Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech apparently means different things to different people. The Move On agitators apparently only believe that it applies to them, not to those that have different views.

Refusing the right of others to speak freely and for those interested to hear that speech has no relationship to free speech. It is bordering on riot and denying others to gather for a lawful purpose.  Extremists from both the far left and far right don't get it. though those on the far left have a tendency to get violent more.

As I watched the cancelled speech at the University of Illinois unfold, it struck me that the campuses teach leftist beliefs and foster that born in the '60's I am not a supporter of Trump, but I do support his Right and that of his followers to congregate together.

The gathering of a diverse  bunch of agitators didn't promote free speech, they denied it.   If our college campuses intend to put up with this kind of behavior, perhaps federal funding should be withheld along with subsidized tuition. You teach hard core misbehavior, it will cost you.

Irv Leifer, R.I.P.

Some of you may have read the story that Irv Leifer, basketball coach at Renton High school died this past week. But he was much more than that.

He taught my P.E. class when I was in Jr High School at Renton Jr-Sr high back in the 1950's.I was a basketball manager, which meant we shagged balls, handed out towels and such. We also carried the Seattle Times paper route which included Irv Leifer. He use to call me Husie.

I was at the game when Renton, dominated Elma high school for the state championship. George Struger was a 6 '5" Center that was as wide as he was tall. Elma had a 7'1" center that was a string bean, having to take oxygen during time outs. Struger dominated the key, not letting the skinny kid anywhere near the basket.Renton won.

In 1953 through 1956 when I graduated from Renton, we were the largest high school in the state.
Renton had a couple of career coaches, in Leifer and John Suzic. Suzic's daughter and husband, recently retired from hydroplane racing.

I don't think I've ever met a nicer teacher, nor any other man. Still he was very intense in his training athletes Here is a link to the story in the Seattle Times.

 http://www.Seattle Times.com/sports/high-school/state-basketball-coaching-legend-irv-leifer

2016 Election

After observing all of the debates, I have come to the conclusion that the candidates belong in a circus, center ring. I have voted in general elections since 1960 and have never seen anything like this.

Fasten your seat belts 'cause it's going to be a wild ride. I believe this glut of Republican candidates is akin to a feeding frenzy. Seeing the Democrats vulnerable, everyone wanted into the race. Unfortunately, the old saw, "too many cooks spoil the broth" comes to mind.

Donald Trump could very well become the Republican nominee, simply because the other bunch are knocking each other off, while the Redneck branch is sailing along blissfully. After talking to many of Trump supporters I have reached a conclusion. Trump supporters don't care about anything other than throwing our government under the bus and bring in fresh talent.

That would be fine, if only the outsiders have any talent other than the ability to make loud noises.

Buckle up because the term unintended consequences will be a radical departure from how office holders have been elected in the past. The fact that the GOP has more registered voters than ever before would be great if they weren't so unsophisticated. We now have Larry the cable guy as our majority.

Our choices are between an avowed Socialist, a woman facing criminal charges and on the other side, A Tea party type, a second generation Cuban and egotistic buffoon capable  of squandering a fortune that he inherited. God help us all.

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Food Porn

Due to a limited income, I don't eat out much, Occasionally the delicious tacos at Ralph's or the great fish & chips at the Captain's Wheel.

But I got a great surprise yesterday when the 'Wheel served up a chicken dinner special for only $10 bucks. Three pieces of fried chicken, southern style, nice and brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The dinner included mashed potatoes and gravy, Coleslaw and garlic bread.

I don't know how much they ordered or sold, but I'd get right down there before they run out. It was an outstanding dining experience.

Future Republican Party

If Donald Trump wins the Republican Nomination, there are three possible outcomes. One, he loses to Hilary Clinton. Two, he destroys the Republican Party.Three, he totally changes the demographics of the party into a vast unknown place.

It is clear that he leads a portion of the electorate that probably hasn't voted often or even ever. The majority of these supporters like that he sounds about like the voter would themselves, totally forgetting that they wouldn't be qualified to lead the country either.

It would help if Trump had a political agenda so we would have a reference point to measure him by. He definitely isn't a conservative, nor is he especially religious, yet Charismatic Christians are flocking to him, with notable exceptions.

The founder of Hobby Lobby, who went to the Supreme Court over religious rights, has characterized Trump as a non-Christian who uses name calling and a heightened volume to out shout the other candidates and even the moderators at the debates.

His insults apparently resonate with many, but certainly not educated, successful people. Perhaps a sudden awakening will take place before it is too late, if it isn't already, but I'm not counting on it. The inmates, are now running the asylums. 

Collective Insanity Rules Our Nation

It is beginning to look like the nation's collective sense has flown the coop. Suddenly, people, many of which have repeatedly refused to vote, have decided in their infinite wisdom that they will now vote.

Unfortunately they will vote for a narcissistic buffoon that has absolutely no conservative credentials. Not even moderate ones. For Rubio to lose Florida, it would be not only a disaster for him, but for the country as well.

Many of these people care only about hearing an echo of their anger. Winning in November doesn't seem to matter. I worry for our country.Neither Trump nor Clinton will give us good government.

We are collectively committing national suicide through the ignorance of the newly discovered electorate. I am more fortunate than most younger people. I won't have to live under the rapid decline of this nation for very long. I'm thinking of having my dead body shipped to Canada in protest.

With Rubio projected to lose his home state of Florida tells me one thing. The Cuban voters are registered democrats. He should be able to walk away with Florida with it's huge population of former Cubans, and their citizen children.

I can see this loose cannon starting a world war. With his temper and proclivity for name calling, his foreign policy will not exist. Trump is resisting disclosure of his tax returns, saying they are complicated. Sure, he probably isn't paying any taxes at all.

With Hillary Clinton, in a race to get nominated before she is indicted, is not a viable choice.  I hope this country's voters will wake up to the realities, but I don't hold much hope for that.

***Post Thursday debate:

After watching the debate for about 30 minutes, I finally had to turn it off. It was a shouting match akin to a bar fight. Trump never let a speaker complete his presentation without interrupting, usually by talking over the other candidates in a louder voice. The debate was controlled and dominated by Donald Trump.

CNN, who (ahem) moderated this fiasco, totally lost control. They should have shut off Trump's mic after he blatantly took over. 

Blogfest

Let me dispel some rumours. I did not skip the party because I was angry, or any other negative emotion. I simply woke up Saturday morning too lazy to get going.

Whether I am depressed or just have the mid-winter blues, I don't know. I just couldn't get motivated enough to get going. Essentially, my get up and go got up and left.

I missed seeing many of you that I have visited with over the years. Hopefully, this is a temporary condition and I will snap out of it soon. Greetings to all of you that noticed I wasn't present.

Rabbit Found

A tame domestic rabbit was found out on Hudson Bay Road. Here is the message I received:

Can you get a word out on this Rabbit found on Hudson Bay road last night
We have it at home and if no one claims it we need to find it a good home.
Wes and Teresa 683-7202


Some, however, believe it is the Easter Bunny doing a reconnaissance for Easter, March 27.

Iraq/Syria

Today's paper announced an agreement by the world powers for a cease fire in the disputed lands. Except ...

Yes this agreement is full of holes. Russia can still bomb the insurgents battling Syria's government troops, calling them terrorists.

Turkey, a NATO member is bombing the Peshmerga, they most powerful opponent of ISIS.  The U.S. is bombing those that are left over.

This inevitability started at the close of WW 1, when the Ottoman Empire was divided up among the neighboring countries. Unfortunately, Kurdistan was dissolved and given to Iraq, Syria and Iran. This has caused a continuing war for independence  by this group that are Muslims, but not of the type approved by other sects.

Until this century old injustice is resolved,  and new borders set, there will be war in the middle est perpetually. I see Iran annexing southern Iraq, the Kurds the north and Sunni Muslims he center.

Syria is such a mess that My imagination cannot conjure u[ a solution. The world is on fire with very little leadership, other than power plays, is being featured by the world powers. God help us all.

Saturday Debate

Governor Christie took on a Trump like attitude when he attacked Senator Rubio for staying on message, by stating it was repetitious and suggested he had no other views. He was wrong. There is great precedent for repetitious speeches

Back in 1964, an actor without any political experience started his political career running for a first term as California Governor. He gave the same speech over and over. We used to refer to it as, "The speech." He won that election and then another, bringing California back from the brink of bankruptcy. His constant referral to Lord Action's famous words, "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts, absolutely."

He applied conservative principles, but still was able to work with Jesse Unrah (sp) and a democratic legislature. His name was Ronald Reagan. I knew him before he took office in 1966 and mc'ed a speech he gave in Santa Ana, California. He too, gave the same speech over and over. Two reasons that worked, one he touched the collective souls of the majority of voters, many of whom were democrats.

He wasn't foolish enough to think he could govern with just the far right. The John Birch Society was very active in Orange County back then, but he never caved in to their extremism.

Another example, a Democrat, John F. Kennedy, was a freshman senator who gained the voters needed because he had an outgoing personality and warmth. Senator Rubio doesn't need to change his speech and has in common Kennedy as an example of an inexperienced candidate winning and for the most part, considering his short tenure, did OK.

Rubio exudes warmth and personality that none of the other candidates have in abundance. He can win in November where the others cannot. Running him off is a guarantee of another Democratic presidency. In this time in our history, it is critical to oust the Dems, who in their eight years with Obama and Hillary as Secretary of State, has the world on fire, because the most powerful nation on earch, dithers with a program of converting this country into something less than a capitalist place where succes is up to the individual, not a federal bureaucracy.

New Hampshire

As we move from Iowa to New Hampshire, the dynamics have changed. Now we have Cruz, Trump and even Bush, taking shots at Rubio. That tells me rather transparently, that they are afraid of the momentum that Rubio is generating.

In my 78 years, which includes the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960, I find this the best parallel to Rubio. Kennedy was an inexperienced Senator that elevated his campaign through the wonder of television. The boyish face, the bouffant hair and the force of his personality got him elected over the stoic Richard Nixon. Later, the rigid right wing libertarianism  cost Goldwater all but two states.

There are some parallels with Marco Rubio, who has two things that stand out. First, as in the Kennedy campaign, it wasn't about issues, it was about slogans and personality. Many, if not most voters identify with those traits. how many of you remember the electric quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." That ranks right up with the Gettysburg address.

We'll never know whether Kennedy would have made a great president or not. His life cut short,  death made him more famous than his accomplishments. But many airports and other monuments were named after him.

My point here is this. some of us Republicans  tend to value philosophical purity over winning. Given that all office seekers, from both parties spout nothing but platitudes while campaigning, the reality is that personality wins.

Of the remaining Republican candidates, Trump, Rubio, Cruz and possibly Kasich and Bush, if they survive New Hampshire, the personality of Rubio shines above all of the rest. This is important because of those that are looking beyond the primaries and conventions, want a candidate that can like Kennedy, relate to the people with warmth and a positive attitude and win in November, which in the early frays sometimes escapes voters minds. 

Iowa

Tonight, we find out whether common sense prevails, or insanity does. Choosing a Narcissistic billionaire Buffoon, a nasty name caller, or one of several other intelligent leaders as Iowa's choice for Republican nominee for president.

As I watch the polls, I have lost hope that our citizenry has retained it's collective sanity. How a non-conservative no nothing Blowhard could lead these polls defies logic. Hopefully the citizens of Iowa are pulling our legs.

If we end up with Trump and Sanders as the choices, the suicide rate in this country will soar.

Irony

In choosing to skip the Republican debate tonight, the press has given Trump many times more press than if he had attended. Donald Trump may be a Narcissistic Joke, but he sure do know how to generate attention.

I, as many other mainstream Republicans, sincerely hope that when the dust settles, we don't have a ticket with Clinton vs. Trump. Or for that matter, a president that turns out to be a Canadian citizen.

I keep hoping that our electorate will allow common sense to prevail.But then I look at Burns, Oregon and realize that not everyone has any. 

Winning The Battle, Losing The War

My party, the Republican party, has a history of valuing principle over winning. This of course is fool hardy. You cannot apply principle unless you are elected. Ergo, we can win the battle, but lose the war.

Both parties are drifting more and more to the right and left every election cycle. The Wackos on both extremes simply work harder for control than those of us who have a life and career outside politics.

Unfortunately, with roughly 30% hard core right wing, and another 30% hard core left wing, it isn't the doctrinaires that win elections, it's the 40% in the middle, sometimes called the silent majority. These voters, will either pick a candidate that match their views the best, or at least is most likely to beat the other party.

These people middle of the road, or moderates. Why we continuously select the most doctrinaire candidates, which will and cannot stand a prayer of winning, is a puzzle to me. In Iowa, which hold it's caucuses in a week, the candidates are sparing with who has the most hard right qualifications, when they should be looking at who has the charisma to woo the electorate.

Originally I was for Carson, but when he, along with the fool billionaire threatened to bolt the party if the convention is brokered, lost me right there. Cruz is confrontational, insulting and doesn't have an ounce of charisma.

Of the two that could ably lead the country, Rubio and Bush, Rubio does have that charisma that will play well on television, Bush does not.

For these reasons I am backing Rubio. Please join me.

Winter Is Retreating

While the East is reeling under a blizzard that hit about 2:30 ET, our winter is retreating. Yesterday marked the first over 40 degree temperatures since before Christmas and the big snow. The long range forecast is for rain and grey skies, but mostly above freezing except at night.

My brother and sister-in-law winter in the Tampa, Florida area and are experiencing severe thunderstorms, while the eastern seaboard is expecting storm surges bringing ocean front flooding, exacerbated by a full moon which brings higher tides.

While I prefer 80 degrees and sunny, considering what others are putting up with, I'll take the rain. You don't have to shovel it. Just hunker down with your favorite beverage and partner. It's snuggle time.

Missing Dog, Maverick

Hello Herb,
I'm the grandma of this pup, and the mother of the owner, Marisa. We are heartbroken about our missing Maverick. He has been out, on the move for 17 days now and we are all exhausted! I'm asking a big favor of you...post this flyer for your viewers to see, that's all. My daughter Marisa, the owner of Maverick, is a living kidney donor as of June 24,2015, she selflessly, at the age of 23, gave a kidney to her father to keep him off of dialysis while finishing her degree as a registered nurse.  This fur baby means everything to her and us. Unfortunately, New Year's Eve he ran off due to fireworks from our house in Rathdrum. We have been driving in circles for hours each day in hopes of running into him with no luck. An occasional sighting causes a fleet of vehicles to rush to the area but by the time we receive the call and travel, he is long gone. We need help in spotting our Maverick since he seems to move around so often. Please post this flyer in your blog , as I know how many locals follow you.

Sincerely,
Nola Watson
208-818-3392

Sorry I couldn't copy and print the poster, since it is a png which blogger doesn't accept. I assume you have checked with animal control. Keep checking regularly. Dogs go missing every time fireworks are exploded. Never let a dog stay outside when this is happening. I wish you luck in finding the dog.

Bayview Tourist Accomodations

Someone has been commenting on that my 2012 post needs updating. Going back to try to find a post that old is time consuming. Here's a better way.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g35387-Bayview_Idaho-Vacations.html

I'm Outraged

A story in this morning's Spokesman-Review provoked outrage on several levels. It seems Planned Parenthood, otherwise known as an abortion mill, has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.

I don't know whether Planned Parenthood is a non-profit or not. If it is they shouldn't be politically active. It it is a for profit corporation, then why is it singled out for federal subsidies?

What we have here is a group that receives federal subsidies, then turns around and spends a reported $20,000,000 on a political campaign. Money that is derived from all citizens, not just Democrats.

I can't think of any other private corporation that receives federal funding. Is it just cheer leading by abortion supporters? Or is it an illegal act.  

Trump

I have been watching debate regarding Trump and his over the top coverage. First let me say that whether it be a newspaper, a TV network or any other new/opinion source, controversy rules. Ratings are all about the need for this anomaly.

While Trump stumbles through gaff after gaff, it is obvious that many are sick and tired of the bloviating of this Narcissistic Jerk. But he is speaking to the segment of voters that are sick and tired of the old same old same crap emulating from both sides and  don't seem to care about his comportment.

I think it is time to step back and examine these candidates on the basis of would they function as good presidents, or would they blow up our system of government ever worse that our current president has. Regardless of Trump's appeal to the blue collar unsophisticated citizen that more often than not hasn't voted in years.

Angry is alright, but it must be modified by common sense. We must choose not just a man or woman that says "That's right," but a person that can calmly navigate the complicated issues that govern us.

Being a guy that resonates with the dissatisfied voter, if in fact they vote at all,  isn't enough. I haven't picked a candidate yet, though I do have some ideas. I supported Ben Carson right up to the day he threatened to leave the party if a brokered convention were to evolve. Committing suicide as Republicans unfortunately is a tradition,  and destroying the Republican Party is not a rational way to go and would lead to the unraveling of our constitutional system.

We already have an inexperienced, unqualified Demagogue as president. We do not want or need another who wants to play outside constitutional government. Another could cause a constitutional emergency. 

Tourist Accomodations

I received a comment on a 2012 post concerning Bayview tourist accommodations. The comment suggested that I update this information. OK fine, but no input. If anyone wants information to help the blog's accuracy, then you need to give me feedback. I can be reached at ayviewherb@gmail.com.