Drastic Times for California

The T.E.A. parties were a harbinger of the no on taxes movement that is sweeping this nation.  Californians sent that resounding message to the legislature and the governor.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger must now sit down with state lawmakers and make real decisions.  It’s something that has not been done in more than a quarter century.  Proposition 13 (a 1978 revision to the state constitution that limited property taxation) was passed because the legislature refused to do its job.  Once again the public has to step in to send a resounding message.

 The Los Angeles Times reported in an article titled “Cost-cutting ideas die in Legislature”

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supported SB 44 to abolish the Integrated Waste Management Board and save up to $3 million a year, Denham said. The Senate Environmental Quality Committee rejected it Monday on a party-line vote.

The board has been criticized as a way station for retired lawmakers. Among its members are former legislators Sheila Kuehl, John Laird and Carole Migden; each is paid $132,000 a year.

How many other boards and departments are there, that serve no useful purpose?  The State Controller’s office reports there are more than 213,000 state employees (excluding California State Universities).  The questions are too easy to ask but the answers to some are difficult.

  1. What are all of these people doing?
  2. How many are earning over $100,000 per year?
  3. What are the non essential departments?
  4. Are there laws that prevent the elimination of any departments?

 The Los Angeles Times editorializes that this may be the time for a state constitutional convention.  The Bay Area Council of the San Francisco area is a business-sponsored, public-policy advocacy organization that is promoting the idea of such a convention.  That council believes “Drastic times call for drastic measures.”  These are most definitely drastic times.

A New Format for Newsweek

I am always a week or two behind in reading Newsweek.  However, I do like to take a quick look at their take on the latest happenings in a world that makes printed magazines obsolete in this world of instant news.  Editor Jon Meacham, “We know you already know what the new is.  With original reporting and arguments, we’ll make you think in new ways.”  Leafing through the May 25, 2009 edition shows some new formating and hopefully some new ways to make this publication more relevant.  The format is defintely inviting.  Perhaps some new participants will make this magazine more valuable.

Environmentalists Are Too Late

On March 1, 2009 I wrote about Solving the California Drought through the use of water desalination.  Today’s Los Angeles Times reported that the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board has unanimously approved the project.  Astonishingly there are environmentalists who oppose the project because they believe it will harm the coast.   The Times report does not explain the reasoning behind the opposition.

It is interesting to note that there was little or no opposition to the over building of homes throughout California.  The urbanization of Southern California was the real issue and there is still little opposition to the continuing construction of homes and businesses throught the state.

You Don’t Like America, Go Home

Roxana Saberi, a 32-year-old dual Iranian-American citizen, was released from an Iranian prison after being accused and found guilty of spying for the United States government.  She was born in the U.S.  How did she become a dual Iranian-American citizen?  Why is she so focused on Iran? 

Recently a dissident, Zhou Yongjun, from the Tiananmen Square demonstrations was arrested in China after being in exile since that event in 1989.  Why would he return to a country that sought to arrest him? Zhou was a permanent U.S. resident.

Latinos in Los Angeles have had many demonstrations in support of illegal aliens living here.  They demonstrate their love for the U.S.A. by waving the flags of their native countries.  Just to tell us they love America they have stickers and banners on their cars that say things like, “I love Guatemala.”   

Why are so many immigrants in the United States so focused on their previous home?  Further more, why have the children of immigrants been encouraged to focus on the country they left behind?

My grandparents were born in Romania and the Ukraine.  I was born in Canada.  I am a naturalized citizen of the United States and my focus is on America.  After all this is where I grew up and this is my home.  If you love those other countries so much why are you living in the United States?  After all no one forced you to move here and no one is holding you hostage.

Don’t Knock On My Door

About every three months the Jehovah’s Witnesses send a group of four people down my street.  The want to leave their Watchtower magazine and they actively try to discern anyone who might be a convert.  In addition there are other Christian groups that send their members into the neighborhood trying to obtain converts.  My wife sends them away with a nasty set of words.  I like to engage them in discussion for the purpose of encouraging them to think about their beliefs.

I view religious beliefs as a personal thing. It’s wonderful living in the Untied States because the nation honors everyone’s right to believe whatever they want.  There is no state sponsored religion.  “In God We Trust” appears on all of our money.  We can conclude that the nation does believe there is a God.  Other nations are not so open minded.  Arab nations base much of their law on Islam.  Israel identifies itself as a Jewish state.

My complaint is the visit by the Pope to Jordan and Israel.  Perhaps the Pope believes he can heal wounds between Catholics and Muslims or between Catholics and Jews.  What could he possibly say that will change anyone’s views?  I am happy with my religious beliefs.  His visit to my neighborhood would be greeted with about the same response that I give to those Jehovah’s Witnesses.  I am really not interested in your views and beliefs.  In the name of peace in this world don’t try to convert me and don’t spread hatred.  After all, God may be watching.

EMPATHY

Understanding, sympathy, and compassion are all synonyms for empathy.  I feel your pain (said with emotion in my voice) and I bite my lip.  Bill Clinton was so good at doing it.  He really made you believe he meant every word.  This has nothing to do with anything else but connection with the other person’s life problems.  We all have some serious issues.  Some are truly sad situations.

The law deals with facts not emotion and certainly not feelings.  The U.S. Constitution is the basic law that governs our nation.  It is the one set of rules that guides our government.  It was written in 1787 and officially ratified in 1789.  There is no reference to empathy in the Constitution.  That document does provide rules for amendments and there have been 27 to date.  None of them are about feelings.  All of them define rules and regulations.

Now President Barack Obama says he wants to appoint a new Supreme Court justice that has empathy.  Is he suggesting that a new member of the court ought to decide cases based upon empathy for the pleader?  Does “feeling your pain” justify a different ruling than not sympathizing with someone’s dilemma? I find the idea of appointing someone to the Supreme Court based on their feelings not in accord with facts. 

Can the president appoint a liberal Supreme Court judge even if he or she has no empathy?  Absolutely!  Liberal interpretation can be made for many things in the 21st century without empathy.  Equal rights, gun control, abortion are all hot button issues that require recognition of the impact of the new technologies and greater appreciation of human behavior versus those of the 18th century.

AA Batteries vs. Proprietary Batteries

I bought a Panasonic DMC-FZ28 camera from Costco. With a 90 day return policy and good reviews on the camera I believe the choice was wise. However, the camera has a proprietary lithium battery. A low battery warning light appeared about 3p.m. Sunday afternoon. Two hours later I was able to continue learning about the camera. The cost of an additional battery is $25.00. Now I am wondering if these batteries might not be available in the future and that would obsolete the camera. AA batteries are available almost everywhere (like a general store in Yosemite or in Paris?).

So is the light weight lithium battery really that good if the cost is high and the availability is in doubt? Send me your opinion!

A New Political Party

For the first time in many years we now have the opportunity to start a new political party.  The statistics support this possibility.

This data from Rasmussen Reports dated March 1, 2009.

“Currently, 38.7% of Americans say they are Democrats. That’s down from 40.8% a month ago. It’s also the first time the Democratic total has slipped below the 40% mark since the Republican convention bounce last September. … In March, 33.2% of American adults say they are Republicans. That’s down from 33.6% a month ago. … A growing number – 28.0% – say they’re not affiliated with either major party.”

 

On This Week on ABC television it was reported that a survey showed that only 21% of registered voters consider themselves Republicans.

 

The Republican Party has become a regional party that has lost another senator (Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania) and has no Congressmen from the Northeast in the House of Representatives.  The west coast is dominated by Democrats and so is Michigan and Illinois.  No wonder the Democrats have a majority in the House.  The largest population centers, with the exception of Texas, are represented by Democrats.

 

The Democratic Party is almost totally dominated by labor unions and “liberal left” special interest groups (think ACLU, Sierra Club).  Moderates, who swing from Democrat to Republican based on candidate positions rather than party affiliation, are choosing the Democrats because the Republican Party has been taken over by “right wing” and “Christian conservatives” that do not want to tolerate any dissention among their membership.

 

Republican Party activists are primarily focused on just a few principles that the majority of American do not consider primary to their well being.  Those views are:

1. Reduced taxes.

2. Smaller government.

3. No abortions.

4. No gay marriage.

5. No gun controls.

6. Support for White Christian values.

 

With the views of each of the primary political parties so divergent, this seems to be the time for a new political party.  This would not be a party built around one individual but instead a party about ideas that that are more in line with the growing number of independent voters.  Those “middle of the roaders” who are not comfortable with either the Democrats or Republicans.  This is a party that would hold some of the value of both Democrats or Republicans but would look for leaders that reflect the growing numbers of people who want a more moderate, more inclusive political party.

 

This may not be doable because political parties need financial backing.  That backing would destroy what most of us want.  A government that cares about most Americans.

Another Toy, I’m Worth It!

It all started when I was just 10 years old.  My parents bought me a cheap little camera.  The Dick Tracy camera took film that was a approximately the same size as 35mm.  It was not a 35mm camera.  Along with a developing and printing kit I was on my way to a lifetime hobby.

 

 

On April 29, 2009 I bought my second digital camera. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 offers a zoom lens that quickly moves from 27mm to 486mm.  That is an 18x optical zoom.  The camera offers a complete set of manual settings. Surprisingly this camera weighs less than a pound.

 

 

My latest motivation for a new camera is the consequence of a digital photography class.  The class quickly made me realize that my old Canon A70 was an antique in the digital world.  Prices have dropped dramatically.  It is likely that this will be the last camera I will buy.  Thanks to Costco’s 90 return policy, I have time to change my mind.

 

 

The Panasonic telephone help line should get me through any questions about set up and use.  My first question was about aspect settings (manual information:  4:3 for conventional TV display, 3:2 for 35mm, or 16:9 for HD TV display).  Strangely the help line person said I could use either 4:3 or 3:2 setting.  I have the camera on the 3:2.

 

My only complaint is this camera will not fit in my shirt pocket.  A cheap price to pay.

The First 100 Days

All the political talk shows are focused on Barack Obama’s first 100 days.  Everyone has an opinion about his performance as president.  Even the president himself has given an opinion about how he has done.  The 100 day thing is the equivalent of the usual 90 day probation that most people must survive to hold on to a new job.  The difference is America can’t discharge him even if he is doing a poor job.  Unless he has been found guilty of a crime, Barack Obama is our president for the next four years.

 

Recalling eight years ago to George W. Bush’s first 100 days I cannot remember that there was any considerable discussion about his performance.  CNN had a group of people that graded President Bush.  His grade was mostly around a B.  Of course no one knew that 9-11-01 would determine the course of his presidency.  That was an incident that occurred 234 days into the Bush presidency.  It was the September 11 event that impacted everything about President Bush’s presidency.

 

Like President Bush, President Obama is just another president impacted by unplanned events.   In the 20th century Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Lyndon Johnson all saw their presidencies significantly impacted by events beyond their control.

 

The only thing we know about President Obama is that he is willing to take action that might affect the future.  He knows that the first 100 days is just the warm up.