DON'T GUT FEDERAL REGULATIONS

          In a recent release to the news media, U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler states that she is proud to be a co-sponsor of  H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, more commonly known as the REINS bill. 

          This bill would effectively gut federal agencies of their regulatory powers and transfer this responsibility to the Congress.  It would, in effect,  fundamentally change the way our government protects the environmental and public health of the American people.

          According to Hartzler, “It is time to restore the authority to impose regulations to the elected representatives of the people, etc.”  So, instead of relying on scientists and issue-area experts in federal agencies to set standards to protect our health and environment, the REINS Act would make the politicians in Congress the arbiters of what is safe for the American people. This is the same Congress that has been so effective in conducting wars and resolving political differences, right?

          We’re talking about the preparation of food and medical drugs, and regulations affecting nursing homes and industrial workplace safety, the Clean Air Act and regulations designed to keep our rivers and lakes free of pollutants.   These are just some of the areas that would be controlled by Congressional  oversight.

          It is a standard Republican political position.  Limit or restrict the  regulation of banks, Wall Street, or business in general because government regulations deprive business of some of their profits.

          So, if we are content with putting control of our health, safety and environment in the hands of “the people’s representatives,” then by all means, encourage Congress to take over and pray that the lobbyists do not have a field day.

                                               

                                                     

 WELCOME TO PERTLE, LADY GOLFERS

      If everything goes according to the rumors,  a women’s golf team will soon be added to the University of Central Missouri’s athletic programs.  The evidence is there.  Following a tour of the magnificent new Clubhouse at Pertle Springs, I  believe that we will be seeing many more women playing golf on what has been a predominantly male bastion.

The new Clubhouse not only features a modern Pro Shop and dining room, but it has fabulous locker, restrooms, and showers for both men and women.. There is also a nicely furnished office for the Men’s Golf Coach  and a similarly equipped office is designated for a Women’s Golf Coach.

Personally, I  would like to see more ladies enjoying the thrill of hitting that little ball down the fairway.

The first time I ever played golf with a girl was in the late 1960’s.  I was new on the university staff and was excited about playing in the annual alumni golf tournament.   Being promotion oriented, I thought it would  help encourage more women to participate if I asked the alumni director, Virginia Stewart, to be my partner in this two-person scramble.. 

As an experienced golfer, I felt that we would make a respectable showing, especially since it was a scramble tournament.  It should be a fun time.  But, when Virginia and I arrived for our Tee Time, I was stunned to see her dressed in a very feminine frilly short-skirted outfit.  To top it all off, she was hitting pink golf balls. 

 I did not know what was really in store for me, but I soon found out.  Virginia was out driving me by 40 to 50 yards and we consistently ended up hitting her ball.  I finally pleaded with her to at least start hitting a white golf ball so it wouldn’t be so obvious.

Russ Bloom and his partner were in our foursome.  They were rolling in laughter at my efforts to stay up with Virginia’s drives (along with other aspects of her golfing skills).  In short, they were on my back throughout the entire tournament.

Since I was editing the alumni newspaper at the time, I got even.  I ran a solid black two-column rectangular box with the following caption:  “Here is a photo of Russ Bloom looking for his golf ball in the woods.  Too bad you can’t see the leaves on the trees since they are very beautiful.”

Many years later Millie Barnes and several other lady golfers invited me to join their group.  They were all great athletes and super golfers.  When we finished, I told them how much I enjoyed playing with them, but I did wish that they wouldn’t giggle so much after I hit my drives.

Yes, more lady golfers will be a great addition to the Pertle scene.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT PERCEPTION

          Whenever things start to get a bit dull at my Tuesday morning coffee club meeting (mostly golfers), I remind everyone that there is absolutely no scientific proof that a curve ball actually curves.  It is simply an optical illusion.  This usually gets an immediate response.

          I am quick to point out that it doesn’t really matter if the baseball actually curves or not.  If the batter thinks that it is curving, that’s all that matters.  In short, it is the batter’s perception of what the baseball is really doing that counts.

          Same thing is true in life.  Take the Kansas University situation.  Two million in stolen tickets, six million severance pay for a non-winning coach, getting womped by Duke in a recent basketball game.  While we all know that the KU sports programs are tops in the land, the perception is that they apparently are being administered by a bunch of self-serving individuals.

          Take Congress for another example.  Although it is illegal for you or me to buy or sell stocks based on “insider” information, (remember Martha Stewart) our senators and representatives have conveniently written laws that exempt them from this restriction.  They can buy and sell shares in companies that are directly affected by the actions of the various congressional committees.  This provides members of Congress with advance information on actions that may determine the life or death of a company or an industry.  And, it explains why so many of them are a lot wealthier upon retirement than they were when first elected.

          60 Minutes did an indepth piece on insider trading by Congress, and the Nov. 21 issue of Newsweek has a very detailed report on the same subject.  Check these out and you will scream as I am doing!

          The fact is, these congressmen are doing nothing illegal.  However, the perception of most of us is that they are a bunch of bottom feeders who are only looking after their own welfare.

          Facts are facts, but I do believe that our perception of the world around us is what determines our outlook and our actions.

          Incidentally, the first time I revealed that a curve ball is nothing but an optical illusion I was a student living in a dorm at Indiana University.  The guys in my dorm were so upset they voted me out, and a close friend who was a pitcher on the IU baseball team stuck a glove in my hand and for the next hour he fired “curve balls” at me.  I think he was mad.  My hand still hurts.

                                                                    

MANY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

LACK COMMUNICATION SKILLS

          Some of my favorite people are members of the medical profession.   I know that I am alive today because of the knowledge and care of a large number of  doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel.

          However, I am sad to report that medical professionals do not always communicate with one another, and sometimes vital information is not even shared with their staffs.

          For years I have requested that all lab reports and recommendations of various medical specialists be sent to my family doctor.  My goal was to have all of my medical information flowing into one central office.  From there, any specialist treating me could access whatever background information that was needed.

          With the advent of computers, it would seem that this would be a simple procedure.  Just zap the pertinent information via email to whatever doctor was doing what doctors do -- examine, prescribe, operate, console, etc.  Unfortunately, in too many instances vital information is kept secreted away in some doctor’s computer.

          Examples of communication failures abound.  After a week of injecting a blood thinner twice a day into my stomach, I was ready for  a fairly common eyelid surgery.  As I was being wheeled into the operating room, the doctor appeared and canceled the operation.  Seems that eye doctors had only recently learned that using that blood thinner could in some rare cases, cause blindness.  So he canceled the operation.

          My question was why did we come right down to the wire, and why was this information not sent out to the entire medical profession?  To top it off, a member of his staff called me the next day to see how I was doing post op.  Obviously, they weren’t even communicating internally.

          This week I had a follow-up visit with the surgeon who had removed my cancerous lower intestine.  Following the usual “how are you doing?” questions, he said he routinely performed a colonoscopy in the first year after surgery.  He asked me when was I operated on.  I told him I sometimes had trouble remembering what I did last week.  Actually, it had been two years since the operation. 

          His next question was “Did you see an oncologist and did you have radiation treatment?”  I told him that the “cancer” doctor told me that it would be five years or longer before I had to be concerned, and “no, I did not have any radiation treatment.”.

          I have come to a number of conclusions.  First, even though I had made this appointment several weeks ago, he apparently had not read my file.  Or, even worse, none of the oncologist’s report had been sent to him. 

          I have asked my family doctor to forward all pertinent information in my file to the surgeon since I will be meeting with him again in the next week or so.  The surgeon should have this information in order to make wise future decisions concerning my health.

          I don’t know what it will take to alert the medical profession about this major, life dealing problem of failing to communicate.  Perhaps the AMA will undertake to conduct seminars for doctors on the new computer medical information programs currently available.   I sure hope so.

           One concluding thought.  I totally admire and love all of the doctors who have treated me, and I will also admire and love any future doctors.  I am not in the business of upsetting those who help me; I just want them to be better informed.

                                                       

LET’S REGULATE CELL PHONES

          To a certain extent I can support the NRA in its desire to protect and defend the constitution of the United States by fighting any kind of gun controls.  So, what I am about to propose may raise the ire of those ardent free speech amendment addicts who also claim an inalienable right to speak freely whenever and however they please.  This morning, on my way to my morning coffee club, I was closely followed by a young lady who was steering her car with her elbows while she was sending text messages via her cell phone.  She seemed to be punching out messages with her thumbs!

          I had always heard that women cell phone users caused more accidents than men, and I could certainly see why.  Of course, men do have an advantage.  Most of us learned to drive with one hand while we were still in high school.  But texting?  Give me a break!

          While we have driver’s licenses that authorize us to drive a car, it does not give us the right to drive 80 miles an hour through downtown Warrensburg.  Same with cell phones.  While we have the right of free speech, it doesn’t give us the right to use our cell phones while we are driving a car on city streets or highways.

          I propose that the same penalties for speeding, reckless driving, or at least illegal parking, be applied to all those idiots who have to stay in constant touch with both their friends while driving a motor vehicle of any kind.  And if a driver is using a cell phone and there is an accident, the cell phone user is automatically at fault.

          Incidentally, when I got to my morning coffee, there were four women at the table next to us who were texting each other!  While a bit odd, that would be legal since they weren’t driving.

                                                                            

                                                                             Carl B. Foster

A THANKSGIVING MIRACLE

     A funny thing happened to me on the way to the Jennies regional volleyball game.   I hit a hole in the road and thirty seconds later that awful thump, thump, thump sound came creeping through the floor of the car.  It was a flat tire.  Although my wife declared that I should not have hit that hole, she did help by directing me to the O’Reilly Auto Parts well-lit parking lot. 

     The game was at 7 p.m. and we were already running out of time. Besides, it was cold and very windy.  A younger man would simply get out of the car, remove the flat and put on the spare.   But, I am a senior citizen. I was pretty sure I had a spare (although I had never actually seen it since it was securely clamped in the trunk.)  I also did not have a clue on how to loosen those huge lug nuts nor did I know if I even had anything in the way of a jack.

     I was quickly approaching panic stage.  Who do you call for help, at night, when you know that most places are closed?  And even if I exercised my super duper AAA card, how long would we have to wait for help.  I began to kiss the volleyball match goodbye.

     Then, a Thanksgiving miracle happened.  A huge KCP&L truck roared into the parking lot, and a really big guy got out.  I asked him if he had any idea on who I might call to change my tire. 

     His response.  “I can handle that.”  Whereupon, he pulled out a huge hydraulic jack along with an air hose attached to a compressor.  He had the car jacked up, the lug nuts removed, the trunk open and my spare tire installed and properly inflated in about 10 minutes.

     He absolutely refused my attempt to reward him monetarily.  He told me that he worked the night shift repairing KCP&L vehicles and he just happened to be at O’Reilly’s to pick up some auto parts.  And, he was happy to be of service.

     We got to the game two minutes before the first serve, watched the Jennies win a tough match with Angelo State, and basked in the glory of having received a real Thanksgiving gift courtesy of a great KCP&L Samaritan.

                                                         

SEXUAL DISPARITY IN ATHLETICS

 

       I have always been a strong proponent of equal opportunity in athletics for both men and women.  We have come a long way, but recent events indicate that there is still a big discrepancy between men’s athletic programs and those of women.

          Case in point.  During the Mules football game with Lindenwood last Saturday, a Mules player was penalized for showing a little emotion after running half the length of the field and scoring a go-ahead touchdown.  He violated an NCAA rule prohibiting any exhibition of delight, such as saluting the crowd with finger raised, indicating “we’re number one!” Unfortunately, he apparently made this gesture about three feet short of crossing the goal line.

          The touchdown was not only taken away, but the Mules were penalized 15 yards for “unsportsmanlike conduct” and had to replay the down from the eighteen yard marker.  It was also rumored that one of the referees told our hero that if he expressed that emotion during the game again, that he would tear up his library card.  Fortunately, the Mules scored a touchdown on the next play, so no real damage was done.

          Now, move on to the Jennies-Northwest Missouri  volleyball game that evening.  Whenever Paula Harris made one of her famous “kill” shots, the folks as far away as Knob Noster could hear her screams of delight.    High fives were then executed by the entire Jennies team.  This happened every time the Jennies scored a point!  And there were many.

          My question.  Why are women athletes allowed to show emotions and the men are not?  Must the men simply recognize a good run or a basket with a gentle pat on the back along with  a “Good show, old fella?”

          It is time that the rule makers realize that us men have emotions just like the women do.  Let’s level that playing field.  Fair is fair.

                                                                   Carl B. Foster

                                                                  

THE VALUE OF ATHLETICS TO A UNIVERSITY

                  

          There is considerable evidence that successful athletic programs

are a tremendous asset for a university.  Fortunately, winning sports programs at UCM have been the norm, and under the new president, Dr. Charles Ambrose, we can expect UCM’s programs to remain highly competitive.

          Here are just a few of the reasons why we are proud of all of UCM’s sports programs:

·        There are more than 500 student athletes competing in 16 different sports.  Only six percent have full rides, and many of the remaining have only partial scholarships.  Thirty percent are “walk-ons” who pay their own way.  Like other students, part-time jobs and academic scholarships are additional sources of support.

·        Student-athletes as a group score over 3.0 GPA, well above the all-student average.

·        A large percentage of the student body is involved in activities directly related to sports – the Marching Band, cheerleaders, Mulekickers, the Roaring Red student booster club and numerous others.

·        Five of the fall sports have attained national rankings – football, cross country, soccer, volleyball, and golf.   Many other UCM teams are expected to be nationally ranked when their seasons begin.

·        Student athletes have attained considerable academic success.  The Jennies softball team had a 3.53 GPA -- the highest in the nation.

·        Last year the Jennies volleyball team had the highest GPA of the national tournament’s Elite Eight.

·        The MIAA named Lindsay Lettow, of track & field, as the top female athlete and last month she was selected for the NCAA regional scholarship award.

·        Eric Czerniewski, former Mules football quarterback, received the Division II National Player of the Year award.  He graduated with a 3.49 GPA in business management.

·        UCM Literacy team -- Student-athletes from all UCM sports teams participate in reading to children in Warrensburg’s elementary and secondary schools.  More than $20,000 worth of books have been purchased through the UCM Foundation’s Carol D. Hughes Fund, named in honor of the late wife of Athletics Director Jerry Hughes.  Student-athletes read to the children and the books are then given to the various school libraries.  This is the 20^th anniversary year for this program.

          All of the above is supported and encouraged by the greatest team of coaches  you could ever want.  They demand that student-athletes perform at their highest levels and give them all kinds of support in their future careers.  Most of the coaches have compulsory study halls for their athletes who are making less than 2.7 GPA’s.  It is no wonder that our athletic teams receive national rankings for academics as well as for sports.

          A prime example of the impact of athletics was recalled when I met Clark Frost, a UCM Hall of Famer, at the Mule Train tailgate party during Homecoming activities.  Frost, as many of you will remember, was a highly talented wide receiver for the KC Chiefs in the 1960’s.  

          We had another inauguration back then. The year was 1970,  Dr. Jack Horner replaced Dr. Warren Lovinger and, as the PR director, I looked on this inauguration as a great opportunity to introduce our new president as a leader in higher education.  And, of course, it gave me an opportunity to show him just how valuable I could be.

          Since Horner had earlier made the comment that he didn’t think today’s high school graduates were well enough prepared for college, I decided  to work that theme into his speech.  So, I wrote about the need to strengthen elementary and secondary education.  It was a bit controversial since the “strengthening” part required considerable state funding.      

 It was a good speech, my very best effort.

          The plan was to release the speech statewide, stir up some controversy, and put President Horner into his rightful role as a leader in higher education.  At least, that was the plan.

          The big day arrived, Horner delivered the speech, and we distributed it statewide.  I actually hand carried the release to the KC Star.  We didn’t have email in those days, remember.

          The next morning I grabbed the Star and looked for the inauguration story.  There it was.  A full two inches of copy on the bottom of page 16.  All it said was that Central Missouri had inaugurated Dr. Jack Horner as president in ceremonies held on campus yesterday.

          I kept reading through the paper, and there, taking up the entire top half of Page One of the sports section was a huge photo and story about Clark Frost, a former wide receiver with the KC Chiefs, who had just been appointed an assistant football coach at Central Missouri.

          At first I was devastated.  Then I realized that the name of our university had been broadcast to thousands of sports fans throughout our region.  People were interested in us because of athletics.  Although I made no points with the new president, the overall public relations effect was tremendous.

          The moral to this story is that you use whatever means available to promote your university.  In the case of UCM, we have an athletic program that is a major factor in name recognition.  Closely related is the current “Get the Red Out” campaign which is associated with both athletics and academics.  The net result?  Record  enrollments topped off by exciting sports events.    

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RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IS FOR IDIOTS

          It is a source of amazement to me to witness both locally and nationally the intolerance of a growing and alarming group of individuals who claim they are Christians but who by their words and deeds are nothing more than zealots and religious bigots.

          A Baptist minister blasted Republican presidential candidate Mitt  Romney for being a Mormon  He claims that Romney is a member of a “cult.”  Actually, he is right.  The Mormon Church is a cult.  But Methodists,  Presbyterians, Catholics, Lutherans and even Baptists are all members of cults.  Don’t take my word for it.  Look up “cult” in any standard dictionary.  It is defined as “a formal religious veneration.”  The veneration part generally applies to an individual, so I assume that in the case of  Christian denominations, this means a belief and worship of Jesus.

          There are those who say we are a Christian nation.  This, of itself, is not a problem. But, it is a problem when we levy our hate against anyone who doesn’t believe exactly as we do.  This nation was founded on religious freedom.  Early settlers wanted to live where they could decide who and how they worshipped.  That’s the way it began; that’s the way it should continue.

          So, I was particularly appalled to learn about the recent window smashing at Warrensburg’s Islamic Center.  This level of hate crime makes no sense. 

           .  A sizeable number of foreign students live and attend classes at the University of Central Missouri.  A number of them are of the Islamic faith.  They are welcomed here as key elements of the university’s diversity program.  We learn about the world, other cultures, other ideas by associating with those who are not exactly like us.  Top universities strive for diversity as a means of educating their students about the world.

          It is my belief that most of us in Warrensburg prefer for hate mongers and religious bigots to crawl back into their holes.

                                                                    

WHY REMEMBER A TRAGIC EVENT?

          It is sometimes very difficult to swim against the tide, but in view of the endless commemorative events surrounding 9/11, I just have to express my views.  It was way too much, so I just turned off the radio and TV to give it a rest.  Then I watched the Central Missouri Mules and then the Kansas City Chiefs and went back to all the 9/11 recaps to get some relief from those two disasters.

           These “events” have caused me to wonder why we, as a nation, can get so wrapped up around a theme of “Let us never forget,” that we forget what is going on around us.

          All of this raises many questions:

1.     Although a tragedy of great magnitude, why did the victims of 9/11 receive remunerations in the millions of dollars?  They were simply people who were going to work to earn a living and who became the tragic victims of a terrorist attack.  Will this be the norm for future terrorist attacks?

2.     Why are we still in Afghanistan?  To me, we should be out of there now and leave that country to the natives.

3.     What are we doing about the families of the service men and women who were killed or wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan?  Are their families receiving financial support based on the potential earnings of those who were killed in action?

4.     Shouldn’t we devote more attention to those under-privileged folks in our own country instead of spending billions of dollars on foreign aide?

          Personally, I prefer to “commemorate” dates that remind me of happy and joyful times.  It was on September 11, 1948, when I asked Jean Buroker, a cute campus editor on The Indiana Daily Student, to marry me.  We now have been married more than 60 years, and she still corrects me.  According to her, I asked her to marry me on September 10 and not September 11.   I think she just doesn’t want anything to do with the 11^th.

                                               

                                                                                                                   

LET'S REGULATE CELL PHONES

           .  What I am about to propose may raise the ire of those ardent free speech amendment addicts who claim an inalienable right to speak freely whenever and however they please.  Like the NRA on gun control, this issue relates directly to protecting our inalienable rights under the constitution. 

          I support the free speech part of the constitution.  But, I have some strong feelings about the use of cell phones to exercise that right.

          This morning, on my way to my morning coffee club, I was closely followed by a young lady who was steering her car with her elbows while she was sending text messages via her cell phone.  She seemed to be punching out messages with her thumbs!

          I assumed that women cell phone users caused more accidents than men, and my reasoning was simple.   Men have an advantage.  Most of us learned to drive with one hand while we were still in high school.  But texting?  Give me a break!

          While we have a driver’s license that authorizes us to drive a car, it does not give us the right to drive 80 miles an hour through downtown Warrensburg.   It’s the same principle with cell phones.  While we have the right of free speech, it doesn’t give us the right to talk on our cell phones while we are driving a car on city streets or highways.  Why?  Because it is dangerous, mostly to those who aren’t even in your car!

          I propose that the same penalties for speeding, reckless driving, or driving under the influence, be applied to those idiots who have to stay in constant touch with both their friends while driving a motor vehicle of any kind.  And if a driver is using a cell phone and there is an accident, the cell phone user is automatically at fault.

          Perhaps the Missouri legislature could spend a little time on laws affecting safety instead of wasting their time trying to legislate morality.

          Incidentally, when I got to my morning coffee club, there were four women at the table next to us who were texting each other!  While a bit odd, in my book, that would be legal since they weren’t driving.

                                                                            

MANY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

LACK COMMUNICATION SKILLS

          Some of my favorite people are members of the medical profession.   I know that I am alive today because of the knowledge and care of a large number of  doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel.

          However, I am sad to report that medical professionals do not always communicate with one another, and sometimes vital information is not even shared with their staffs.

          For years I have requested that all lab reports and recommendations of various medical specialists be sent to my family doctor.  My goal was to have all of my medical information flowing into one central office.  From there, any specialist treating me could access whatever background information that was needed.

          With the advent of computers, it would seem that this would be a simple procedure.  Just zap the pertinent information via email to whatever doctor was doing what doctors do -- examine, prescribe, operate, console, etc.  Unfortunately, in too many instances vital information is kept secreted away in some doctor’s computer.

          Examples of communication failures abound.  After a week of injecting a blood thinner twice a day into my stomach, I was ready for  a fairly common eyelid surgery.  As I was being wheeled into the operating room, the doctor appeared and canceled the operation.  Seems that eye doctors had only recently learned that using that blood thinner could in some rare cases, cause blindness.  So he canceled the operation.

          My question was why did we come right down to the wire, and why was this information not sent out to the entire medical profession?  To top it off, a member of his staff called me the next day to see how I was doing post op.  Obviously, they weren’t even communicating internally.

          This week I had a follow-up visit with the surgeon who had removed my cancerous lower intestine.  Following the usual “how are you doing?” questions, he said he routinely performed a colonoscopy in the first year after surgery.  He asked me when was I operated on.  I told him I sometimes had trouble remembering what I did last week.  Actually, it had been two years since the operation. 

          His next question was “Did you see an oncologist and did you have radiation treatment?”  I told him that the “cancer” doctor told me that it would be five years or longer before I had to be concerned, and “no, I did not have any radiation treatment.”.

          I have come to a number of conclusions.  First, even though I had made this appointment several weeks ago, he apparently had not read my file.  Or, even worse, none of the oncologist’s report had been sent to him. 

          I have asked my family doctor to forward all pertinent information in my file to the surgeon since I will be meeting with him again in the next week or so.  The surgeon should have this information in order to make wise future decisions concerning my health.

          I don’t know what it will take to alert the medical profession about this major, life dealing problem of failing to communicate.  Perhaps the AMA will undertake to conduct seminars for doctors on the new computer medical information programs currently available.   I sure hope so.

           One concluding thought.  I totally admire and love all of the doctors who have treated me, and I will also admire and love any future doctors.  I am not in the business of upsetting those who help me; I just want them to be better informed.

                                                         

DON'T SHOOT AN UGLY GUN

          A very beautiful glossy flyer was in my mail box today, advertising a specially engraved, Nickel plated, Colt Model 1911.  Only 100 are being made available in Missouri.

          The year 2011 marks the 100^th anniversary of this .45 caliber pistol, and it is being offered  through the auspices of the NRA and American Legacy Firearms.

          According to the flyer, “Life’s Too Short To Shoot An Ugly Gun!”

          No cost is mentioned but there is a “layaway plan.”  $200 down and $100 a month.  There was no indication of how many months.

          I have several problems with this sales promotion.  First of all, nobody in his right mind would use this gun for protection.  A big dog or a shotgun would be better.  If your ownership of such a weapon is to demonstrate your patriotism, then all you can do is display it in your gun cabinet where only visitors would see it.   Or, you could carry it openly around town although this would not be a good idea.  And, if you used your concealed carry permit, you would be defeating the purpose.

         I carried one (Army issue) when I was serving on a  PT boat in the South Pacific during World War II.  We put tracer bullets in the clip so we could signal in the event we fell overboard.  I shot it many times and not once could I hit what I was aiming at. (I have to admit that what I did hit was totally destroyed.) Worst of all, it was a real tiger to clean.  I could strip it down, but I had to get my buddy, a gunner’s mate, to put it back together again.

          At least these “patriotic, commemorative guns” are made and engraved in the USA. 

RAISING THE DEBT CEILING

          Many of us are on fixed incomes, so it is essential that we operate with a tightly controlled budget.  I get a lot of satisfaction watching our expenses to be sure that we do not exceed our monthly budget.  The goal, of course, is to keep expenses below income.

          Unfortunately, circumstances do come in to play and last month was no exception.  We were suddenly faced with some unexpected household expenses and our car’s motor mount sprung an oil leak. (I never even knew that our car had a motor mount.)   On top of this, we were blessed by week-long vacation visits by our two daughters and grandson.

          As parents, we were determined to make their visit a happy one, so our food and entertainment costs rose accordingly.

          I soon realized that we were creating a serious financial problem.  There was no way we could stay below budget at the rate we were going.

          So, I did the only thing left.  With a stroke of the pen, I raised our debt ceiling by $500 which automatically kept us within the budget.  I began to relax, and all was right with the world.

          If necessary, I will raise our debt ceiling again next month.  After all, those bills must be paid.

          Incidentally, a Standard & Poor’s representative called me this morning to  offer a word of caution.  Apparently our credit rating may drop from AAA to just AA.  I told him I did not care.

NO COMMENT LETTER TO EDITOR

NO COMMENT IS THE BEST COMMENT

          Last week the Warrensburg City Council removed the City Manager from office, gave him six months severance pay, and informed the public that there would be no information provided concerning the details pf his removal.  The Daily Star Journal took the editorial position that “No Comment” was the correct approach.  The following is my letter to the editor which essentially supported the newspaper’s position.

          Your editorial on the appropriate use of the phrase “No comment” was right on.  When I was serving as the Director of Public Relations for UCM many years ago, my nickname was “No Comment Foster.”

          I recall when we had some major campus upheavals and the area reporters were working around the clock trying to get the details.   Around 10 p.m. one evening, a KC Star reporter called me at home and proceeded to tell me that he had a right to all that information.  He made me mad, I lost my temper, and said something like “you just want me to give you all the gory details.”

     The next day the KC Star carried a story with the headline:  PR  DIRECTOR AT CENTRAL MISSOURI REFUSES TO PROVIDE THE GORY DETAILS.

      At 8 o’clock the following morning, President Lovinger had me in his office where he gently pounded his desk and quietly suggested that “YOU WILL NEVER EVER USE THE PHRASE “GORY DETAILS’ AGAIN!”

      From then on, it was NO COMMENT.

      I am like most people.  I want to know the “inside story” or the truth of why so-an-so got the boot, etc.   However,  I strongly agree that “No Comment” is the best path.

       I use it around the house a lot, too.

                                               

         

Ten Ways to Save Medicare, Social Security and the USA

          Republicans are cast in concrete when it comes to taxes.  Democrats are equally adamant about messing with entitlements.  The immovable force meets the irresistible object.  Bang!  Nobody wins.  Nothing gets done.  The Nation continues its downward plunge.

          So who is responsible for fixing it?  It is the  535 members of Congress who set the budget, raise the money through taxes, and enforce the laws.  It is the members of Congress who are in a position to take  positive steps to save us from a pending disaster.

Here are 10 recommendations designed to change our approach to our problems.  None of these are original with me.  I have simply collected them from ideas gathered through newspaper and magazine articles.  I truly believe that Congress – our Senators and Representatives --   can “turn our country around” if they implement some or all of the following: 

1.     Raise the retirement age.  Increase the retirement age six months at a time – for 10 years – so that by 2017  Social Security starts at age 70.  People are living longer today.

2.     Base Social Security on Income.  Those with higher incomes pay more in to Social Security.   At the very least, eliminate the cap so all income is taxed.

3.     Eliminate tax loopholes.  Since we are attempting to wean our nation away from fossil fuels, why do we give huge tax breaks to big oil to help defray the cost of drilling?  Make them use their own billion dollar profits.

4.     Increase prosecution of Social Security and Medicare fraud.  Make violators ineligible for future benefits.  Force them to repay what they stole.  Give them jail time.

5.     Do a major overhaul of Medicare.  Increase monthly Medicare premiums by a modest amount.  Institute bidding for products and services.  Permit purchase as an alternative to mandatory rental of patient medical equipment.

6.     Revamp pension plans for Congress.   Require service of 10 years or more to be eligible for a pension.  Keep congressional pensions in line with what the common folk receive.  Institute some form of term limits..

7.     Cancel all congressional raises.  Do this until the government – and our nation – are no longer in danger.  Do this especially when the government overruns its budget.

8.     Eliminate lucrative congressional perks. On the cutting block should be free health club services,  free health insurance premiums and in the case of some of our reps, lucrative farm subsidies.

9.     Decrease the national defense budget.  Revamp the nation’s foreign policy. We are involved in too many police/military actions around the world.

10.  Bring our troops home now.    Afghanistan, Iraq and any other country where we are serving in police actions will just have to get along without us.

Remember, it is Congress who has the power to bring our Nation out of debt and establish future balanced budgets designed to meet our needs.  So, if you feel the need to complain, direct your anger at U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill.