Home of Today's Common Sense

Rock and Roll update
St. Paul Foundation presents
FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS
8:00 PM SATURDAY OCTOBER 16, 2010
at the Majestic Theatre – Dallas

Published Brownsville Herald Aug 30, 2010

On last Monday my wife got a call asking her to substitute teach. Then it hit me school is back in session.
When I checked my Web site in preparation for this column I noted, as you would expect, that taxes, education and taxes and education were the issues most read. Though not very surprising it is heartening to see that those issues are read and re-read more than twice as often as any other. Most folks are truly interested in seeing their children have more opportunities for education and the benefits that can result.
I submit that striving for better education is the one thing that we all can agree on; the problems begin however, with differing views in how the education is accomplished.
On one side, we are told that there is a crisis in education and only more tax money and the government will solve it. On another we need alternatives to the present system so as to provide a choice and competition to the system in order to encourage accountability. Some blame the teachers for holding low expectations of certain groups of students, having a lack of ability to motivate students or worse; and others blame the parents for lack of interest and support in the educational process. I have often blamed the school administration for not adequately maintaining a good learning atmosphere. There may be some truth in all of these things but that is not the whole problem. More »

The 2011 Oldies Malt Shop Cruise the second such event for Carnival Cruises is scheduled aboard the Carnival Sensation, May 8 – 12, 2011 from Port Canaveral, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas. The Malt Shop Memories Cruise will be five days of music, dancing and fun.
Artists joining the cruise this year on the floating Malt Shop include Chubby Checker, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Shirley Alston Reeves: original lead singer of The Shirelles, The Crystals, The Original Drifters, The Tymes, The Skyliners, The Del Rays, The Devotions, and The Fireflies. Since there may be additions of other exciting artists check with Carnival. http://www.maltshopcruise.com/

Published Brownsville Herald August 16, 2010

Some of readers will remember Superman on television in the late 1950’s and the motto at the beginning “Truth – Honor and “The American Way”. These became the seeds of the “Boomer” belief system though they were not always followed faithfully. They were certainly the ideals that we strived for.
A widely touted part of “Today’s American Way” is the “rule of law” which is often pointed to as of supreme importance. Unfortunately, it is found important only when it is convenient.
As one example just look at the immigration debacle! Decades of political interference in existing law and regulation, as well as the ways laws were applied, has resulted in a supremely unworkable system that threatens the one most important job of government – that of ensuring peace and order. We have neither today. More »

I almost never post other articles but the following tribute to President Obama, by Gary Hubbell a realtor in Hotchkiss, CO needs to be read. It was originally published in Aspen Times Weekly in February 2010.
Barack Obama is the best thing that has happened to America in the last 100 years. Truly, he is the savior of America’s future. He is the best thing ever. More »

Published August 2, 2010

The advancement of the modestly priced transportation choices between North America, Central America and South America that I have described will do more to improve the Western Hemisphere cohesion and stability than any other single thing that could be done.
Just for a moment, picture yourself with a small 3 ship ferry operation at the point in history when relations normalize with Cuba. –serious profits and expansion- Also envision the evolution of a cohesive Hemispheric logistics system with central distribution points in Cuba and ferries of different sizes and purposes steaming off like a compass star. It would permit immediate transportation systems to develop using current and older equipment, trailers, rail cars etc. It would also require that countries get along better to work out equipment interchanges, uniform vehicle licensing, safety requirements, etc. What I have been discussing could conceivably be the basis of stability in our part of the world.
As President Regan said, “There he goes again”. As much as I try to distance myself and retire, the passion still exists. More »