Would this be communism?

Of all Obama's threats, promises, proposals, plans, suggestions-- whatever you may call it -- the most dangerous to our nation is his recent talk of the government taking control of all manufacturing companies. He boasted that he had saved the auto industry and would save all companies the same way he  had saved
 General Motors. Stockholders and bond holders were robbed of every penny they had invested in the company and taxpayers are still on the hook for billions of dollars they will likely never receive.

We believe that removing harmful and unnecessary regulations will allow manufacturing companies to compete and innovate, leading to added employment and an improving economy.  Obama's plan would favor certain industries  and companies and penalize others.  For instance, a favorite industry of Obama's is solar energy while he opposes the country becoming energy self-sufficient through more development of our 
fossil fuels.

I can name 14 solar energy companies that Obama gave taxpayer money to, and all failed. Here they are:

Amonix Solar; Solar Trust of America; Bright Source; Solyndra;  LSP Energy; SunPower; Beacon Power; Energy Conversion Devices;  Evergreen Solar; Ecotality; A123 Solar; UniSolar; Azure Dynamics; Ener1.

Remember the story of  "You have two cows."  Under socialism the government takes one cow and gives it to your  neighbor; under communism the government takes both cows and shoots you.

Arrested on the board walk

I watch very little TV (something that will change when football begins) but I'm glad the television was on when Nik Wallenda walked a tight rope 100 feet above Atlantic City Thursday. He walked 1300 feet without any safety harness or net.

His experience in Atlantic City was better than mine. No, I did not walk a tight rope -- I was arrested walking the famous board   walk. Let me give a little background. I was in Atlantic City to attend an apparel show, during which I hoped to acquaint cut and sew companies with the advantages Louisiana had to offer. This was about 40 years ago when I was an economic development specialist for the state.  I attended the show for two days before going to New York to spend a week keeping appointments I had made with garment manufacturers.

I arrived in Atlantic City Wednesday night, checked into a hotel, was bored and decided to visit the board walk.  I was dressed in a suit, white shirt and tie when two officers arrested me.  My crime was I was not wearing a top coat and to them that made me a suspicious character.  They let me go but ordered me back to the hotel and said I must stay off the board walk unless I wore a top coat.

Don't kill Dad's Purple Martins

The Lowe's were known for having a hot temper, but I can remember only one time I saw my dad lose his temper and threaten to commit homicide.  The victim of his wrath was our mama cat; she had killed a Purple Martin and displayed it proudly as if she had done something praiseworthy.

If you are familiar with  Purple Martins,  you know that they like to nest in communities.  Dad maintained a house with several compartments and we always hosted several Purple Martin families.  The house was high on a pole; I don't know how  the cat got to the bird but she managed.  Perhaps the bird attacked her first. No matter, Dad made it clear, he preferred the Martins to the cat.

For years I intended to install a Martin house in my garden.  I would examine houses at Lowe's and Home Depot but always preferred to  build my own.  Now the garden is no more but a Martin community would still be great in the backyard because the birds are beautiful to watch and they eat the hell out of mosquitoes.

Martins winter in the Amazon basin, returning to North America in the spring. We benefited from a large population of these birds in the 1980's, but they have become scarce and depend upon the support of humans building nests for them.

Nagasaki bombed; Japan surrenders

Three days after the first atom bomb hit Hiroshima, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki 77 years ago, August 9, 1945.  The next day Emperor Hirohito overruled some members of his war cabinet and agreed to unconditional surrender.  Fighting did not stop immediately, and the Japanese sank two American ships. It was not until August 14 that the Japanese people were told of the surrender and that is the day we celebrate as V J Day.

The Pickens continued loading on the Blackhawk Division  to take part in  the invasion of Japan.  I wish I could recall when we began to hope that the invasion would not be necessary and our chance to live was greatly improved.  I have heard several veterans of Okinawa say of the decision to drop the  atom bomb that "Truman saved my life."

17 years living with a stray

Seventeen years ago she showed up at our front door, dirty, gaunt, hungry and pregnant (though we didn't know this at the time), just a pathetic stray. But you know how kids are about  strays -- they want to adopt them, and we gave in and let them make a bed for her in the garage, and  Sarah the cat joined our family.

Jessica was five at the time and I suppose if the cat belonged to anyone it was to her.  She convinced us to  temporarily move Sarah's bed from the garage to the room with the washer-dryer and refrigerator. There she gave birth to a litter of kittens who soon acquired names -- Phantom, Precious, Uno, Pop Tart, and Runt.

Three soon found homes and we were left with Uno and Pop Tart.  Then came tragedy; I ran over Pop Tart, killing him.  The following Sunday I was greeted by several church members who had  attended early service with a puzzling statement, "I'm sorry about the loss of your cat."  It seems Jessica had asked that Pop Tart be added to the prayer list.  Sure enough, at the ll o'clock service as requests were made for prayers, Pop Tart was included.

Sarah had a visit with the vet and he convinced her it would be best if she didn't bring any more kittens into the world.  Uno became the Lothario of the neighborhood but failed to return after one of his romantic pilgrimages. 

I don't want to give thought to the amount we have spent in 17 years on vet bills and cat food. Every few years Sarah brings a little dead bird  to the house, depositing it  on the mat in front of the front door.  I can only believe she thinks she is repaying us for the money she has cost us, but it is a habit I wish she would give up.

After 17 years, though, I don't expect  Sarah to make any changes.

To Pickens shipmates and families

It has been my experience that most veterans did not talk much about their time in the  service. A time comes when family members become interested in knowing more about their father, grandfather, uncle, etc. and it is often too late.  Often I have posted about the Pickens or some other service matter on Tiger Droppings and have had people ask if anyone knew their loved one. 

At this moment I wonder if any shipmate remembers C. E. McCracken or Jose P. Ramirez, both of whom served on the Pickens.

We say goodbye to a great human being

We said goodbye to a member of the "Greatest Generation" this morning with a service celebrating his life. Jim Brooks was a neighbor and a friend.He had lost nearly all  his eye sight so it was our pleasure to give him a ride to church on the days he was well enough to attend  Jim never amassed great wealth, never won a big award, never was elected to a high office.  He was a decent man, devoted to his family and generous to his family, his church, and to people in need.

Jim enlisted in the Navy at 17 and served his nation during World War II. Sadly, the veterans of that conflict are leaving us too quickly.  This nation will miss their wisdom, their courage and their honor.