Taking care of busyness

I've recently come to the conclusion a major reason people retire is to have time to attend to mounting medical issues ... doctor's appointments, lab tests, sonograms, prescriptions, etc.

Poly-lies

Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, after being convicted of child sexual assault, was removed at his request from the courtroom during the sentencing hearing, but only after he read a statement he claimed was from God that promised a "whirlwind of judgment" on the world if Jeffs wasn't set free.

Thank goodness for that.

Now, after he is sentenced to most or all of his remaining life in prison and there is no whirlwind of judgment, perhaps some of his followers will figure out he's been lying to them all along and that he is not God's hand-picked representative on earth.

Of course, living in their enclaves of solitude, they may only continue hearing lies fed to them by another so-called leader who enjoys taking advantage of the disenfranchised. I hope, for their sake, they find the truth.

Then there's the wrong way

Let’s just say you’re in a bad situation in your home country. You take a trip and, perhaps through dramatic means, you manage to infiltrate the country of your dreams, the place where you feel you can live safely and achieve a happy life.

It’s not that simple, however. Your dream country has laws concerning who it allows to enter and, more particularly, who it allows to stay and take up residency. In the meantime, according to your dream country’s policies, you remain in a detention center specifically for people seeking asylum. You will stay there while your appeal for asylum is considered.

OK, not exactly the way you saw it working out in your dream, but it’s still a step in the right direction. Meanwhile, you have the chance to prove what a wonderful addition you will be to your dream country. Goodness, it would be crazy to not want you, right?

Time drags on, you start to worry a bit and then ... a couple of your fellow detainees supposedly get word their requests for visas have been denied. They start to make a scene. Others join in and, before you know it, approximately a fourth of the detainees are caught up in a protest.

And we’re not talking peaceful resistance here.

Buildings are set afire. Nine structures are gutted. Detainees perched on rooftops hurl roof tiles and furniture at those fighting the fires.

I’m not likely to make up such a scenario. No, it’s real and it’s still playing out in Sydney, Australia. Just who started it and who participated are questions yet to be answered by immigration officials, but there’s one thing you and I have already figured out.

There is no way protesting – rioting, really – can help someone trying to win favor with the local government. They must wonder if you’re seeking asylum because you cannot get along wherever you live.

Certainly, there may be underlying story lines worthy of consideration: mental illness, living conditions or a process moving too slowly, for example. However, the idea of setting buildings on fire is never a good idea. Those involved will now have a tough time finding any place to live out their dreams.
(c) 2011 by Steve Martaindale   

Hasty rumors

If you have any remaining hopes political races are anything more than popularity contests, consider the latest exhibit: “Gabby Giffords Doesn't Know She's a Senate Front-Runner” via The Atlantic Wire.

After U.S. Rep. Giffords was shot in the head Jan. 8, 2011, in an assassination attempt that killed six and injured a dozen others, even those of us who never heard of her learned she is respected and loved by many. Over the next days and weeks, small bits of information came out about what may prove to be a dramatic recovery.

Now, as the story above informs us, some are suggesting the congresswoman make a run for the Senate. Of course, it’s merely speculation at this point because Gabby, as she’s called by many, is just now beginning to formulate entire sentences. She only recently was told she was shot and not in an accident, as she had been assuming. She still has not yet been told of the deaths of friends at the shooting.

I hope Giffords does complete a full recovery. She might even make a wonderful senator, but there’s nothing now to lead us to either assumption.

However, her name still evokes passion, so people are floating the idea before things cool down.

And someday, they just might be able to tell her what they’re doing.

On the heels of coolness

While driving around the small Texas city where I work, it's common to see young adult men (teens and 20s, I'd guess) walking down the street while holding their pants up with one hand or, even funnier looking, pulling up the pants with each step.

I may laugh at the spectacle, particularly when they add the skewed cap and other contemporary accoutrements, but nothing about it bothers me. They're simply trying to be cool ... or whatever the appropriate term is today.

It struck me, however, they have one huge hurdle to overcome in achieving coolness.

They are walking.

This may mean nothing in a large city, but nobody walks here (within reason) unless it's for exercise or because he has no car.

Yeah, that's what you're telegraphing as you hike down the street while hiking up your pants -- you either have no car or no license. And here in small town Texas, that's a far cry from cool.

Death of a pioneer

His wasn't a household name, but a medical pioneer died Monday. Like me, you probably had not heard of Ronald Lee Herrick, but he made history in 1954 when he donated a kidney to his twin brother. Today, thousands of organ donations occur every year and each recipient owes a small amount of gratitude to those who broke new ground.

Recyclers' friend

A woman at work the other day had a piece of old office equipment that was to be thrown out, but she really wanted a way to recycle it, so I took up the search.

The city actually has a good drop-off recycling program, but I found nothing offered for electronics. Searching further, I learned the Best Buy store does.

I walked up to the Geek Squad counter and asked, "Will you recycle this?" The young man looked in the box and said, "We'll take care of it."

A pat on the back for Best Buy. By the way, Lowes is also offering recycling for a number of items, just not electronics.

Incompetency primer

The man who tried unsucessfully to be declared mentally incompetent to stand trial for the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart was kicked out of the courtroom Monday for being unruly during jury selection.

Man, I bet nobody saw that one coming.

You win!

I never realize I watch much television until election season, when I'm overwhelmed by campaign advertising.

Well, this year, the advertising has affected me. After being bombarded with ads by Democrats calling Republicans liars and thieves, after being pounded with ads by Republicans calling Democrats liars and thieves, I'm convinced.

I believe them both.

What does a CIO do?

Describe for me a "chief innovation officer" for a media conglomerate. What does that mean?

According to this latimes.com story, the CIO for Tribune Co., Lee Abrams, is on indefinite suspension without pay during the investigation into a companywide memo he sent. The e-mail included a link to a video labeled "Sluts" that included female nudity.

Well, I guess that's innovative.

They do call him Tiger

I was all prepared last weekend to poke a little fun at Tiger Woods. I’m glad I held off.

According to this article on Yahoo Sports, Tiger took out a $54.5 million mortgage on a mansion he’s building on Jupiter Island, Fla. Not only that, but his loan repayment is structured over just more than 60 months – a monthly mortgage payment of about $1 million.

If you’ve not been paying attention, Tiger had embarrassing personal information come out about him last year and has gone through a divorce. He took time off from playing golf and has not done very well since returning.

So ... and this is where I almost jumped the gun ... I noticed last week that the first round of the first golf tournament following the release of this information found Tiger in ... drum roll, please ... 95th place among 99 players in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.

However, there is a reason Tiger’s a legend in his own time. He followed his opening round 72 with a 65 to make the cut and then a 69 and a 68. He did not make his mortgage payment, but his 11th place finish (remember 95th?) netted a check for $148,929.

Yeah, I’m willing to bet he’ll come up with the house payment somewhere.

And the winner is ...

"I'm not sure we will ever see anyone declare victory in Iraq," Army Gen. Ray Odierno told reporters at the Pentagon.

No victory in the Middle East? Uh-oh, someone's been reading history books.

Stop it!

There is a wonderfully insightful message buried within a press release from a U.S. senator urging further intrusion by the federal government into states' responsibilities.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) wants the Obama administration to endorse tough penalties for states that refuse to impose bans on texting while driving, as proposed in legislation offered by Schumer this summer.

His bill would require states to pass legislation outlawing texting while driving. Should they not, the states would risk losing 25 percent of their federal highway funds.

Here's the good part:

“The fact is, the federal government cannot, by itself, outlaw texting while driving. Only states can. But the federal government can make it hard for those states that don’t go along.”

You are correct, senator. It is the states' responsibility, so butt out.

Distracted driving is dangerous and should be avoided.

Further intrusion by the federal government into states' rights is dangerous (and may have already passed the point of salvaging the intentions of our founding fathers) and should be avoided.

Mahmoud who?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday called the Holocaust a myth.

It would be interesting to revisit this in 50, perhaps even 20, years and see if anyone remembers who Ahmadinejad was.

A genuine hero

We lost a great person Saturday. Great? you ask. Norman Borlaug's efforts in improving crop yield around the world is credited with saving perhaps a billion lives. Hundreds of millions of lives! I know he was still teaching at Texas A&M when he was 90, perhaps still was. RIP.

Ever little thing

So, storage makes everything good ... except spelling.

The real condemnation is I saw this sign several weeks ago, but they changed it before I could get a photo. Then, it came back ... misspelled again.

The real crybaby is ...

Without really thinking, we've all said and done things we soon regretted, but few, I hope, have acted as rashly as Roger Stephens of Stone Mountain, Ga.

Police say the 61-year-old man became annoyed with a crying 2-year-old girl in a store. After reportedly warning the mother, "If you don't shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you," he fulfilled his promise by slapping the girl at least four times.

The girl was apparently not injured, though the mother was upset. Stephens was arrested and is charged with felony cruelty to children. (Take a look at his mug shot; he looks like he's about to slap the officer taking his photo.)

There is no defense for what Stephens did. An adult must understand that a toddler will cry in a store, that the mother cannot always stop and take the child outside, that it is just one of life's little inconveniences. It's not like a child crying in a movie theater, for goodness sakes.

At the very least, you ignore it. Preferably, you give the mother a knowing smile, assuring her that you empathize and giving her the encouragement she may need to deal with the situation. After all, you can move to another aisle away from the baby; she cannot.

Most importantly...

This Associated Press story tells about a frightening event in which a man jumped into a stopped school bus, overpowered the driver, took control of the bus and jumped out of the driver's seat as the bus rolled down a steep hill ... injuring two students and the driver.

But, wait, I omitted the key second word of the story -- the man was "shirtless" -- and the entire second paragraph -- he was "naked" by the time he was arrested.

I can tell you from years of experience that mundane or close-to-average stories are more interesting and more deserving of a reporter's time if there is an unusual angle. However, this is nothing like a mundane story. Drop the "reality TV" line of thinking and concentrate on what readers need to know.

Change or no change

Solomon Jackson Jr. says winning a $260 million Powerball jackpot will not change him.

Just for the record, should I cash a lottery ticket with a nine-digit jackpot, it will change me ... but only in a good way.

It's a zoo in there

Reuters brings to us the latest entry in the Quit Wasting the Court's Valuable Time category.

A woman is suing a zoo because she fell after a dolphin show left water on the floor; she slipped, fell and suffered what she claimed was $50,000 damages in lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma.

Hey! You're at a zoo. Take a little responsibility and provide some evidence you're representing the higher life form in the facility.