What Tiger Woods needs right now is some privacy!

Tiger facing yet another crisis in his young life

Dear CNN Cable News: Your newscast this evening made it sound as though Tiger Woods had/has an obligation to meet with the police. Admittedly he may have a traffic fine to pay ... but "meet with and discuss" (your words) what he was doing at 2:30 a.m. in the morning? No way, Jose!

Yes, I am a Tiger fan, but that doesn't mean I give him a Mulligan on every possible activity--criminal or non-criminal. Nonetheless, we do not live in a police State and haven't lived in one since January 20th and so. And as far as anything I've heard or read thus far, he is neither legally or morally obligated to say ANYTHING TO ANYONE!!

Of course, I'm hoping he'll be out playing golf on this coming Thursday--his last scheduled PGA tour event of the year.

Tiger: I wish both you and your family the very best in this Holiday Season.

Finally ... proof that you needn't be 16 or 17 years old and have a 10-inch waist to be the "best that you can be" -- as the US Army puts it!

Susan Boyle

This isn't an advertisement, but BUY IT!! Her debut CD album, "I Dreamed a Dream" is ... well, dreamy!

I have pushed the "repeat" button on every song, I believe, and think her newest and best rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" would have won the Britain's Got Talent contest hands down--even though she had sung the song in the earliest rounds. I think she outdid Madonna with "You'll see!" and although I was/am a Rolling Stones fan, her "Wild Horses" made me want to relearn the lyrics all over again.

Now, the question is ... does playing and replaying a single CD as I traverse the hills and bumps of the roads between my pad and Grays Harbor College (daily) possibly wear a CD down to a scratchy tape-like quality requiring me to have a spare CD in the seat next to me?

Yes, it was a "false" brotherhood, but can any of us state unequivocally that we wouldn't have done essentially the same horrendous acts?

Three decorated US servicemen found guilty of premeditated murder ... but what exactly is truly "premeditated" while in combat?

And as for the young soldier who broke the silence? "I did the right thing," Jess Cunningham told CNN's AC 360. "I'm not going to hide behind false brotherhood."

Watching AC 260 this week, a full nine months after the March 2007 murders, Cunningham told his Army lawyer what had happened at the canal. Eventually, the three sergeants shown above would be convicted of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated murder.

"These men are not heroes. They're not saviors," Cunningham said.

Perhaps not, but I do not believe they are first degree murderers either--or whatever our military courts say they are.

First Sgt. John Hatley, Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Mayo and Sgt. Michael Leahy are all serving terms at the U.S. military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Listening to a truly chilling confession on CNN at least three times during the past week, I am more certain than ever that we are wrongly executing the wrong war at the wrong time and at the wrong place. And yes, four "enemy combatants" were probably wrongly executed along with everything else wrongly ongoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Indeed, is there ever a right time and place to "hate your enemy"?

I suppose, before this story is drained for all it's worth (to CNN), we will have been subjected to all 23½ hours of tape obtained (somehow) by CNN Cable News.

And shocking as it might sound to some of you, I say, "Go on and expose everything possible. CNN!" We must know the truth to understand what is right ... and wrong.

2012 seems only a nanosecond away when viewing this picture

Dancing with the stars ... but which of the two is the "star"?

Obama's three pointer was a winner in 2008 but Sarah's "Rogue" book might be a 500-pointer when 2012 rolls around. She was truly hammered (hard) by the media in 2008 ... but we all know the old saw: What goes around ... comes around!

If you happen to be an MSNBC nerd, you probably don't believe that Sarah Palin can scratch her nose less run for President, but me thinks she would bring a great deal of common sense and Christian morality to the 2012 campaign if she decides to run. And yes, her's and her husband's decision to bring little Trig into our world was a true example of how we all should view the sanctity of life.

Admittedly, the bow is a bit low (my back couldn't take it!), but protocol is protocol

President Obama mixed a bow and a handshake in greeting Japanese Emperor Akihito. In doing so, Barack bends his B(ar)ack a bit much, but I disagree with my son as regards its meaning. When President Truman let Emperor Hirohito off the hook after the worst war in American (the world's) history, it was a central part of creating a great democracy of the (once) Great Imperial Japanese Nation. Like Obama, who awkwardly bowed/shook hands with the Emperor of a democracy and dear ally this week, Harry Truman was roundly criticized for his actions back in 1945.

Presidents tend to bow and kiss dictators, popes and even Democratic leaders pretty regularly ... it's part of the job, as I see it and I'm generally glad that our Presidents follow protocol rather than cause a raucous. President Bush went a little far when he kissed the Saudi King, but even then, I would rather he did that than, say, invade Iraq after al-Qaida took down the twin towers and murdered 3000-plus Americans ... after training in locations around the world--except Iraq!

The terrorists in the planes on 9-11 were largely Saudis, ironically enough ... and Saddam Hussein was considered an infidel by Osama bin-Laden.

Interesting world, eh?

Bush bows to Pope, but doesn't break his back in doing so

On the other hand, his kissing the Saudi King might have been ... shall we say, a little less ... uhhh ...

Update ... brownout followed by blackout! Generator didn't go on, but cats were warm (seven cats make for a warm bed)

If you look carefully under the eye, you will find pieces of Ocean Shores and most of eastern edge of Hoquiam

While we have the power back on for a moment, I think I'll say, "Hi!" The weather station in Hoquiam at Bowerman Field blew down (really) and most of Highway 109 is under water. Not to worry about the raccoons who were living under the porch though; they are living on the deck now and getting use to Meow Mix cat food. Where is Sweetheart when I need her?

Hey friends and family -- Say a little prayer for us in Ocean Shores as we endure another of those 24-30 hour duration storms!

The satellite picture says it all

Gusts to 80 mph and sustained 50-60 mph winds from the SSW starting at dawn tomorrow and continuing unabated through Tuesday afternoon.

I wish Richard and Sweetheart were still here to show me how that #@$&# generator on the back porch works!

Oops! A Quick update! See below:

Frank Buckles Day in America ... Our Last American Survivor of the War to End All Wars -- WW I

Eleven-eleven is one of those National Holidays whose date (like 9-11) is fixed in our minds even more than the birthdays of our children and our grandchildren--especially as we grow older. My wife's birthday is on an easy-to-remember date, so I had/have no excuse for forgetting it as often as I do. My own on Guy Fawkes Day isn't so easily remembered.

But Armistice Day (or Veteran's Day) today has become Frank Buckles Day by default inasmuch as he has survived through today (at 108 now) to become the only American survivor of that first Armistice Day back in 1918. I should mention that he was also taken prisoner by the Japanese in World War II while working for an American shipping company in the Philippines. And his bio in Wikipedia suggests that he has been a busy man for all of those 108 years.

Quite a life!

Here's to many more 11-11s, Mr. Buckles!

My Choice for Political Hero of the Year -- Rep. Anh Cao (R La)

Representative Anh Cao (Rep., Louisiana)

Having a first-generation daughter from Viet Nam isn't my only incentive for this posting, but Anh Cao represents what America is all about. Let me include a short quotation from one of my favorite online newspapers:

The single House Republican who voted for the Democrats' health-care legislation is a first-term congressman from a strongly Democratic--and very poor--district comprising most of New Orleans. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao's vote is significant, not because it was politically motivated--and it was--but because it highlights the disparity between lower and middle-class people throughout the country and many of their representatives in Washington, D.C.

Among the 535 elected representatives deciding the future shape of the American health care system, some 44% are millionaires, according to a new study by the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), a nonpartisan research group that tracks the effect of money in U.S. politics and policy. Rep. Cao is not among them. Neither are his constituents.

"I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health-care costs are exploding -- if they are able to obtain health care at all," Cao, the first Vietnamese-American to be elected to Congress, said in a statement after the legislation passed the House with a 220-215 vote.

Right here in Grays Harbor County (15.3% unemployed) we have serious needs for primary health care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children. My recent visits to the local hospital--both for my own surgery and my brothers' problems exposed me to the most obvious needs that end up in the ER--most brought there by EMS.

In the end, the bills went out--most never paid--and the needs for health care insurance for the bottom rung of our economic ladder was never more obvious.

Now will at least one Republican in the Senate (I don't count on Joe Lieberman of the "Vote for Joe" Party in Connecticut) vote to kill any possible filibuster as the bill goes forward? With the "no abortion" amendment attached yesterday, even a Christian or two among the "Blue Dogs" should vote their deep down conscious and answer that question we hear so often, "What would Jesus do?"

Terrorism? Hell yes! Insane? Obviously! The result of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? NO!! Any more than was Guy Hawkes' plot on Nov 5, 1604!

Major Malik Nidal Hassan, loony Army psychiatrist who murdered 13 American soldiers at Fort hood yesterday!
Guy Fawkes, who planned to blow up the British Parliament on November 5, 1606!

Often, over the past 75 years, I would be teased on my birthday regarding the murderous Guy Hawkes (hero or anti-hero of "Guy Hawkes Day" in Britain). Hopefully, I won't be reminded of the crazy and murderous actions of this loon-bin, Hasan, along with Guido Hawkes in the years to come.

What's shocking today are some of the stupid commentaries trying to place blame for yesterday's tragedy at Fort Hood on the Mideast wars. I hate to agree with the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, but the wars had little or nothing to do with the insane goings on in the grey matter of Major Hassan--any more than I would try to blame Guy Fawkes' nuttiness 400 years ago on today's' Mideast mess.

Admittedly, Hasan was a Muslim, but the serial killers in America over only the past three or four years have been of every religious and/or political stripe. Give the Muslims--and both our current president and his predecessor--a break on this. There was only one shooter, only one murderer and the blame is his alone.

Sheez!

After the Smashing Defeat at the Polls, Should Obama Resign Now ... or Just Let Nature Take its Course?

Most will agree that the Democrats were thoroughly flattened yesterday, but the question remains: Can they come back before 2012?

The question tonight at the White House is clearly whether or not P-BO should resign. Of course, who can be sure that Sarah will beat Joe Biden in 2012; stranger things have happened. Tough call for the White House. They need our prayers.

So do the Pittsburgh Phillies!