Well Done Mr. Chief Justice

Today's ruling upholding Obama's Health Care Act has humbled me. I was prepared for an all out assault on "Obamacare" by the Supreme Court. I was prepared for the Court to reveal itself as a poltical rather than a judicial entity. I was wrong! There is light at the end of the tunnel concerning the actions of SCOTUS. Chief Justice Roberts has emerged as a Justice and not as an activist. I'm prepared for rulings in the future to go against my own preferences but I'm prepared to accept them knowing that the Court is able to act purely on legal grounds and not poltical agendas. A tip of the hat to Chief Justice Roberts.

( I hope that Obama and the Democrats accept this ruling in a humble manner. Now is not the time to rub anyone's nose in a historical decision by the Supreme Court.)

Here's To The Two of Us

Early in June there was much ado about the Queen of England on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of her reign. I guess the Brits are justified in  making a big deal about their monarch's longevity but  with a curtsy to the monarchists, today marks a sixtieth anniversary which I humbly believe is as important if not moreso than the Queen's jubilee.  There will be no parades, no speeches, no hand waving - just a quiet celebration.

 Today the high primal and I will celebrate sixty years of marriage. The  occasion cries out for a memorable post  but  I find that I said it all two years ago in my post "58 And Counting". With a change of 58 to 60 here it goes again:

Sixty years ago today, the high primal and I exchanged marriage vows. Reflecting on those vows it is uncanny that once the honeymoon was over the challenges lost no time in taking front and center. Blessings, disappointments and tragedies have been intertwined into bonds that bind us tighter together, making our marriage stronger today than it has ever been. “ for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part”- longevity in a marriage makes it inevitable that all will be experienced.

As long as we have each other, life is not only bearable but welcomed. The “until death do us part” vow had little meaning sixty years ago but burns in our minds today. Death must be contemplated but there is no reason why it should not be put off for a few more anniversaries.

(Stil one big problem! After sixty years , ideas for an anniversary gift become scarce, but it is a challenge I welcome and am grateful for.)

To my critic, my lover and my best friend  I raise my glass. As I said two years ago, "As long as we have each other, life is not only bearable but welcomed". Margaret, here's to the two of us!

Is Sharon Waiting For Mubarak?

The New York Times reports that “Former President Hosni Mubarak, who led Egypt for three decades until he was toppled last year in a popular uprising, was on life support at a military hospital late Tuesday after he was declared “clinically dead” by doctors, according to Egyptian officials and state news media.” The news reminded me that for more than six years, Ariel Sharon, the former Prime Minister of Israel has been in a coma. I’m not sure why Israel is hanging on to him unless they are planning some sort of resurrection. I’d put my money on Sharon waiting for someone to join him in a Mid East summit, but I doubt that Mubarak will be around very long. He may be "really dead" as I write this. That’s the way the cookie crumbles, Sharon.

CORRECTION! It is now reported  that the news of Mubarak being "clinically dead" is greatly exaggerated. My post of 6/19/12 was a day early and short on facts. The turmoil in the Arab world is now messing with my blog posts and I don't like that. I plan to withdraw all aid (in the form of sympathy of course) to Egypt. Don't give up Sharon - I am sure Mubarak will join you soon. On the other hand it won't be the first time that a Jew has been snubbed by an Arab.
-6/20/12

Father's Day Musings

June 17, 2012, the day after June 16,2012, and the day before June 18,2012 is Father's Day. Actually all three days are Father's Day. No, make that all 365 days in 2012.

I'm not trying to make light of this day. After all a trip through the mall is enough to convince me that this is an important day. I do have news for the retailers. I don't need to receive a brightly wrapped package to remind me that I'm being honored this day. Sorry, but every day since December 18, 1954 I've been very conscious that I'm a father. I love my children and they return my love every day.

Some notes in passing:

• I read a column by Phillip Morris of The Plain Dealer in which he admitted that it was time to stop referring to his thirteen year old daughter as "my little girl". I suddenly realized that I still refer to my fifty-two year old daughter as "doll". I should stop but she is a doll.
•  As for my son, he could not have made me prouder a couple of weeks ago when he announced that he was writing a book.
•  And deep gratitude and love for my spouse, The High Primal, for making me a father.

The Arab Spring Never Made It To Summer

Whatever happened to the high hopes for democratic reform after the Arab Spring? It appears that much of the Arab world is bordering on civil war, martial law, insurrection - anything but democratic reform ( haven't heard much about Tunisia lately where it all started, perhaps they are the exception). I'm sure it is not the political correct position to take but I say let the turmoil run its course. Arab countries have two strikes against them when it comes to true reform. Strike one, the military. Strike two, the Islamic fundamentalists. We are mistaken if we think that U. S. military intervention will avoid strike three without costing the ball game at home.

A Ladle of Thoughts

Buddha said, "He is able who thinks he is able". I guess one could add that he is disabled who thinks he is disabled. Or how about, he who is unable to think never leaves the cradle.

A lesson learned - he who second guesses Buddha brings nothing to the table. He only labels himself as addle.

Simply put, you are what you think but avoid making a stink.

All Talk

Some people will not leave well enough alone

According to Buddha, a dog is not considered a good dog because he is good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is good talker.

On the other hand, all is not lost for the good talkers. They make good presidential candidates.

One can also conclude that presidential candidates are all talk!

Malocchio Revisited

Beware of the "looker"

It's been about two weeks since I massaged this keyboard hoping it would yield a post for my blog. Obviously I have had writer's constipation. Fortunately, I have never been guilty of the alternative,  writer's diarrhea.  I got quite concerned about my latest dry spell when I found myself not being upset by it. Not having anything to say is bad enough but not giving a shit about it is frightening.

After gaining some semblance of control over my emotions , I was able to rationalize the reason for my blogging inactivity. It's been due to my diet. Not enough fiber in my thinking. This is understandable since it has been about five and a half years since I published my first post. Over 600 posts later, my thoughts and commentaries have started to border on ho-hum. It's almost as though some malware has gotten into my brain.  A review of my early literary efforts revealed a post which might explain my current plight. I'm referring to a post titled "Malocchio", published on 6/8/2007. The post dealt with a curse known as the evil eye.

Malocchio or the evil eye is a look given to inflict harm, suffering, or some form of bad luck on those that it is cast upon. It is a look to be feared. If one suspects that the evil eye is being focused on him , the first line of defense is to point an index finger and small finger ( a. k. a. giving the horns) unobtrusively at the "looker" . If this does not ward off the malocchio, it is time for more drastic action. Not a visit to an urgent care center but a visit to someone "possessing the power" to expunge the malocchio.

I suspect that someone has put the  malocchio on me when I wasn't looking. If I were looking , I would have given the bastard the horns as well as a few other obscene gestures. The SOB must have been jealous of my blog and cast a spell which makes me ambivalent about my blogging.

I've got to get rid of this spell. Unfortunately there is no one nearby who has the power to expunge the malocchio. Yes. there is a witch in the neighborhood but she is a Witch of the West type who creates problems rather than resolves problems. My sister has the power but she lives in Florida and I won't see her until later in the year. It occurred to me that perhaps somewhere in my blog I could find the solution to my plight.

In the process of searching through my archived posts, the light suddenly came on. Other than making my reading easier, the light coming on revealed that I have already put most of my thoughts about  politics, sports and the economy that are worth a plug nickel in print. My grey cells are tired of putting out the same crap disguised with varying titles. If I needed more proof, it's this post. Why the hell after five years am I writing about malocchio again! Besides feeling ten pounds lighter, I don't feel that I have made much of a  contribution to the art of blogging. At least I have convinced myself that writer's constipation is best dealt with by relaxing and not worrying about it too much. The malady is my doing and not the work of a "looker". In the end, the posts within me that matter will find their way out into cyberspace. If  writer's constipation takes hold, so what! I neither have a deadline or an editor.