27 January 2012 OS Reflects On His Month

There hasn't been much time or energy to write during this first month of 2012, due to schedule and a nasty nasty nasty respiratory bug that traveled home with Mr and Mrs OS from their vacation in England.  Yes, flu shots were administered last fall, and it didn't seem to make a bit of difference this year.

Still, some wonderful moments occurred, such as a trip to Louisville to hear the Royal Philharmonic with Pinchas Zukerman on the podium, and performing the Bruch violin concerto as well. Brahms 4 occupied the second half, featuring flawless string playing, and inspiring work from the principal flautist. A piece like this is the musical version of wire-walking in one's BVD's--if it goes well, no one notices, but if things go slightly pear-shaped it's immediately evident. The highlight of the evening was Zukerman's 'pep talk' to the audience after the main concert, followed by an inspired performance of Elgar's Nimrod. He reminded the audience of his first visit to their fair city in 1969, and urged them to get their orchestra underway again. The packed house cheered for him as he spoke.

It may take a long time, given the bitterness in the air. This bit of labor rant, complete with every device of class envy the author could muster was published in response to this perhaps ill-time and advised public pronouncement by one of the Louisville Orchestra's board members. Turns out that the orchestra members had been claiming unemployment benefits, on the basis they had been locked out. The State of Kentucky had recently ruled that, in reality, the musicians are on strike. Not only are they not eligible to collect, they owe the money they collected back!  Not a happy situation, to say the least.

The turnout at Royal Phil was impressive--every seat filled. There is an audience for this music, but not for a snake-bit situation as exists locally. The solution may be to have other orchestras play in Louisville while on tour for the next 3-5 years, put the LO on ice, let tempers cool and reason have a chance to reassert itself. 

It was also a month that included one of those frustrating 'customer representative' experiences with OS's wireless carrier, Verizon Wireless. They sold him a phone that didn't work, after assuring him all was well. It cost many hours to straighten out the snafu. The worst experience was with Danny, who didn't see the logic in making an adjustment in the bill that might begin to faintly recognize the chaos created. Danny, and presumably Verizon, are perfectly happy to let thousands of dollars a year from a long-standing customer walk out the door, while informing his friends and family of the shabby treatment.

OK, Danny. You win. Verizon must not need customers, so OS is happy to recommend his readers shop elsewhere, as he plans to do as well. The money for your salary, package and pension will miraculously materialize from somewhere as the customers snap the checkbook shut, so don't-chew-worry-yohself-one-bit. You're Danny, from Verizon. Nothing bad could happen to you.

Finally, the election fever is upon us. Never have words seemed to mean less, or the stakes been higher, or the world situation more fragile. So, that's why we follow Newt's ex-wife breathlessly, and pore over Mitt's tax return (500 ***** pages? That's a tax code we can live with?), debating whether he pays enough taxes. How's about instead we allllll learn how to build substantial worth by honest means?

Herman Cain seems like a footnote now, but OS rues his absence. There is something about the man that frightens people like Obama, Mitt, Newt, McCain, Biden. His approach is simple, he's basically come back from death's door in recovering from cancer, and he knows how to relate to people.

But life is looking up--baseball spring training begins soon, and the NCAA tournament and The Masters aren't far behind.  Today's round in Abu Dhabi with Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods in the same threesome brought joy to the heart, as did Louisville's wins at Pittsburgh and at home. 

Still in recovery mode. Till next time.

OS

We Were The Obama Generation

If anything deserves to go viral, this is it. These kids don't talk about social issues, or race, or birth certificates, or the Middle East, or Solyndra, or Fast-and-Furious, or GM, or...

They just talk about the math they face, left them by Obama.

Publish Post

B'Bye, Timmy! Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out

The critters begin to depart the ship as it begins its really serious list...

He'd be gone before now, except that Himself would not be able to get anyone willing to endure the confirmation process in order to serve until next January, and not even Obama thinks he'd get away with some bogus 'Recess Appointment' nonsense. The markets (especially the US bond market) would hit the 'risk off' button and hold it down the day after he tried that.

Next up? Lessee, who is most likely to be a subject of discussion in the fall campaign?

Oh, Mr. Holder, let's talk about that Fast and Furious operation, why don't we? Or...maybe not...

OS Has A Question: Who Are The Afghanis Captured By Border Patrol In South Texas, And What Pray Tell Were They Doing In McAllen?

The local newspaper article is very short on details, but the bare facts of the story are chilling enough.

McALLEN — U.S. Border Patrol officials confirmed three Afghan nationals were detained this week in the Rio Grande Valley.

Border Patrol confirmed the detentions, but would not say where or when they occurred.

Enrique Mendiola, assistant chief Border Patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley sector, said "with the current decline in illegal cross border activity" human smugglers may see moving people besides Mexican nationals as a "business opportunity."

"Average smuggling rates for other-than-Mexican nationals far exceed those of Mexicans and Central and South Americans," he said in a statement.

Mendiola noted the Department of Homeland Security is working with governments in Central and South America to "identify and disrupt transnational smuggling organizations and routes, that sometimes can span the globe."

Federal court records showed no arrests involving anyone accused of smuggling Afghan nationals. No further information was available late Friday evening.

Hmmm....perhaps they were just poor innocent souls seeking a better life NorthOfTheBorder.  Isn't that the constant meme of The Left, explaining to us all ever so patiently why border security doesn't matter, illegal immigration is no problem?

Or, perhaps, they traveled here for some other reason.

How did they get into Mexico? Whose money was spent to get them halfway across the world? How many more are there, the ones who weren't captured?