The Liar, the Pacifist and the Apologist Debate

 By Florida Bill

                      The dust has now settled from the second Democratic debate.  There were three   contenders on a Des Moines  platform:  a liar, a pacifist and an apologist, and it gave me an uneasy feeling that the prevaricating  Hillary Clinton could actually wind up as the 45th President of the United States. And after listening to two hours of her dodging and dancing around the truth, that thought became even scarier.  However, I should be thankful that Clinton's two opponents have no chance at all. 

                       There used to be six contenders seeking to become their party's standard bearer in next year's election, but now there are just three and the debate was scheduled by the Democratic party to allow voters the opportunity to see and hear Clinton and her playmates tell how they would provide new leadership for a country which needs it very badly.   

                      Clinton, 68, former Secretary of State for four years under President Obama,  has a 40-year track record as a liar; her disingenuous statements are a matter of solid record.  Alongside Clinton were Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a pacifist and conscientious objector who dodged service for his country during the Viet Nam era; and former Governor Martin O'Malley who has been a mayor of Baltimore and then a governor in Maryland, and who has apologized for saying that "all lives matter" when he really meant to say that "all Black lives matter." 

                     The debate came just the day after the Islamic attack in Paris in which 129 persons were killed and more than 350 injured, and predictably, the debate began with questions about how this crisis might be confronted by the United States.  Is radical Islam the enemy and what strategy do you have to cope with it and the terrorist organization known as ISIS, the candidates were asked. 

                      Smug and confident, Clinton talked about organizing international coalitions with America as a leader among many, but she would not define the enemy as "radical Islam."  That, she asserted, "would be painting with too broad a brush, and that would not be helpful.  We are not at war with Islam or with all Muslims."                      

                       You might wonder, as I did, how anyone could not recognize that "radical Islamists" are the terrorists doing the killings and beheadings.  It is the extremists in the religion, certainly not all Muslims, of which there are 1.6 billion in the world, wreaking havoc on innocent citizens around the globe.  And virtually always, these mad dog killers scream Allahu Akbar (God is Great) as they condemn and kill innocent men and women and even children so that there will be no mistake about their identity.  Cannot Clinton, a lawyer and an intelligent woman, recognize that these terrorists are Muslim extremists, who in their perverted minds are followers of the religion of Islam?  Is she really that obtuse?

                        But Clinton is not the lone nutcase on the platform. Neither Sanders or O'Malley would speak of "radical Islam."  Not appropriate, they agreed.   Not important what you call it, said Sanders; and O'Malley, pausing, added with great deliberation, they are "extremist jihadists--that is what to call them."  

                        In identifying America's enemy, it is more than likely that Clinton, Sanders and O'Malley are taking their cues from President Obama, who has steadfastly refused to recognize "radical Islam."  Obama will speak of terrorists and extremists, but will never link them to Islam, the religion of his family while growing up in Indonesia. 

                       Obama's reverence for Islam is for certain an  outgrowth of his early life,  the son of a fanatical Muslim father and then stepfather, and who himself attended a  Muslim school (Madrassa).  Obama has said that he is a Christian, but his comments about the beauty of Islam and his bowing while in the presence of Mullahs suggests that his respect for the Muslim faith is more intense than his Christian beliefs.  

                        Sanders, the anti-war zealot, who has served as a Chairman of the Senate VA committee, leading that bureaucracy into the sorry condition we see today, had more to say about the ISIS threat, one-upping Clinton and O'Malley.  

                        The greatest threat to America, says Sanders, is "climate change."  Yes, absolutely, it is "climate change" he emphasized, and he added that it  is "directly related to the growth of terror" in the world.   If there were a gold medal for obfuscation, this socialist and pacifist would surely receive it with highest honors for that statement.  

                        After the ISIS talk with no sensible strategies other than coalitions offered by any of the candidates, the subject turned to the USA's lame economy. Sanders lashed out at Clinton for taking enormous contributions from a corrupt Wall Street in exchange for doing its bidding. Clinton snapped, "Are you questioning my integrity?" which of course he was. Sanders replied that banks "know what they are going to get in exchange for their campaign contributions...everyone knows that." Nonplussed, Clinton said that Wall street was appreciative of her work as a New York senator in the wake of 9-11, and supported her.

                       Although it was never mentioned, Sanders sounded a lot like his nemesis Donald Trump who has said many times that big contributors buy the candidate and down the road when they want something, it will be pay back time. Sanders had it right about Clinton.  Republicans will probably want to use those comments in their literature reviewing Clinton's integrity.                        

                        Clinton also took the opportunity to call for stricter gun laws, and she rattled off statistics concerning gun deaths.  Her position on gun control has been a bouncing ball. As one of her opponents noted, she was for gun control in 2000, but against new gun laws in 2008 when she ran for President against Obama.  Now she has "evolved" and supports President Obama's calls for stricter gun control and new laws.
                        My final take on this debate was that Clinton was all smiles; cocky and confident that nothing could prevent her from being the Democratic nominee.  And she is right; the nomination is hers.  It's in the bag.  She shows the same nimble manipulating of the truth she has displayed her entire life, especially in the Benghazi hearing. Yet her lifetime of deceit seems to endear her to loyal Democrats who applaud her often inane and contradictory comments and overall performance.
                 As to Bernie Sanders, the anti-war socialist--it would be complete lunacy to have him in the Oval Office making decisions as to how the United States is to defend itself against all enemies, domestic and abroad.  And why are we even bothering to listen to O'Malley?  More than likely, Americans will best remember him as the apologist seeking the support of African Americans, and as a governor who left communities in Maryland laden in racial tension and drowning in gun violence.  It was over for Gov.O'Malley before it ever began.

                                                      xxx

Is that you, Pete?

 By Florida Bill

                            Is there any question but that Pete Rose is one of the all-time greats in baseball?    He has been to the top of the mountain, but the tumble down continues.  Will it ever stop?
                           I got to thinking about him the other day after I bumped into a headline on Facebook which announced that Rose "loses his mind on live television," while working as a color commentator and analyst on a sports station.  The story did not make much sense, and was just a lot of cynical drivel about a famous athlete. That will always command a headline somewhere.
                             Off the top of my head, there are three things I remember about Rose.  The first is that he had more hits as a major leaguer than any other player--ever.  Secondly, his baseball hat seemed to sit high atop a point on his head and there was always lots of hair jutting out from the back and sides.
                           And last, he made bets on games and has been permanently banned from baseball, and from membership in the Hall of Fame.                        
                            Rose's story is fascinating.  His association with baseball extended from 1963 to 1989, and for most of those years he was with the Cincinnati Reds as player and later as a manager.    No matter how you view it, Rose's performance in baseball is remarkable and by anyone's standards he accomplished everything to which an athlete could aspire.  He is revered by Cincinnati fans who have always applauded his dominance as a player and a manager.                        
                              In his first year in the big leagues,  Rose was rookie of the year and acquired the moniker, "Charlie Hustle."   The nickname  stayed with him through all of his 3,562 games, with 14,053 at bats and 4,256 base hits.  Those are records, as is his appearance in 17 All-Star games.  He stepped over even the incredible Ty Cobb with the number of hits he produced.
                               In the late 1980s, in response to rumors and accusations that Rose was betting on games, an investigation was ordered by Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, which revealed proof of Rose's heavy betting on baseball between l985 and 1987.  Under oath, Rose denied wrong doing, but the evidence was irrefutable and doomed him.  As punishment, he was barred from association with baseball as "permanently ineligible."  In 1991, the Hall of Fame voted to exclude any individual in that category from consideration and induction as a member.  That order stands today, and Rose is the only living person on the "ineligible" list.                          
                               In 1990, he got into hot water with the IRS and ultimately pled guilty to income tax evasion  and served five months in a penitentiary in Marion, Illinois.  But his aggressive swagger remained and he continued to persist in assertions that he had never made bets on baseball games.   His many requests for reinstatement were ignored by Giamatti and his successor Bud Selig          
                                Finally in 2004, in a book he authored, Rose fessed up and acknowledged his gambling addiction, but said that he never bet against the Cincinnati Reds, his own team, which at that time he was managing.  At one point Rose discussed his affection for his teammates and the activity which destroyed his public persona: "I am a competitive guy and I like these guys," he said. "They're like my sons, and I bet on them.  I shouldn't have done it.  But I did it and it's history and there is nothing you can do to change it."
                                Today after 25 years of having been ostracized from any association with baseball, the 74-year old one-time face and heart of Cincinnati, is again seeking reinstatement as a part of America's Grand Old Game.  He asks the  new Commissioner Rob Manfred to look with mercy upon his indiscretions, and forgive him.  Manfred has said that he will take a fresh look at the Pete Rose situation,  and there are indications that he will make a decision by the close of 2015.  Meanwhile, Rose, living in the Las Vegas area, busies himself selling autographs and memorabilia and is said to be financially secure.
                                  The Ohio Senate has adopted a resolution calling for Rose's reinstatement and and for his name to be placed on the Hall of Fame ballot and put to a vote by the Baseball Writers  Association of America.
                                   The Hall of Fame in Cooperstown is a place for the best players in the game, but it is in no way a Hall of Saints.   The Hall of Fame elected its first five members in 1936: Ty  Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth.  These five were great baseball players, but it is doubtful that Cobb and the Babe would ever make it on a church's list for canonization.
                                 It is true that Rose is brash and not a man of humility.  He broke a sacred baseball rule, and it wasn't one that was hidden away in small print somewhere. But he recognizes that he was wrong in what he did, and Father Time is not on his side. His greatness as a ballplayer cannot be disputed.  America is a good and forgiving nation and loves a good story of redemption.  Could it be that Baseball is ready to pull in its sharp sword?


                                                                       xxx

                                                           

Hopper from Hell

                   

   By Florida Bill              

                     Florida has its wonders.  The ocean and sun and gentle breezes. 

 Sure, a few hurricanes here and there and a bit of a rainy season, but you take a little bad with a lot of good.  

                     Spoiling this pleasant atmosphere is a hopping critter that causes fear and loathing among Florida pet owners.  So bad is this unwelcome dude, that a chomp on him by a dog can trigger dire consequences to the animal, even death, if not acted upon promptly. 

                     I am speaking of the Bufo toad: squat, big-bellied,with bulging glands on either side of his head, the unloveliest member of a decidedly unattractive species. Unfortunately, his presence in South Florida is way too common. He hunts for food after dark, but can be seen at twilight and dawn, especially in the warm, rainy season. During the heat of the day, he tends to burrow under bushes and alongside ponds, or wherever he can find cover. Toads do not sweat, and therefore cannot tolerate a blazing Florida afternoon; they are also cold-blooded, and make themselves scarce during any rare Florida cold spells. This is not to say that pets can't find them during these supposedly "safe" times of year. 

                     Officially he is of the genus Bufo Marinus, better known as the Bufo or Cane toad.  He is also called the giant toad according to some veterinarians, who are quite familiar with the critter.  This ugly dude reportedly can get as big as a salad plate, but that size is fairly rare.  More often it is about the size of an ordinary ball of yarn.  This amphibian, when nervous or frightened, exudes a milky white toxin from those over-sized glands on his upper back, which accounts for his unpopularity among dog and cat owners, although it is seldom that a cat wants a bite of it. But for dogs, and particularly our two Cairn terriers, they want nothing more for recreation than to scare up one of these fat, slow-hopping toads and chomp down.  And when they do, the consequences can be dire, even fatal. 

                    There may be toads or other amphibians which are likable, even kept as a pets. Who knows? There are some unusual people in the world.   Mark Twain once wrote a story about the Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and the little critter in the title was the proud possession of a betting man.  But my research has never uncovered any respect for the Bufo, only total unabashed dislike, although the toad and its toxin, which is more hallucinogenic than poisonous to humans, was once the star of an episode of LA Law.
                     On three occasions in the past several years one of our dogs has scared up this vile little varmint and taken a bite. But fortunately, I was always nearby and witnessed the fray. Instinctively, my reaction was swift and I grabbed our pet, washed out her mouth and raced to the office of the emergency vet who treated her with fluids to dilute the poison, for which there is no antidote. Home she went, after a period of observation, ready to hunt again. In some cases, small dogs will suffer seizures, and even death. The immediate telltale sign that a dog has been poisoned by a bufo is bright red gums. Often a dog will foam at the mouth and make spitting motions after biting any toad, apparently a very untasty species. But our dogs, at least, never seem to learn.
                   Nowadays, when our dogs go out, they are on a leash. No wondering about on their own, sniffing and rooting out visiting critters. 

                      Some years ago, Australia was reacting to the increased presence of the Bufo and advised residents of their deadly toxins, but suggested that they be caught when sighted and humanely euthanized.  It was recommended that   "benzocaine ointment" be rubbed on the back of the critter. In 5-10 minutes the toad will become unconscious and then should be put into a plastic bag and frozen ensuring that the critter dies humanely.  After three days the carcass should be buried in a deep hole.  That scenario was not well received by everyone, including a man whose dog had been poisoned by a Bufo.  He wrote that he "would like to see the bastards die in pain." He explained that he disposes of them by zapping them with a steady stream of ammonia.  "It flattens them like a pancake and kills them quickly."  

                      In no way is the Bufo a native son of the state of Florida.   Basically, the Bufo is found in Central and South Florida, and in parts of Texas and Arizona, but is said to be native to the Amazon Basin of South America. History tells us that the Bufo was introduced into the state in the mid 1930s in Palm Beach county as an experiment aimed at controlling sugar cane pests.  I don't  know how the sugar cane industry prospered with the Bufo at work, but the toad population certainly took off. Correspondingly, populations of smaller species of native toads  have diminished as the bigger interlopers took over.
                       We have been lucky to get our little hunter's mouth washed out and get her to the vet pronto, before she ingests a big enough dose to go into seizures. But you must be on guard because these killer toads can hide in the grass or in the rocks and sniffing dogs can root them out even during times when they are considered somewhat inactive.
                      Veterinarians tell me that they see two or three dogs monthly which have encountered the dreaded Bufo. A pet owner who walks into a vet's office carrying a dog need only shout "TOAD" and watch the whole office spring into action.
                 I have a neighbor who is a physician who said that he used a shock collar to condition his dogs to stay away from the Bufo, and now if they see or sniff one, they retreat.  Many dog owners shutter at the idea of using a shock collar and prefer to simply watch their pets closely.
                        My advice:  Don't let your dog loose after dark, and when your dog is loose in a fenced yard, keep a close eye on him. When you go for a walk, always, no exceptions, use a leash. If your dog does grab a toad, wash out its mouth with a wet towel and race it the vet. The smaller the dog, the greater the risk.          
                     

                                                            xxx

The Charity Engine

 By Florida Bill

                                   While going through a stack of mail that had piled up over several days,  I was hit with the realization that almost every letter was a solicitation for a cash contribution from various organizations.  A wide variety of  persons, places and things are in dire need of assistance and I wondered how come they they are all zeroing in on me.
                        Maybe I am just one of the names and addresses taken from voting list or from the telephone directory, or whatever.  It is more likely that I made a contribution to someone in the past and my name was put on a list that was sold to others as a potential giver, and presto, I am really popular and the mail box is overflowing.  And if you ever make a political contribution, look out. You are marked for all time!!!
                        In this latest batch of mail, there were solicitations from several veterans' organizations,  churches and religious societies;  from children's homes and shelters, and from centers which provide meals to the needy, and animal protection groups.  Donation-inducing gifts of Easter cards and Xmas cards (often many months before the actual holiday) make for impressive big envelopes.  Stamps for return letters were included and in all cases the requests were drafted on attractive, colorful stationary.  Some of the letters contained sheets of return address labels and small personalized note pads, calendars, blankets, key chains and other goodies, along with requests for a response "within seven days." In one envelope, there was an actual dollar bill with an invitation to return it to the charity along with the "best and biggest" donation possible, but any amount whatever would be appreciated.  
                        Frankly, I do not have any knowledge about the organizations requesting money, but most look legitimate and some of the messages seeking help for the less fortunate tug at the heartstrings.  I dug down a bit and wrote some checks.  But the folks that keep an eye on charities and donating and such, the Charity Navigators, remind citizens to be careful.  There are some real scam artists out there. After the less-than-reputable charitable gurus award themselves six-figure incomes and motor about in Bentleys, there are only pennies on the dollar left for those orphans and earthquake victims.
                       This whole fund raising activity, with letters and emails, smacks of big business, but I had no idea just how big.  I decided to do a little research and try and get a handle on just what is going on. And hey, nickle and dime stuff,  it isn't.
                        According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCSS) there are 1,521,052  non-profit charities registered in the United States.  If you have a particular activity which you feel passionate about, your donation can find a happy home.  And in 2014, charitable giving in the United States totaled $358 billion dollars, and 75 percent of that number came from individuals.  The average donation was $1,200 per year.  And state averages ranged from $2,516 per person per year in Utah to the bottom giver of $620 per year in West Virginia.
                         That is some huge giving by generous Americans, and for the record, it even dwarfs the  country's foreign aid.   In 2012, for example, $37.7 billion was doled out from that special bucket to about 25 countries with the largest amounts going to Iraq, Israel, Pakistan and Egypt.
                          On the domestic front, Americans' money flows largely to entities dealing with education, health, arts, culture and humanities; within those categories are veterans, religions and animal rescuers, along with a good many others.  Religion is the leading receptacle of gifts and charity, and researchers say that about $115 billion found its way to churches and religious societies in 2014.  Environment and animal concerns received $10.5 billion and arts, culture and humanities, $17.2 billion.
                           There are admonitions about giving, say the Charity experts.   No "knee jerk" generosity--give some thought to the charity and check into its operation.  Also, hang up on on the telephone solicitor who calls around dinner time.   Too many telemarketers get a credit card and a commitment out of the homeowner between  bites at supper.  In the end, only a few cents on the dollar wind up with the charity, and the rest lands in the pocket of the fund raiser and his aids.
                            Compensation paid to CEOs and presidents and financial directors of large charities sometimes top $500,000.  These sky high salaries are often the subject of criticism, but the administration of billion-dollar enterprises takes talent and dedication.  When the targeted charities receive 75 per cent or better of overall expenses, that is a pretty good guideline that the charity is on the up and up.  Face it, some administrative costs and salaries to full-time employees are part of any organization and cannot be avoided.
                             So, open your mail and make your contributions to charities. But if you want to feel  good about it,  make sure  the charities you choose to endow are deserving of your generosity. The lion's share of your largess should wind up with those who need your help, and not just provide happy times for the fund raisers.


                                                   xxx

Just Plain Hillary

  By Florida Bill

         I find it amazing that Hillary Clinton, who has accumulated enough baggage to fill an ocean liner after 40 years of deceiving the public--and apparently the media--is still able to get away with it.  

          As First Lady of Arkansas and in Washington, she busied herself trying to keep track of her husband's bimbo eruptions, and in her free time dabbled in Whitewater real estate in Arkansas and investing in the commodities market.  In the latter 1970's, she invested $1,000 in "cattle futures" and in ten months saw a  return of $100,000.  There was much speculation about Clinton's windfall, but never any official investigation.  

         There was nothing of note of her activities as a  New York senator, other than walking in as an anointed  Democrat with little opposition.  As Secretary of State under President Obama, Mrs. Clinton contributed to America's downgrading in the eyes of other nations, and she was out front supporting her boss as he ordered the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq allowing ISIS to take top spot as an entity of terror.  

          From her early days as a graduate of Yale law school, she has distinguished herself for being less than honest in many of her dealings.
         In 1973, as a 27-year-old staff attorney on a Watergate committee, she was castigated and fired by the chief counsel Jerry Zeifman, for dishonesty and lying in the preparation of a legal brief.   In an interview, Zeifman, a Democrat, said that Clinton "was a liar..an unethical, dishonest lawyer. " She conspired to violate the constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of committee and the rules of confidentiality," he said.
        As First Lady in the Bill Clinton White House, she gained a reputation for fudging answers  when investigations arose.  There was Whitewater real estate and the Vince Foster Investigation and there was always speculation that she was not telling the complete truth as to what and when she knew of the Monica Lewinski dalliances with her husband.  In 1995, while speaking at a breakfast, she told of a 1975 attempt to enlist in the Marines, but was turned away because she was too old for the military.  That story has left fact checkers with scepticism, wondering about her compulsion to enhance her special credentials. The late New York Times columnist William Safire once branded her as a "congenital liar."             

           In boasting of her travel and demeanor as First Lady, she once claimed that in 1996 she and her daughter, Chelsea, were set upon with sniper fire after landing in Bosnia. With humility while a candidate for President in 2008, she told of escaping without injury as she recounted the story of her bravery during an interview.  However, films later surfaced showing that she and Chelsea arrived in Bosnia amid smiles hugs and handshakes, and no gunfire.  Clinton acknowledged that the story was a lie, characterizing the episode as a "mistake." (Brian Williams paid a much higher price for his "mistaken" helicopter attack.)
              Now, in her second run for the world's most powerful office, she is trying to double-talk
her way clear of criticism about how she handled her email accounts as Secretary of State.  Her stories keep changing.  She should have followed her mother's long ago admonition that "if you tell the truth you won't need a good memory."  Even her faithful boot-licking members of the media are finding it difficult to maintain the spin of what a great lady she is.
            The Benghazi attack has again found Clinton jiggling explanations about what she did both before and subsequent to the attack on the American compound in Benghazi, Libya.  Clinton acknowledges that the security at the compound was grossly inadequate, but she says she delegated security matters to experts under her and the slain ambassador's repeated requests, in emails, for more security, were never brought to her attention.
            After the attack, Clinton told associates and leaders of other nations that the compound had been hit by Al Qaeda terrorists.  Nevertheless, for more than a week, she made public statements that  the attack and slaying of four Americans, including the ambassador she described as her "friend," was a spontaneous crowd reaction to an Internet video criticizing the Prophet Mohammad.  She told this same untruth to members of the families of the Americans killed on the compound.   She lied about the episode in order to assist Barack Obama's re-election claims that his leadership had brought terrorists to their knees, and that Al Qaeda was on the run.  Her dishonesty and double talk were abundantly clear in her testimony before the House committee investigating the attack on the embassy. 

            According to polls, Clinton leads by a large margin in the campaign to become her party's standard bearer in the 2016 election.  Nevertheless, surveys report that some 65 percent of Americans question her truthfulness and integrity, yet the Main Street media continues to treat her as the female Messiah destined to succeed another master liar, Barack Obama.  (Remember his assurances about Obamacare:  "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.")
            It has become alarmingly apparent that Clinton will lie whenever she feels the necessity to do so.  She has been telling whoppers throughout her life and has always gotten away with it.  She wears a smug look and appears confident that she has earned the right to become America's 45th President. Will her track record of double talk and lies eventually do her in?