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Another Tuesday, another presidential primary

Pearl — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:49:59 +0000

Remember the movie Groundhog Day? Part of it was funny; part of it was sheer agony. The thought of living one day over and over again sounds like torture. But the premise that we learn from experience and can avoid making the same mistakes the next time around is the big redeeming value of this life-lesson film.

With the West Virginia primary underway, the teams of journalists, politicians, announcers, analysts and pundits are all gathering in groups at the cable networks’ gizmo-garnished newsrooms for another installment of Primary Coverage, Same Old Story. But since the happy ending for Hillary is mathematically beyond belief, why must we go through this again?

I realize that Hillary has a dream and is giving it the green light until her campaign runs completely out of gas. She has already achieved more (politically) than any other female elected official in U.S. history. But all good and bad things must come to an end. If not tonight, then certainly when the last primary vote is counted next month. And since I am still a disenfranchised voter in Florida, I suggest that the head honcho Democrats, especially Dr. Dean, stop blaming Floridians and Michiganders for the mess about moving the primary dates and do something constructive, for a change.

The country and the world have much more complex problems to solve. Around the globe, neighboring states are at each other’s throat; food shortages are growing and people are starving; the environment is under siege…

If the Democrats can’t figure out a way to clear up the confusion about 2 state primaries, how can they give everyone confidence in their leadership and convince enough Americans to put their nominees in power and fix the really big problems we all face?

Should horse racing be banned?

Pearl — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:46:29 +0000

I confess. About 30 years ago, I spent a pleasant day at the racetrack. My husband and I were visiting family in Miami Beach and we all decided that a day at the races would be fun. It was.

Checking out the parimutuel board, picking horses, placing bets and watching the beasts of burden dash for the finish line were a real rush. Going to the window and getting paid a few dollars for correctly beating the odds was a thrill.

Gambling, though a vice, is perfectly acceptable in most societies. There is something in human nature that rewards us with great feelings of joy and accomplishment when we correctly predict the outcome of events over which we have no real control. And anywhere that a profit can be made, there are bound to be professionals ready to make big bucks. We, the gamblers, occasionally score, but the odds are always against us.

When it comes to betting on sports or even something as unpredictable as the outcome of a political contest, what’s the harm in risking some money on a hunch? If we are wealthy or not, as long as we don’t wager foolishly and put money that is needed to pay for life’s necessities at risk, the government has no business outlawing gambling. Of course, some regulation and oversight is needed to make sure bettors don’t get ripped off. But who are we to take a beautiful animal like a horse and make it do unnatural feats just for our entertainment?

Over the past 30 years since my one day in the grandstand, there have been numerous racing tragedies. The match race between 1975 Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure and filly Ruffian, an award-winning horse that was fondly called “Queen of the Fillies,” had a catastrophic ending. Ruffian hit her shoulder on the starting gate and then, in pain, ran the race but broke her leg in two places. She had to be euthanized and is buried at Belmont Park racetrack in New York.

In 2006, beloved thoroughbred and Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro broke down during the Preakness Stakes in Maryland. Despite valiant efforts to repair his broken leg bones, Barbaro had to be euthanized on January 29, 2007.

With the latest tragedy suffered by Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby last weekend, I’m starting to wonder about horseracing. Was her death the result of just another rare and freak accident? Should horses be bred and trained to carry a jockey on their back and be pushed beyond their natural limits just to entertain us?

Throughout history, horses have been used to help people - provide transportation, pull carts and carriages, and plow fields. But to force them to rush to the finish line just to amuse us and satisfy our desire to pick a winner seems cruel. If people want to wager on contests of speed, why not just allow betting at NASCAR and other people-racing events? Until scientists can read an animal’s mind and know for sure that it is feeling well and up for a sprint, the future of horseracing is in doubt.

Are you prepared for tough times ahead?

Pearl — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:29:44 +0000

Have those of us who live in a city or suburb been lulled into a false sense of security that the government will take care of us, no matter what happens? I used to be. But major catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina and minor events like a recent boil-water alert in my town have taught me that if I don’t make preparations for those “What if?” days, I’m doomed.

Relying on government assistance and assuming that power will always be available and that potable water will flow through my faucets is wishful thinking. While I am definitely not in all-out survival mode, living in Florida and experiencing the loss of services because of hurricanes and just plain everyday occurrences like temporary power outages and possibly contaminated water warnings were wake-up calls that I can’t ignore.

A few years ago, three hurricanes blew through town. Power was out. Cell towers were down. I couldn’t cook, and I couldn’t even boil water. Supplies of ice never got to my neighborhood. Though it was all just an inconvenience, it was also an invaluable lesson.
With news reports of food riots around the globe and rationing of rice in some stores in the U.S., many people are starting to worry that food might be in short supply. Others, probably the majority, have seen astronomical price increases in basic commodities and have decided to stock up. Hoarding is not the way to go, but keeping a sufficient amount of non-perishables at home makes a lot of peace-of-mind and economic sense.

Each spring, Florida residents are reminded to update their hurricane preparedness kit. We are told to buy gallons of bottled water, canned and other ready-to-eat foods, flashlights, batteries, garbage bags and other items for the just-in-case days. We are supposed to stash away enough stuff to maintain our families for 2-4 weeks. For those with special needs, a power generator, fuel to run it and an ample supply of prescribed medicines are on the must-have list, too.

I’m not saying that the sky is falling. But I think we’re all at the point where it makes sense to put away some bottled water and some food staples. There are countless scenarios - computer glitches shutting down the power grid, manmade or naturally occurring disasters - that can result in an interruption of electric service and the unavailability of safe water and food.
With a track record that leaves a lot to be desired, can you count on the government when times get tough? I don’t think it’s worth the gamble.

Are you a whiner or a winner?

Pearl — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:41:21 +0000

Is it my imagination or are prices for everything from gas to groceries going up every single day? It’s real and it’s really scary.
As though that weren’t bad enough, I’ve noticed that many of the shelves at my local supermarkets are not as full as they used to be. I’m not saying that there are food shortages in the U.S., but the stores are not stocked as well as they once were. And the selection of varieties and sizes of products are more limited.
Whine, whine , whine! I can’t help it. I must have a gene that predisposes me to complain.
With the demand for oil increasing, there doesn’t seem to be any ceiling on its price. So, the cost of everything will rise accordingly. As bad as it is for those of us above the poverty level, feeding a family and paying bills for life’s bare necessities must be an overwhelming burden for those very low-wage earners who must depend on the kindness of others to get by.
Community food pantries/banks across the country have reported that the number of people seeking assistance has been skyrocketing. Demand is up and donations are down.
It’s a very depressing situation. But rather than sit back and whine, I am clipping coupons.
In the past few months, my family has donated bags and bags of baby food, breakfast cereal, canned goods and personal hygiene items (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.) to a local pantry. Are we wealthy? No. Are we extremely generous? No. But we have decided to spend a little extra time each week cashing in on some deals at area stores and sharing the bounty with those in need.
Each Sunday, we cut out coupons from the newspaper. A few times each week, we stop by online couponing sites to get the latest on supermarket deals and availability of printable coupons. For just a dollar or two a week, we are able to take advantage of excellent BOGOs (buy one, get one free), new product introductory deals and stuff that turns out to be free or almost-free (after rebate or when you buy another product made by the same manufacturer).
When we have stockpiled a bunch of bargains, we bring them to the pantry. On the grand scale of things, it’s really not much. But if everyone clips some coupons and uses them to keep the pantry shelves full, it’s a start.
The feeling I get on the days that I find an especially great deal at the grocery makes me stop whining for a while and actually makes me feel like a winner. Try it. You’ll like it.

‘Tis the season for making campaign promises

Pearl — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:31:52 +0000

Promises, promises. I’ve heard them all. But just a small fraction of those proclaimed by presidential candidates ever come to pass.
Since U.S. politicians have a long history of unfulfilled promises, why should I start believing them when they pledge to fix the economy, end the war, provide affordable healthcare and correct all of the ills that ail us?
John McCain announced that he wants to give us a “gas-tax holiday” this summer. Bob Dole tried the same campaign tactic when he was running in 1996. Did I ever see even a penny of savings back then? No. And I doubt that legislation to enact a similar plan would ever pass today.
Supposedly, eliminating the 18-cents-per-gallon would save the average driver a few dollars each week for three months. Whoop-dee-doo! Should I get that windfall, what would that money buy? Not much. Maybe a chicken dinner. It would make me feel better, though.
Long ago, a politician promised Americans a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage (backyard). What did he deliver? The Great Depression.
So far, I can still afford the chicken dinner, even without the tax break. As long as my 9-year-old car keeps chugging along, I’m good in the transportation department. But hanging on to the garage? That’s a tough one for millions of us with high mortgage payments and low house values.

How many oops does it take to break a candidate’s backing?

Pearl — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:28:18 +0000

I’m not perfect. I make my share of mistakes. If I say something stupid in the presence of family or friends, I will be reminded of my faux pas in perpetuity. No, my blunders, usually minor and about mundane things like predicting the NY Mets would win the World Series last year, will not be on TV or get millions of viewers on YouTube. My boo-boos will be humbling reference points that my intimate circle will bring up in conversation, and we will all have a good laugh.
I have also misremembered dates and had fuzzy recollections of facts. It’s obvious that the longer you live, the more memories you have to store in your head. Sometimes I feel I have reached my storage capacity and am in overload mode. Accurately recalling dates, remembering the names that go with faces and sometimes just getting the facts straight can be difficult.
Before I go to a wedding or other family get together, I go through some old photo albums and refresh my memories. That works for me, but I’m not vying for the position of Commander-in-Chief of the world’s mightiest military and economic power.
Hillary Clinton’s memories of Bosnia had a little too much Indiana Jones to be considered non-fiction. Barack Obama claimed a Kennedy connection when he misstated that his father had come to the U.S. because of the generosity of the famous family. John McCain has had some senior moments, getting the basic facts wrong on a recent trip to the Middle East and being bailed out by his buddy, Joe Lieberman.
I am willing to overlook some oops and some slips; these candidates have been running on empty 24/7 and they’re only human. But we all have our limits. When patterns of problems appear and reappear, what is the point where we just can’t forgive and forget any longer?

Are average Americans smart enough to pick the next president?

Pearl — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:24:42 +0000

President Bush proudly proclaimed “Mission accomplished” on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003. The war wasn’t and still isn’t over. If the mission was to remove Saddam Hussein from power, I guess you could call that small piece of the puzzle known as Iraq a fait accompli.
But the war went on. All sides suffered thousands of military and civilian casualties. The United States poured billions of dollars down that drain. No end was in sight. And when the American people had the chance to vote Bush and Cheney out of office in November 2004, they didn’t do it.
Are Americans stupid, naïve or both? It’s hard to tell. If you watch TV a lot, as I do, you know that we are a self-deprecating people. We recognize our faults and laugh out loud at our mistakes, missteps and misinformation. We even have a general knowledge game show that invites adults to compete against fifth-graders - 9-11-year-olds - and there is no shortage of grown-up contestants who are eager to reveal just how little they know.
Another indicator of how ignorant many of us are is Jay Leno’s feature on the Tonight Show, Jaywalking. I realize that the recurring bit is probably edited down considerably - watching people answer simple questions correctly is not funny. So what is shown are the many interviewees, regular people on the street, who don’t know diddly-squat about civics, current events, history and geography.
Sure, I chuckled when someone thought that Waterloo was Nixon’s downfall and she had no idea what pleading the fifth means. But I felt sad about the pitiful situation and guilty for laughing about it afterward. It’s really pathetic that so many people are so uninformed.
So, knowing that not everyone is in the know, the Democrats are wheeling and dealing both upfront and behind the scenes. Convention delegates, super-delegates, super-super and super-duper delegates, people whom the Party deems to be brighter than the rest of us, might make the final decision as to who will go up against John McCain. That’s fine with me, up to a point. Before those super-to-the-max delegates are seated at the convention, lock them in a room and make them take a test. Make sure they know who’s buried in Grant’s Tomb.

Democrat Battle Fatigue

Pearl — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:44:57 +0000

The war of words between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has suffered another casualty - me. After faithfully following the verbal fight for the right to represent the Democratic Party in the 2008 presidential election since its inception, I’m maxed out on the jawboning and jabbing; 24/7 of the he-said, she-said, surrogates-said verbal volley finally wore me down, and I‘m taking a break.

For almost two years, I just couldn’t get enough of the candidates’ views and news. I listened to the speeches, watched the wannabes shake hands, kiss babies and promise to make my life better. I was promised change and offered hope for the future. But after the deluge of sound bites and video clips, and the endless hours of pundits slicing and dicing every word and every bit of body language that the candidates exude, I just can’t shake the been-there, done-that, feeling of déjà vu that brings me down.

So, with the writers’ strike over, NBA playoffs about to begin, MLB in full swing and all of my favorite reality shows on each evening, it’s bye-bye to spending prime time with CNN, MSNBC and FOX. I can do without the nitpicking and rehashing for a while. Anything that’s really newsworthy will wait until the 11 o’clock local report. And anything that’s LOL-hysterical will be even funnier when Jay Leno and Jon Stewart wave their magic comedy wand over clips of the candidates’ home runs and strike outs. It’s time to play ball - for real.

Hooked on happiness

Pearl — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:51:09 +0000

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are a few famous words, a snappy phrase that summed up what the framers of the U.S. Constitution foresaw as the American dream. But these guys in powdered wigs had no idea just how hooked on making ourselves happy we would all become. And now it’s going to cost us - big time.
Is the U.S. in a recession? On the brink of a depression? Just undergoing a period of slow economic growth? Take your pick of terms. All I know is that the little things that make me happy are costing a lot more lately. And while, statistically, average earnings are up slightly (but not at all in my home), the increase in cost of those little things that put a bounce in my step is stumbling off the charts.
Remember when the government and the medical profession told everyone to cut out the candy, chuck the potato chips and chocolate cookies, and switch to fruit and veggies?
We’re supposed to have at least 3 servings of veggies and 2 of fruit each day. Now, after surviving Reese’s Pieces withdrawal and learning to like the snacks that are wrapped by Mother Nature, the price of bananas at my local supermarket has gone up 40% since Valentines Day! The apple-a-day that’s supposed to keep the doctor away sets me back a buck!
A loaf of store-brand white bread has had 3 price increases since Christmas, up a whopping 35%. An onion, to me, just an accoutrement and not a real food, costs as much as an orange, here in Florida. Eggs, canned and frozen vegetables, milk and other dairy products have also seen huge price spikes.
The root of this evil increase is high oil prices. It costs more for farmers to operate their tractors and harvesters, more to get the items processed and packed, and more to ship everything at each stage of distribution. But there is an evil twin, too. It’s the push to promote ethanol.
If you could make 10 dollars per acre growing wheat and 20 dollars growing corn… Duh!
Since corn is people food, cattle and poultry food and the source of sweetness in everything from soft drinks to salad dressing, the demand is already high. Using precious farmland to produce fuel is a lose-lose proposition and another obstacle on my road to happiness.
I’ve become spoiled and partly to blame for my own financial misery. I bought into the global economy deal and delighted in eating out-of-season produce. When I was a kid in the 1950s and 1960s, green grapes in summer were such a treat. It was so special when peaches, pears, plums and other natural goodies appeared each June. But in recent years, supermarkets have been selling produce from South America during the winter. And with fuel costs up so much, the pear from Argentina and the grapes from Chile that I have enjoyed on the coldest and darkest December days have become luxury items beyond my budget.
Whine not, want not. I have banana plants in my backyard that yielded a dozen delectable specimens last September. But that still leaves another 51 weeks of buying bananas. I also know that buying locally grown produce is the way to go. But a trip to the farmers market uses about a gallon of gas.
It doesn’t take much to make me happy. But between the cost of gas just to go shopping and the price of produce and the other stuff that keep me going, it’s getting harder to be a happy camper.

My primary concern

Pearl — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:24:01 +0000

When I moved to Florida in 2003, the odds of being blasted by a blizzard seemed better than witnessing another election in which Floridians’ votes would not count. Boy, was I wrong!
After the presidential ballot fiasco here in Florida in 2000, this should be the last place where voters should have to worry about the validity of an election. Anyone with half a brain would think that every aspect of any election - local, statewide and especially one with national ramifications - would be inspected under the media microscope and all votes would count. So, what do the powers that be do? They concoct the perfect political storm and play the blame game.
The Republican Party decided to allow half of the delegates selected in the January primary to be seated at their convention. The Democratic Party, ironically known to be progressive, decided to stick strictly to their rules and refuse to seat any Florida delegates.
And who made the decision to cut in line and move up the primaries? The Florida legislature, with its Republication majority. And who signed off on the jump-the-gun, January date? The Republican governor, Charlie Crist.
The notion that certain states must hold their primaries first and in a specific order seems archaic and so childish, at first glance. But behind the bragging rights and brief time in the spotlight every four years are some big bucks.
Hundreds and sometimes thousands of media members flock to these states at primary time. They stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, take taxis, rent cars and spend lots of money, boosting the local economy wherever they gather. And the money that is pumped into TV, radio and print advertising has that happy ka-ching sound that all cash-strapped states love to hear.
At this point, I’ve heard enough about who is at fault about this situation. I’m looking for a solution. Somebody, fix this. Please! I used about $2 worth of gas to drive to and from my polling place and vote in January. And all that I got was a crumby sticker that said that I voted.

Governor Charlie Crist
http://www.flgov.com/
Election 2000 Florida
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/12/13/got.here/index.html