A Couple of Things of Interest

First up is this dust-up over Planned Parenthood and the selling of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood (PP) denies it has done anything illegal and claims the videos were edited and the makers were trying to make PP look bad. Perhaps, since the video makers were part of a pro-life group, there might be some merit to the claims. However, the cavalier attitude on the part of the doctors from PP seemingly belies the claims.

My question is will the media now badger Democrats over the issue as they have Republicans over Trump's comments?

Speaking of Democrats, Hillary is denying she ever sent out classified information as Secretary of State. Let's see... She was Secretary of State until after the 2012 elections and she used, the entire time, a private server instead of a government one. Yet she wants the public to believe she never sent any emails with classified information in them. Simple way to prove that: turn over the sever.

I won't hold my breath.

I Must Apologize

I have been thinking about this for almost a week. Last Friday I wrote some things that were unwarranted in I'm Not Happy. I was angry (and, therefore, not happy) and wanted to lash out... so I did. I am not apologizing for feeling that anger or for something I expressed about how I would like Muslims to feel about their religion. I wrote: "No change will happen to that religion until they fear the backlash." I believe that.

Religions are sometimes a bit smug. A bit too self-righteous.

They must feel shame and anger at themselves in order to make changes that will lead to a better expression of that faith. I think that is part of what happened with The Inquisitions and maybe the Crusades. Christians began to question their faith, to change it for the better. Christians still question, I think; most of them anyway. Some don't, some still justify their bigotry and prejudice with scripture.

I cannot say for sure since I am not a Christian. But I like to think that most are good people who reject many of the things taught in favor of a more moral way of life.

And, so, I apologize to any who I might have offended

I'm Not Happy

By now, you know many of the details of this mass murder, allegedly by one Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, possibly born in Kuwait... At the time I write this we have no details about Abdulazeez or why he attacked the two places  in Chattanooga, TN.

My first reaction is that we should immediately shut down all mosques in this country and encourage all foreign born Muslims to return to their homelands. That is likely impossible for two reasons: We have freedom of religion and we have an administration which will not do even close to what the FDR administration did in WWII. In fact, if this administration had been in the White House during WWII, there's a good chance we'd be speaking either German or Japanese, in my opinion.

In my opinion, we should take the gloves off and start blaming all Muslims for the acts of what is clearly a tiny minority of that religion and we should initially concentrate on the Sunni sect. No change will happen to that religion until they fear the backlash. There is no reason for them to clean out the terrorists in their midst unless, and until, they feel threatened.

Meanwhile our politicians go bananas over a relic of the Civil War. And also meanwhile, Faye says "Nuke Mecca!"

What's New?

 
                             What's new
                    How is the world treating you
                    You haven't changed a bit
                     Lovely as ever, I must admit
[the above lyrics are from a song sung by Frank "old blue eyes" Sinatra]

I am using them as a lead in to my post today about events in the world which might (or should) disturb you. I am speaking of the deal just reached with Iran over their nuclear capabilities. As usual, it is this administration's attempt to not deal with Iran's nuclear bomb aspirations. Essentially, it gives Iran 15 years before they can return to the process. In that 15 year period, I am sure there will be many other countries in that region who will try to create their own nuclear weapon. Additionally, the deal removes the sanctions placed on Iran by us and many European countries, sanctions that were having an effect... sanctions that were limiting their ability to foster terrorism just a little. It also allows countries like Russia and China (and others) to resume arms sales to Iran.

I hope, for our and the world's sake, that Congress sends a clear message to this president by voting to reject this deal. A vote that comprises a solid 2/3's majority. Because the president has promised to veto Congress' rejection... which means they must override that.

It's a freaking disaster in the making. If you don't know about this deal... you will... way too soon. Maybe the ides of July will become someday as famous as the ides of March.

Just Turn It Off!

I do not normally post on Saturdays but I watched a segment about texting on cellphones during movies and concerts (Patti Lupone has said she is fed up with people who come to her shows... apparently this was a play... and then pay more attention to their phones than to her). This must stop.

After I quit smoking, I would often hear smokers complain about non-smokers being rude to them. They meant it. They thought they were being picked on. One of the complaints and comments was "I always ask if it is okay if I smoke." To which I, as a non-smoker, often said, "Bull!"

There was a day when I called a construction firm about putting a deck in our backyard. This was during my first marriage. The salesman came out and told us how they could construct a deck that would be wonderful and spacious.

While we were standing in the living room, he lit a cigarette and smoked it. He never asked if he could smoke. It was only when the cigarette had burned down to the filter that he looked around for an ashtray. There were none. He then asked for one and was told, "We do not smoke."

I think he knew, at that point, that he would not make the sale.

Why do I bring this up? Because there is a new addiction rampant in the world. It is cellphone addiction. In restaurants, in movie theaters, pretty much everywhere; people are either texting or talking on cellphones. It has to stop. It is rude. It is annoying, it is ridiculous.

Unless you are a doctor and have a patient waiting for a transplant, that call to you can wait!

Once, not so long ago, we would be unreachable for many hours in a day. Why? Because we were not at home... where the phone was. Now, everyone (or most everyone) is reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And these calls are, on the whole, non-critical.

I would like restaurants and golf courses to confiscate any cellphone they find. I would like to see signs that read "CELLPHONE FREE AREA!" and I would like to see them enforced. What is ruder than a person at a table in a restaurant ignoring others at his table by having a conversation with someone who is not there? And how rude is it to inflict half a conversation on other diners?

What ever happened to common courtesy? Rudeness seems the order of the day now. Back when I was a smoker, I realized that the cigarette was my "master" and I was just a slave. Now cellphones are the masters we must obey.

Just shut it off! You will thank me later.