Remember...
On this Memorial Day, let us pause to remember those men and women who served our country well and who gave their lives that we might be free. It is the least we can do.
#266 (05-27)
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Pains in the ass get promoted, loyalists stay at their looms
I believe John Bolton was nominated for the post at the United Nations because SecState Condie Rice wants him gone from Foggy Bottom where he is like a bull in a china shop, giving rise once again to the theory that a government employee who is a pain the ass gets promoted and the plucky, hard working loyalist stays at his loom.
#265 (05-26)
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National Identity Card (Part II) - An opposite view point
A reader offers these opposing views on National Identity Cards (see #263 (05-24, below.)
"I'm afraid this is an issue on which I must respectfully disagree. In fact, rather than having the notoriously inefficient states upgrade drivers license application procedures on their own to require real proof of identity, I'd like to see the federal government simply move to national id cards for all citizens and legal aliens.

"Admittedly, I do not think that such a card would lead to the catching of many, perhaps any, terrorists directly. However, it would make their evil purposes much harder if they were unable to purchase plane tickets and establish bank accounts and get drivers licenses. Such a card, which might well replace traditional passports, would also make it much easier for those who travel legitimately to cross our borders, while deterring terrorists.

"The border crossing issue would be a great benefit of such a card. For too long I have listened to politicians, primarily Republicans, speak of securing our borders against terrorists and illegal immigrants. The simple truth is that they have seen to it that border security remains under funded and inefficient to provide a source of cheap labor for their businesses. Requiring a national id card to work, combined with real penalties for businesses that did not comply, would be a great step toward ending this problem. I admit that some lessening of profits and cost adjustments would occur as we moved toward a minimum wage on which legal workers could actually live but these might well be accompanied by a lessening of the tax burden legal workers and their employers, large and small, now pay to subsidize the illegals and their employers. Some of the savings might even be diverted to actually adequate border surveillance and catching some terrorists..

"I realize that many, particularly those with memories of World War Two and the ways of the "Iron Curtain" states, have very negative feelings on the matter of national id cards here. The simple fact is that we have long had them, as financial institutions and state and local agencies have forced our social security cards to become something they were never intended to be. In our technological age, a real id card would lessen our liberties no more but provide the benefits I have mentioned."

Sincerely,
JRH Garden City Beach SC
#264 (05-25)
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National Identity Card
The New York Times this morning has a major story about the administration's push to take over the drivers' license programs in the individual states by mandating requirements that states obtain proof of residence and citizenship of applicants before issuing a license which in itself must meet new federal standards. Critics charge such federal mandates will cost the states more than $500 million, to say nothing of the intrusion into personal liberties. The resulting data base of the nation's drivers will be subject to theft of identities, social security numbers and other personal data. This is the first step to a national identify card, usually required by oppressive rulers and dictatorships. Is there anyone out there who thinks all of this will stop a dedicated terrorist from getting a driver's license?
We need some balance in the equation between national security and personal liberties, the latter being the cornerstone of our Republic.
#263 (05-24)
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Charleston Photos and a work in progress
In the left column (and on the links page) there are links to a budding photographer's work in and around Charleston, SC, including homes, public buildings, events and the like. A proud father invites you to visit and view some of these fine pictures taken by my son.
#262 (05-23)
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Passport Paranoia
The Wall Street Journal (April 18, 2005) correctly editorialized against the Homeland Security plan to require passports of all citizens crossing the Canadian and Mexican borders starting in 2006. Millions cross daily according to the Journal and President Bush, who was, after all, the Governor of Texas. The editorial quoted President Bush: "I thought there was a better way to expedite the legal flow of traffic and people." The Journal went on to say the passport thing was a bureaucratic burden on law abiding Americans, it lets officials cover their butts, and is another "needless" cost and hassle.
#261 (05-22)
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Pope dies
Today Pope John Paul II died in Rome. I saw the Pope three times: once in Columbia, SC, in 1987 and twice during Easter Week in Rome in 1995. The occasions in Rome left the strongest feelings. They were both in St. Peter's amid thousands of worshippers. As he processed down the aisle a large gathering of young people from Poland cheered and called his name. He smiled, reached out to them and moved on. It was obvious how well he was loved. When he was shot in 1981 I told David Kern, a UPI reporter, that "God will take care of the Pope, I worry about Poland." Pope John Paul II will be remembered as one of the greatest men ever to serve as Pope.
#260 (05-21)
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Comments received

"Unless there is oil in Sudan our government will not make any real effort to help. Perhaps if we weren't so occupied in Iraq we could actually defend humanity." (From MA in SC)
"We saw this (Hotel Rwanda) last week. Awesome movie. Hard to believe humans can be so cruel to each other." (From HC in SC)
#259 (05-20)
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Sometimes in April

Watching this HBO original movie was like eating light at a buffet where you pick out a single dish from the many offered. This well-done film plucks one man’s story out of the totality of the 1994 Rwanda experience, and in the process tries to explain how this black holocaust started and why one part of a nation turned on another and massacred an estimated 800,000 men, women and children. In the Nazi era in Germany, and especially the Stalin era in the Soviet Union, there were those ordinary citizens who silently participated through “many forms of collaboration and compromise,” whereas in Rwanda, Hutu extremists and government personnel (including military) wielded machetes and fired guns on Tutsis and moderate Hutus – their brothers and sisters. “Sometimes in April” does a better job of exploring the inactivity of the west through several scenes of American political and military officials meeting, discussing and in the end doing nothing. This is a black mark on the Clinton foreign policy record. Similarly, another African nation, the Sudan, will be a black mark on the Bush foreign policy record unless action occurs immediately to end the current conflict. A UN peacekeeping force (proposed by a pending U.S. resolution) will be a useless gesture unless it takes on a peacemaking role to help end the conflict that has forced more than 2 million in the Darfur region of Sudan to flee their homes.
#258 (05-19)
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Hotel Rwanda

Hotel Rwanda is a must see movie for those who ignored the plight of Tutsis and Hutus in that Central African country in 1994 when almost a million were slaughtered by Hutu extremists with the connivance of the French-backed Hutu government. "Those who ignored" means pretty much all of the civilized world, including the United States. The Hutu government in Rwanda was chafing at a United Nations supervised agreement that they share power with a Tutsi rebel group. I thought the performances by Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo outstanding. My regret is that I did not see the film earlier than yesterday (March 17, 2005).
HBO will enter this arena on Saturday, March 19, with "Sometimes in April," another reminder of this black holocaust.
#257 (05-18)
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'tis an Irish Blessing

...for St. Patrick's Day
May those who love us, love us
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts;
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts
May He turn their ankles
So we’ll know them by their limping.
#256 (05-17)
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Great news for Packer fans
Brett Favre will return for his 14th season as the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers - great news for Packers and their fans, not so good news for the rest of the league.
#255 (05-16)
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Nixon sightings?
Has anyone reported any Nixon sightings lately? Reply by e-mail.
#254 (05-15)
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Searching this web site

Blogger suggests allowing readers to search a site by adding the Google search bar but doesn't explain how to do that. The blogger bar searches your whole computer; not something you want everyone to be able to do.
#253 (05-14)
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Condolences to families of slain RCMP
We send our condolences and thoughtful prayers out to the families of the four RCMP officers slain this week in Alberta, Canada, while investigating an illegal marijuana site.
#252 (05-13)
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Comments on Aviator review
"Well good for you! (When I'm wrong, I mutter and scurry furtively out of sight!)" (X- A minister in South Carolina)
"I haven't seen 'Aviator' yet, but I def-will. Nancy has and enjoyed it immensely. Good to read of your contrition. [lol]" (Dave in New England)
"An honest man! How rare! Thank you. I enjoyed the film too. Everyone sez it's a shoo-in for Best Picture, but I'm thinking maybe Million Dollar Baby (which I haven't seen!)." (John in South Carolina.)
#251 (05-12)
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Aviator
Some weeks ago I expressed an adverse opinion about the film Aviator without having seen the film. I did not believe that Leonardo de Caprio could carry off the role of Howard Hughes because I consider him to be too young and baby-faced. Yesterday, we saw the film and it is obvious why I am not a Hollywood producer of epic films. My casting skills suck. de Caprio does a great job and he carries the film from beginning to end. Having grown up during the Hughes era, reading about him and seeing him in newsreels in my youth affords me a perspective to appreciate how accurate the film story line is with regard to Hughes and his accomplishments. It may not win the Oscar tonight, but it will be a worthy contender. Cate Blanchett's portrayal of Kathryn Hepburn is also right on target and she is a delight to watch
Five stars.
#250 (05-11)
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Master Cheat
This third novel by Jack Miller features a lead character drawn from a composite of different cheaters operating in the glitz and greed of Las Vegas. The methods employed and the scams run by the cheaters are based on actual events. Their successes as well as the precautions taken by casinos to protect themselves are both complex and simple. Miller was a senior agent of the Nevada State Gaming Control Board for eleven years and writes from first-hand experience. His book may be obtained on-line through Mystic Publishers (www.mysticpublishers.com).
#249 (05-10)

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Death of a good friend
Today I will be a pallbearer for my good friend Fred Matthews who died on Saturday after a brief illness. Fred was 83 years old and I knew him for 41 years. He could always be counted on to help anyone in our neighborhood with any project and he was a font of knowledge on many everyday things. I will miss my friend.
#248 (05-09)
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Trip over -short circuited
Our trip to SE Asia was cut short after my wife took a cold and was unable to shake it. We felt it was better we journey home than traispe around SE Asia with one of the party - as they say - 'sick as a dog.'
#247 (05-08)
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