Irony Of Ironies

When the news hit that Health and Human Services nominee Kathleen Sibelius had to scramble to settle some back tax "oversights" I just rolled my eyes. I didn't give her a pass because she was a woman; I gave her a pass because she was just one more cabinet appointee who ignores the fact we're all supposed to pay taxes.

As with the others, it was explained away and she was confirmed. One comes to the conclusion that to be in the Obama cabinet one must be "mathematically challenged" when it comes to taxes.

Unfortunately the story didn't end there. According to Forbes.com she also low balled a contribution to a PAC she had established while Kansas Insurance Commissioner to help raise money for other Democrats. By some $23,000. That she neglected to reveal this to the Senate Finance Committee when specifically asked can be tossed into the "So what else is new" basket except for one thing.

The contribution was from Dr. George Tiller, one of the country's few late term abortion providers. Somehow, to me this is as egregious as it can get. I'm pro choice for a lot of reasons. I am totally against late birth abortion if for nothing more than the pure inhumanity of it. So here we are. Our new Secretary of Health and Human Services, of all Departments, not only accepted the money for her PAC, no matter when it was. She was aware of it or she wouldn't have understated the amount. Then she lied about that. Another oversight by another Cabinet member. Do we really expect these people to govern effectively? They can't remember to pay their taxes. They can't remember how much PAC money they've been instrumental in attracting nor the implications of who the contributors have been .

I guess my final question would be, can they remember who they've been appointed to serve and why? I have an answer but there's no reason to state it. It wouldn't be remembered. And that would be considered, I'm sure, an oversight.

...And You Wonder Why There Are Polish Jokes!

Every once in awhile even I get tired of the doom and gloom I always find so interesting and look for something a little inane on which to post. Today's one of those days.

When I read about this Polish politician I thought about how well he would fit in a lot of the governing bodies in our country. It would seem his city, Poznan, in western Poland invested huge sums of money in their local zoo to have the largest elephant house in Europe.

One of the residents, a 10 year old named Ninio, has shown no interest in the opposite sex. "We didn't pay 37 million zlotys (7.6 million pounds sterling or 11.21 U.S. dollars) for the largest elephant house in Europe to have a gay elephant live there!" he fumed.

Never mind the poor elephant isn't old enough to mate yet. He won't reach sexual maturity until he's 14 and even then he'll have to outdo the other bulls in the herd to win a lady's fancy!

I almost feel sorry for the outraged politician. We'll probably never know how Ninio makes out when he reaches maturity. I'd be willing to wager, however, those in the know may feel Councillor Grzes's lack of knowledge on the subject may render him somewhat impotent as a politician!

High Seas Piracy Is No Johnny Depp Movie

If Somalia was an oil rich nation would the United States allow the piracy on the high seas, that has gone on for years, continue? I doubt it. My guess is we would have invaded it long ago for some obscure reason.

However, this nation of 9 million, mostly Islamic, people is as poor as dirt. They're a nation of thuggery and war lords. The life expectancy for men is 47 and for women - 49. Their main exports are livestock, that which hasn't starved, bananas, hides - probably from the livestock that has starved, and fish. Their main source of income seems to be fishing and piracy.

So why has it taken an act of piracy on a U.S. flagged freighter to get our attention? Or is that reason enough? Fortunately, the Captain who was being held hostage has been rescued and three of the pirates are dead thanks to the Navy Seals.

I've been listening to the reports for days now with explanations of why this has been such a delicate situation. Other than the fact we wanted to get an American out alive, I'm not convinced the explanations are entirely valid. I don't have to be an expert in the shipping business nor an international whiz kid to know that this is costing the world billions in lost cargo and ransom, not to mention the cost of insurance and other sundries too many to list.

Here, from our very own Coast Guard is as concise a description of piracy as I could find:

Because piracy is a universal crime under international law, every nation has the legal authority to establish jurisdiction over piracy and punish the offenders, regardless of nationality of the perpetrator or the victims, or of the vessels involved. This has been a basic tenet of customary international law for centuries, and is also enshrined in treaties such as the 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas and the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea. United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1846 and 1851 have recently extended this authority to include acts committed within the Somali territorial sea, and have sanctioned the apprehension of suspected pirates and their supporters found ashore in Somalia.

Sunday the Navy did what it should have done long ago. They eliminated the perpetrators. We're always looking for and bemoaning the lack of international cooperation when it comes to our national interests such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the conflict between the Islamic middle east and Israel. Why are we less concerned with the strife that runs rampant in countries like Somalia and the starvation and genocide running rampant in too many African nations?

Is it because we aren't "directly" affected? But we are! Think about what the shipping industry means to every nation in the world? How can we, in good conscience, turn a blind eye or a deaf ear? Consider all the ships that the pirates are holding, not to mention the crews. What's it doing to those awaiting the cargos and what's it doing to the families and loved ones of the crews? For that matter, it has to put a dent in the sum to be divvied up by the pirates when the ransoms are paid. It costs a lot to keep ships afloat, cargo's unspoiled and men alive.

The lack of comment from Obama on this particular incident was deafening. The lukewarm response from Secretary of State Clinton wasn't much better.

I'm glad this one has been resolved. Will there be another? Heck yes. As this was going on another ship had been taken. Is this not just as much an international crisis as the "possibility" the Iranians' will have nuclear capabilty all too soon or that Netanyahu, Israels' latest Prime Minister, is threatening to stop them if we don't?

This is happening now, in real time. We have the right, under international law, to act. Will we? Or will we keep the blinders on until it's another American flagged ship?

Tone Deaf Or Do They Just Not Care?

I'm happy and sad all at the same time. I'm happy that Malia and Shasha will finally have their long awaited puppy. I'm sad that it isn't a rescue dog or a "pound puppy". The caveat that the Portuguese Water Dog is one of a very few breeds that does not exacerbate allergies doesn't quite cut the muster with me. The main reason is that another being considered was a Labradoodle.

From the moment it became known the girls had been promised a puppy if they behaved well during the campaign there was a movement afoot for the First Family to adopt either a rescue dog or a pound puppy. Petitions were sent out by various animal welfare groups. I know I signed one I received from Best Friends , an organization we have supported for years. I even wrote a post as an open letter to the girls that was picked up by the Chicago Sun Times.

Pure breeds need homes too. I realize that. Bacchus is a pure breed and it's no secret I love him to pieces. With the Obama's however, this seems to be one more item in a list that's growing indicating they are either tone deaf or don't care. I haven't yet decided which.

One does not bow to a King. Especially a Saudi King. I've looked at the film from every angle available and I cannot see how it was not a bow. The Saudi's must have loved it. One does not touch the Queen. It doesn't matter if she touches you first and it doesn't matter that she was most gracious in letting it go rather than embarrassing the new first lady.

Now the puppy. A gift from Senator Edward Kennedy to whom Obama owes a great deal. In of itself that's fine, but I'd have a lot more respect for Obama if he had admitted that's why they chose the dog - it was a gift from a cherished friend. No spin.

Trying to soothe opinion by saying they plan to make a large contribution to the Humane Society suggests to me they know they've perhaps erred. While the contribution will be greatly appreciated, it isn't at all the same.

I'm beginning to realize that although Obama is far more articulate, with the aid of his ever present teleprompters, than his predecessor, and certainly well educated, I'm beginning to wonder if he's smart.

That also goes for those advising him.

A Gold Star Friday

It's raining today but there is nothing that can dampen my spirits. Bacchus had his monthly check up at WSU yesterday. He had an echo cardiogram and x-ray of his lungs. His reveal was read. His ears were scratched and he got lots of hugs. One of the techs brought him out to us. We waited patiently for his cardiologist. She was beaming as brightly as the sun that was shining outside the windows.

"He gets a gold star!" she grinned. The enlarged ventricles had not enlarged further, his respiration and pulse were as good as could be expected all things considered. His puffing that has worried me is from a lung ailment he has had for as long as we can remember - probably exacerbated because of where we live. His weight was holding steady. The heart is functioning well enough to keep everything else working. At least for the time being. I felt the tension fall away. Without a glass or two of wine!

We had our discussion about his eating habits - or lack thereof. He's developed a taste for grilled chicken, lost his taste for chuck roast (thank heavens), and developed a healthy taste for yogurt. As you can see!

Once again the cardiologist said to feed him anything he will eat, except grapes and of course chocolate. He will now get all the sausages he wants, rice, chicken or pork, beef, pasta, and real yogurt. None of that non-fat stuff that Mom and Dad have been sharing. The objective is to get some weight on him.

It's been nice having a really positive weekly update. I hope there will be a lot more but no matter, we'll take whatever we can get.



Last but not least I can't leave out the WSU raptors from our monthly visits. This week I met Gwen, a Screech Owl that had been hit by a car resulting in brain damage and partial blindness. I love how socialized these birds have become under the care they've received and consider it a privilege to get to see them up close and personal..