Not a good time for fireworks
Colorado is still burning, and we have people shooting off fireworks in Sebastian, showing no regard for their own safety or that of their neighbor.
Aren't fireworks against the law? I enjoy a good time too, but with the tragedy in Colorado, I think several people showed a complete lack of common sense.
Editor's note: States set fireworks policies. To see a map of which states permit fireworks, to go http://www.americanpyro.com/pdf/2012StateLawsFireworkMap.pdf.
Big brother
Big Brother refuses to go away. In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg requires fast-food eateries to post calorie counts. He wants to substitute today's French fries with fries without transfats (and without taste).
Now, he is trying to ban large-size soft drinks, all efforts to tackle obesity.
All of these are efforts to demonstrate that Big Brother knows best.
This is a classic battle between the forces of the Nanny State and those who treasure individual freedom.
The United States of America
With it being around July 4th I thought I'd pose the question "Why is America the greatest country on Earth?"
Well sorry to disappoint you, but it isn't. Here's a few facts for you to think about this holiday, Americans are seventh in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, third in median household income, fourth in exports and fourth in labor force. The only categories the good old USA leads the world in are number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who actually believe angels are real and No. 1 in defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined and 25 of whom are allies. And you wonder why there is a deficit.
Yet, once again, I read a couple of rants blaming teachers for all society's ills. Well, maybe some of these Americans need to take a long hard look in the mirror: basically the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Stupid people breed stupid kids.
We have a generation of zombies whose idea of enjoyment is to spend hours watching race cars go round and round and round again, or being enthralled by the latest trash reality show, but ask any of them the directions to the local library and look at the blank stare you get. Most wouldn't know how to open a book to save their lives.
Add to that the garbage opinion that passes for news on TV, the corrupt cronyism in Washington, D.C., and every state house across the nation, and it's both parties who are guilty not one or the other but both. Is there any wonder this country is failing?
Once, this country was a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. Now, we undermine and other throw democratically elected governments, prop up dictators as long as it benefits corporate interests, wage war again for corporate greed all in the name of "freedom." Think about that when you're heading to Wal-Mart this holiday to buy a new TV or other stuff all on sale, all made in China by little more than slave labor, instead of being "Made in the USA" by our neighbors and family and friends.
America used to wage war on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we didn't allow ourselves to live in fear, and we strived for greatness but didn't beat our chests. We aimed for the stars and reached the moon, we valued and aspired intelligence, we didn't belittle it. We debated and disagreed, but respected the others right to their opinions, and we used to care.
Shame on all of us for allowing a bunch of corrupt politicians and corporations to ship good paying jobs overseas all in the name of "free trade," wage war on countries to steal their natural resources, and scare us into subservience, then pit us against each other while they play us for the puppets we are. Then they tell us we are no longer a manufacturing-based economy, we are a consumer-based economy. Well, hello, a consumer-based economy is doomed to fail when the consumers can't afford to consume.
Wake up America before it's too late!
Editor's note: The statistics quoted at the beginning of this rant are not facts. Rather, they were taken from the HBO-produced television show "Newsroom." During the opening scene of the pilot episode a news anchor is asked why America is the greatest country in the world. He goes on to quote those statistics. According to Aneki.com, a database that tracks world rankings, the United States is No. 33 in life expectancy, No. 157 in infant mortality, No. 10 in the highest employment rates, No. 2 in incarcerated citizens (Russia is No. 1) and No. 24 in military expenditure (based on percentage of gross domestic product).
Bike ordinance
Regarding the ordinance prohibiting bike riders from use of sidewalks, motorists do not want us on the roads and you do not want us on the sidewalks, what are we supposed to do get wings and fly in the air?
I understand not wanting vehicles with motors on the sidewalks, but would you like to walk on the roads with all the traffic?
It would be nice to share the sidewalks with regular bike riders.
Murder
Twenty years ago, Wayne Smith killed a woman and was sentenced to death. This murder was not Smith's first run-in with the law. He had previously killed a man outside a bar using a machete. He had served only four years.
Using endless appeals, his attorneys have kept him alive. Law-abiding citizens should be outraged. Quietly and through political contributions, lawyers take advantage of the current legal system and use it as a cash cow.
Editor's note: We can't be certain, but we think the reader is referring to a Chester, Pa., man who murdered a 26-year-old woman in 1994. He was recently sentenced to death for his crime, as reported by the Delaware County Daily Times. For more, go to www.delcotimes.com.
Can't sing certain songs
The principal of a New York City school prohibited kindergarten pupils from singing Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" at their graduation on the grounds that "we don't want to offend other cultures."
Many parents were angry. One said, "A lot of people fought to move to America to live freely, so that song should be sung with a whole lot of pride."
We agree.
The dead can't vote
At least 1.8 million people on the voter rolls will not be able to cast ballots in November.
That's because they are dead.
Their registrations are among a total of more than 24 million inaccurate or out-of-date U.S. voter records, according to the Pew Center on the States.
If we want honest and fair elections, states such as Florida, which are trying to clean up this mess, deserve credit for being on the right track.
Wild pitches
In today's society, everyone can sue almost everyone else for just about anything, or almost nothing.
A woman hit by a baseball at a Little League game is suing the 11 year old who threw it.
The spectator wants the young man to pay her $150,000, alleging the errant throw was "reckless."
"The whole thing has almost been surreal," said the boy's father.
The lawyers on both sides are laughing all the way to the bank. The real tragedy is that the general public does not realize that they are being stuck with all the bills.
When will it be?
Strange, isn't it? Democrats frequently promise to reduce taxes, but always at some time in the future.
However, to arrive at this paradise, they require higher taxes immediately.
What a slight of hand. They've been getting away with this ruse for years but people are getting smarter and hopefully, they will wise up.
Illegals and the Dream Act
This country's No. 1 need is more jobs.
President Obama's lawyers defend the so-called Dream Act, which grants amnesty to an estimated 11 million people who are here illegally.
Illegals work for little pay and take jobs which should go to American citizens.
If passed, such a law would attract even more people to come here illegally because they could anticipate that they, too, would be granted citizenship.
We will never solve America's jobs problem as long as we wink at the problem of the never-ending flood of illegals.
Editor's note: Fox News reported that the decision to suspend the deportation of illegal immigrants will affect roughly 800,000 people.
Unemployment
It has become increasingly obvious that the pundits in Washington do not have a clue about how to cure America's continuing unemployment crisis. Either that or they do not have the guts.
More than 3.5 million of those between 45 and 64 years old are unemployed, 39 percent of them for a year or more. This number is an unprecedented rate of long-term unemployment for people in their prime working years.
Perhaps lower taxes and less government rules and regulations is the answer, but we are not optimistic Washington will listen.