The Generous USA.

  By Florida Bill       

                                        It is an understatement to say that the United States is the most magnanimous nation on planet earth. Its great arms and largess extend to 142 countries, touching 76 per cent of the world.
                                        Annually, it writes checks totaling $35 billion in foreign aid and it does all this despite being saddled with a national debt of $19 trillion dollars.  That generosity goes out, compliments of America's taxpayers.  Eighty six per cent of the money goes to nations in the Middle East and Africa.  
                                         It is difficult to get your mind around the enormity of the $35 billion being doled out by the United States.  In raw numbers, a billion dollars is 1,000 millions.  So the aid which is distributed to other nations, big and small, amounts to thirty-five thousand million dollars each year.  
                                         If you consider that there are 306 million Americans living in some 30,000 cities, towns and villages inside 50 states, you might wonder how come some of those billions are not used to improve homegrown infrastructure; to pave roads and to repair tottering bridges as federal projects. Use a few billions to make life a little easier for the poverty-stricken--imagine the jobs that could be created. 
                                        With Donald Trump as the President, he should be able to find a measly $15 billion for the wall he talks about, assuming, of course, that the tab for the wall is not picked up by the Mexican government. Any spill over can be applied to the debt. 
                                          Lots of Americans are meat and potatoes people who are careful not to let their personal spending go haywire, driving them into a black hole of debt.  In view of the country's huge debt, its largess is remarkable--kind of crazy you could say. Yes, let's help those who need it, but does it make sense to allow our own house to get in disarray while printing and handing out money.  America's debt increases by $32,000 each second and by two billion dollars each day.  Some financial experts tell us that the USA, with its wild spending, is headed for bankruptcy. 
                                          Nineteen trillion dollars, the national red paper,  makes the $35 billion in foreign aid look like peanuts. A trillion equates to one thousand (1,000) billions; so 19 trillion equates to nineteen thousand (19,000) billions.  The amount is staggering, incomprehensible.   One fascinating descriptive analogy of the national debt is that if you live to be 80 years old, your heart will beat about 3 billion times;  And it would take 602,000 years for 19 trillion heartbeats to tick away. 
                                         The debt is what it is. But then, what is foreign aid all about, and where and to whom does the money go?  It helps out a lot of needy countries and people and maybe the countries will like us in return.  Kind of a quid-quo pro, you might say.  The United States has an annual budget of about $4 trillion dollars.  Relative to this bottom line, foreign aid constitutes less than one per cent of annual spending-- not enough to make any real difference.
                                          The top recipients of aid in 2014 were five nations in the Middle East:  Israel, $3.5 billion;  Egypt, $1.5 billion; Iraq, $300 million; Jordan, $300 million; and Pakistan, $280 million.  Israel is a cherished friend and America's only genuine ally in the Middle East. Over the years, Israel has received well over $100 billion dollars in aid from America and has developed the military strength to counter any attack.    Egypt which has been in and out of favor,  has received more than $70 billion dollars between 1948 and the present. 
                                           American foreign aid is designed to assist individual countries in two general areas: economic assistance and military assistance.  The billions for Israel currently and in the past have been used primarily for military build up and protection against nations like Iran and the Palestinians who refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist and are dedicated to its destruction. For sure, America has its back. 
                                          Conservative members of Congress and Libertarians question the extent of America's foreign aid.  Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has said that "in our hours of need, why send billions of tax dollars to countries which hate us.  I support aid to allies when it promotes American interests, like  Israel; but I oppose foreign aid for countries that hate us and burn our flag.  It is the wrong thing to do." 
                                         Phyllis Pomerant, a professor of public policy at Duke University observes that America is generous and there are nations with poor people that need help. Alongside other nations which give aid to other countries, she points out, the United States "has one of the lowest percentages of gross national income donated to foreign aid," indicating that the USA is in a position to do more to help  those that need assistance.  It is also true, analysts tell us, that only 30 per cent of USA assistance goes to the least developed countries in the world. 
                                          Yes, America is--and should be-- generous, no question about that.  Yet Sen. Paul has an excellent point--no aid for countries that hate us.  Remember the films of jubilation in Pakistan,  men, women and children dancing in the streets, after hearing news of he 9-11 attack in New York where  2,500 Americans were killed.  
                                        But something needs to be done about the national debt which soared by $10 trillion under President Obama. 
                                   America needs to put its own house in order and be sensible in its foreign aid programs, and it should quit doling out money it doesn't have to countries which stomp Old Glory and hate us. 

                                                      XXX

Cairn Message: We'll meet again

  By Florida Bill 

                           "To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious
                                         afternoon is to be back in Eden where doing
                                         nothing was not boring --it was peace."

                                     Recently I saw a sad piece about a 15-year-old special little Cairn terrier who would be leaving his home soon for places unknown and beyond.  Left behind with indescribable sadness and grief will be the human family who raised and loved him.  But is it over for certain?  Is there a chance that somehow, somewhere, there could be a reunion? Is the thought too far-fetched?
                                     There is some very good authority telling us that there will be a happy reunion with that faithful little fur head at that glorious meeting ground known as the Rainbow Bridge, gateway to Heaven.  The authority has come our way from Pope Francis who made a visit to the United States in 2015.  We heard his voice  calling for peace in the world and for love and respect for all men.  But in another  message, the Pontiff observed that our four-footed friends are not lost forever and that "Paradise is open to all of God's creatures."   Really good news for us dog people.
                                    Actually,  Francis is not the only Pope who has said that beloved pets do not make a permanent departure.   Some years ago, Pope Paul VI, while consoling a broken-hearted little boy whose pet had died, told the youngster that he would again see his dog in the "eternity of Christ."  His words were very comforting to the boy;  and yes, those words resonate in the same way with us old timers whose time on this earth is coming to an end. We are like our dogs, "short timers."  And it is good to know that religious experts confirm our long-held belief that we will be reunited with every dog we've ever had when that time comes. 
                                  The great American icon and humorist Will Rogers was a man who had a special affinity for four-footed family members.   And who knows, Will may this day tossing the ball to his canine friend up there beyond the clouds. Before he left, he was quoted as saying that "if there are no dogs in heaven, then, when I die,  I want to go where they went."    And of course, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of "The Secret Life of Dogs," was asked in an interview if she believed that all dogs go to heaven. Her answer was logic at its best: "If there are no dogs there, it is not heaven."
                                   Just what is this story and legend of the Rainbow Bridge?  Neither Pope Francis or Pope Paul mentioned the legend of the bridge, but I am betting that they are subscribers to it. 
                                   Accordingly, when a pet dies, he (or she)  goes to a meadow and is restored to perfect health, and spends their days running and playing with other dogs, with plenty of fresh food and water. The only thing that is not perfect is that he misses his owner left behind on earth.  When the owner dies, he approaches the meadow and it is at that moment that his pet sees him and their eyes meet.  Excited, the pet, with his little legs churning at top speed,  runs to the owner's outstretched arms  licking his face in joy, and side by side they cross the Rainbow Bridge together into heaven, never again to be separated.  I love that  story;  just picture the moment. 
                                   My wife and I have two Cairns, Sammi Smith, 8, and Wendy 6.  We don't travel too much because we are a bit resistant to leaving "the kids" behind at a kennel.  Suffice it to say, they occupy an important spot in our household. Often I will look into those faces and wonder who is running things; we or them; and then I realize, it is "them."
                                    Years ago I was a soldier in Korea for more than a year.  Soldiers were permitted to have a dog, and I had a small four footed pal  I named 'Maggie."  She ate the leftovers from meals and hung out in my barracks, finding security in the sleeping bag on my bed.  When I walked guard duty, she was there helping to keep watch during the black of night. When my tour in Far East Asia came to a close, I left in the back of an Army truck and my final vision of the post was "Maggie" sitting by the side of the road.  Unable to take Maggie with me, I often wonder about her final days, and, as a believer in the hereafter and the legend of the bridge, am confidant that I will  see that little lady again.
                                     As to that little guy who provided 15 years of unconditional affection and good times for his family, he may not be checking out permanently.  Til then, my friend.   
                                   
                                          XXX
                                     


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Lt. Lorance Seeks Justice

  By Florida Bill       

                                        Inside the dingy, barred cells at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, are two American soldiers taken down and stripped of all honor. One embodies the evil persona of an Islamic terrorist who has earned his death sentence.  The other is a patriot deserving of loyalty, understanding and respect, not punishment.   
                                        In one cell at the military prison is Major Nidal Hasan who shot and killed 13 fellow soldiers and wounded 32 others in an explosion of Islamic violence at Fort Hood, Texas in November of 2009.  He awaits execution, fitting justice for his ineffable crimes. 
                                           The other soldier is Lt. Clint Lorance, now 32,  who is serving a 20-year sentence for murder, and it is here that justice has gone haywire.  His alleged crime came during the height of dangerous combat in the mountains of Afghanistan as he ordered solders in his platoon to "engage" a trio of three men on a motor bike who he had reason to believe were Taliban soldiers on a suicide mission to kill Americans under his command.     
                                            For the young officer, it was  only his third day commanding the platoon on patrol in the Kandahar province, near Panzai in July of 2012.  He had replaced an officer who had been injured in an attack by the Taliban.  He made a split- second decision when he told his soldiers to fire on a trio of suspected miscreants on a motor bike heading toward his platoon. Two of the three Afghans were fatally shot and the third ran into the mountains. Subsequently, it was determined that the men killed were unarmed, though his attorneys have argued that the Afghans had terrorist connections.              
                                         The Taliban enemy cannot be identified by uniform and often are indistinguishable from Afghans who reside peacefully in villages.   To the lieutenant, danger to his platoon, even death, appeared all too imminent. Pondering the situation was for him not an option.
                                          Within 13 months, Lt. Lorance was charged with second degree murder, tried by a military court, found guilty, sentenced to prison, and stripped of all honor and dishonorably discharged.  It was "fast and sweet" and it pleased armchair critics and military pacifists who endorse political correctness on the battlefield.  But it was not justice, and it denigrated the patriotism and traditions of this great nation. 
                                            Lt. Lorance had reacted under difficult conditions as a soldier leading and protecting his platoon with nine men, and in accord with his training as an officer.  Did he act too quickly?   Maybe, but it was the hell of combat, and he had been warned by superior officers to be on guard for "make-believe" villagers whose one and only mindset is to kill Americans.  Lt Lorance understood the enemy and he did what he believed was right.  
                                          The sad truth is that there has been no justice for Lt. Lorance, who now ponders his life in a military prison and wonders how it all came to be. The idea that he is a "murderer" strains the logic of clear thinking persons. 
                                             Contrast the plight of First Lt. Lorance, a young man who loved his country and was proud to be a soldier and answer the nation's call during a time of war, with the conduct of Major Hasan, a medical doctor and a psychiatrist trained at army expense, who murdered companion soldiers in the "name of Allah."
                                              It took four long years after Hasan acted on November 9, 2009, to bring him to trial for the slaughtering of fellow soldiers.  With his gun blazing in that premeditated attack, he yelled "Allahu Akbar, (God is Great) and then mowed down innocent victims standing alongside him in an assembly hall at the large army base.  It was the worst mass killing in a military installation in United States history. 
                                               Immediately after his rampage, Hasan acknowledged his actions and offered no defense other than he was a "Soldier of Allah."  President Obama and his administration downplayed the incident and called it "workplace violence."  Hasan was shot and captured on the scene.  His wounds were severe and have left him in a wheel chair and for the years following his arrest and until his conviction, he has received daily medical care as well as his officer's pay which had amounted to $300,000.  His pay was terminated following conviction, but his daily sustenance and medical attention continues.  
                                            Hasan declined legal representation at trial, and delayed the court marshal for unreasonable periods, demanding permission to wear his Islamic beard and to represent himself in the proceedings. He was found guilty of the premeditated murders in August, 2013 and sentenced to death several weeks later. He now awaits his execution pending mandatory appeals. 
                                              Four years have now passed and the wheels of justice inch along slowly.  Hasan requests that there be no appeals and that the order of the court be carried out immediately so as to assure his martyrdom for his acts which have received praise from Muslim extremists and others who endorse him as a hero. 
                                               Army prosecutors were too quick to find fault with Lt. Lorance.  The actual soldiers who shot the Afghans (it wasn't Lorance) could have declined an improper order from their lieutenant, but they did not, and more than one fired their weapons. They were granted immunity from prosecution so long as they laid the blame entirely on Lt. Lorance for acting recklessly and with malice for middle easterners. 
                                                Clint Lorance was 28 years old and had been a soldier for 10 years.  He had enlisted after high school and was making the military his career.  He loved the army, and his country and he sought to make his family proud.  His mother and his friends who knew him praise his character and devotion to duty.  As a soldier, he studied and eventually obtained a commission as a second lieutenant and later was promoted to first lieutenant.  No matter how you wish to examine this case, Clint Lorance is no murderer and does not belong in a military prison. 
                                                To date his appeals have been denied by higher courts.  His petition for clemency and pardon containing the signatures of tens of thousands of persons was submitted to President Obama who ignored it, and choose instead, before leaving office in January, 2017, to pardon some 1,700 drug dealers and users, and Pvt. Bradley Manning who had been convicted of stealing classified documents and having them distributed world wide. Manning was freed even though his betrayal had placed the interests of the United States and its undercover agents in danger.  
                                                  A new petition signed by hundreds of thousands have now been forwarded to the desk of President Trump for consideration for a pardon. The Republican President,  unlike Obama, is respectful of the military and of the men and women who wear the country's uniform.  
                                                   The bottom line is that Lt. Lorance was a dedicated army officer serving during combat in the mountains of Afghanistan, and he did what he believed was right and in the interests of the nine soldiers serving under his command. His attorneys have said that there is evidence that the Afghans who were shot had connections to terrorists, but that that evidence has been overlooked.  President Trump is being asked to examine the whole picture and to provide the justice that Lorance deserves.  Mr. President, Major Hasan is a murderer.  Clint Lorance is no murderer.  
                                                  XXX                                                  

sea turtles

  By Florida Bill     

                          If you are strolling along one of the many Florida beaches, you might catch sight of a path leading away from the water, resembling one made by a truck tire.  It won't remain there long as the tide will soon wipe it away.  But it was there for a special reason. It marked the arduous, sand-flipping journey of a sea turtle who crossed the beach to dig a nest in the sand, deposit her eggs, and return to the water. 

                         In some 45 to 70 days, those eggs will break open and hatchlings will emerge en masse and with their tiny flippers, wend their way to the water.

                         For about one out of every one thousand of these tiny creatures, it will be the beginning of a long life in the water.  For the rest, Mother Nature has laid out a perilous road, strewn with pollution, chemicals, discarded fishing gear, disorienting beach lighting, boaters, coastal development, and of course, natural predators.

                        Among the sea turtle species are the Leatherbacks, Greens, Loggerheads and Hawkbills.  Each nest in the sand, shaped like a light bulb, will contain from 80 to 120 eggs the size of ping pong balls. Each mother can lay multiple nests.

                        Sea turtles are endangered species pursuant to Florida law and in accord with the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.  Nova Southeastern University manages the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program in partnership with Broward County. An important part of this effort is the Marine Environmental Education Center (MEEC), based in the Carpenter House, which is situated along the shores of the Atlantic in Hollywood, Florida. 

                        The facility is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturdays, and the friendly staff will deliver a full plate of "turtle talk," and answer questions concerning the fascinating life of these animals. (Visit nova.edu/meec for more information.)                                              

                         The life of sea turtles can last for 50 to 75 years   Starting their life as a one inch long hatchling, some species like the loggerheads and leatherbacks will grow mightily and attain a weight of 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, explained the facility director, Dr. Derek A. Burkholder, a turtle and shark marine scientist. Their life is then spent gliding about the ocean floors like Jules Vernes' Nautilus, surfacing from time to time for air and for depositing eggs into their nests in the sands.  

                         About 30 student and alumni volunteers assist the NSU researchers and staff who mark and monitor some 22-24 miles of shoreline for nesting mothers.  Nesting season begins in about mid-March, and continues through June, hatching continues into September.  So far this years, some 32,000 nests have been observed.  As the hatchlings  burst from their eggs and from the nests, staffers monitor them with red lights to make sure they make it to the water.

                        The nests are then inventoried, and any hatchlings who did not make it out by 7 a.m., along with those who were disoriented during their own march to the sea, are gathered up and kept in a dark, dry container at room temperature and released under supervision after 9 p.m. Hatchlings deemed unfit can be kept for two or three days. If they still aren't ready, they are sent to rescue facilities. Every step is part of the effort to improve those grim survival odds.
                        As part of a small group observing the baby turtles' race to the sea late one evening, we watched by dim red light--even the moon can disorient the hatchlings and send them flippering off in the wrong direction--as the turtles who had been collected earlier because they were in need of release, scattered and ran along the sand until they were swept up by the waves. Laggards were scooped up to try another night. 

                        Carpenter House also is home to a 52-pound (and gaining) Green turtle whose life for the last couple of years has been inside a pool fitted with a special filtration system next to the house.  With plenty of staff affection, that lady has been named "Captain" and she swims with abandon, with all meals and necessary medical care provided, explained Dr. Burkholder.

                        Captain was injured several years ago when she was struck  by a  boat which cracked her carapace, rendering her unable to dive and surface, and causing a condition known as "bubble butt."   To correct this, said Burkholder, staff scientists have affixed weights to Captain's carapace giving her the ability to function normally.  As she grows, the weights have to be adjusted. Captain eats about a head of lettuce and a good amount of vegetables daily, all provided in a special dip net device.  Green turtles live a long life and their weight may hit 250-400 pounds.  So,  Captain has some growing to do," Director Burkholder told a group of patrons visiting the facility.

                         Does the Captain get lonesome?  No, said Dr. Burkholder, I don't think so.  However there has been talk of introducing a second female Green by the name of Morgan into the pool, but there has been no decision on that. Captain seems quite content, said the director. Periodically, he said, she is lifted from the pool and examined by the scientists to assure that her vitals are in order, and that the carapace with its crack, is okay for swimming, diving for food and surfacing for air.  Turtles have lungs, as do other animals, and needs to surface to breathe from time to time, although they can remain under water for an extended period of time. 

                         The conservation facility also will intercept sea turtle mothers on their way to nest and will equip them with a flipper tag and an electronic satellite tag which enables the scientists to follow and record movements.  In some cases, the turtles will swim for thousands of miles, but generally will return to the same nesting vicinity every other year. 
                          There is also a sea turtle emergency response hotline. If you come across a dead, sick or injured sea turtle or hatchling, call 954-328-0580.
                                     
                       

                                                                               xxx

                 

In the USA, Speak English

        By Florida Bill       

                                             The United States is truly an exceptional nation.  But in its 200 plus years of existence--and I would bet that a lot of people do not know this--no one ever succeeded in making "English" the official language of the country.

                                              Routinely, proposals for "Official English" are introduced in Congress.  There is often a good deal of talk and predictions that it will become law, but ultimately the bill dies until its resurrection in a future session.  It seems like it ought to be a slam-dunk, but it isn't.
                                               In recent days and months, we have heard  President Donald Trump point to the importance of speaking English. In one debate, he criticized a former governor for electing to speak in Spanish rather than in English.  
                                             "We will stop apologizing for America, and we will start celebrating America," Trump has asserted. "We will be united by our common culture, values and principles, becoming one American nation, and one country, under one constitution,  saluting one American flag," 
                                             Currently a bill seeking designation of English as the official language has been introduced by Iowa Congressman Steve King.  A long-time proponent of English as the official language of the USA, King has importuned the new president to get behind the legislation. The bill is called the English Language Unity Act.   
                                              Europe, it might be noted, has some 50 nations and each has its own official language, and I suspect that residents have pride in their homeland, as America does.  Many Europeans actually speak more than one language which often includes English, but in their home territory there is an official tongue.  In Spain it is Spanish;  in France it is French; in Germany, it is German,  and in Italy, it is Italian.  The United Kingdom has declared English as its official language as have some surprising spots like Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  Official English in many, many places---but not in the United States.  
                                              There are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in the world today.  The most popular tongue is Mandarin Chinese with 1.2 billion persons speaking that language.  If you go to China and insist on speaking a language other than Chinese, and then try to demand government services in your foreign tongue, you won't get too far.  What you will get is the China boot.                         
                                              America is the world's most generous and exceptional nation, where everything is laid out in the Constitution and Bill of Rights--but no language is official.  Thirty-two of the 50 sovereign states have enacted a law declaring English as its official and primary language inside its state lines, and five states currently have legislation pending toward that end. 
                                               So why isn't English the official language of the USA?  American English is the language used for legislation, regulations, executive orders, treaties, federal court rulings, and all other official pronouncements so why not clear the table and have "English" receive its rightful and legitimate blessing. Then there would be something to back us up when we say to our legal (and illegal) visitors, "Learn English!" 
                                            Researchers tell us that around 90 per cent of Americans, both Republicans and Democrats, favor the declaration, yet the years pass and legislation is considered, but nothing ever happens.  Somehow, with "political correctness" going full tilt, the idea of requiring immigrants to learn English is seen in liberal corners as a "tool of oppression," bordering on racism.  
                                           Former President Obama believed that immigrants ought to learn English, but he saw a declaration by the nation that English is its official language as sort of unsportsman-like to immigrants. As a senator from Illinois, Obama voted four times against bills calling for English as the national language.  It's unfair to immigrants to face this language burden, argued Obama, who has suggested that instead, Americans just learn to speak Spanish and then everyone would be bilingual. 
                                            The late, Phyllis Schafley of Illinois, a prominent and conservative lawyer, was a critic of Senator and President Obama and a passionate proponent of the philosophy that when in America, you speak English. She often criticized President Obama for his negative voice against having English as the official language of the United States, and for his other liberal and anti-patriotic positions. 
                                            President Obama stood in real contrast to other presidents, including Pres. Clinton, who favored English as the language of America.  One, in particular, Theodore Roosevelt, had plenty to say on the subject, as he extended a warm and friendly hand to immigrants, but there were caveats. 
                                          "In the first place," he said, "we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith and becomes an American and assimilates himself to us--  he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else... There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, is not an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language ... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
                                            Rep. King has been congress' fiercest advocate of official English in America and particularly when applied to immigrants.  King has argued that establishing an official language like other countries would bring consistency and unity. With President Trump, whose patriotism and love of country is worn on his sleeve, and who has said that under his administration, "America will come first,"  there is optimism that "English" will at long last become the official language of the United States.  

                                       

The Rainbow Bridge

        By Florida Bill

                              When you come to that sad and distressing moment when you must bid goodbye to your dog, remember that the farewell may not be forever.  There is some very good authority telling us that there will be a happy reunion with that faithful little fur head at the glorious Rainbow Bridge, gateway to Heaven.                                          The grief at losing that special pet is profound, almost indescribable.  In some ways it is similar to the sadness suffered at the loss of a human friend or relative; but different since we have always believed that we will be reunited with them in the afterlife. 
                               So what is the deal with our four-footed friends.  Is it true that all dogs go to heaven?  Mark Twain has noted that "Heaven goes by favor; If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."   But that only begs the question. 
                                              Along that same line, a prominent European writer has noted that dogs are our link to paradise.  "They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent.  To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden where doing nothing was not boring --it was peace."                

                               Not too long ago, America was blessed with a visit from Pope Francis.  We heard his voice calling for peace in the world and for love and respect for all men.  But in another earlier message, the Pontiff observed that our four-footed friends are not lost forever and that "Paradise is open to all of God's creatures."   Really good news for us dog people.

                              Actually,  Francis is not the only Pontiff who has said that beloved pets do not make a permanent departure.   Some years ago, Pope Paul VI, while consoling a broken-hearted little boy whose pet had died, told the youngster that he would again see his dog in the "eternity of Christ."  His words were very comforting to the boy;  and yes, those words resonate in the same way with us old timers whose time on this earth is coming to an end. We are like our dogs, "short timers."  And it is good to know that religious experts confirm our long-held belief that we will be reunited with every dog we've ever had when that time comes.   

                            Will Rogers, a man who loved his furry companions, would be pleased too.   This great humorist once said that "if there are no dogs in heaven, then, when I die,  I want to go where they went."  Well with the popes and others passing on the question, it is looking pretty good.  They will be there and we'll see them so long as we make it there too.   

                             There are hundreds of millions of dog owners in the world and more frequently than not, a special steely bond develops between the canine and his owner.  There are those who do not or have never owned a dog, and perhaps regard the relationship as mythical rather than mystical.  But I know I am right; the relationship is special--ask any pet owner. 

                              I remember when I was a soldier in Korea, I owned a small terrier-type pooch named Maggie and she was with me most hours of virtually every day of  my 16-months in that far-away country.  When I walked guard duty with a rifle, Maggie was there and when I was in the mess hall she waited outside by the door; and at bedtime, my cot and sleeping bag were her bed too.  On our small compound in Ouijongbu, soldiers with their dogs were quite common and unrestricted on many posts in this land where America had gone to defend. 

                             Sadly, when I said goodbye to Korea, I had to say farewell also to Maggie. I can still see her to this day,  sitting by the side of a road, ears up, watching and alert as our truck pulled away.  I loved that little lady, and I am hoping that Maggie will be around to greet me at that famous bridge beyond the stars.  
                            Occasionally, I think back about our four-footed friends and their special place in life and I am reminded of the words of an old Missouri lawyer who, reflecting on our furry companions, observed that "the one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous . . . is his dog."  

                           To dog aficionados, and maybe to Pope Francis himself, there is the story of the  "Rainbow Bridge."  Accordingly, when a pet dies, it goes to a meadow and is restored to perfect health, and spends its days running and playing with other dogs, with plenty of fresh food and water. The only thing that is not perfect is that he misses his owner left behind on earth.  When the owner dies, he approaches the meadow and it is at that moment that his pet sees him and their eyes meet.  Excited, the pet runs to the owner's arms licking his face in joy, and side by side they cross the Rainbow Bridge together into heaven, never again to be separated.

                          Today, living in sunny Florida, my wife, Chrissy and I have two dogs,  Cairn Terriers by breed, each weighing about 15 pounds.  They look like the dog, Toto, in the movie The Wizard of Oz.  Sammi is wheaten-colored and Wendy is Black. They are non-stop yappers and never saw a bird or leaf that did not require their comment; the arrival of the pool man or the dry cleaner is enough to provoke a deafening frenzy.  Yet, we have bonded with them in a big way, and it is impossible to imagine life without them.  But a dog's life is short, and we have had other dogs before them, all of whom became special and unforgettable. We are happy about Pope Francis's views on the matter.        

                         One final word on dogs and the hereafter: Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of "The Secret Life of Dogs," was asked in an interview if she believed that all dogs go to heaven. Her answer was logic at its best: "If there are no dogs there, it is not heaven."

                                                                    xxx 

Watch a Cairn and Feel Good.

       By Florida Bill 

                                                               Let's be honest; there is something about dogs which is very special, and that awesome quality strikes a chord deep within certain humans, who become known as "dog people." This is pretty much a lifelong affliction for those who succumb to it. 
                                      And inside this phenomenal canine kingdom is the incredible Cairn terrier, the little guy with the huge personality whose ancestors hailed from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Characteristics that apply to the average canine seem to apply to the Cairn terrier tenfold.
                                           He is a hunter extraordinaire; a "ratter" with a nose ten thousand times more sensitive than his human friends and mentors.  He is very smart yet at times he "comes" at his own pace depending on what's in it for him.  Some say the Cairn, while affectionate, marches to the beat of his own drum, although a treat will usually raise the volume. As they always say at Westminster, the big dog show: "It's a terriers' world; they just let us live in it." This is especially true of our Cairn friends.
                                           Some dog owners think, "If only dogs could talk." Well, they do.  Think of that loquacious relative who downs a few too many sherries at Thanksgiving and chews your ear off between courses: now look at your cairn standing by the window barking at falling leaves. Some similarities, you think?
                                           Yet we probably don't even realize the extent of the average dog's vocabulary. (Cairns in particular are considered very "vocal.") There is no doubt that certain words, like walk, treat and suppertime, are in their dictionary.  The word "no" is perhaps more debatable. 
                                           Delivering their message is accomplished  through their ears, tail and body language. Yes, the "bark"-- now there is communication worthy of a good translator.  Noisy--yes, at times it can make you think about the dreaded shake-can or squirt gun as a remedy. 
                                            Canine psychologists have studied "dog talk" for a good while and have determined that they communicate about three main topics:  emotional states, social relations and the expression of wants and desires.  Barking is in different pitches and tones, so listen carefully, quips Dr. Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology---a man who  knows "dog talk." 

                                             The  professor, who is the author of the book, "The Intelligence of Dogs,"  has done a good deal of research in carving out the interpretations of man's best friends. For example, the continuous rapid barking at mid range pitch translates into specific canine rhetoric:  "Call the pack.  There is a potential problem.  Someone is coming into our territory." Our cairns, in particular, are especially good at alerting us to the arrival of the pool service...the handyman, the dry cleaner, the lawn guy. 
                                             But then, one or two sharp, short barks, at mid range pitch, is more welcoming, the doggie version of "Hello there."  But change the pitch slightly upward, says Dr. Coren, and you have. "What's this?"  In other words, "Is there a slight movement at the back of the yard?" 
                                              There are all sorts of growls. Some graduate into a bark, and some say, "Beware--back off."  With a lower pitch, the growl/bark sends the warning, "I'm upset and ready to fight."  Dr. Coren also identifies the "undulating growl with high pitch, as "if you come at me, I may fight or I may run." This latter translation probably does not apply to the average terrier, which has no idea how small it is and rarely backs down.
                                               Understanding the language of your dog, and getting your dog to understand you, is a big part of canine ownership.  
                                              Of course there is unspoken communication too. There's that look of pure contentment as your cairn settles in next to you on the couch at night, sprawled out like a contortionist sometimes, which says "I am at peace, all is well."
                                            Many dog owners become especially loyal to a particular  breed. This is usually most common with dogs with a lot of moxie, or, let's admit it, "attitude," like our beloved Cairns.
                                             Perhaps that is part of the magic of the Cairn, be it he or she, black, brindle or wheaten. Ah, just to see him zipping about in his back yard or on the beach; or looking over the trees and bushes, or sniffing (or digging energetically) at the ground.  Is there a busier breed?  How about that moment when your Cairn attacks his squeak toy, resolved to rid that beast of all noise-making ability.  Yes, that is a Cairn being a Cairn.
                                             Do you ever wonder about the memory of a dog?  Does he store something in that busy head and then recall it in subsequent days.  Absolutely, observes Dr. Coren.  And he has some first hand experience from his days with his Cairn, Feldspar, whom he praises for his vocabulary and ability to recall.  Feldspar would always cower and hide upon hearing the word "Bath.  "  Conversely, said Coren, another of his dogs actually raced to the shower room upon hearing that word.  Can your Cairn count?  Try putting three dog cookies in your pocket and then give him only two.
                                             At our Florida home, our Cairns, Sammi Smith, 9, named after a favorite country western singer, and Wendy, 7,  have decided that they want nothing to do with our swimming pool.  And when we are in and splashing around, those little heads are watching from a safe vantage point; ignoring any whistle or call lest they get dunked. I know that some Cairns like to swim and plunge when the sun and mood moves them, but each to their own.  
                                             In Florida, the grass and bushes are the home for those little lizards we call gekkos. There are trillions of them.  The search for them is never ending for our Cairns. They will sniff and hunt relentlessly or until something else become more important, like maybe suppertime or a little ball chasing.  
                                             Put it all together and remember how he joins you when you are taking a nap, or accompanies you on that walk.  He is, one writer has said, "the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." A dog doesn't love us just because we do something for him like feed him food and water; let him sleep with us in bed; comb his fur and take him for a car ride.  He just loves us anyway, and that's "unconditional." 
                   

Enough of Bernie

  By Florida Bill  
                                 
                                 I had the idea that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his "free stuff" theories would fade into the sunset. But I was dead wrong; Sanders is like crazy glue. 
                                 His bespectacled, round face and snow white mane keep popping up alongside TV pundits pushing his liberal agenda for the United States. He has few good words for America, and his real praise goes to the government of Denmark where tuition and medical care are free, citizens primarily move about on bicycles and extremely high taxes do it all.                                 
                                  In the USA, where Sanders has been on public payrolls about his entire life, he is the always-available shill for CNN and NBC and other far left media outlets.  He rants about the fumbling USA, and charges that billionaires on the top of the mountain are stepping upon the middle class and the poor, enriching themselves.  He denounces President Trump as a bigot, a racist and a bully.  The liberal media eats it up and heralds the 75-year-old Sanders as some sort of a savior who was sent from above.
                                    Peculiarly, the feisty senator labels himself as an "Independent," one of two in the upper house of Congress, but he ran for President as a Democrat and he shuns Republicans for conduct which he says is "immoral, wrong and bad economics." He hangs exclusively with Democrats and recently he has been on the front line of a national Democrat party effort touring the states to "Come Together and Fight Back"
                                   A new TV survey supposedly has determined that the socialist senator who sees the USA as a defective and unfair republic, is the "most popular politician" in America. Was that the the product of the same pollsters who made 1,000 telephone calls and ascertained that Hillary Clinton was the nation's "most admired woman." Great stories for the liberal anchors, but they are phony and belong in the garbage can. 
                                    Some stations are predicting that Sanders will be challenging President Trump for the presidency in 2020, so maybe that is what this is all about.  Of course, Sanders would be the first octogenarian in the oval office. 
                                    So what is Sanders now offering for Americans in his persistence to be president. Just more of the same, only with greater largess.  He loves that spotlight and probably continues to receive donations. Key in his vision is for the USA to become socialistic in the Scandinavian way or maybe even a little like Russia where he and his wife honeymooned in 1988.  Taxes would provide the free stuff---education at all levels,  complete medical care; welfare and assistance, food stamps and maybe some walking around money.  The Sanders price tag would be in the tens of trillions of dollars heaped upon a national debt now standing at about $20 trillion dollars-- a sure prescription for bankruptcy. .  
                                    The senator was a conscientious objector and a pacifist during the Viet Nam war days.  He now asserts that "Climate Change" is the country's biggest threat.  I do not know if he has changed much since then, but his views on the military have to worry a lot of Americans.  My guess is that he is anathema to men and women who have worn the uniform of their country.  
                                          He has criticized  President Trump as one of the nation's billionaires who pays too little in taxes.  In 2005, it has been reported, Trump paid $38 million in federal income taxes on  income of $158 million.  That same year Sanders and his wife paid $27,653 on combined income of $205,000.  Trump was in a 25 per cent bracket,  while Sanders enjoyed a 13 percent level, and he made use of every gimmick and loophole to get there. Some critics call upon Sanders to find a way to earn more so he could contribute more, so that the free party he envisions can move forward. 
                                 In the 2016 campaign, Sanders had his moment on the big stage, and it whetted his appetite for more of the same. He won support from a select group for his wild views, and received about $80 million in donations. Other than at least one arrest for protest demonstrations against the Viet Nam war in the 1960s, Sanders has been law abiding.  Patriotism and love of country are not part of his bag.  For the most part, Americans are patriotic and view their country as exceptional.  They have heard enough from this "independent" mouth.  

                                                  xxx 


            

O'Reilly is Out

  By Florida Bill                            

                                                               I was flabbergasted to learn that "Big Dog" Bill O'Reilly of Fox News had been fired from his lofty perch. 
                                          The left-wing media has now had its prayers answered. Somehow, it seems suspicious that its always a conservative taking a hit, and not the disingenuous phonies packing the network microphones.
                                          O'Reilly is out the door, but he steps away with many millions of dollars accruing from his ouster. That money enhances his status as a millionaire, maybe even a billionaire, achieved from big salaries and residuals from the writing of top selling books. He probably gets top dollars for speaking engagements and other activities.                                                                                But so what if he is rich?  Even with the greenbacks filling his pockets, he limps away from his Fox News microphone, embarrassed  and accused of being a sexual predator; a pundit with a loose zipper.  O'Reilly responded in a terse statement that it is "tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims.  But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today."                                                             Personally, I was saddened to learn of the unceremonious dismissal of Fox's main attraction.  He was knowledgeable and analytical and he delivered the news of the day with his own spin in a "no spin" way. It was informative and entertaining, and reportedly he had four million viewers tuned in for each one hour show.  It goes without saying--O'Reilly will be missed, and I will be one of them.   
                                           For almost 20 years, O'Reilly was the face of Fox News.  His 8 p.m."O'Reilly Factor" was the number one news show on the tube.  When news was on the table, O'Reilly was a bulldog.  In interviews, he asked the questions, and then he answered them.  If guests sought to provide their own answers, he knew how to talk over them and if a guest persisted in arguing with the "Big Dog," they held losing cards.  His style drew loyal fans.
                                            Some guests tried hard to cross swords with O'Reilly--like former Congressman Barney Frank and Rev. Al Sharpton--but the neatly attired O'Reilly pushed them into grave-like holes and kicked the earth over them. Confirmed liberal Democrats like Juan Williams and Geraldo Rivera frequently challenged O'Reilly, but then they backed away or were put down by the host.  Both Williams and Rivera are paid contributors by Fox News and they make a sweet salary, and the "no Spin" with the Big Dog is not a gig they wished to lose. It's the O'Reilly spin, without liberal nonsense.  
                                               One regular guest and perhaps the only pundit capable of challenging the "Big Dog" with any success was Charles Krauthammer, a widely respected commentator and columnist, with credentials as a trained psychiatrist.  When the frisky O'Reilly offered what he deemed an irrefutable theory, guests normally nodded in agreement.  But Krauthammer nodded only when he considered O'Reilly to be completely accurate on some matter.  More often, O'Reilly would complete his talking points and ask Dr. K, "What say You?  Where did I go wrong?".
                                       "Where didn't you go wrong," Krauthammer might respond and then he would lay out precisely how O'Reilly had erred in his conclusions or analysis. O'Reilly generally argued the point with Krauthammer, but then rhetoric turned to other topics of which they were more in agreement.    
                                               Apparently, a number of young women piled on against O'Reilly, offended by his lack of "political correctness."  O'Reilly saw no negatives in complimenting and in easing the attractive young newscasters, but apparently they did, claiming that he was hitting on them in a sexual way, breathing hard over the telephone--and more.  
                                              While the veteran journalist has never been known to harbor any animus toward African Americans, he was a bit too casual about race, and his disregard for workplace etiquette and correctness.  According to reports, on one occasion in chit chat with sidekicks in the office, he referred to an attractive, young black office worker as  "hot chocolate."  Some years ago, that observation might have been a compliment, but today its a sign of racism and sexism rolled into one offensive ball. 
                                              O'Reilly's aggressive nature as a tough journalist has no doubt made him many enemies over the years, and they are all jumping on the bandwagon now. It doesn't help his case that it has come out that many of these offended ladies have settled for many millions of dollars with both O'Reilly and the station. 
                                             A few months back, Fox President Roger Ailes was fired for allegedly seeking special favors from attractive women on a quid pro quo basis. Again, who knows what really went on? For sure, Ailes and O'Reilly were reporting to a couple of left-leaning bosses, and those chiefs took the opportunity to make their mark with liberal America. One thing is for sure:  It will be a while before the company fully recovers, if it ever does,  from the financial losses and diminishing number of viewers triggered as a result of the "Big Dog's" discharge.     
                                                   Predictably, in the future, O'Reilly will continue as a man about town.  He will be writing best selling books (often made into movies) and making speeches;  and, as is his pugilistic style, he will be mixing it up with journalists in interviews. Who knows--maybe  he will be reinstated behind a mike somewhere. (Marv Albert had some strange proclivities that cost him his spot behind the lines at NBA games, but he has found his way back behind the mike.)  Prevaricating Brian Williams is back "shooting the bull" for MSNBC.  In my judgment, the "Big Dog," respected by millions of patriotic and hard-working Americans,  would be welcomed back as a regular on the tube.  
                                                      
                                               XXX     
                 

"Transracial" Rachel

  By Florida Bill                          

                                            Ms. Rachel Dolezal has said in an interview that she is "Transracial." She is definitely breaking new ground for celebration by the progressive crowd.
                                            Ms. Dolezal is the 39-year-old woman with the wild, tangled Afro and the confident demeanor, who was forced to resign as president of the Spokane Washington chapter of the  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) after her parents revealed that she was, in fact, a White woman.
                                              This is a real twist and so the acronym LGBTQ will need to be amended in some way to include individuals who "trans" race. (Perhaps a capital "TR" could now follow the "Q.")   Dolezal has claimed in a recent interview that the phenomenon of "transracialing" is a twin sister to transgendering. Ethnicity, she said, is not biological.
                                               Ms. Dolezal is the author of a new book, "In Full Color: Finding My Place in a Black and White World." In CNN and other interviews, she indicated she feels that she has been misunderstood.  Yes, she is a civil rights leader, she argues, but never identified herself as African American.  "I've identified as Black....  and Black is a culture, a philosophy, a political and social view," she asserted.  She urges that critics who are filled with hate should read her book with an open mind.          
                                                Born in Montana of White parents, she earned a bachelors degree and later a master of fine arts from Howard University, a predominantly Black school where she assumed the persona of a Black woman, though she may have never stated her race formally.  One person who knew her said that she did not pose as a black woman; it was simply assumed that she was black.  She sounded Black particularly when she spoke on the telephone, one person observed. 
                                                Dolezal also has compared her situation to that of a transgender individual, such as Cailyn Jenner, the former Olympian who transitioned from male to female in 2015.  People should not be defined by who or what they were at birth. "Race is a Social Construct," she declared  
                                                 A glib talker, she went about her activities in the African American community, attending rallies and participating in forums.  She spoke often and her prominence grew, and she rose to become the president of an energetic chapter of the Washington state NAACP.  Her difficulties exploded when her parents revealed that she was masquerading as Black, and that she was their child and they were pure Caucasians of Czech, German and Swedish origin.
                                                She was fired from her NAACP leadership position and lost her job as a teacher of Black history. She was booed when she tried to deliver a lecture and well--old friends quit calling. She even changed her name to Nkechi Amare Diallo which is said to have the meaning of "Gift of God" in west Africa territory. The new name was designed to recapture her standing and to explain her transitioning from white skin to inner blackness, although that physically she retained the outward characteristics of a Caucasian. Nevertheless, she remained the butt of jokes.  Currently, she is on food stamps unable to find another job.
                                             Back in the 1940s, there was the movie, "Pinky," which told the story of light-skinned Afro-American woman who passed for being Caucasian as she worked and studied to become a registered nurse. She fell in love with a white doctor, admitted her deception, and somehow the whole thing had a happy ending.
                                             Rachel Dolezal's story is sort of a twist on the "Pinky" screen story--but without a happy ending.  She pretended to be Black and blended into that culture, marrying an African American man, and rising to a respected leadership role with the NAACP on the west coast and even nationally. But instead of gaining status and understanding after being "outed" with her true skin color becoming known,  her associates in the Black community and elsewhere dumped her and saw her as sort of a white "loon."                                                  
                                                 xxx
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