Your Resolutions

Hello My Dear Friends! It's been so long, hasn't it. As you know, I took a hiatus during the Presidential melee to avoid becoming part of the incessant noise. Little did I know that one side would be such poor losers that the noise would carry on in to the new year! So, I'm back in spite of it all, to help make the new year better. You're welcome. It is that time of year where people make a list of promises to themselves that they will never keep. They're called resolutions and they are, as you well know, a recipe for failure and disappointment.  Anyway, I said to myself 'PoKitty, what can you change to make you a better Kitty and 2017 a better year'? The answer was obvious. You! I'm perfect. The only thing I need to change to make life better is you. You're the problem. So, in the spirit of peace and love, I have compiled a list of changes you need to make to make my life better in the new year. Again, you're welcome.
1.  Please resolve to take a breath. I realize that the recent election was contentious, to say the least, but life will go on. At this point, we are all very aware of how you feel about the outcome. It is not necessary for you to share those feeling, three times a day, every day. As a matter of fact, it's not just unnecessary, it's freaking annoying. We get it. You're not happy. So, take a breath, relax, and give us a break. If you must share your unhappiness, as many of you are only capable of doing, in the form of a Farcebook Meme, could you at least make sure what you're sharing is actually real and true. That would probably cut down the number of memes you share by 99%. I never thought I would long for the day when people posted pictures of the food on Farcebook yet, here we are.
2.  Please resolve to make better decisions. Same as the wisdom that, "just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it"; just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean you should do it!  For instance, stop burning the flag and then saying you mean "no disrespect". That's just stupid. Stop protesting "the rich" by stopping the average person from shopping or going to work. As a matter of fact, just stop protesting "the rich". Success used to be something to be proud of, not scorned. When you block streets and storefronts you're not harming the 1%, you're pissing off the 99% who are just trying to live their lives. You want to change the world? Go to Washington.
3.  Please resolve to grow a pair. I'm serious people. Take your whining, thin skinned, milk and cookies, participation trophy, safe space loving attitudes and pack them away. The world is a tough place for grown ups. If you want to be treated like a grown up, start acting like one. People are going to say and do things that you don't like for the rest of your life, get used to it. There are no 'safe spaces' in the real world, except in your parents basement. So, unless that is where you plan to live for the next 50 years, please, grow a pair.
4.  Please resolve to pay attention. This past Presidential election woke up a lot of people. Kindly stay awake. Case on point: Governor Cuomo signed over 500 bills into law last year alone. They all take effect today or tomorrow. Please obey them all. What? You don't know what they are? Of course you don't. No one does. Those are just state laws. They don't take into account any new federal or local laws or regulations that will also take effect. Each year, hundreds of new laws and regulations are added to the books but few, if any, are ever removed. Adultery is still illegal in New York. It's illegal to shine shoes after 1:00 PM on Sunday. It's illegal to have a puppet show in your window. It is illegal to urinate on birds in New York. How about "Official State Stuff". New York State has an "official" muffin. Yep, It's the apple muffin. The "official" State Snack is Yogurt. The "Official State Insect" is the Ladybug. Add the Bluebird, the Beaver, Brook Trout, Sugar Maple, Garnet, Bay Scallops and Snapping Turtles to the list of Official State Stuff. There are more and each one takes an act by the State Legislature to earn their distinction. That means it costs us money. This is what our elected officials do when we're not paying attention. Let's pay attention.
5.  Finally people, Please resolve to spend more time with family and friends, in person, face to face, where you can hug them, and less time on line in virtual relationships. None of us knows how long we have so let's all resolve to spend at least a little more time with the ones we love while we still can. that, alone, will make 2017 a better year. Be safe My Dear Friends and Happy New Year!
Po

A Little History

Hello My Dear Friends! As you know, I took a break from enlightening you so as not to add to the incessant noise of the election. Now that the election is over, and social media has been overtaken by the "everyone gets a trophy" crowd, I thought I would rejoin the conversation. It occurred to me that a big part of the problem is that, because the "everyone gets a trophy" crowd doesn't have a clue as to what they are talking about, their anger is misplaced. I keep seeing references to "if you don't know history, you'll repeat it". I totally agree. So, since they no longer teach actual history in school, here's a little lesson for you. Let's start from the beginning since the "EGAT" crowd has decided that the Republican Party is the party of hate, racism, homophobia, and the like. Here are some FACTS.
1.  The Republican party was formed in 1854 by anti-slavery activists. In fact, 6 of their 9 point platform dealt with civil rights, equal rights and voting rights for liberated slaves. When Abraham Lincoln was elected as the first Republican President, the Democrats responded by dividing the Union and launching the Civil War and, of course, his assassination. Fun Fact! The first 23 blacks elected to Congress were all Republicans. After losing the Civil War the Democrats proudly formed the KKK to target Republicans and take back Congress. The Republicans passed the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments giving black Americans freedom, citizenship and the right to vote. The Democrat's response brings us to my next point.
2. Jim Crow Laws were established by Democrats. The "separate but equal" state laws, made by democrats in the south, was reinforced by President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat.
3.  During World War II Japanese Americans were rounded up and placed in interment camps. It was yet another dark spot in American history. Who did that? Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat.
4.  In 1993 "Don't Ask Don't Tell", a slap in the face to gays serving in the military was signed into law by Bill Clinton, a Democrat.
5.  In 1996, the "Defense of Marriage Act", a slap in the face to mankind, was signed into law by Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and strongly supported by the First Lady who claimed to have a "Deep moral belief that marriage was between one man and one woman". Yes, they have since "evolved". But that doesn't change history.
So, My Dear Friends, as you wildly riot in the streets because you don't want "History to Repeat Itself", you might want to pull your collective heads out of your asses and contemplate on how you just dodged a bullet.

Respectfully,
Po

Lessons of the Frog

Hello My Dear Friends! Before I get into my thoughts for today, let me first put some concerns to rest. It is true that my health has been failing and I acknowledge that the end, for me, is near. This, however, will not spell the end of this blog. Oh no! Quite the opposite. I have been training my protege, Nava Blue, to pick up where I've left off. So, when the time comes to pass the pen, believe me, she will be ready! Now, on to more important things....
Did you know that if you placed a frog into a boiling pot of water, the frog would jump out. His instinct for survival would take over in the face of imminent danger. But, if you put that same frog into a pot of cold water and slowly increased the temperature, the frog's instinct would be to adapt to the changing environment. He would stay in that pot until the end. Why do I tell you this? Because we, my friends, are becoming that frog and our proverbial pot is our freedom. If someone were to tell you that they were going to take away your freedom, you, like the frog, would fight. Your instinct would be to keep what is yours. Unfortunately, those who seek to take what's yours are never that obvious; never that straight forward. No. Like the slowly rising temperature, those who seek to take what's yours just nibble away, bit by bit, until there's nothing left. We all know what has been happening on college campuses across the Country. Freedom of Speech has all but been eliminated. "Safe spaces" have replaced discussion groups. Conservative speakers have been banned. Critical thinking is shunned. Anyone who dares to challenge the status quo is ostracized. The same people who talk about diversity and acceptance are the first to slap labels, like racist, homophobic, bigot, onto anyone who disagrees with them. An American themed Barbecue was banned at a college in New Jersey because it was deemed "offensive to some students".  Dartmouth College canceled a Luau, calling it "culturally insensitive". Maybe it is. My point is that everything is offensive to someone so where does it end? Little by little, degree by degree, we're being painted in to a corner where the only acceptable behavior will be to walk in lockstep and say nothing. I don't know about you but I don't look good in gray. Now, imagine if you will, that anything you've ever said, every private conversation you've ever had; regardless of context or circumstance; could be broadcast to the world for judgement. How would you fare? Think about it. I'm sure there are some of you who have never uttered an unkind word. I, for one, am not one of those people. Imagine living in a world where anything you say, even in the privacy of your own home, could be used against you at any time. Well, you don't have to imagine it. You're there. Remember the case of Donald Sterling? How about Paula Deen? These were very public cases but it's happening every day to every day people. Where will it end? It won't. You can't, as my Dad used to say, put toothpaste back in the tube. So where do we go from here? The first step, my Dear Friends, is to stop being so offended by everything. Accept the fact that sometimes good people say stupid things. That doesn't make them bad people. Remember when we used to judge people by their actions? That whole 'sticks and stones' thing? It's time to get that mindset back. The temperature is rising people. Jump now or forever hold your peace!
Po

Fact Check This!

Hello My Dear Friends! It has been a while, hasn't it. I've been taking a break during this contentious election season so as not to add to all of the noise. However, sometimes a Cat has to do what a Cat has to do! Now, I realized a long time ago that we are now living in a post-fact era. Meaning "facts" have somehow become irrelevant, an afterthought if you will. Members of the media today are either too dumb or too lazy to check their own facts so they turn to groups like FactCheck.org or Politico and just assume that they are right.  Well, guess what, many times they are not. So, I asked myself, "PoKitty, who do we turn to when the "fact checkers" are as wrong as the facts they are checking"? Well, after a moment of thought I realized that the answer was simple; ME! During and after the Presidential Debate all the talking heads were babbling about 'fact checking this' and 'fact checking that' and one after another repeated the same WRONG information. I was stunned, really. Two particular "facts" caught my attention. The first was the brouhaha over Mr. Trump's assertion that "Stop & Frisk" procedures were NOT ruled unconstitutional. Everyone with a microphone jumped all over him. Lester Holt interrupted him twice to tell him he was wrong. All of the fact checkers said he was wrong. Guess what. He is RIGHT. As a matter of fact, (there's pesky word again), Stop & Frisk as a tactic was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1968. In New York City a Federal District Judge, Shira Scheindlin, ruled that the way the NYPD was conducting their Stop & Frisk policy was racially bias and therefore unconstitutional. She did not, and could not by law, rule Stop & Frisk as a tactic unconstitutional as the Supreme Court had already ruled on the matter. Thems the facts people. Mr. Trump also said that the judge in question was "very anti-police" and was removed from the case by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Also correct. Let me share a couple of notable quotes from Judge Scheindlin. When ruling on the stop & frisk case she said, "It is pervasive in policing policies like stop & frisk and neighborhood watch, regardless of the collateral damage done to the majority of innocents". Yes, Judge Scheindlin also believes Neighborhood Watch is unconstitutional. She also said "Blacks and Hispanics were more likely to be subjected to force than whites, despite the fact that whites are more likely to be found with weapons and contraband".  That is a fact that I am not familiar with. Anyway, to recap. Stop & Frisk as a tactic was NEVER ruled Unconstitutional. Trump is correct. The second "fact" that has been totally twisted also came from Mr. Trump. He said the murder rate in NYC is up. Again the media jumped down his throat. YOUR WRONG! Well, in 2014 there were 328 murders in NYC. In 2015 there were 352. You do the math. Granted, the numbers for 2016 are trending down but 2016 isn't over yet. So, as a matter of Fact, the murder rate in NYC is up. Sorry pundits. Just because someone calls themselves a "fact checker" doesn't mean they are actually dealing in facts. So, here's another fact for you. When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left her post, a routine audit by the Inspector General's office found a whopping $6 billion (that's billion with a "B") unaccounted for. Six Billion Dollars missing. Gee, I wonder why CNN hasn't reported that. It's a fact. Look it up!
Po

Hurl 'em If You've Got 'em

Hello My Dear Friends! As you know, I've been lying low these days. There's just so much nonsense being tossed around that I just don't have the energy to battle it all. Today, however, after reading the lead story of our local paper, I just couldn't help myself. A little background...Wendy Long, a candidate for US Senate, tweeted out some questionable comments last week. Why it took an entire week for her comments to make front page news is a story for another day. Anyway, Long was on the city's Northside where a former Catholic church was converted into a mosque in 2014. Long tweeted: "Neighborhood where the mosque displaced the church. Crime, prostitution, money laundering. Nice Dem control of cities". That tweet was followed by: "Catholic Charities takes federal tax dollars to resettle refugees we can't screen. Leaves the Catholics to ISIS". As I said, questionable comments. But that is not what ticked me off. It was the response. Our illustrious Mayor said "I think it's (Long's comments) exactly what has become the Republican Party. It's xenophobic racism". "She has no objective evidence. She has nothing but a blatant appeal to racism and bigotry". Our self-aggrandizing US Rep added, "She obviously doesn't understand the Northside. I've been to a lot of those minority communities over there - the Bhutanese and everybody else - and I'm telling you right now those people are hard working people".  Okay. That's the background. Now, here's my problem. In this world, where we are soooo quick to slap labels of intolerance on everyone, there comes a point when those who label should actually learn the meaning of the labels they use!  Let me begin with the Mayor. "Xenophobic racism" isn't even a thing. Combining 'red flag' words for impact is juvenile. Long implied that crime followed the opening of a mosque. One would then infer that her issue is with Muslims. Since Muslim is not a race or a national origin, neither xenophobia or racism would apply. If anything, it would be Theophobia or the new and ever popular "Islamophobia". However, since she never implied that she was afraid of Muslims, there is no 'phobia' at all. What you have here is a simple case of prejudice. Here's a funny twist. Your repeated use of the word 'racist' implies that you believe that all Muslims are people of color. Your use of xenophobic implies that you also believe that all Muslims are foreign. Hummm. Someone's got issues. Here's a little more food for thought. Your opinion that Long's comments were "exactly what has become the Republican Party" is, by definition, BIGOTRY. Look it up. As for the Congressman; in the future it may be helpful to remember that referring to a minority group as "those people" is, in fact, racist. So, let's be clear. A "racist" is one who believes that one race is superior to another and the belief that race alone accounts for differences in character and ability. That's why referring to a minority group as "those people", as opposed to all people, is racist. "Xenophobia" is the fear of that which is foreign. Religion is hardly a foreign concept. Bigotry is the intolerance of any belief or opinion that differs from one's own. So, hurling labels at people you disagree with makes you the bigot. So, feel free to continue blindly labeling people, let's just try to use the correct labels moving forward. Thank You!
Po

It’s not the Politics, it’s the Hypocrisy

Hello My Dear Friends. It’s been awhile! I know that I’m not updating you as I should but, the truth of the matter is, I’ve just grown weary of it all. We are being so bombarded with “politics” that there is no escape; no reprieve. I’m not here to bash Hillary or to defend The Donald, I’m here because of a video I saw on Facebook. It really got my cat dander up. It was a video by leftwing blogger Ezra Klein. It wasn’t his video that bugged me. It was the header that read “I dare you to watch this and defend voting for Donald Trump”.  I dare you to watch this, as if he were speaking the Gospel, and defend voting for Donald Trump, as if my vote were anyone’s business but my own. You see, my friends, it’s this type of self-righteous hypocrisy that makes me want to scream. Let’s look at the latest “controversy”.  Donald Trump offended a Gold Star family. I get it. No one has sacrificed more for this Country than Gold Star families and they deserve nothing but respect. Trump was wrong. Let’s just get a little perspective here. During the DNC a Gold Star father called out Donald Trump, questioning if he had ever read the constitution and berating him for “never sacrificing a thing”. In a subsequent interview Trump said, in part, “You saw the mother, she didn’t say anything, maybe she wasn’t allowed to speak, I don’t know”. That set off a firestorm in the media because Trump only questioned whether or not she was allowed to speak because she was a Muslim. This, then morphed into an attack on all Gold Star families and “proof” that Trump was unfit to be President of the United States. OK. Here’s the perspective part. In 2012, a week after the Benghazi attacks that killed 4 Americans, including a US Ambassador and 2 former Navy SEALS, Hillary Clinton met with the parents of Tyrone Woods, one of the former Navy SEALS, and told them their son died in a “spontaneous protest over a YouTube video”. She went on to tell the Woods’ that she would get to the bottom of this and punish those responsible. When the truth came out and we learned that Mrs. Clinton had been lying about what happened, Mrs. Clinton claimed she never told the Woods about the video, affectively called them the liars! Then, when questioned about those inconsistencies before a house panel, Mrs. Clinton said, “What difference, at this point, does it make”. That made “news” for a minute or two and then it was gone.

OK, now, let’s take the names and the politics out of this and just examine the facts. Which do you find more offensive? Questioning whether or not a woman was allowed to speak based on her religion or lying to a family about the death of their son, then calling the grieving parents themselves liars, then saying how their son died was really that important.

I don’t know about you but, it seems to me, that this is yet another case of ‘it’s not what you say, it’s who says what’. But why let a little reality douse a perfectly good firestorm.

Po

Here We Go Again

Hello My Dear Friends. Once again we mourn the result of hate in action. 5 Dallas police officers are dead, 7 others injured, because of one man's hatred of white people. Insanity doesn't begin to describe it. So, the President, never missing an opportunity to push his political agenda, blames guns for the slaughter. Hillary Clinton says "white people have to listen more when African Americans speak", essentially blaming society for the slaughter. Although the protest in Dallas began peaceful, it certainly didn't end that way. As is the case with many of the Black Lives Matter protests, it didn't end peacefully. In this case, 12 officers who were protecting the very protesters who were protesting THEM, were shot in the line of duty. If you go to Twitter and search the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter you'll see an endless stream of praise for the SHOOTER. This is, at the very least, reprehensible. It is about to produce the exact opposite effect that these protesters claim to want. Do you honestly believe that randomly shooting police officers will lead to police officers being less aggressive during encounters with the very people who have called for their execution? Do you? I think we all know that this is going to get worse before it gets better. The long term effects are frightening. First of all, response times as going to slow. Police must be hyper-aware of any situation they're called to. Next, and more importantly,there will be far fewer capable police officers. Would you encourage your sons or daughters to seek a career in law enforcement today? As veteran police officers retire, the pool of replacements will shrink, leaving a shortage that will require the loosening of the qualifications, a lowering of the bar, if you will, for new candidates. That's scary. I can't help but wonder why they do it. What leads a person to pursue a dangerous and, these days, thankless job? It's not the money. The starting salary for a Syracuse police officer is about $41,000. Not chump change but not worth getting killed for either. I can't help but reflect on the case of Syracuse police office Kelsey Francesmone. She received a "man down" call and came upon a crowd of hundreds celebrating Father's Day. While waiting for backup, officer Francesmone heard gunshots. With everything to lose and absolutely nothing to gain, officer Francesmone, thinking innocent people were in danger, ran toward the shots. The crowd rewarded her bravery by attacking her like a pack of wild animals. What happened next, and has become routine today, is the lies. "Witnesses" ran to the media to tell their harrowing tale of how this officer, this Hero, ran into a peaceful gathering and starting shooting. None of the "witnesses" saw anyone else with a gun, no one heard any shots prior to the officers arrival and the man she shot was innocent and unarmed. The media ate it up. Of course when the facts came out, through video and actual witness accounts, we learned the original story was nothing but a pack of lies. Herein lays the root of the problem. "Hands up, don't shoot" was a lie. The viral video out of Louisiana only show the aftermath of the shooting, not what led to it, but that doesn't matter. The fact that the man who was shot had a gun was lost in the shuffle because the girlfriend says he told the officer about it. Did he? I don't know and neither do you. But, again, it doesn't matter. The story was written before any facts were actually in, feeding the police brutality frenzy. This, my friends, is what has to stop. Are there bad cops? Of course there are. Just like there are bad doctors, lawyers or auto mechanics. Police officers, like any other citizen, are INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty. Yes, we need to weed out the bad seeds. If, when the facts are in, it is determined that an officers was unjust in shooting a suspect, then that officer should be prosecuted. This "us" verses "them" mentality is only going to lead to more tragedy. Shooting innocent officers in retaliation for the suspected actions of one is anarchy. Making excuses for it, like poverty, frustration or perceived injustice only emboldens the anarchists. Blaming the guns, instead of the people firing them, is just plain stupid. Can we please stop placing color in front of the lives that matter. Black lives matter, Blue lives matter. All lives matter. While we're at it, can we please stop placing color in front of everything! Wouldn't that be a great first step in the direction of peace? How about, we all take a deep breath and start focusing on the real threats to society, ignorance and hate. I think that, if you take another look at all of these tragedies, you'll see that they all began with one or both of those. Oh, and when an armed police officer says "show me your hands", show them your hands. Rant over.
Po

One Man's Trash...

Hello My Dear Friends! I hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend. It's been a while so kindly indulge me. FBI Director James Comey today said the "investigation" into Hillary's email debacle has concluded. He said Mrs. Clinton was "extremely careless" and "reckless" in the handling of classified information but not "criminal". The Clinton camp declared this a "big win". So, basically, it's good to be stupid. Okay, got it. Let's move on. Don't worry. I'm not going to go on about politics. I'm as bored with it as you are. Let me just say this; You reap what you sew people. You reap what you sew.
Brexit dominated the headlines for weeks. World leaders panned the decision. Wall Street went nuts. The pundits called it unprecedented and dangerous. Really? Unprecedented? Do the words, "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature's God entitle them" ring a bell? How quickly we forget.
Actor Jesse Williams (Dr. Jackson Avery on Grey's Anatomy) received the BET Humanitarian Award for his leadership in the Black Lives Matter movement. In his acceptance speech Williams' said, among other charming things, "We are done watching whiteness use and abuse us". "Police somehow manage to de-escalate, disarm and not kill white people every day". "We are going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we will restructure their function and ours". I don't have the racial breakdown for viewers of Grey's Anatomy but I'm pretty sure that "whiteness" you so disdain is paying your mortgage. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
The solar powered spacecraft Juno has hit it's target and is now orbiting Jupiter. NASA says we will soon have pictures of the 5th rock from the sun! I'm pretty sure it looks like this:

But now we'll know for sure. If you ask me, that's $1,1 Billion dollars well spent!

Po

The Way I See It

Hello My Dear Friends! Today is certainly a day of national sadness. It is unbelievable to me just how much pain and suffering one individual can inflict. How we react says a lot about who we are but, before we react, we need to truly understand what has happened. First, let me say that what happened in Orlando was not a "tragedy". A fatal train derailment is a tragedy, What happened in Orlando was an atrocity. It was an act of evil. Yes, we should be sad but, more importantly we should be angry. 49 innocent souls were lost that day. 49 futures were stolen away. 53 others are fighting to regain their lives. Hundreds of lives have been changed forever. That makes me angry as hell. The President said what happened was "an act of terrorism and a hate crime". I've got news for you. ALL acts of terrorism are hate crimes. A terrorist's sole motivation is hate. This atrocity took place in a gay bar but the killer had no way of knowing whether or not he was killing gays. Plenty of heterosexuals go to gay bars. He pledged his allegiance to ISIS and opened fire on a room full of Infidels. Sharia law, as interpreted by Islamic radicals, proclaims homosexuality a crime punishable by death. So, whether he was an actual ISIS soldier or just an internet wannabe, the outcome is the same. The first truth we need to embrace is that ISIS is HERE. Whether in body or just in spirit, ISIS is here. Now, the first and most predictable reaction was to, once again, start arguing about gun laws. This is, and always has been, a waste of time. You can ban all of the guns you want to and it won't make a damn bit of difference. The bad guys will still get them and, if they can't, they'll improvise. The September 11th killers used box cutters and airplanes. It is illegal to make or possess pipe bombs but that didn't stop the Tsarnaev brothers from blowing up the Boston Marathon. My point is that hate will find a way. It won't make us any safer. The next truth we need to embrace is that there isn't going to be some world wide Kumbaya moment. Love will not find a way. ISIS is a cancer on this planet and the only way to stop a cancer is to eradicate it. As I said earlier, how we react to this atrocity will say a lot about who we are. Will we be France? Turn the other cheek and wait for it to happen again? Or, will we be the United States of America and end this thing once and for all? I, for one, am hoping for the latter. I, for one, say it's time to put an end to the Islamic State. The wolf is at the door. Are we going to hide in the closet or are we going to stand and fight like the greatest nation this world has ever known? This President has been searching for a legacy. Well, this is it. Which side of history do you want to be on Mr. President?

Po

You Don't Say!

Hello My Dear Friends! Thousands of years ago, Cats were worshiped as Gods. I have not forgotten this but, apparently many of you have! My personal physician has gone on maternity leave. Breeders! WTF! I will be interviewing for a temporary replacement ahead of my six month wellness exam. Anyway, enough about me. Let's talk about your healthcare concerns. What? You say. My healthcare concerns? Whatever do you mean PoKitty? Well, let me tell you. The slimy underbelly of the Affordable Care Act is about to be exposed. It's called "reinsurance". That's a program set up in the ACA that reimbursed insurers (with your tax dollars) for losses they incurred by participating in Obamacare. That program expires at the end of this year and, guess what! Yup. Bend over, here it comes. Many insurers, like UnitedHealth and Humana, have dropped out of the program in many states. Others, Like CareFirst Blue Cross of Virginia, are dropping their Bronze (lowest cost) Tier options. That's going to produce about a 70% price increase to consumers. All insurance carriers will be increasing their rates across the board by about 20%. You see, the creators of Obamacare knew their system would never work. Heck, everyone with a brain knew it wouldn't work. "Reinsurance" was built into the ACA to cover up that fact. It was also deliberately created to expire in 2017 so the next President of the United States would have to deal with the fallout. Classy. Who could've seen that coming! Wondering what's going to happen with your insurance? Insurers have to post their rate increase requests on HealthCare.gov by tomorrow. Check it out, if you dare....
A school district in North Carolina is doing away with the Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Why? Because, according to the Wake County School Board, competition for the honor is unhealthy. UNHEALTHY! LOL! Striving to be the best, working hard to be number one, is a little too stressful. Apparently failure is far better for your well being. Mediocrity is better for the soul. How lucky kids are today! It must be amazing to come of age in a vanilla world where success is a burden, safe spaces protect you from controversy, and everyone gets a trophy! Kumbaya My Lord, Kumbaya!
Veterans' Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald yesterday, while being questioned about the on-going problem of long waits for Veterans to be treated at the VA, put everyone's concerns to rest when he said hey, "When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line"? Well, no Mr. McDonald, they don't. Gosh darn it, you have a point! Of course, I don't go to Disney for treatment of pancreatic cancer so the urgency factor isn't really there. But I get you. If you can't fix the problem, mock it! Well done Mr. Secretary. Well done!
Po

Mind;Blown!

Hello My Dear Friends! I have two stories to tell you that I believe highlight why I have doubled my catnip budget. First the story of Braxton Linton. Mr. Linton served 14 months in prison for using sensitive information on his employers computer to steal $70,000 through a credit card scam. Upon leaving prison, he was promptly hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a department head at the VA hospital in Puerto Rico overseeing, of all things, purchasing. After receiving information that Linton was steering contracts to one company in exchange for bribes and investigation was launched. The VA's Inspector General found that the amount spent on contracts had increased 6 fold since Linton took over and that criminal misconduct was taking place. Nothing was done. A deputy director at the hospital notified the Department of Veterans Affairs that Linton and the hospital director DeWayne Hamlin had racked up $1.2 billion (that's BILLION) in "problematic credit card charges" in an 18 MONTH period. Nothing was done. Now a worker at the hospital, who was arrested for Armed Robbery, has been given her job back because, according to VA Under Secretary David Shulkin, "criminal prosecution or conviction for off-duty conduct does not automatically disqualify an individual from federal employment".  It all makes perfect sense once you hear the argument the armed robber used to get her job back. She argued that she couldn't be discriminated against as a felon since the hospital's HR director is a convicted sex offender! I told you it all made perfect sense. Thank Goodness Mr. Obama has cleaned up the Veterans Administration or we would be in real trouble!
Second is the story of William Johnson. Mr. Johnson is apparently a "White Supremacist" who was selected as a delegate from California by the Trump team. Mr. Johnson is the leader of the American Freedom Party which, according to their manifesto, "exists to represent the political interests of white Americans" and to "uphold the customs and heritage of European American people". Mr. Johnson denies that label and explains his organization this way: (I'm paraphrasing here) 'People of every race take pride in their heritage and are encouraged to to do so. African American, Hispanic Americans, Arab Americans all freely and openly celebrate their heritage but, when Caucasian, Anglo Saxon Americans show pride in their heritage they are labeled racists, supremacists or hate mongers. This isn't right nor is it fair. You can be proud to be black; you can be proud to be Hispanic but if you're proud to be white, you're a racist'. He says he doesn't believe that being white makes you better than anyone else (the definition of a supremacist) but he also doesn't believe that being proud of it makes you a racist. Hmmmm. You be the judge.
Po

Just To Be Clear

Hello My Dear Friends! Secretary of State John Kerry, during his commencement speech at Northeastern University, took a shot at Donald Trump by saying "We will never come out on top if we accept advice from sound-bite salesmen and carnival barkers who pretend the most powerful country on earth can remain great by looking inward". Really? So, Mr. Kerry, it is your contention that if America looks inward, to it's people, it will fail? Wow. He went on to say to the graduates that they are embarking on a borderless world". Seriously? I hope they don't take him at his word and wander into Mexico! My point is, Mr. Kerry, like many of his contemporaries, believes that the American people, left to their own devices, would implode and perish. He is, of course, wrong but this is the message he chose to pass on to the next generation of leaders; 'If you look inward you will fail'. Thanks for that, Secretary Kerry. You are a Goober.
A Pennsylvania girl was denied entrance to her prom because she wore a tux. The clearly stated dress code was girls in formal dresses so, she was denied at the door. Whatever. It was a private Catholic school and they have the right to make the rules. However, as a Catholic school, it seems a bit bizarre that this...

is unacceptable, but this....

is perfectly fine. Catholic school has changed A LOT since I was young! Call me crazy but I would rather have my 17-year old daughter covered up a bit but who am I to judge. Rules are rules.

Finally, the Great American Bathroom Law War continues. The Fed is threatening to sue North Carolina if they pass their law banning cross use of bathrooms. I'm sure you know the story. Now, however, with this battle growing more and more contentious, I have a new fear. I read a comment recently from a North Carolina woman who said she was "bringing her gun" into the bathroom to protect herself from the "perverts". Yikes! I have a friend, she's older, wears her hair short, loose clothing, and has, more than once, been mistaken for a man. She has been humiliated, while waiting in line for the bathroom, by morons who say "I think you're in the wrong line" or "This is the line for the ladies room". Not everything or everyone is as they appear. Now we have to worry that a version of said morons might pull out a gun! Is there no end to this nonsense? People, until unisex or family bathrooms are available everywhere, please, just pee, wash your hands and leave. It really is that simple. No eye contact, no chatter, just do your business and be on your way. You have nothing to fear but pee itself!

Po

Thoughts Over Catnip

Hello My Dear Friends! Happy Friday! Last night, 15 minutes before the NFL Draft began, video surfaced of a top draft choice, Laremy Tunsil, sucking on a gas mask bong. Tunsil, who was expected to be drafted first or second, dropped all the way to 13th overall. Lucky for him there wasn't a video of him hitting a woman or he may have dropped to 15th! You've got to love the NFL!
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner called Presidential candidate Ted Cruz "Lucifer in the flesh" and also said of Cruz, "I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life". Not a fan, John? In other Cruz news, Cruz named Carly Fiorina has his running mate. I like Carly Fiorina but Ted Cruz naming a running mate is sort of like the Buffalo Bills naming their starting quarterback for the Super Bowl...a tad premature.
A 25-year old man, who threatened to blow up the Baltimore Fox TV Station, is recovering after being shot by police. The suspect, who had a flash drive he wanted aired on the news, was dressed in a panda bear onesie with a surgical mask and sunglasses. I can see why officials took the threat so seriously! Turns out that the "bomb" was a bunch of candy bars wrapped in plastic with wires sticking out and the flash drive contained a video of the suspect ranting about the government. I can understand the anger over the government but, what I can't understand, is why they make panda bear onesies for men!
About 20 raucous protesters were arrested after a Donald Trump rally in Costa Mesa, California last night. The anti-Trump protesters blocked the road after the event, attended by some 18,000 Trump supporters, damaged vehicles, including police cars, smashed windows, sprayed graffiti and then waved Mexican flags and posed for selfies. Classic! Is it any wonder why Trump is so popular.
The 'Bathroom Wars" continue. Nearly a million people signed a petition to boycott Target stores over their position on allowing customers to use the bathroom/fitting room that matches their gender identity. Target doesn't care. As you may recall, last year there were calls to boycott Target after they removed the signage separating "boys" and "girls" toys. In 2012 a boycott was called for against Target when they starting selling tee shirts to support the Family Equality Council, a group opposing the Defense of Marriage Act. In each case the boycotters got bored after a week or two and moved on. I suspect the same will happen here. Target ranks 92nd on Forbes Most Valuable Brands list with about $74 billion in annual sales. I doubt that a dust up about bathroom assignments is going to change that but, if it really bothers you, try peeing before you leave the house. Enjoy the weekend!
Po

The Beat Goes On

Hello My Dear Friends! I often wonder if there is a light at the end of this tunnel of insanity that has become our day to day existence! Hillary Clinton, in a recent speech, called on Donald Trump to come out of his ivory tower and listen to the common folk. She then went home to her modest little $2 million Westchester Estate, or was it her $2.85 million Washington, DC colonial, maybe the NYC condo. I don't know. I do know that hypocrisy never rests. In other insanity, Ted Cruz and John Kasich have "joined forces" to beat Donald Trump. I've got news for you boys. The windshield doesn't care if it's one bug or two. The windshield always wins. Anyway, enough about politics.
Beyonce's new single "Sorry" has her Beyhive, as it's known, cyber slashing women they believe are "Becky with the good hair". If you're smart enough to NOT know what I'm talking about, the aforementioned "Becky", according to the song, had an affair with Bey's hubby Jay Z. Now, I actually care less about this than I do the Kardashians, however, cyber-bullying is a real problem today and, instead of condemning it, Beyonce seems to be basking in it. Her loyal followers first thought "Becky" was designer Rachel Roy. Well, some of them did. Others confused her with Rachel Ray and started attacking her. Can you imagine Rachel Ray with Jay Z? LOL. Anyway, both Rachel Ray and Rachel Roy were overrun on all social media forums by The Hive. It was brutal. Now they've turned their sights on British singer Rita Ora. When celebrities don't condemn their fans bad behavior, they become responsible for it. Cyber-Bullies, like the Beyhive and Beliebers, adopt a pack mentality and try to one-up each other with their crudeness and cruelty in an attempt to catch the attention of their idol. The problem is, Cyber-Bullies don't just attack celebrities. They attack everyone. 9 teen suicides this year alone have been directly connected to cyber-bullying. It's a real problem. People like Beyonce should be using their power over their followers to stop Cyber-Bullying, not re-tweeting their venom and encouraging the behavior. It's a damn shame when someone as popular as Beyonce will use the Super Bowl halftime show to glorify the Black Panthers but she can't muster the courage to ask her fans not to act like animals.
Po

The Trouble with Protesters

Hello My Dear Friends! As many of you know, on Saturday, the Captors attended the Donald Trump rally at OnCenter. Everyone expected protesters to be on hand, and they were. The problem is, protesters today have no idea what they're doing. Now, I love a good protest as much as anyone. Protesting in an American tradition. People need to be heard. However, on Saturday, we noted the following reasons why today's protesters are just wasting their time and yours. Let's begin outside the event. Prior to the doors opening, there were literally thousands of people in line. The line stretched about a quarter of a mile. Yet there were only about 5 protesters scattered about and one of them was the standard "Repent" guy that goes to everything. At the end of the rally there were hundreds of protesters but they missed their mark. The point of protesting is to change people's minds. The time to change people's minds is before they get where they're going!. Before they absorb the message At the end of a rally, people are energized by what they've heard and on their way home after a long day. Protesters, at this point, are simply a nuisance, a backdrop, white noise. No one is listening. No one cares. So, lesson number 1 protesters, you need to get up and out of Mom's basement a little earlier to affect change. Next is your signage. This goes for both inside and outside the event. I'm not even going to begin to address the grammar and spelling issues since, apparently, these are no longer a priority in our society. You have one chance to get your message across on a sign because most people are walking past you. So, your message needs to be clear and concise. Writing a paragraph on a piece of cardboard is a waste of time and energy (not to mention wasting a tree, which many of you seem to be really concerned about). No one is going to stop and read a long, scribbled message. Print neatly and, PLEASE, make sure you actually have something to say. "Trump Sucks" is not a message. it is, at best, a tee shirt. Next, and this is REALLY IMPORTANT, know your audience. Writing "No Trump" on the American Flag is a really stupid thing to do. To be clear here, WRITING ANYTHING on the American Flag is a bad idea. No matter what you write, if you write it on the American Flag, the only message people see is "I'm a disrespectful little cretin". Seriously, you should know better! Back to the message. There were about 8-10 protesters inside the event. Kudos to those of you who stood around for 5 hours just to get thrown out. At least you showed some commitment to your cause. However, with that kind of commitment, you should have put a little more effort into your "protest". One guy pulled out his hidden sign and jumped up to shout "Trump funded Hillary". Duh! Everyone knows that goober. He even talks about it during his speech. Actually, two guys came to share that revelation. One guy, and this still baffles me, Jumped up with a sign that said "Ambiguous Blvd". You stood around, and I do mean stood, there were no seats, for 5 hours to tell everyone that you could go either way? Wow. Now, I gave this sign way more thought than I should of and I can only come up with this; you meant Ambivalent. You were trying to say that Trump keeps flipping on issues but what your sign said was that you couldn't make up your mind. Oh well, maybe that was worth 5 hours of your time. Finally, and I can't stress this enough, if the best chant you can come up with is "Hey hey, ho ho, (fill in the blank) has got to go", don't chant at all. The sixties called. They're over. You really need to put a little more effort into your anger. So, in conclusion, protesters of today, you're lazy and lack creativity. If you really want to make the world a better place, why don't you start by becoming better protesters!
Po

Thoughts Over Catnip

Hello My Dear Friends! For the past week and, I suspect, during the week to come I have been receiving 3-4 political calls per day. Most are robo-calls asking for push-button answers to a host of stupid questions. I, for one, always give the opposite answer of what I believe or, if given the chance, choose the most outrageous option available. I do the same thing with "where are they now" questionnaires from college and the like. The last one of those I filled out I said I was studying the cotton-top tamarin monkey in the rain forests of Colombia. I never heard from them again. I do this, not just to mess with them, but because I don't think it's any of their business. Today an actual human being called to ask about my political views. Oh Joy! The conversation went something like this:
Goober: If the election were held today, who would you vote for?
Me: For whom
Goober: I beg your pardon.
Me: You said who would you vote for. It's for whom would you vote.
Goober: Okay. So who would, or, er, um whom would it be.
Me: Bernie Sanders, unless it's raining, then John Kasich
Goober: Ooookay, so Bernie Sanders?
Me: Unless it's raining. It's bad luck to vote for Socialists in the rain. Even Democratic Socialists.
Goober: Thanks for your time...click
We didn't even get to talk about the issues! Oh well, next time.
Remember when television commercials were entertaining? Many of them now are just baffling. Take Liberty Mutual Insurance. There message appears to be "Hey, we'll insure any idiot on the road"! Have you seen the one with the couple who claim to have had "a perfect driving record" until one of them hits a food truck. They're upset because their insurance company raised their rates. You hit a freaking food truck! Do you know how big they are? You're a hazard. You shouldn't even be on the road. Then there's that on-line University of Phoenix commercial where the girl is singing to the tune of "If I Only Had A Brain". A verse in it says "took two bullets to the chest, got three kids, I never rest, and I've also got a brain". Really? LOL! Could have fooled me. I have no idea what that has to do with choosing a University but more power to you!
Finally, the debate over White Privilege roars on with many Universities holding workshops and retreats to address the issue. For those of us who are clueless to our obvious White Privilege, Mount Holyoke College has cleared it up for us. Excerpts from their website, "White Privilege is a set of advantages and/or immunities that white people benefit from on a daily basis. The inability to recognize that many of the advantages that whites hold are a direct result of the disadvantages of other people. It's about thinking that your clothes, manner of speech, and behavior in general, are racially neutral when, if fact, they are white. It's about not having to assume your daily interactions with people have racial overtones." I hope that clears it up for you. Now, go and enjoy the weekend!
Po

You Think That, Do You?

Hello My Dear Friends! There's a new "campaign" afoot, calling themselves "Democracy Spring". It's not so clever spin on the "Arab Spring" which, as you know, ended in disaster. Hundreds of protesters marched from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. to stage a sit-in at the capitol. About 400 of them were promptly arrested because, in their quest to change the laws, they forgot about the law against illegal assembly. That aside, I watched in amusement as speaker after speaker educated the crowd about how this Democracy should work. What amused me most is the fact that none of them seemed to know that we don't live in a Democracy. The United States of America, last time I checked, is a Republic, not a Democracy. The difference? A little thing called the Constitution. Apparently they don't teach this in school anymore so indulge me. In a Democracy, like India, majority rules, period. There are no individual protections. This is never good for the minority. American is a Republic, governed by the rule of law. Both forms of government use a representational system where citizens elect politicians to represent them. However, in a Republic the constitution protects individual rights that can not be taken away by the government. In a Democracy the majority can impose it's will on the minority. One way to look at it is: A Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what's for lunch. A Republic is two wolves deciding what's for lunch and a well armed lamb contesting that decision. Anyway, my point is, before you demand a change in government you should probably find out what type of government you actually have!
Now, from Democracy to Hypocrisy! On Saturday at the Inner Circle, which is a media roast of politicians, NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio and Hillary Clinton closed the show with a little skit. In the skit, Hillary says to DeBlasio, "You could've endorsed me a little sooner Bill" to which DeBlasio replies, "Sorry Hillary, I was running on C.P. time". A reference to the incredibly racist "colored people time" implying chronic lateness. After some awkward laughter they went on to say "cautious politician time". Everyone had a good laugh and that was the end of it. Can you even imagine what would have happened if that same exact skit was performed by Donald Trump? Once again proving it's not what you say, it's who says what.
Finally, let me address these "bathroom" laws that have passed in North Carolina and Tennessee and are pending in South Carolina and other states. Supporters are hiding behind a "religious freedom" smokescreen. That's nonsense. I can't even fathom what religion and urination have in common. They're spouting off about predators posing as transgendered people, sneaking into bathrooms to accost little girls. Seriously? Unisex bathrooms are a necessity for many reasons with transgendered people being a small part. Mothers with young sons or fathers with young daughters need a place to go. It's far more unsafe to send a small child alone into a public bathroom than it is for their opposite sex parent to be in said bathroom. Also, there are elderly people who need assistance. If an elderly couple is out and the one who needs assistance has to go, what are they supposed to do? If not for unisex bathrooms they would have no where to turn. But the haters don't care about these folks. They're focused on persecuting people they simply don't understand. So, in their infinite ignorance, they pass laws that punish and discriminate. Let's face it people. You can call it religious freedom or gender protection but you're not fooling anyone. It wasn't about the water fountains in the 50s and it's not about the bathrooms today. It's about ignorance and hate. Stop hiding behind manufactured fears, reasons and causes. If you want to be a hater, just stand up and be one.
Po

Thoughts Over Catnip

Hello My Dear Friends! Happy Friday! It's currently 31 degrees and snowing in Syracuse. Thank God for wine, weekends and catnip! So, a 20 year Pittsburgh TV news veteran was fired last week after a post she put on her personal Facebook page was deemed "racist". Wendy Bell wrote, after a mass shooting at a backyard cookout that left 6 people dead, that, among other things, "You needn't be be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers. They are young black men in their teens or early 20s. These boys have been in the system before. They've grown up there. They know the police. They've been arrested before". The problem is that, at the time she wrote this, police hadn't named any suspects and no arrests had been made. As it turns out, the "persons of interest" in this shooting match Bell's description to a tee but, because she assumed the shooters were young black men, she is a racist who can not be allowed to work. Go figure.
Moment of Zen: When you use a bottle opener, you become a bottle opener.
The post office announced that, for the first time in 97 years, they were lowering the price of a first class stamp from $0.49 to $0.47. This would be great news but for the fact that they didn't bother telling anyone as they sold them Forever Stamps at $0.49 apiece. A little heads up would have been nice Mr. Postmaster!
4 Mexican gunmen, who were dressed like Federal Officers and driving a vehicle painted and outfitted exactly like an official vehicle, were arrested in Michoacan by the real Feds. What gave them away? They misspelled the word "division" on the side of the car. It's nice to know that every Country has stupid criminals, not just ours.
Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta told CNN that, if Mrs. Clinton is elected, she will have all of the Government's alien related documents regarding Area 51 in Nevada declassified. Says Podesta, "That's a commitment she intends to keep and that I intend to hold her to".  Podesta went on to say that, "There are a lot of planets out there, Americans can handle the truth". Yikes! A Couple of thoughts here. First, Mr. Podesta, I think you've misunderstood the current controversy over aliens in America. Second, Mrs. Clinton does have to declassify any documents, she can just email them to you. And, finally, Mr. Podesta, I would think you would be aiming for a lower profile while this whole Panama Papers scandal works itself out. Why? Because, as you will learn as this story unfolds, one of the key players in hiding these ill-gotten gains and lobbying Washington on behalf of the players, is none other than Mr. Podesta's brother Tony. Stay tuned! Enjoy the Weekend!
Po

Grab the Rope!

Hello My Dear Friends! Sometimes I hear people speak and I can't help but wonder when their tether to reality slipped away. I just pray that said tether is not out of reach, Please consider the following: 

President Obama boldly proclaimed that his signature healthcare law: “is working exactly as it's supposed to.” Really? Ever since the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) became law, a panoply of problems have plagued it, the most pernicious of which is fraud. Obamacare requires verification of applicant data for federal subsidies. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is in charge of that. But, a report from Government Accountability Office (GAO) in February found that, “CMS does not track or analyze aggregate outcomes of queries.” That means that, just because the information you supplied was false, you still get approved! The GAO found that in 2014, 431,000 applications with $1.7 billion in subsidies had unresolved inconsistencies. CMS failed to resolve Social Security number inconsistencies for about 35,000 applications totaling $154 million in subsidies and incarceration inconsistencies  (that would be prisoners) for about 22,000 applications worth $68 million. So the GAO ran a “secret shopper” investigation to test whether the system was able to detect and prevent falsified applications from being accepted. Out of the 12 fictitious identities that applied for taxpayer subsidies, 11 were approved. That’s a 91% failure rate. Is the Government aware of the problem? Well....

A December 2015 report from the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that CMS could not verify whether advance premium tax credit payments were only going to those who had actually paid their premiums.
A September 2015 report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) said that Obamacare exchanges were unable to send accurate tax data to the IRS.
An August 2015 HHS OIG report discovered that the Obamacare website, Healthcare.gov, failed to verify the citizenship of new enrollees.
An HHS OIG report on June 16, 2015 found that at least $2.8 billion worth of Obamacare subsides were paid out without any verification at all. Who knew that was “exactly the way it was supposed to work”! Grab the rope Mr. President, reality may not be out of reach!
A black student at San Francisco State University accosted a white student because he had dreadlocks. The aggressor, Bonita Tindle, accused the other student, Cory Goldstein, of "cultural appropriation". She actually put hands on him while attempting to "educate him". Tindle claimed that dreadlocks were her culture, not his, and he had no right to wear them. Now, let's assume that no one knows that dreadlocks actually trace back to ancient Greece, and not just Ms. Tindle. Let's also assume that hairstyles are actually cultural. Does this mean that every African American that straightens and colors their hair is a racist? Of course not. It means that Ms. Tindle is nuts and should be treated as such. Grab the rope Bonita, if it's not already out of reach.

One more...At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee yesterday, outside of a Donald Trump town hall meeting, there was a group of protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement. The leader of the protest stood on the American flag and said (I am quoting here) "F*uck this flag, f*uck this Country, this red, white and blue sh*t is the new swastika".  What can I say. That ship as sailed and there isn't a tether long enough to pull that guy back. Oh this new generation! The future is just so bright! I can not wait until they're the ones running the show!

Po

Some People!

Hello My Dear Friends! As we have discussed many times, America is quickly losing it's collective sense of humor. That realization was underscored today by the following conversation. As the Captor drove home from work, she encountered at a red light an Off-Ramp Entrepreneur or ORE. The ORE held a sign which read "Drive Safe, Need Help, God Bless You" so the Captor rolled down the window and the following exchange occurred:
Captor: "Your sign should read drive safe-ly, not safe"
ORE:    "What"?
Captor:  "Your sign is grammatically incorrect. It should read drive safely, not drive safe".
ORE:     "F@#k You Bitch"!
Captor:  "Well, your sign says need help. I was just trying to help".
ORE:     "F#@king Asshole"!
Boy, try to help some people.
 Did you hear about the inmate in Seattle who went before the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board, a branch of the Washington State department of Corrections, in an attempt to get his 3 life term sentence reduced. The 57 year old inmate has already served 35 years for his roll in the brutal murders of 3 people in 1980. The board reviewed his case, took in to consideration that he had been a model prisoner for the past 3 decades and then, not only denied his request, they added 20 years to his sentence! The board determined that his "egregious behavior" demanded a more severe sentence. LOL. I think that's pretty funny, although I doubt the aforementioned inmate agrees.
The case of Hulk Hogan vs Gawker rolls on. In case you haven't heard (or cared) Hogan is suing the notorious website for publishing excerpts from his sex tape without permission. The site's editor, in a deposition, was asked where he would draw the line with a celebrity sex video. AJ Daulerio, who is no longer employed by Gawker, replied "If they were a child". He was then asked "under what age"? Daulerio's response..."four". Yikes! He now claims he was joking but....very few people find child abuse funny. You have to think that comment really helped Hogan's case. We'll see.
Po

Political Shaming

Hello My Dear Friends! As you know, I generally try to stay away from political banter as many of you simply aren't interested. So, for those of you who fall into that category, stop reading now. I realize that most people aren't political junkies like I am. That's fine. I also realize that many people get their political information from social media which, of course, is goofy. Now, on a side note, my friend Geri Lynne has asked for a mention in the blog so, from this point forward, when I mention "crazy libs", you're welcome Geri! I think we can all agree that this election is unlike any other that we've seen. The vitriolic nature of this election has reached an unbelievable level but, in my humble opinion, there's more here than meets the eye. There is a new wave of political discourse now, it's "political shaming" and it's reached a fever pitch. Now, I am a huge fan of political debate. The free exchange of opposing ideas is what made this country great. I can honestly say that many of my closest friends are democrats with some even reaching the level of crazy libs! I know that we will never agree on politics but that doesn't make me love them any less. We can discuss (argue) about politics any time, and they we move on, with respect for one another. This is no longer the case across America. Today's political discourse is fueled with disrespect and, in many cases, hate. There is no more free exchange of ideas. Conservative speakers have all but been banned from college campuses, leaving an entire generation with a one sided view of the world. Those who speak out against the out of control liberal policies of the current leadership are called racists, bigots, gun loving red necks, homophobic, xenophobic, anti-American zealots. There are pundits and various members of the media who do nothing but scour speeches and public statements looking for anything the can label politically incorrect and then take that statement and use it to batter the speaker into submission. We saw former democratic Presidential candidate Martin O'Malley apologize for saying "all lives matter" at a liberal convention. Most comedians will no longer perform on college campuses because of this hunt for hate. It's ridiculous. Republican actors have said that they won't discuss politics publicly because of the backlash in Hollywood. Not that I care what actors think but, again, it leaves a gaping one sided conversation. It is exactly this behavior that has created the ever growing Trump Train. You will hear everyone on the left, and most in the media, try to paint all Trump supporters as under-educated rednecks. This simply isn't true but truth doesn't play any more. Trump supporter are men and women of all education levels, races and financial levels. Trump supporters are those people who are sick and tired of being beaten down by the ruling class and want to blow the system up. In spite of everything we're being told and all of the conclusions that are being drawn, let me throw a few facts at you. First, on the republican side where 'politics as usual' or, as it's being called, 'the establishment' is fighting for it's life. Their favorite line has been, paraphrasing here, if Trump has 40% support and Cruz and Rubio have 30% apiece, that's 60% of republicans that don't want Trump. Ok. That same equation also means that 70% don't want Cruz or Rubio respectively. They also say that Trump isn't a true conservative. Um, ya. That's what most people like about him. When was the last time a true conservative was elected President? Lincoln? Every politician, republican or democrat likes to compare themselves to Ronald Reagan. Reagan was a fiscal conservative. But when it came to social matters he was middle of the road. Under today's definition of a real conservative, sorry to bust your bubble, but Reagan wasn't it. It's time to get real. Most Americans are still in the middle. They are the silent majority. Silent, because of the aforementioned shaming. Next, as you follow the primaries, you will see that Ted Cruz has only won in states with closed caucuses. Caucuses, as you know, are where people openly announce and discuss their candidate. Keeping the political shaming scenario in mind, is it any wonder why people in caucuses tend to shy away from the controversial Trump? In every single state where people "close the curtain" and privately pull the lever, Trump has won. Every single one. Coincidence? I think not. The final argument being made by the establishment is that Trump can't beat Hillary. Well, let's take a look at the democratic primaries. The majority of states that Hillary has won; Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, etc, are RED states. Red states have voted republican in the last four Presidential elections. Meaning these are states Hillary will not win in the general election. In the traditionally BLUE states; Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, Bernie Sanders has won. Meaning democrats are not rallying around Hillary as the media would have you believe. Funny things happen when voters pull that curtain closed. In exit polls in Vermont and New Hampshire, when voters were asked who they supported the majority said Bernie Sanders. When they were asked who their second choice was, the majority said Donald Trump. Do what you want with that little tidbit. In spite of all of the labeling and name calling; the anti-American, war on women, exclusionary republican party verses the diversity loving, all inclusive democratic party, the republicans put forth a selection of candidates including a woman, a black man and two Hispanics. The democrats offered three white senior citizens. Go figure.
Po

Thoughts Over Catnip

Hello My Dear Friends! Happy Friday! Did you hear about the South Carolina teacher who was forced to resign after "compromising" photos of her were disseminated throughout the student body? Funny story. It seems that the high school teacher was in the hallway greeting students as they entered class when one student, a 16 year old boy, snatched her cellphone off of her desk, scrolled through it, found the photos and sent them to himself. He then sent them on to everyone else. The school board ruled that it was the teachers fault because she had left her phone unattended and unlocked. In other words, she should have seen this coming. The teacher should have assumed that anything left unattended would be stolen since there are apparently no repercussions for stealing! Guess what happened to the student. Yep, absolutely nothing! Welcome to the world of blame the victim....
Speaking of victims, authorities have allegedly uncovered a knife, that was found by a contractor, buried in OJ Simpson's backyard. The story is bizarre. They say that the contractor, who was tearing down Simpson's Brentwood estate, found the knife and turned it over to a police officer, IN 1998! The officer, who was a traffic cop working on a movie set at the time, kept the knife as a souvenir until a few months ago. The cop, who is now retiring, decided to turn the knife over to investigators before he left. That knife is now being tested by forensic specialists. Can you imagine! Let me start by saying that the whole story sounds pretty fishy to me. However, even if it is true, it makes no difference. Simpson was already tried and acquitted. He can't be retried. The only thing that could possibly come of it is to finally prove, to the only 12 people on the planet (the jury) who didn't already know, that OJ did it. Shocking!
Police in Payette, Idaho have arrested 4 teenage boys, 3 in high school and 1 in middle school, for setting fire to the principal's home, with he and his family inside. No one was injured. The teens were allegedly upset because the principal suspended 2 of them earlier in the week. Do you know how police caught them? Surprise, surprise, they bragged about it on social media! They're all facing adult felony charges. If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times, prisons are not overcrowded because of tougher laws, they're overcrowded because of dumber criminals! Enjoy the weekend!
Po

Brilliant!

Hello My Dear Friends. I am slowly recovering from my wild Birthday Bash! Thank you to all of you who came to worship me on the anniversary of my birth! Moving on. The brain trust that is the New York State Board of Regents has voted to allow undocumented workers, that would be illegal aliens, to apply for their teaching license. They've also opened up 52 other professional licenses to illegals. Among them are pharmacists, engineers, nurses, dentists and more. The BOR says we shouldn't be "shutting the door on their dreams". It's funny, really, because if they had registered to be citizens we wouldn't be discussing whether or not they should register to be nurses.  I Love NY!
So, as this cantankerous Presidential primary season drags on, I am continuously awed by how clueless some people are. Case on point; Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse. The first term republican says he will not support Donald Trump, even if he wins the nomination. Translation: I know more than the voters do so I will do want I want, not what you want. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is encouraging republicans up for re-election to verbally attack Mr.Trump. It doesn't matter to me how you feel about Donald Trump, love him or hate him, that's your right. However, what you're hearing from the likes of McConnell and Sasse, is politics as usual gasping for air. After all that has happened, these two Goobers still don't see that it is exactly this behavior that gave rise to Donald Trump. The Trump Phenomenon, as well as the Bernie Sanders Experiment, is the average voter shouting at the top of their lungs, ENOUGH! Enough of the ruling class. Enough of politics as usual. Enough corruption. Enough of voting your will and not mine. Enough career politicians. Enough gridlock. Enough of thinking you know better. Enough all ready. Sasse proudly stood and said he didn't care what the voters wanted. He would do what he wanted. That is not what you were elected to do. That's not what any of you were elected to do. You were sent to Washington to represent us, not rule us. You are elected to carry out the will of the people. Perhaps you should think about that.
Cal State University's Young Americans Foundation invited conservative writer Ben Shapiro to campus to speak on 'free speech in America'. Know what happened? Yup. Student and faculty protesters shut it down. Oh, and the university threatened to pull the funding of the student group. Protesters say they wanted to promote "the value of safe spaces" on campus. Apparently free speech makes college students feel unsafe. Anyway, You'll be happy to hear that the scheduled speech by radical communist Angela Davis will go on as scheduled.
Finally, The Oscars were held last night (yawn) and Leo Dicaprio used his pity award to once again show what a moron he is. Leo gave a heartwarming soliloquy on the imminent dangers of global warming. As an example of the problem he described how they had to move the filming of his movie, The Revenant, "to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow". That probably had more to do with El Nino than global warming but, with that said, what size carbon footprint do you think moving a thousand person Hollywood movie crew from Alberta, Canada to Argentina left, Mr. Dicaprio? How much of the pristine landscape of Tierra del Fuego was trampled by your film crew? If you are so passionate about global warming Mr. Dicaprio, you should try practicing what you preach.

Thoughts Over Catnip

Hello My Dear Friends! Tomorrow, my minions all plan to gather here at the prison, making the birth of their greatest blessing, ME! That's right. My birthday is actually Monday, February 29th. I am a leap Kitty, so technically I will be 4. In reality this will mark my 16th year or, in Kitty years, I will be turning 80! With age comes wisdom so, as I often do heading into the weekend, let me lay some wisdom on you...
After last night's republican debate, the political "pundits" said the overall winner was the democrats. Really? It's funny. In all my years I have never heard one person say, 'I'm a republican but I don't like these guys. I'd rather vote for a socialist'! I don't think so.
Former model Cheryl Tiegs slammed Sports Illustrated and their full figured cover girl Ashley Graham saying SI was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle. Said Tiegs, "I don't like that were talking about full-figured women because it's glamorizing them because your waist should be smaller than 35 inches".  Yikes! I truly dislike people who judge others on their appearance but, in this case, Tiegs may have a point. Look how unhealthy this woman is...

It almost makes to want you to call 911. She looks like she could drop at any moment! Thank goodness that plastic surgery isn't unhealthy or Tiegs would be in trouble herself...

Who looks healthier to you? Yep. Me too. Anyway. Can we please stop making woman above size 2 feel inferior. To quote Carole King, "You're beautiful as you feel". Oh ya, screw you Cheryl Tiegs!

Finally, at the Menlo Park campus of Facebook, Inc, thay have what they call "Free Expression Walls". Employees are encouraged to freely express themselves on chalkboards hung around the campus. Apparently, "freely" is a relative term at Facebook. It seems that one of the employees chose to freely change a "black lives matter" entry to "all lives matter". That's a no no at Facebook. King Zuckerberg called the expression "malicious" and sent out a memo saying that "this has been a deeply hurtful and tiresome experience"" and they were "investigating the current incident". So much for free expression! Enjoy the weekend!

Po

Thoughts Over Catnip

Hello My Dear Friends! Happy Friday. I remember a time when companies actually appreciated your business. When a deal was a deal and the customers was usually, if not always, right. Boy are those days gone. The captor is in the middle of a dispute with DirecTV. The bottom line is that DirecTV could not deliver what they promised. Their service was sketchy at best, they "accidentally" overcharged the account and offered misleading, to say the least, information. They are a disreputable company. So, after explaining to them the reasons why it was time to sever ties, DirecTV says they are owed $200 for early termination. Now, I fully understand early termination fees, however, not when it is the company's fault. The service was terminated because it didn't work. This seems to be lost on DirecTV. So here is my point; for a one time payment of $200, DirecTV went from a former user who would have walked away and said "it just didn't work for me" to this, an angry consumer who feels cheated and plans to share those feeling with anyone who asks for the rest of her natural life. Was it worth it? Only time will tell....
Irony 101...Yesterday a friend "liked" my last posting and then "shared" one of those damn political memes filled with untruths, all in one Farcebook sitting! I'm still scratching my head over which one she didn't actually read...
President Obama has decided to blow off Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's funeral. He and the Mrs. will swing by the Court today to pay their "respects" although that rings a little hollow since the respectful thing would be to attend the funeral. You can't really blame him. The funeral is on Saturday and good tee times are hard to get....
I'm sure you've heard about the flap over Beyonce's Super Bowl Halftime Show. She, for some reason, paid homage to the Black Panthers and Black Lives Matter groups during her performance. That made a lot of people, especially law enforcement, angry. Well, here comes the payback. Police in Miami are refusing to provide security for her upcoming concert. It is a voluntary assignment and they have decided, en masse, to decline. They have called on their brethren in other cities to do the same. You had to see this coming, right? Color me Blue. I side with the Police....
Finally, Medical Daily magazine had a Psychologist analyze Kayne West's tweets to offer some insight into the, shall we say volatile, musician. After much study Dr. Jean Twenge declared that Mr. West is a narcissist! Wow. Thank you Dr. Obvious. We never would have figured that out without your help! Enjoy the weekend!
Po