AIR BAGS

Sometimes, Big Brother tries too hard to protect us from ourselves. Perhaps the case of air bags is fixing something that ain't broke. I have driven cars for sixty years, and in my youth not all that safely. Most of my career driving  cars, we didn't even have seat belts.

Recently, it has come out that a Japanese subcontractor, which provides air bags for most of the car manufactures that not only ineffective, but actually  more dangerous than wrecks without them. Several generations live to tell about these dangers who didn't have air bag protection.

From recent news stories, and admittedly I don't have the stats, more injuries appears from the use of these over the top safety items. Just today, network news showed one driver who lost the sight in one eye, when metal parts explodes back into the driver's face. In several reported incidents, the driver was killed by these faulty bags.

The government, naturally forced a recall. Wrong move. The recalls should consist of disconnecting the systems, followed by a new federal law making them either  optional, or outright dangerous and prohibited.

I would much rather have a couple of ribs broken that dying for safeties sake.

In a very ironic example, buses, including both commercial and also school buses are not equiped with air bages, or even seat belts.I personally am outraged with this double standard. If I knew how, I would disconnect the ones in my car.

Let's contact our law makers with the request that these systems be outlawed.

PROTOCOLS

Mr President, I have some differences with you regarding protocol. I am a veteran and have a few hints for you that might, if followed keep you from showing your ass in the future.

First, just because you are president and commander-in-chief doesn't mean you can salute. It is fine when a serviceman or woman salutes you but nobody including generals salute or are saluted while in civilian clothes.

Although you sometimes act like a banana country dictator, you do not wear a uniform, nor should you. Salutes are recognition by service personal between warriors and it should never be polluted by mocking them Another  problem is while you are saluting, [see previous paragraph] You never ever hold a drink cup while attempting an arrogant act. This too shows either ignorance or arrogance, or possibly both.

Service in neighborhood political/racist groups is not service, as applies to  this lesson, protocol 101. Nor should you brief membership in the U.S. Senate count.

There are two possibilities here. Either you do not have a protocol officer, or you don't listen well. If you do have one and refuse to use him/her, then I suggest you fire that individual. On the other hand, if said officer is useful like in propaganda chief, then in order to confuse the public as you are talented with, lies, distortions and flip-flops.

All or these issues while ignored show an inability to respect the military. If you wish to look good, then bring back Retired General Petraeus in some civilian role in national security.  Not only it is a good idea, but cheating on your wife should not be a life sentence, only marriage is. Hey many of our former presidents did this repeatedly but never had to pay a price.

When you are shown departing air force one, and salute, with or without a drink cup thousands of service people and past as I am, shudder at the amateur ways.

Please do not thank me for this lesson, as I am one of the citizens that you  are representing.

That you are stubborn about defeating Islamic terrorism, shows that rather than keep our country safe, you instead kowtow to your Moslem father.

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

It is Interesting to me, that as I watch and listen to I believe worthless clamor for more jobs. It is worthless, because it is a word that resonates with most people, especially those that are unemployed. In his state of the union address, Obama hit that subject repeatedly. The differences are one party believes that government creates jobs, while the other, Republicans, believe that business and education and training lead to  jobs.

The competition between companies that sell for the cheapest competitive prices, naturally look for the cheapest wholesale cost.  In the past several years, most electronics and other high tech items, have and still are outsourced manufacturers mostly in the Orient, but some in Mexico and other low cost labor countries are competitive because their workers in many cases are paid what we would classify as slave labor.

Another issue is lack of trained and/or educated job seekers. Due to the high price of a college degree, or God forbid  advanced degrees are simply out of reach for most families. As a result, counties like India, China, Singapore and others  are exporting their workers to us, after these countries send them to us for education. Obviously, these students get visas for the purpose of  employment in our industries, but especially in the IT fields.

Why are we so far behind that we have to import talent? We subsidize K-12, so that every child has the opportunity to hit the streets with a high school diploma. We are stuck with an educationally out of date system, while other countries realize that to compete in a global economy, they have to develop these bright young people that are chosen not because of their race or other ethnic differences, they simply invest in their most brilliant children and concentrate on the best and the brightest.

Our system is out of date. For the first time since Obama was elected, I finally agree with him in that he wants to make use of our Junior Colleges. I'll go one step further.  We should get more aggressive offering four year educations to those intelligent enough to use them.

If Obama simply wants to support those that live in poverty, then it is simply social engineering.
I propose that any high school graduate with a grade level 3.0 or higher should get a paid for opportunity to further education. This should be only for talented high school graduates.

The subject that is currently debated refers to free education. Of course there is no free lunch. But in rebuttal,   It makes more sense to educate our youth so that our own people can keep up with the third world counties. It is cheaper by far, than paying welfare and rental subsidy, food stamps and medicaid.

Let's get our kids and in my case, grand kids off the streets and into classrooms. Investing in our children and our economic future is the smartest route  and is cheap compared to continually only educate children of wealthy families.How many in the ghetto hit the streets because they believe that is is no hope for them.

The program of the 1930's is not valid anymore. importing of foreigners who have state paid education while we suffer a huge population of people who are not giving back, but are a policy of
perpetual poverty. Certainty there needs to be an income line of pay no pay. We don't need to give an education to those that are wealthy. This post suggests that we can afford this if athletes are paid to attend college, why not intellects as well.

XL PIPELINE VS OIL TRAINS

It appears that you have sold out to Obama and his ilk.Have you already forgotten the vast numbers of washington voters that are very concerned about the mile long oil trains snaking through our cities. These too are conservationists. The choice between a pipeline and trains is obvious. Safety has been ignored  so that you can continue to be a serf to the Sierra Club. .You need to remember that you serve Washington not Nebraska, or California. If/when the next derailment happens, don't duck and hide. I will remember, and I will report.

Herb Huseland

72 VIRGINS

I have read the tea leaves and have come up with some amazing conclusions. When you match the birthrate in Arab nations, divided by male/female standards  and further project the number of Jihadis, it becomes clear that there are not enough virgins to go around.

There it is guys. You who demand that women cover themselves from head to toe, do not inhabit singles bars and further, have no idea what your prospective bride looks like, feels like, well you get the picture, it is no wonder that most, having discovered the truth scatter to what ever substitution that is available.JIHAD!

What could be better? First, you leave home hoping your wife or as it were, wives, will somehow go away. Then, miraculously an Imam appears. He promises that if you give up your life for Islam, you will ascend to heaven where you will have a second chance. 72 virgins will greet you as you are fed grapes (seedless) while sprawling out on your Roman like couch. He looks back at the wives he left at home and immediately declares, "Alahu Akbar,"Bring em on.

Alas, I have the sad duty of informing you of two facts.  First, if you couldn't satisfy the wives you left at home, Mohammed will not reward you with any virgins. You see, they are running short of virgins, since for every Islamist that dies for Islam, there are only two or three clapped out Cougars looking for a good time.So, be very careful about choosing this path. You could graze goats, and if your bride offends you, there are always sheep.

Climbing the hills of scarce forage is much safer that charging into a crowded shopping center, yelling Alahu Akbar, following the instructions, pushing the button on his vest. Boom. Sorry pal, there is nothing awaiting you. Not 72 virgins, not your deceased relatives, and not Allah. Just the cold dark place where God decides where to send you. Good luck on that.

THE THUNDER BOATS ARE BACK

The Silver Cup will hold an unlimited Hydroplane race along with Sprint boats August 14-15 on Lake Coeur d'Alene at the previous locations.

From the end of the 2013 Diamond Cup, until this week, The new group of hydroplane lovers stayed in the background so as to not step over the line until previous organizers proved they couldn't handle the financial part of the race.

Owing thousands to the bus company, security people and even the EMT's that were hired for any emergencies, not to mention the bank that issued them a line of credit. It became obvious that this would play out without the Diamond Cup surviving.

The new group decided on Silver Cup for two reasons. One to dissociate from the failed group, re-branding was in order. The other, while Hydroplane racing as the Diamond Cup has some tradition, Diamonds were never mined here, but Silver developed this area. A new tradition with an old one of mining was born.

Iit became obvious to the potential backers that it was while successful to the public, a disaster financially. They soon melted away, keeping their reputations intact. There were, regardless of Denials, offers to bail Doug Miller out, essentially buying him out. Apparently from his reaction when I discussed this with him last spring, he just couldn't let go. He then, with 75% ownership, but no money invested, took down his 25% partner who alone suffered severe financial loss. Ego got in the way, or maybe he was just taken in by his own rhetoric.

Enough of the old and on with the future. The president of this, a non-profit LLC,  Pat Stroud, who tried in vain to save the old but wanted a race, regardless of who ran it.  Finally, waiting for the shoe to drop from h1, the sanctioning body for the big boats, it did. H1 divorced themselves for ever from the relationship with Miller. The ones we wanted, are back. The others may go forth to try other things.

Keith Allen, a veteran of the Tri-Cities races, is Operations Manager and most of the volunteers from 2013 jumped in as well. I however, do not yet have a title. I suggested head peasant, but that was met with a raised eyebrow. Like 2013, I will take up whatever needs doing, probably with more on my plate than before. It wasn't the loyal  unpaid volunteers that failed, it was leadership. We feel confident that the leadership issue has been solved. Not one man, but the entire community owns this not for profit endeavor.

I would like to invite volunteers from 2013 to get in touch with me through my  e-address, which is herb@cdasilvercup.com. I'll try to keep everyone informed  as we progress. Anyone wanting to invest in this, a community project, give me a shout.

I'll be holding down the office, answering phones, etc, as soon as we have them. Until then, my home phone is 208-683-9107.

Debbie Farnsworth will be handling the vendors this year, with a year's experience which will prove invaluable.

SAVE THE CRITTERS

16 INCHES OF GLOBAL WARMING

Well here is where I start cancelling appointments. My front door is blacked as is the back door. But it doesn't make much difference, since the mobile home/RV park that I live in isn't plowed out either.

But here I sit with heat, lights internet and a vast library of books. I stocked up at the Bayview Mercantile yesterday in the belief that ever so many bad forecasts, this time they might have it right. They did.

Makes you wonder how bad global warming will get this winter. First, the long range prognostication was for for a dry mild Winter. Wrong. I'm interested in how many 18 inch snowfalls we will get during this season.

It just goes to show that you can politicize weather, but Mother Nature just does her own thing, ignoring the pontificating left that believes mankind has destroyed the forests, the spotted owl and now the climate. Personally I don't much care for a society that over the last 30 years has pretty much much  regulated everything.

With my toasty toes and well stocked fridge, the only question I have is how the heck did DFO make it to work and did his bike get stuck?