, September 24, 2009

HERE'S one of those e-mail things that gets passed around:

HOW TO CALL THE POLICE WHEN YOU'RE OLD AND DON'T MOVE FAST ANYMORE.

George Phillips, an elderly man in Meridian, Mississippi, was going up to bed, when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window.

George opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked, "Is someone in your house?"

"No," he said, "but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me."

The police dispatcher replied, "All patrols are busy. You should lock your doors and an officer will be along when one is available."

George said, "Okay."

He hung up the phone and counted to 30.

Then he phoned the police again.

"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I just shot them." Then he hung up.

Within five minutes, six police cars, a SWAT team, a helicopter, two fire trucks, a paramedic, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips' residence, and caught the burglars red-handed.

One of the policemen said to George, "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"

George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"

(True Story) I LOVE IT!

Don't mess with old people.