My take on the court's ruling

People much more knowledgeable than I have analyzed the Supreme Court decision on Obamacare and have voiced their uncertainty on the effect it will have on the law and on the upcoming election.

We all should remember the corrption and bribery that were needed to gain passage of the law--without a single vote to spare.  Many of the most vocal supporters of Obamacare were  rewarded with waivers and other favors.  Since then waivers have been granted to every thing from certain states to AARP and strip clubs in Nancy Pelosi's district.  Congress enacted a law that will force some companies out of business while leave many of Obama's friends free of those costs and penalties associated with the act.

Before the court's ruling it was generally believed that the mandate, forcing individuals  to buy insurance or pay a fine, was unconstitutional because Congress claimed authority under the commerce clause .Under
 the Obama interpretation of the  clause, Americans could be forced to do anything, such as buying health insurance, or not allowed to do anything as harmless as planting turnip greens.

While the court allowed the mandate to buy insurance to remain as a tax, the court did rule that the commerce clause does not give absolute control of a  person's every activity to the administration.  That at least is a victory.. 

A tale of cockleburrs and a cow's tail

Cockleburrs (or burdock) with their loops and hooks inspired the Frenchman to invent velcro, and that's a good thing, but being swatted in he face by a cow's tail  full of cockleburrs is a bad thing. Take it from me, who had that experience often while milking.  Cockleburrs didn't grow in the pasture but they loved soybean fields and came into their own in the fall.  While foraging in the fields the cows would gather the burrs in their tails and bring them in when coming to be milked.

I can still remember as if it was last week that the cow I was milking had an especially heavey  load of cockleburrs in her tail, which she kept swinging at my face.  Finally I couldn;t take it any more; I separated the hairs of her tail and tied it to her right hind leg.  I milked her in safety for a few minutes but then whap--she had jerked her tail free and gave me the hardest blow I had ever received.  I recovered enough to finish milking despite a bruised and scratched face. At the time I had never seen or heard of velcro.

We say goodbye to Snip

After all crops were gathered we opened up the fields to the livestock, allowing connection to the pastures.  The cows we were milking would show up at the cow pen but other stock, cows and horses, might not come near the house for days at a time.  We had not seen Snip for two or three days and went to the farther side of the fields looking for him.

When we found Snip he was on  his side, unable to get to his feet.  He had tried so long trying to get up that he had made a ditch that circled him.  He was very weak but nickered  a greeting to us when we got to him.  To  end his suffering we had to end his life as much as it pained us.

Dad said that Grandma had purchased Snip to be a buggy horse, but she got accustomed to riding in a car and Snip became a plow horse.  He walked very fast and as a small kid plowing I had to run to keep up with him.  I remember joining with Snip in laying by corn for six days straight.  I plowed all day and all night in my dreams.  Snip was about 26 years old when he died.

Yes, it is hot, hot, hot but could be worse

Unbearable is not adequate to describe the heat we are suffering through this June.  What will July and August bring?  I walked only from my car  to Brookshires and had difficulty breathing.  I feel for the people in Morgan City whose power plant caught fire and had to be shut down, leaving everyone to stand the heat without the aid of air conditioning or fan.

We can emphasize with them.  We returned from a vacation trip two summers ago to find our compressor was shot.  We were saved by friends who loaned us mobile air conditioners until we got a new one installed

Complaining about the weather is a given right, but on a more serious note let us pray for those who are being moved from their homes because of forest fires in the west or flooding in the southeast.

Surprise -- (Shreveport) Times supports Keystone

The Times in an editorial today supports permitting the construction of the Keystone Pipeline to go forward and  urges Obama to stop opposing it.  The Times lists the benefits the pipeline would bring and finds the reason for opposing its construction to be without any merit.  Obama is acting for political reasons alone.

Canada has this supply of oil and needs to sell it and the United States would benefit in improved national security as well as the creation of jobs.

Is this the first time the Times has been even mildly critical of Obama?

Compton won't be the last

Compton, Calif. is laying off employees in an effort to avoid going bankrupt, but whether this can save the city is yet to be determined.  More cities and other  political subdivisions have similar problems and  do not know how to solve them.

Several times, going back more than a year ago, I predicted this would happen, the principal cause of their predicament -- too generous retirement plans.  Compton is paying retired workers the money needed for the workers filling the necessary jobs.

I hate to say "I told you so," but in January of 2011  I headlined one post, "Have Unions and Cowardly Politicians Brought Us to Our Knees?"   The article  mentioned that   Detroit  was considering closing half its schools in order to give in to union demands for generous pensions and early retirement. Camden, N.J. was considering laying off half its policemen and firemen because it pays so much in pensions.

Elected officials must make tough choices.  Let's see how many have courage to do so.

Fresh Water a premium onboard ship

The USS Pickens most of the time could convert enough sea water to fresh to meet the needs of the crew. When loaded with troops, however, rationing was enforced. This usually meant  that fresh water was turned on in the showers for about 15 minutes every four hours.  We were to use just enough water to get wet, soap up, and use just enough water to get the soap off.  The result was that we usually showered in ocean water. If  an individual was caught using more water than allowed he could serve time in the brig. 

When we were serving as part of the "magic carpet" and were loaded with 1800 soldiers or Marines, the trip back home would begin with our passengers not using much water, but as we got nearer to San Francisco, their use of water increased leaving little for the crew.