I don't like that law . . .

What would you think about a law enforcement officer who enforced the law only when he liked the law or he wanted to enforce it? What if someone were breaking that law, and it was affecting you? Wouldn't you say to the officer, "But that's the law. You swore in your oath to uphold the law. Doesn't matter if you like it or not, it's still the law. If you don't want to enforce it, we'll fire you and hire somebody who will enforce it."

Our chief law enforcement officer, Barack Obama, is enforcing only those laws he agrees with. The 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act requires the Pentagon to ignore same-sex marriages even if they were legally obtained in a state that allows them. Obama has determined that the law is indefensible (I thought that was for courts to decide) and therefore, will not be enforced. So I say to Obama, "But that's the law. You swore in your oath to uphold the law. Doesn't matter if you like it or not, it's still the law. If you don't want to enforce it, we'll fire you and hire somebody who will enforce it." I can't wait for November!

"U.S. won't defend ban on gay spousal benefits." The Dallas Morning News; February 18, 2012; p. 11A.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

Ever wondered about the correlation between lack of sex for fruit flies and their propensity to have a couple of beers? That's evidently a burning question for scientists at the University of California San Francisco who have NIH grant funding (that's my money and your money) for this research project. I don't know how much they got -- the article didn't say -- but according to figures released by the NIH, the University received more research funds from the National Institutes of Health than any other public institution in 2011: 1,056 grants, totaling $532.8 million.

So what have they found? Thousands of male fruit flies were placed one by one into a container with an unwilling female fruit fly. Each fruit fly was given three hours with the reluctant lady four days in a row. Then the disappointed males were put into vials and given a choice of regular food or alcohol-laced food. They went for the alcohol.

Now, doesn't that information enhance your quality of life?

"Spurned fruit flies' boozing may say a lot about men." The Dallas Morning News; March 16, 2012; p. 6A.

It's a matter of standards.

Evidently, there was an op-ed piece in the newspaper regarding the current trend of people wearing their pajamas on jaunts to Wal-Mart, the gas station, etc. I missed it, but I did see the responses to it. 

Pamela Dugger of Duncanville takes issue with the writer of the op-ed. She says that people who work odd shifts want to wear their comfortable clothes when they get home, and they don't want to change if they need to go to the store for something. She says that the pajamas are much more proper than jeans puddling around the ankles.

So, Pamela, what if people are most comfortable running around in their underwear when they get home? Maybe those people don't want to "get dressed up" to go to the store, either. And underwear is much more proper than going nude! It comes down to standards. Pajamas are meant to be worn at home . . . not to go shopping. Looking better than the jeans hanging below the buttocks doesn't make them "proper attire." Look at it this way: That man is a rapist, but that's OK -- it's certainly more proper than him being a murderer. No, it's not proper for him to be a murderer, but it's certainly not proper for him to be a rapist, either. It's all about standards -- either you have them, or you don't.

"Pajamas as attire." The Dallas Morning News; February 17, 2012; p. 14A.

Be sure your sins will find you out.

I just love it when criminals try to outsmart the law and get caught in their own webs.

Flavio Nejero told the police he was Blas Nejero, his brother, when he was arrested for DWI in 2004. In 2006, Blas was charged with murder, but the police couldn't find him, and his whereabouts are still unknown.

This year, Flavio was detained in California after a routine traffic stop. His fingerprints showed that he was Blas, the name he had given when his prints were taken in 2004. So he was extradited to face the murder charge. In the meantime, authorities discovered he was an illegal alien, so an immigration hold was issued.

When he was questioned in Dallas, Dallas officers quickly figured out that there was a problem with identity. He's OK now on the murder charge, but he's probably going back to Mexico where he belongs after he takes care of the DWI charge.

"Old lie leads to accidental arrest." The Dallas Morning News; February 24, 2012; p. 3B.

Gee, do you think it could be . . .

Our tax dollars are being well-spent. The Department of Education is conducting a study to figure out why Hispanic and black students make up 75% of students involved in school-related arrests or cases handed over to police, and why black students are more than three times as likely as their white peers to be suspended or expelled.

Gee, do you think it could be that Hispanics and blacks commit 75% of the crimes? Do you think it could be that blacks are three times as likely as their white peers to misbehave? See -- Essie solved that one without spending a dime!

"Study finds race gap in school discipline." The Dallas Morning News; March 7, 2012; p. 5A.

Kate has it backwards.

Weighing in on the Obama mandate that the Catholic church provide contraceptives free of charge to its employees, Kate Sames says that ". . .those of us who believe that we're in charge of our own bodies, health and family planning shouldn't be denied our health care . . ."

Well, Kate, those of us who believe that we're in charge of what we will and will not provide for our own employees shouldn't be told what to do by an ideologically meddling government, so if you're truly in charge of your own health, go buy your own pills. That's what your salary is for.

"Birth control battle." The Dallas Morning News; February 15, 2012; p. 16A.

Does this bother you?

In a recent article detailing planned cuts to the nuclear arms protecting our country, White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said that the three options detailed by the Pentagon in the newspaper had not been presented to Obama yet. Is it just me, or does it bother you, too, that the newspaper gets these things before the President does?

"Obama weighs massive nuclear arms cuts." The Dallas Morning News; February 15, 2012; p. 6A.

That's all I need to know.

Amidst much hoopla, The Elevate Life Church opened a new cathedral in Frisco. I have no idea what sort of denomination Elevate Life is. The article about the grand inauguration of the facility begins thusly: "Visitors to Elevate Life Church on Sunday might have wondered if they had entered a rock concert instead of a sanctuary."

And that, my friends, is all I need to know.

"Elevate Life Church has first Sunday services in new 10-story cathedral." The Dallas Morning News; February 13, 2012; p. 1B.

A Pair of Pliers Short of a Toolbox

Lee Cullum just might need to see a psychiatrist about her persecution complex. She thinks the Catholic church's objection to the Obama mandate to provide free birth control to its employees is all about subjugation of women. She says men for centuries have "felt a primitive drive to . . . control the means of reproduction." And she says the state of the economy has made that even worse. She doesn't give any empirical evidence to back up this hypothesis, so one can only assume that it came from somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind.

She says that women seizing college degrees and service jobs has fuelled the antagonism that mandates they must be put down. But how, she asks, can the dominating males accomplish that. "The same way as always -- keep them barefoot and pregnant." Now, I haven't heard anybody say that a Catholic employee can't have contraception. Have you? One could assume that if they are employed, then they should be able to afford birth control pills and/or condoms which are readily available from most doctors and pharmacies. As I recall, when Mr. Essie May and I didn't have prescription drug coverage or the proverbial pot or window, we still managed to buy birth control pills. They just weren't that expensive.

No, Lee says, there is only one conclusion to draw. There is a "widespread animus toward women, an animus flowing from resentment and fear." The real issue, she says, that is making Rush Limbaugh sound screamingly ready for shock therapy is women at work. She says if the economy doesn't improve, women will have to resort to the Lysistrata solution (Lysistrata convinced the women of Greece to withhold sex from their husbands until they signed a treaty to end the Peloponnesian War). Yes, somebody certainly sounds ready for shock therapy, but I don't think it's Rush Limbaugh!

"Anti-women movement is upon us, says Lee Cullum." The Dallas Morning News; March 6, 2012; p. 11A.

Esther Cepeda needs to get a life.

Esther Cepeda has a big concern. She is "aghast" at a new toy on the market. Is it a porno Barbie? A junior build-a-bomb kit? A "Let's Play Transvestite" costume kit? A "Fun with Arsenic" chemistry set? 

No, nothing as tame as those. She's incensed at the new Lady Lego blocks. She says girls don't need their own Legos. They can build with the gender-neutral variety already on the market. I don't suppose that Legos will refuse to sell the gender-neutral variety to girls who want them. And I don't suppose that any girl or boy has to buy the pink blocks if they don't want to.

Esther says not enough of us "grimace at the constant barrage of princess fantasy gear" for girls under 12. My goodness, Esther, were you never a little girl? Did you never dress up in mom's old dresses, costume jewelry, and high heel shoes? She says that Lego is selling out little girls because the new line features female figures assembling cakes in a bakery, participating in dog shows, washing their cars, or lounging by the pool. She says that girls need to engage in engineering skills. But, Esther, what if they don't want to? What's wrong with baking cakes, training dogs, or being fortunate enough to have a pool by which to relax? Who are you, Esther, to tell a child what she should or should not do with her life? If she wants to play with pink Lego blocks, she should be able to. And if you don't want to play with pink Lego blocks, you don't have to buy them. Get a life outside the toy aisle, Esther, and let your little girl be a little girl.

"Let's hope girls build despite silly 'Lady Legos.'" The Dallas Morning News; February 16, 2012; p. 13A.

Government Interference in Religion

The current controversy on the Obama mandate that Catholic institutions provide free contraceptives to their employees despite their religious objection to it is more than just a religious liberty violation. The government doesn't have the constitutional right to mandate that any employer provide to his employees anything other than a fair wage and safe working conditions.

Lorelei Spring of Euless addresses it as a government rights issue. That is the very antithesis of the basis of our Constitutional. Our Constitution operates on the theory that the government has no rights -- the rights belong to the people. She says that if the mandate is a violation of the First Amendment, why can't Mormons practice polygamy. They can, Lorelei. Their plural marriages are not recognized by the state, but they are free to take as many "religious" wives as they want. She wonders why church members who believe in racial or gender superiority can't elevate one race or gender over another. They can. The government cannot tell a church what to do. If my church doesn't believe in women preachers, they can refuse to hire a preacher on that basis. If my church believes in separation of the races, my pastor does not have to marry a bi-racial couple. Lorelei wonders why members of a pacifist church can't deny their tax money be used in support of a military cause. That's being worked on, Lorelei. Legislation establishing a "Peace Tax Fund" has been proposed in Congress since 1972. As of 2008, the proposal is called the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act. 

Lorelei says that federal laws such as that one requiring coverage of birth control were passed to protect the minority from discrimination. The Catholic church is not discriminating. The Catholic church doesn't provide birth control to anybody. Besides, protection from discrimination has nothing to do with providing free birth control pills. No one is saying that Catholic employees can't have birth control. But the government has no right to mandate that the church pay for it. She says the rights of individuals are being sacrificed on the altar of freedom of religion. Excuse me? Isn't freedom of religion all about the rights of the individual? Free hormones is not a RIGHT! She says individuals should be allowed to practice individual conscience. I agree. An individual should not be forced to pay for something that is morally repugnant to him.

"A question of rights." The Dallas Morning News; February 16, 2012; p. 12A.

Oh No! More Global Warming Deaths!

Since the end of January, Eastern Europe has endured a record-breaking cold snap responsible for more than 600 deaths. Tens of thousands have been trapped in homes and villages by walls of snow and impassable roads. I'm tellin' ya' -- that global warming is gonna' kill us all!

"Death toll tops 600 in European blizzards." The Dallas Morning News; February 16, 2012; p. 8A.

Would you like to bet?

When the new Nike space-themed basketball shoes debuted last month, police had to quell the rowdy crowds of people who wanted to be the first to buy the $220 shoes. We've all heard the stories of people being assaulted for their shoes, stores being overrun, mothers abandoning their children while they wait in line, etc. I guess Essie's getting old, but I don't understand the fuss.

That being said, I'd bet a pair of those shoes that at least 50% of the people in that crowd to buy them are drawing food stamps, section 8, Medicaid, or some other government check. Anybody want to take that bet?

"New-shoe launch out of this world." The Dallas Morning News; February 25, 2012; p. 6A.

Is equity the purpose of public schools?

The McAllen school district is providing each of its 25,000 students  from kindergarten through grade 12 an iPad and/or iPod Touch. This will cost about $20.5 million dollars.

School board president Sam Saldivar Jr. said the investment aims at equity. Hmmmmm - shouldn't such a large sum of school district funds be aimed at education?

"McAllen district hands out iPads." The Dallas Morning News; February 28, 2012; p. 3A.

Better hurry if you're buying a new car.

If you're contemplating buying a new car, I'd buy before the 2014 models come out. That's when automakers will be required by our nanny government to install back-up cameras on all vehicles. So whether you want one or not, it'll add about $200 to the cost of your car.

"U.S. calls for rearview cameras in new vehicles to prevent deaths." The Dallas Morning News; February 28, 2012; p. 1A.

The Fallacy in Life without Parole

Death penalty opponents argue that life without the possibility of parole protects society better than the death penalty.

Tell that to Aubrey Hawkins family. George Rivas was serving more than a dozen life sentences when he escaped with the infamous Texas 7 and killed Officer Hawkins.

Thankfully, we know for sure he is no longer a threat. He was executed February 29.

The moral of the story? The only sure way to protect society from animals like Rivas is to put them down.

"Rivas put to death for Irving officer's slaying in 2000 robbery." The Dallas Morning News; March 1, 2012; p. 1A.

This shouldn't even be an issue.

The Supreme Court is considering a case brought by Abigail Fisher, a white applicant to the University of Texas at Austin. She was passed over for admission, because a black person was given preferential treatment.

Abigail should never have had to bring this suit. The government, itself, has outlawed, under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, "discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." Ironically, the government, itself, is also the entity mandating such discrimination. What a crazy world!

"Justices to hear UT case on race." The Dallas Morning News; February 22, 2012; p. 1A.

Astute Quotes

On Oscar night, some of the stars on the red carpet gave us their political perspectives.

George Clooney: "I'm disillusioned by the people who are disillusioned by Obama." I guess I am, too, George. I can't believe they fell for his hope and change in the first place. I guess George is just one of those "check your brain at the door" folks.

Eva Longoria: "I'm a big Obama supporter, no matter what he's been through." What he's been through? Do you mean the 90 rounds of golf, Eva? Or the Hawaiian, Cape Cod, European and other vacations? All the parties they've had at the White House? His taxpayer funded date nights with Michelle? Just what, exactly, has he been through? High gas prices? No his fuel is paid for. High groceries? No, the White House prepares his meals. Fears for his safety from terrorists? No, he has Secret Service and secret bunkers. Giving up something now to prepare his retirement nest egg? No, he's got a great retirement plan. High insurance bills fuelled by Obamacare? No, he's got the best doctors at his beck and call -- they even make White House calls! So, Eva, just what has he been through?

"The endorsement goes to . . ." The Dallas Morning News; February 26, 2012; p. 10A.

Funny, it didn't make me one.

One of the favorite arguments of those who favor the legalization of drugs is that, as Cheryl Norman puts it, "Too many of our laws . . . are too often unnecessarily making criminals out of . . .people." Funny, there hasn't been a law yet that's made a criminal out of me. If one chooses to smoke pot, the law cannot be blamed for that choice. The only way a law can make a criminal of someone is if it is made retroactive when it is enacted. If I'm clocked doing 55 mph down a highway where the speed limit is 55, and the next week they change the speed limit to 35 mph and say that everyone clocked at 55 the week before will be fined, then the law has made me a "criminal."

Cheryl goes on -- "People have been smoking pot in college for the last 40 years." Gosh, that's a good reason for changing the law. Let's eliminate that pesky murder prohibition, because people have been committing murder since Cain killed Abel several thousand years ago.

"These are not criminals. . ." The Dallas Morning News; February 23, 2012; p. 14A.

Why government run health care is a bad idea.

Would you like to know why government-run health care is a bad idea? Here's a recent headline for you:

"Feds: Doctor bilked U.S. for $375 million."

Why is the government more likely to be bilked than private insurance? Because the government isn't spending its own money, and private insurers are. It's only natural to pay more attention to what goes out when its your money that's being spent.

The Dallas Morning News; February 29, 2012; p. 1A.

Are you an aberration?

Harvard University apologized ten years ago for expelling homosexual students almost a hundred years ago. Activists are protesting that the action is insufficient, and they want honorary degrees awarded posthumously to those students. Jonas Wang (I swear I did not make that name up) is a transgender student who says that the University needs to "cement its values on the right side of history" and address its "aberrations of the 1920's."

So be warned, fellow Christians. If you take a stand for God's Word, you are on the "wrong" side of history. If you believe God's plan for sexuality is heterosexual, you are an "aberration."

By the way, they want these degrees awarded when Lady Gaga, that example to us all and fount of knowledge, appears at the campus to launch her Born This Way anti-bullying foundation.

Again I say, God must be weeping!

"Harvard prodded on anti-gay past." The Dallas Morning News; February 29, 2012; p. 8A.

Gag me with a spoon!

I don't have any toleration left! In a recent Sunday paper, a huge engagement picture of two so-called men was plastered all over the society page. Not only was the in your face photo about twice the size of the other photos, but the announcement included all the details of their "romance" and all their wedding plans down to "celebrity event planner Susan Holland [will] plan the wedding . . . Susan Holland has planned weddings and events for Ellen DeGeneres, Ron Howard, Mariah Carey and Jay-Z. . . celebrity Food Network Star Ron Ben Israel of 'The Sweet Genius' will design a signature cake."

Now that I've reported on the sickening part, here's the (I'm sure unintended) humor in this waste of newspaper space: "Eddie Bickers . . .never considered that one day his own fairy tale would come true." They sure got the fairy part right!

"Hosch-Bickers." The Dallas Morning News; February 26, 2012; p. 10E.

Does everyone deserve dignity and respect?

Craig James and Ted Cruz are taking all kinds of flak because they've dared to question Tom Leppert's wisdom in participating in a gay pride parade. My evidence is a sampling from some of the recent letters to the editor:

Joel Hale opines: "Most Christians would agree that all parades are full of sinners, so it's interesting to note that only sinners of the homosexual variety are being singled out." No, Joel, only sinners of the homosexual variety have the audacity to make their depravity the focus of a parade. Joel says even religious people can't agree on what is sinful. If God says it's a sin, doesn't matter whether we agree with Him or not -- it's a sin.

Howard Shapiro writes: "Members of the GLBT community, like all members of the community, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect." All members of the community? So I guess that means that if NAMBLA (that's the group that thinks homosexual activity with children is doing the child a favor) has a pedophilia pride parade, we should all rush to join in? And if a group of adulterers has a swingers pride parade, we should join in and commend them? And if we don't, we are being disrespectful?

John Igou writes: "I pray that someday they realize the bigoted views they hold can and do destroy lives and that they soon realize the error of their ways." I wonder if John includes the heavenly Father in that group, because He's the one who said homosexuality is an abomination. Maybe if John prays really hard he can get God to see the "error of his ways" and help Him to be less bigoted.

Ken Aten says that Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. I agree 100%, Ken. Ken says he has a hunch that the sinners were better company than the Pharisees. Ken has missed the point entirely -- Jesus dined with sinners to lead them to REPENTANCE -- not to convince the people that their sin was OK. I seriously doubt the queers would let Tom Leppert in their parade if he carried a "Repent" sign.

Diana Farrar writes: "I do not agree with the words of hatred, judgment and division that are consistently propagated by the Republican Party . . . read Micah 6:8 for a very brief synopsis of what living a Christian life is about. . . same-sex couples deserve equality." Well, first of all Diana, Micah was written to the Jewish people a long time before there were Christians. Though we can learn from it and the principles it lays down, it was not aimed at Christians. Second of all, Diana, if you'll read the first few chapters, they're about God's judgment on a disobedient people -- people who were engaging in gross sin such as idolatry and homosexuality. And lastly, Diana, what gives you the authority to proclaim good what God has called abomination and to call evil those who stand up for right?

You better be careful, Diana and Ken and John and Joel . . . you tread on dangerous ground when you pervert the Scripture.



"Sunday Letters." The Dallas Morning News; February 26, 2012; p. 3P.

The Leppert's spots don't seem to change.

I haven't decided for sure who I'm voting for in the race for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate seat, but I can tell you who I'm not voting for.

Tom Leppert marched in the Dallas gay pride parade at least twice. My problem is not so much that he did it (though I do find it repugnant) -- we've all done things that we shouldn't have done. My problem is that he is defending what he did. He's not changed his attitude one iota. He says that his job as mayor was to "represent everybody in this city." Does he think he was representing his Christian constituents when he celebrated gay pride?

One of the lesser known candidates for the seat, Lela Pettinger, summed it up very well when she said, "Christ reached people in many different ways. The Pharisees hated him because he ate dinner with sinners. . . .While he ate dinner with them, I don't believe he marched along with them as they were going down to have an orgy or have any sort of drunken revelries . . . I'm not going to walk down the street with them [gays] celebrating what I believe to be a sin."

"Rivals blast Leppert's march in gay rights parades." The Dallas Morning News; February 23, 2012; p. 1B.

Gosh she must be old!

Teresa Hawthorne is a state district judge in Dallas County. She doesn't believe in the death penalty and has ruled it unconstitutional. She says, "My decision is not an act of unabashed judicial activism. I remember when women and blacks could not vote. I remember when so-called witches were burned."
Gosh! If she's that old, that's one flattering photo! Black men have been able to vote since the close of the Civil War. Women of all colors have been guaranteed voting rights since 1920. And to my knowledge, witches haven't been burned in this country in 300 years. I want to know what kind of beauty cream this woman is using!

"Judge: Death penalty unlawful." The Dallas Morning News; December 25, 2011; p. 1B.

Their rights?

Let me preface this by saying that I wouldn't wish what happened to this woman on my very worst enemy. This was a horrific accident, and I sincerely sympathize with her for the pain and suffering she has endured.

Now for the rest of the story. Isabel Molina is from Honduras. She is living in the U.S. illegally. Ten years ago, she was working as a short order cook somewhere in the Dallas area. One of her brilliant co-workers had tried to clean the greasy floor of their mobile kitchen with gasoline. The gasoline caught fire, and Isabel was severely burned. Of course, I'm sure the good old U.S. taxpayers footed her medical bills. She still has scars, but she has recently received a settlement from a lawsuit she filed, and she said she hopes to use that money for surgery to cover the scars. She didn't say anything about repaying the American taxpayers with it. 

Molina says she knows "many people are hateful toward illegal immigrants." She wants to inspire other immigrants not to let that bring them down. "Immigrants need to stand up for themselves. . .we have to fight for our rights and respect." Rights and respect for people who had no compunction about breaking the law to come here, to break the law by working here without paying taxes, to receive free care at the expense of legal citizens when they are injured or become sick, and then to use our legal system to receive recompense for their injuries?
I do hope that when Molina dies, she will leave me her gall.

"10 years after fire, a victory." The Dallas Morning News; February 13, 2012; p. 1A.

How did we come to this?

Obama's press secretary, Jay Carney, defends his boss's mandate that women be given free contraceptives. He says it's vital for women no matter where they work to have access to free preventive care, including birth control.

A few points, Mr. Carney:

• It is highly questionable for the government to mandate Mr. X to buy something to give to Ms. Y -- I'll go even further -- it's unconstitutional.
• Women, no matter where they work, do have access to contraceptives. No one is preventing them from going to any doctor they choose for birth control drugs or dropping by any drug store to pick up some condoms.
• Free care? Where did you come up with that? In case you don't know, nothing is free. Somebody has to pay for it. What gives any person the "right" to have services and goods provided free of charge to them?

How did we come to this level of government control?

"White House opposes bill setting birth control limits." The Dallas Morning News; February 14, 2012; p. 7A.

Maybe it was reasonable after all.

North Carolina's highest court is hearing a case involving a teenager who was searched for drugs at an alternative school. Flag #1 - alternative school -- this girl must not be an angel to begin with.

The school had received a tip that students were smuggling drugs into the facility. The principal of the school knew that the preferred place to hide drugs was in the underwear. So she ordered that students be searched by a minimally invasive procedure -- the students were not touched by anyone, and no body parts were exposed. The students were brought one by one to a classroom with three adults present. The girls were asked to pull their shirts away from their bodies, place their hands under their shirts, and pull out the bottoms of their bras with their thumbs so that anything hidden there would fall out.

The girl who filed the suit says that the search was unreasonable and she was humiliated and frightened by it. I guess she was. She had Percocet and drug paraphernalia on her. Maybe the search wasn't so unreasonable after all.

"State high court hears 'bra-lift' case." The Dallas Morning News; February 14, 2012; p. 7A.

I'm not falling for it.

Essie May suspects that on her recent trip to Dallas, Michelle Obama and her entourage pulled a fast one on DISD students. They made a big deal out of a top chef competition, pairing celebrities with students to form three teams. The idea was to see which team could come up with the best-tasting, most nutritious dish. The First Lady (that thought still nauseates me -- pardon me while I gag) led students in chants to cheer on their favorite teams.

When a buzzer sounded the end of the contest, Obama "huddled with other judges to determine the winner." She said it was a tough call, so all three teams won. Now how many of you think they hadn't decided before the thing even began that all the teams would win? But we mustn't damage self-esteem or chance offending some little tyke whose mom and dad will vote for Obama.

Obama said she came to Dallas because they are leading the way in nutritious school lunches. Dora Rivas, DISD's glorified lunchroom lady, said they've made changes to menus such as eliminating nachos and adding hummus plates and black bean burgers. Gosh that sounds yummy! Bet the kids think so, too.

I still contend that Michelle Obama is just blowing smoke until she lobbies to limit food stamp purchases to things like hummus and black beans. I've emailed her and told her so, but surprisingly, I haven't received a response. Wonder why?

"Commander in Chef." The Dallas Morning News; February 8, 2012; p. 1A.

Just what do they want????

I wrote a few days ago about the racism being displayed in a Dallas neighborhood -- blacks are picketing outside a Korean-American owned convenience store, blocking the path of customers and demanding that the Koreans leave their area.

February 11, the mayor had a big confab in Dallas with some black "leaders" and Asian-Americans. The blacks say that Italians, Indians, Arabs and other ethnicities have moved businesses into black communities to "steal opportunities" from them. As I recall the story, it was the black guy who was stealing from the store owner. I'd like to know exactly what "opportunities" the Korean is stealing. Just because he opened a store doesn't mean that a black person can't do likewise. In our small city, I must pass half a dozen or more convenience stores anytime I make a shopping trip. And they all seem to be doing quite well. And mind you, these black "leaders" are the same ones who gripe and complain because businesses don't locate in their areas because of the high crime rate and the slim possibility of the location being profitable.

So, if you do start a business there, you're stealing. If you don't start a business there, you're a racist. Just what, exactly, do these people want?

"Mayor tries to temper dispute." The Dallas Morning News; February 12, 2012; p. 1B.

But let's hear the rest of the story.

Michelle Obama made a much-publicized trip to Dallas in February to tell them what a good job they're doing in providing nutritious lunches and to take advantage of a bunch of campaign photo ops. The quarter-page size photo on the front page of the Metro section of The Dallas Morning News shows her serving herself salad at an Olive Garden and is headlined "Practicing what she preaches." But let's hear the rest of the story . . . I'll just wager that that salad was accompanied by half-a-dozen breadsticks, a big old plate of spaghetti and meatballs coated in parmesan cheese, and a tira misu for dessert.

"Praticing what she preaches." The Dallas Morning News; February 10, 2012; p. 1B.