The Way I See ItBy cj pollickBeach Erosion - If you had a chance to walk along some of our local beaches, such as Clearwater's Sand Key Beach and North Clearwater Beach, you perhaps noticed beach erosion due to some of our winter storms. A three to four-foot drop developed behind Dan's Island condos where it was once a wide, sloping sand beach. The same beach erosion problem is noticeable along the sands of Belleair Shore where beach restoration was not supported during the last renourishment program. Of course, with county, state, and federal funding evaporating for beach renourishment, local beach renourishment could become an issue once the ocean waters reach current sand-covered seawalls, as it once did along many Clearwater Sand Key condominium complexes. Kendrick Meek Says I'm The Democrat Nominee, Not Crist - It now appears that Charlie Crist is calling Washington in desperation and asking for help from leading Democrats like Sen. Harry Reid and other top officials at the White House. Once a GOP favorite, Charlie Crist clearly abandoned the Republican Party and conservative voters in Florida in hopes of gaining support from leading Democrats and liberals in Washington. However, the top Democrat candidate in Florida seeking the US Senate seat is Kendrick Meek from Miami, and he has received the blessings and support from President Obama and other leading Democrats. Thus, it seems as though the Charlie Crist campaign is trying to gain support from either GOP or Democrat Party leaders (where both major political parties already have candidates they will support in November.) Do the recent phone calls from Charlie Crist (campaign) to leading Democrats in Washington mean that Crist is willing to caucus with Democrats in favor of Republicans if he is elected? Crist is not talking, but recent phone calls from the Crist campaign to leading Democrats may mean that he is willing to jump from "Independent" to Democrat if elected to the Senate. As one attendee said at the Crist's speaking engagement in St. Petersburg, "We don't know where we stand with Charlie, he has changed." Kendrick Meek? He is the Florida Democrat Party candidate, whether the Crist campaign likes it or not. Yes, it is indeed amazing how Crist is now seeking input from people like Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV.) On the other hand, Crist is trying to win a political office regardless of which political party supports him. Imagine how Kendrick Meeks feels about the Crist campaign calling Democratic supporters in Washington? Newsweek Magazine For Sale - Washington Post has reported that it plans to put Newsweek Magazine up for sale due to declining readership and continued financial losses. Newsweek Magazine is projected to post over $20 million in losses. As employees of Newsweek Magazine accept early retirement and continued layoffs occur, less than 400 employees remain working for the weekly magazine. On the other hand, print media has experienced loss of circulation and loss of advertising revenues for years. Most every daily newspaper across America has lost readership and advertising revenues since the growth of online news reporting. In fact, The Wall Street Journal recently passed US Today in circulation. Are We In America, Or What? - Lets see, Rev. Jesse Jackson is now pressuring the commissioner of baseball to boycott Arizona due to its tough illegal immigration law; two students in public school wearing an American flag emblem on their shirts were told to go home since it was Cinco de Mayo Day and it was not appropriate to wear the American flag on that day; a few towns in Arizona have stated they will not enforce the illegal (emphasis on illegal) immigration law in Arizona; President Obama asked the justice department to review whether the law in Arizona was legal; Phoenix Suns basketball team proudly wore jerseys that had the team's name in Spanish and not English during a home game; a police officer was shot and killed while patrolling the border; San Francisco's mayor wants a boycott on Arizona; and Mayor Bloomberg of New York said that maybe the New York terrorist bomber (a Pakistani) was mad due to the illegal immigration law in Arizona. Of course, there are other notable names not mentioned that have gone to the defense of illegal immigrants instead of defending people who are in America legally. Is all of the hoopla about illegal immigration just a ploy to gain votes for certain politicians? Do these politicians really mean to grant amnesty to tens of millions of illegals in America? As one conservative politician said last week, "All types of people are crossing our southern border, terrorists included." Back for a moment to Cinco de Mayo Day. Great day for people who wish to celebrate that occasion. However, for any high school administrator to allow students to wear American flag shirts and emblems throughout the school year and not allow that type of wear on Cinco de Mayo Day because it may offend people, should be removed from office. How can wearing an American emblem be offensive in America? Ironically, it might make more sense if any student wearing an emblem deemed to be offensive in America, should be told to go home and change clothes. Is this what some people might call "modern-day progressivism?" Supreme Court Nominee - As expected, another Harvard educated lawyer was selected by President Obama to fill a Supreme Court vacancy. This disturbing Supreme Court appointment trend means that other top law schools throughout America are being snubbed by the Washington elite. Of course, Harvard hosts one of our nation's best law schools, but it is most unusual that other top law schools in America are being overlooked; and, of course, Harvard is not the highest rated law school. In fact, it might be worthy to notice a non-lawyer on the Supreme Court since many of their decisions are more related to society and politics than law. A lifetime Supreme Court appointment at age 50? Folks, that is real political power. Obamacare Costs Over One Trillion - The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that the federal government will have to spend an additional $115 billion implementing the law, bringing the total estimated cost to over $1 trillion. The estimate had been requested before passage of the bill by Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), but the CBO was too overwhelmed with the Democrats' other constant revisions to the law to get back to Lewis before the final vote. More Government Workers - Obama plans to instruct federal agencies to hire government workers faster so the government can better compete with the private sector for top talent. Endless Bailout - Following last week's announcement that Freddie Mac lost $6.7 billion in the first quarter of 2010 and needed another $10.6 billion in bailout cash from taxpayers. Fannie Mae announced Monday that it has lost $11.5 billion so far this year and needs a fresh $8.4 billion taxpayer bailout. Did you know Fannie and Freddie do not pay state and local sales taxes though their private sector competitors do? So much for a level playing field! Port Wentworth, Georgia - There was a time when praying before meals was commonplace throughout America. Of course, there was also a time when saluting our flag and saying things like "God Bless America" and "In God We Trust" was as common in public schools as teachers who had the authority to discipline. My, how times have changed. In Port Wentworth, Georgia a group of senior citizens normally would offer a short prayer before they ate their meals. However, and thanks to a city lawyer who stated that before meal prayer was a possible violation of separation of "Church and State rights" and the senior group received part city funding for their meals. Thus, they had to stop praying before meals and only have a moment of silence. The senior citizens were outraged after being told they had to stop praying before meals. "They can't stop me from praying," said more than one senior citizen. The Mayor sided with the senior citizens and was asking for sensible solutions. Does small government funding for meals mean that prayer must be stopped? The answer appears to be, yes! IMF To Greece, "Cut Spending" - European nations will send about $1 trillion euros to help Greece from declaring national bankruptcy. "Cut spending" was the message from the International Monetary Fund (IMF.) Leaders of Greece were also informed by the IMF to support more privatization of their health care system, cut government employees and pay less into government pension benefits. Sound familiar? It is something taxpayers have been saying to leaders in America for decades. More privatization of health care, less government employees and less government pension benefits-the IMF fiscal message could apply to many nations across the globe, starting with America. One trillion Euros to Greece, a country with a population of 11 million (less than the city of Los Angeles.) Tiger Drops Out - To say that personal problems have not affected Tiger Woods' golf game is an understatement. His recent "dropping-out" at the last round of golf of The Players Golf Tournament is a reflection of how far Tiger has fallen. Yes, this is the same man who finished a golf tournament with a broken bone…and won. But now the focus and adrenaline normally exhibited by Tiger at major golf tournaments is gone. He is no longer feared as the man everyone had to watch on the Sunday's leader board. Tiger is playing like any another good professional golfer who could finish in the top 25 of any golf tournament. But, he is not playing like the Tiger Woods of a year ago. More than one commentator has stated that it might be wise for Tiger to clear up his personal issues before playing more top tournament golf. Johnny Miller, not one to hold back personal commentary, said last Sunday that "Tiger's problems have added stress to his life that is being reflected by his physical body (such as recent neck and other physical injuries.)" PGA golf needs a competitive Tiger Woods as much as Tiger Woods needs the PGA. On the other hand, the loss of Tiger Woods at any golf tournament is major news and unfortunately has superceded the merits of other tournament challengers (and winners.) Time will tell if Tiger Woods can reclaim his old fire and focus; until then he will continue to be the lead story in golf. PGA golf needs a healthy Tiger Woods. "Lincoln stood with the radicals to abolish slavery and with the conservatives to save the Union, and he was right in both cases." -Theodore Roosevelt |