VOTE EARLY and OFTEN

There is a natural assumption that in a doctor's lounge at a first class hospital, in the US, a medical doctor in a white coat would not only be good at his or her profession but would be clear thinking about other aspects of life as well. I probably shouldn't talk since I rode a motorcycle for decades and was an orthopedic surgeon, clearly an irrational decision. Nevertheless, there in the hospital on Friday morning, where medical doctors go after attending an early morning educational lecture, a "roundtable" of the very educated was gathered to have breakfast and exchange social commentary. There were eight doctors at our table. One of us was a flaming liberal Kool Aid drinking Obamaphile. It was not me. As the odd-man-out expressed his religious-fervor for the talking points of the left I wondered if the remaining diners at the table would sit there politely... they did not. It was a microcosm of what I believe is about to happen in 3 days, election day. People who either supported the dream of "Change you can believe in" or were silently waiting to give government a chance to find its way, have awakened and are "Mad as Hell and are not going to take it anymore." The only people among my friends who want to stop posting political messages are those who think we just have not given Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barack Obama enough time to change America. I don't like the changes made so far and I know I will hate the ones that are on the way if they retain the House, Senate, and the White House. Get out and vote and restore checks and balances to our government.

OPTIMISTIC about the ECONOMY

Which way is our economy headed? How will this change depending on the midterm elections? The stock market is rising in anticipation of a Republican victory in November. Don't feel too smug if you are of the GOP persuasion. If there were a Republican president, it would rise on the expectation of a Democrat midterm victory. That's just the way it is. A one party government where huge swings in the social fabric of the country are possible overnight, as in the health care bill, cap and trade, stimulus, etc., makes Wall Street nervous. A checks and balances government where bipartisan agreement is needed for passage of legislation, bodes better for your portfolio. The recovery is happening, it will continue barring some disaster, and the Market is a leading indicator. Financially, it is prudent for you to individually do what will happen when bipartisan power returns to DC. Nothing too radical, no over-leveraging, and not falling hook line and sinker for the next Bubble. Not 100% fixed income, value dividends but don't make a religion out of it, and expect modest returns. (Much better than the insulting yields that banks brag about on CD and Money Markets.)

I am optimistic about the future of America. We have such a strong foundation that even though 50% of our population contributes little or nothing to the bottom line, the rest of us can carry them quite easily as long as we do not let breast-beating-liberal-angst smother the entrepreneurial spirit of this country with class envy. The trouble with Liberalism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. Midterm change of government will slow or stop this run away train. Even an average American housewife who used to practice witchcraft in high school would do more to forward the progress of our country than an avowed socialist who constantly apologizes for our nation's success and is Hell-bent to turn us into those mediocre countries in Europe whose Health care and social support systems the Liberals admire so much. You know who I am speaking about... the congress persons who wrote the laws so that they do not apply to them, while they know what's best for you. You don't have to sip the TEA to know that the monopoly in government today with Obama-Pelosi-Reid is a recipe for America becoming the next Greece, or Spain, or at best, England. And if becoming one of these half-baked not quite first world countries is what you want, why don't you just move there and let America continue its global excellence. If you are one of the 50% who pay no taxes...definitely vote Democrat. It's in your best interest. The next round of change you can believe in if the Dems win in November will assure you that you will never have to work again and the rich (people who currently pay taxes) will care for you and give you free EVERYTHING.

PROCRASTINATION

Some of my dearest relatives lack organizational skills. The Kitty herself is semi-ditzy and I wish I had a dollar for every time she uttered the words "Oh, Sh*t, I forgot my cell phone can I borrow yours." I do the "Spectacles, testicles, wallet, and comb" check before I leave the house so I do not forget my cell phone, car keys, glasses, wallet, sunglasses, and other items. I have an accountant that pays my regular recurring bills because without this I would have my water and electricity turned off and I couldn't call to get them reconnected because AT and T would have pulled my plug too. EVERY time I get a notice of a meeting or a social engagement I immediately put it in the calendar on my iPhone. This way I only have to remember one thing... "immediately put in iPhone" rather than "the ARK is leaving tomorrow at 9 am.

I'm NOT supposed to....

I had lunch twice with my good friend Gene since my return from Nantucket. We ate at Demetrio's, my favorite cheap restaurant in Sarasota. I asked him yesterday if he has been reading my blog and he replied that he enjoys everything but the politics and reminded me of that old adage "Never discus religion and politics."

This photo is an old poster from WWII that expressed anti-Nazi sentiments. I am sure that there were Americans who were upset about "profiling" people back then just because they wore a swastika on their sleeve and that not being sensitive to their cultural diversity, which wasn't called that back then, was somehow un-American. We are asked today to be understanding of a new foe to the American way of life and to the Judeo-Christian American traditions. Our text books have been found to celebrate other religions at the expense of the majority, and if our President bent over backwards any further to welcome the religion from which all terrorists come, he would get the award for YOGA instructor of the year. Well, it's my blog and I want to talk about funny things, cars, hot chicks with or without bikinis, and yes... politics and religion. If I did not write about the systematic destruction of the way of life of the Greatest Generation, and after that, the way I was brought up to be an American I would but just another clueless citizen (or non-citizen) watching Deal of No Deal or the "Game." Anyone who is not keeping their eye on politics is as the saying goes "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." But then again, 50% of Americans do not pay ANY income tax and have NO SKIN in the game and whine incessantly about all the things government is not giving them because they had the good luck to be born here or sneak over the border. What can we expect of them...just more GIMME. For the other 50%, know that there is no limit to the amount of tax that the government wants you to pay. Sure, they suck it out of your wallet a little at a time like the "FROG in the hot water," and then one day you wake up and realize that you have nothing left and have been economically boiled to death. Then it will be too late for you and your heirs and successors.

UP CLOSE and PERSONAL

When police officers train much of the shooting practice is done at close range. Sure, 100 yards away too, but mostly within 21 feet of "the bad guy." This is because most encounters are at this distance. Notice that the gun is being held in the LEFT hand. That is part of the training too, in case of injury to the usually dominant hand. Our officers in Sarasota are very professional. In addition to learning how to shoot and drive and tackle people and arrest them, they also train in cultural diversity so as to understand the new reality which is America and respect the differences that immigrants bring to our shores. Keeping up with the ever-changing laws is a full time job because every time the Supreme Court is in session (SCOTUS) many of the laws of the land have to be rewritten, or at least case law changes. What was OK last year is a violation of civil rights this year. Search and seizure laws have evolved, the Miranda decision "you have the right to remain silent" gets interpreted differently avery year, and with each new invention...texting, MySpace, etc... uncharted waters are created in which privacy rights and societal safety butt heads.

Cops don't make the laws, legislatures and judges do. But enforcement of those laws is the job of your police department. Part of their job is to be ready for all exigencies to protect and serve the public while not violating the rights of some who are trying to kill us. Tough Job. It's hard to remember when you are pulled over for speeding (never fun), that without them, life would be like a post-apocalyptic movie.

DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE'?

This is the second week back in Sarasota and the Oracle has not practiced what he preached. The necessaries of life seem to have be lurking in wait for me to "come home" and have pig-piled me and blocked my view of the beach. It was my intention to bring with me the "ISLAND" zeitgeist from Nantucket and to live on the island of Siesta Key in the same way. As Robert Burns would say " The best laid plans of mice and men aft gang agley." It is as if I never spent the last 4 months walking all over, riding a bike, and being in the sun. The deferred maintenance of ourselves and our precious possessions (Do I own them or do they own me?) seems to have jumped to the head of the line ahead of strolling down Crescent Beach or even sitting outside on the Deck. The Kitty had to have a little ophthalmological work done. Mike and Grace spent the weekend. And I put everything back where it came from after unloading the SUV on its return from ACK.

The Kitty drives a 2008 Mercedes E-class, one of the few cars we have leased rather than bought. It is traditional looking, runs great, and is very roomy inside. We leased it because a new model was coming out and we did not want to have the old one depreciate excessively because of the radical change. We saw the new model and drove it...twice. Let me just say this to MERCEDES...."What are you guys smoking?" In the interest of style and modern design, they lowered the roof line, raised the door sill height and caused the side windows to be 2/3 the area of our existing car ( can you say claustrophobia?) and the windshield to be raked backwards so much that from the front seat, it's like driving a Corvette. On top of that, they narrowed the seat back so it squeezes my ribs. We also drove the C-class. The interior room is almost the same. The exterior design is less rocket ship and more sports car, and the price is 2/3 of the E-class. Even though this is a smaller and cheaper car, the seat back is more comfortable. My advice to Mercedes... Fire the interior designer who is in charge of your new cars and hire an engineer.

Anyway, this is not a case of "BOO HOO. My Mercedes is dirty." We had trusted the company not to screw up their flagship car. I tried to explain to the dealer why I was not going to be writing a check to them this week but he did his best Deer in the Headlights imitation and clearly, he did not get it. Maybe it's because his stature was closer to the Kitty's 5'2", 100 pounds soaking wet than to mine, and his ass could go places mine feared to tread.... that is to say, he fit in the seat and could see out the front window.

So, we own the GLK 350 SUV and it is great. Excellent visibility, safety, style, and the seats are ginormous. It was big enough to carry the Kitty's shoes and clothes to Nantucket and back. That's pretty big. Why do I digress into the car thing again? This probably goes back to that old rite of passage where ones "wheels" take on great symbolic importance in setting the mood or transporting a person to a special place. The house we live in and the cars we are entombed in with the windows up and the A/C on have insulated us from the world outside. Today is Tuesday and I am going to the beach, even if it is only a one hour walk. Now if only Demetrio's sold lobster rolls.

R I P COMMON SENSE

An Obituary printed in the London Times

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend,Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place by increasingly more powerful government. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home but if you did, the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember

him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.