My blog of gratitude - one day late

 

I try to write a blog every year on Thanksgiving Day. I am imperfect and have missed some years. I did not write 1 yesterday and that was a deliberate choice. My mother made it until the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving before passing away, asleep in her hospital bed.  It is purely coincidence that my father passed away the week before Thanksgiving 16 years ago.

 

In the wake of this type of loss, it is easy to adopt a mindset that I have nothing to be thankful for. That's the easy way out. It is not the right way at least not for me. I have lost two parents, as have many of you. One who I treasured and adored for  most of my life, although we were estranged for over 7 years at one point. The other parent I loved as long as she lived. I will continue to love her as long as i live. It is because of her that I have at least one very compelling reason to be thankful. Not just on Thanksgiving, but every day.

 

Some of you know this, others do not. I'm going to repeat it in a hopefully brief manner. Flashback to April of 2010. I became extremely ill and wound up spending nine weeks in a coma. Doctors who were treating me approached my mother about pulling the plug. One of them told her simply, “if he is a fighter he will live. If he is not a fighter, he won't.” I think the fact that I am still here 14 plus years later shows I am a fighter. She would not give up on me. She would not entertain any conversation about letting me go. Her faith that I would live is why I am here. It is the thing I am most grateful for.

 

I am grateful for my siblings. My stepsister Susan, my sister Beth and my brother Barry. We have been in contact during this very trying time, and I am grateful for their support and love. Yes Virginia, grateful equals thankful.

 

I am grateful to work for an employer that supports me with the management team that always has my back. I am behind in my work and yet my managers told me don't worry about work, take the time you need to deal with your loss. They made sure my colleagues were informed and without exception, they have offered their condolences.

 

I am thankful for my friends. The closest friends and all the other friends who learn of my loss have taken time to offer concern and comfort. Some of my closest friends are keeping a close eye on me but without smothering me. It is a distinction worthy of note and respect.

 

I have never been close with my father's side of the family. It's been nearly 20 years since I've had contact with any of them. That does not change the fact that I know with certainty that if they were aware of my loss, they would reach out.

 

I am thankful for the high quality medical care received from the veterans administration. There is no question that the health care is first rate. That there are problems with the administrative management that health care is well known, but that doesn't stop the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals from taking great care of this particular veteran. I will also note for the record that the care I see them providing every other veteran is also outstanding, with the very occasional exception. I spent 8 hours in the VA emergency room on Monday. The stay was prolonged because some tests showed some concerning results. A young resident physician asked me if I would be willing to stay to allow them to run some further tests to ensure everything was OK. She mentioned understanding that most of the time patients don't want to do that because they don't want to be in hospitals. I am willing to wager that there are very few people who hate being in hospitals more than I do. I spent a year in one and hope to never spend another night in one again as long as I live.  I told her that my opinion of people who seek the advice of experts and then ignore it are being foolish. In the end there was nothing to be concerned about and I was sent home.

 

I am thankful for a certain college sociology professor whose name escapes me. He taught me and the rest of our class about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Otherwise, I would not know to be thankful that my physiological and safety needs are being met.

 

I was chatting with a friend yesterday online my friend told me they were sorry for some of the terrible things that have happened in my life. As I pointed out to my friend, I am thankful for the lessons learned from such events. I know that I am the sum of my experiences. I have seen more death and dead bodies in one lifetime than anyone should have to bear, but I live with it. These 65 years, two months and some days and what has transpired during that time is why I am who I am.

 

I am thankful for people who upon learning that I am a veteran, thank me for my service. My service began in 1977 when people were still spitting on veterans although it had greatly tapered off since the end of the Vietnam war. It is encouraging to see those who volunteered to serve our nation being thanked for that choice.

 

I am more thankful than ever that our nation's founders built the system of checks and balances that our democracy must rely on to be protected for the next 4 years beginning in January.

 

I am thankful for my clients. I have a large client base and they are very important to me. The overwhelming majority of them are happy with my work and tell me so. It is extraordinarily gratifying for someone who provides a service to receive expressions of gratitude from those you serve.

 

Lastly, I am grateful for anyone who took the time to read this far. I don't write as often as I used to and I feel I am letting my audience down by doing less. But if even one person gleans 1 nugget that is useful from this rant; it was worth it.

2024 General Election - November 5, 2024

This may well be the most consequential presidential election in our nation's history. Every single voting-age American who chooses to NOT vote must blame themselves if they dislike what comes next.

These are the races on my ballot that I chose to offer an opinion on.

President

U.S. Senate

I am not rating the various House of Representative districts. Since I do not reside in the City of Los Angeles, I am also not rating the races for seats on the L.A. City Council.

Los Angeles County District Attorney 

Proposition 3

Proposition 5

Proposition 6

Proposition 32

Proposition 33

I will vote no on Prop 34

I will vote no on Prop 35

I will vote no on Prop 36

November 5, 2024 - Proposition 33

 

Proposition 33 is the third attempt by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to repeal a California law known as Costa-Hawkins. This is clearly a case where the third time is not a charm.

 

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has spent nearly $50 million to promote the yes on 32 campaign. Realtors and property owners of rentals have spent more than double that supporting a no vote on Prop 32.

 

The not-for-profit tax return, form 990 submitted by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation states its primary purpose as to provide health care for people who have AIDS. According to the Westside Current, The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has purchased a dozen single renter occupancy apartment buildings. A report in the Los Angeles Times in November of 2023 describes truly terrifying living conditions in those apartments and how tenants who went on rent strikes were evicted with most of their belongings lost.

 

I have written in the past about the profit in being a not-for-profit and it appears to me at a glance that the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is doing just that. They have had surpluses for the past few years as follows. A surplus is the amount by which the revenue brought in exceeds the expenses spent by the organization.

2019 - $98.6 million

2020 – $146.2 million

2021 – $ 200.8 million

2022 – $181.54 million

This means the Aids Healthcare Foundation has increased its assets by over $500 million during that four year period.

 

If all of that was not bad enough, the fact is that the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is disseminating commercials that include photographs of vice president Kamala Harris as though she is endorsing Proposition 33. She has made no such endorsement. That is disqualifying dishonesty in my book.

 

I will vote no on Proposition 33.

November 5, 2024 - Proposition 6

 

At this moment, 34 of the 50 United States do not allow forced prison labor to transpire within their borders. Simple math tells us that means16 states allowing to force prisoners to work for a pittance and can punish them if they refuse.

 

Proposition 6 outlaws forced prison labor in California. The justification offered by some that prisoners should “earn their keep” is ridiculous. When the state incarcerates an individual, it assumes responsibility for every facet of that individual's life, for as long as they are held captive. The prison system must feed, clothes, house, and provide for the medical care of the prisoners.

 

Offering prisoners voluntary opportunities to work, learn skills, and earn some money, is fair. Taking the freedom of prisoners for crimes they have committed is unquestionably appropriate.

 

Committing a violent crime rightly earns the criminal an extended stay behind bars. That does not give the prison system the right to profit from the involuntary labor of said prisoners.

I will vote yes on Proposition 6.

November 5, 2024 - Proposition 32

 

Proposition 32 on the November ballot would change the California minimum wage to $18.00 per hour in phases. By 2026 all California workers would receive that as a minimum wage.

 

Before analyzing this Proposition it is important to note that the United states federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour period that has been the minimum wage since the year 2009. I understand the ramifications of states passing higher minimum wages than the federal minimum wage all too well from my own experience.

 

In October of 1976, I was working at a jack-in-the-box on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. I was a shift leader and while the minimum wage at the time of my promotion to shift leader was $2.00 per hour. My promotion got me a raise to $2.50 per hour. When the state raise the minimum wage from $2.00 per hour to $2.50 per hour, suddenly the people I supervised were making the same wage as I was. As a result management had to give me another raise from $2.50 per hour to $2.85 per hour. Raising the California minimum wage from its current $16.00 per hour to $18.00 per hour will have a similar effect on the pay structure in businesses where most of the employees are earning the minimum wage.

 

However, the reality is that earning a minimum wage 40 hours a week does not provide an employee with enough money to live on in this location and economy. This justifies the California legislature to increase the state's minimum wage as is proposed in this Proposition.

 

Imagine for a moment living on an annual wage of $37,440 per year. That's what a minimum wage worker would earn if they worked 40 hours a week for 52 weeks in a year at $18.00 per hour minimum wage. I see no way to live on that amount of money unless you're paying no rent and have no transportation costs. Most people living who have a minimum wage job do not have such luxuries.

 

I will vote yes on Proposition 32.

November 5, 2024 - Proposition 5

 

Requiring 2/3 of the voters to approve a ballot proposition is onerous. Contrary to popular rumor, the passage of proposition 13 back in the late 1970s did not create the requirement for a supermajority in order to pass a local tax or ballot measure. The fact is that the supermajority requirement in such votes has been part of the California constitution since the year 1879.

 

Proposition 5 would reduce the required supermajority to pass a local tax or bond measure from 66.7% to only 55%. It is a move in the right direction. It is unconscionable that 1/3 of the electorate can unite and prevent the passage of a local tax or ballot measure.

 

Naturally, the Howard Jarvis taxpayers association opposes proposition 5. Just like they oppose any measure that will make it easier for state and local governments to borrow money to fund projects. I prefer to remember Mr. Jarvis as the unfortunate man who spends the entire length of the movie Airplane! sitting in a cab outside the terminal.

 

Vote yes on proposition 5.

November 5, 2024 - Proposition 3

 

Proposition 3 is designed to ensure that Californians will retain the right to have same sex marriages. In 2008 the electorate approved Proposition 8, a band on same sex marriages in California. The courts ruled prop 8 to be unenforceable and that is why there has been no rush to correct the fact that the constitution of California defines marriage as being between a man and a woman.

 

Now, the need to ensure the rights of same sex couples to marry has become more important than ever. That is because of the rising anti LGBTQ community attitude among conservatives. Currently, federal law protects the right to same sex marriage. Depending on the outcome of the election, and who controls the house the Senate and the Oval Office next year, calls into question it's OK whether or not that federal law will remain in effect.

 

An individual citizen has the right to marry whoever they choose. Assuming of course that their choice is legally an adult.

I will vote yes on Proposition3

November 5, 2024 - District Attorney

 

Disclosure: I know Nathan Hochman. We are on a first name basis but we are not friends. The fact that I know him had no impact on what is written below.

 

The choice between the incumbent District Attorney, George Gascon and his challenger Nathan Hochman could be decided by one factor only. Since December 8th of 2020 the District Attorney of Los Angeles county's office has had a blanket policy of not representing victims in parole board hearings. It's easy to understand gas guns choice to reduce prison terms seek a rehabilitative approach and so on but one of the responsibilities of prosecutors is to represent and protect the rights of the victims of people being considered for parole.

 

But there is other information that concerns me regarding Mr. Gascon. More than 35 cities have issued votes of no confidence in the man. 20 different prosecutors in his office have sued him for various reasons. Data from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department shows that homicides within the county rose from 145 in 2019 to 212 in 2023. I feel less safe when out in public now than at any other time in my decades of residency in this county.

 

Choosing between preserving the rights of criminals versus preserving the rights and safety of their victims isn't a difficult issue to balance. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers are the last line of defense to protect the non-criminal population from the criminal population.

 

I am voting for Nathan Hochman for District Attorney

November 5, 2024 - U.S. Senate election

 

Facing off in the race for a full term as the United States senator from California are Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey.

 

The supporters of Garvey who are trying to draw a parallel between Donald trump's lack of experience in elected office prior to his presidential election victory in 2016 and Steve Garvey as a completely inexperienced politician are missing a key difference. While people will forever be debating the real net worth of Mr. Trump, it is indisputable that he has enjoyed success in a number of his business ventures. We may joke about the failures and the bankruptcies, but the fact is Donald Trump is a success in business. The same cannot be said of Steve Garvey. While he was found not liable four false advertising claims involving a product that he was the paid spokesperson for, he has had financial reverses since the end of his baseball career. He has no real experience in managing large workforces.

 

His opponent in the race to win a seat in the United states Senate is congressman Adam Schiff. Mr. Schiff has over 20 years experience serving in the US House of Representatives. Before that he served in the California legislature. Prior to that he was an assistant United States Attorney who successfully prosecuted the spy Richard Miller. He has a wealth of experience in the halls of Washington DC

 

I will vote for Adam Schiff for United States Senator

November 5, 2024 ballot - Presidency

 

On the surface, binary choices appear to be the simplest. Choose A or choose B, or if you're a traditionalist choose zero or choose one.

 

Next Tuesday, the choice between Donald J trump and Kamala Harris is more complicated. The rhetoric used by the former president has become increasingly focused on promoting violence. Trump does not seek to be the president of a constitutional Republic. He is not interested in democratic rule. He wants to limit the ability of the legislative and judicial branches of our government have on his ability to take executive action.

 

Trump is not interested in the lives of his supporters. He is not interested in the lives of those who support vice president Harris. The only people he cares about have been described as the top 1%, referring to their level of income. One of his supporters stated publicly that the votes of women should only count for 50% unless they own property in their own names. His supporters include, but certainly not all, are racists. They are xenophobes, some of them. A number of those supporters are also misogynists and or misanthropes.

 

In contrast, vice president Harris is interested in the welfare of every American, those who support her and those who oppose her. She wants to make sure that all of us have a roof over our heads and food to eat daily. One thing I find interesting is how many people living off of government benefits decry the “nanny state.”

An examination of his ineffective and incoherent response to the COVID dash 19 pandemic demonstrates with clarity that he is unqualified to sit in the Oval Office.

 

I will be voting for Kamala Harris for president

12 and only 12

 Shaquille O'Neal

Alonzo Mourning

Clyde "the Glide" Drexler    

Christian Laettner

Isiah Thomas

Domique Wilkins

Tim Hardaway

***

It is 1991 and what would come to be known as the "Dream Team" was being chosen by a selection committee.  They announced the first ten players.

Magic Johnson

Charles Barkley

Karl Malone

John Stockton

Patrick Ewing

Chris Mullin

Larry Bird

David Robinson

Scottie Pippen

Michael Jordan

***

All of the players listed in the first paragraph were available when the committee chose the final NBA player to be added to the team. The player selected was Clyde Drexler.

The final place on the team went to someone who had not yet played in the NBA. Christian Laettner was still playing for Duke University. His selection was a nod to previous Olympic teams where the players were all college players.

Why not Isaih Thomas? In 1991 he'd led the Detroit Pistons to NBA titles the two prior seasons. Some claim most of the others selected to the Dream Team would not play with Thomas. There are unconfirmed stories that Michael Jordon said if Thomas was on the team, he wouldn't be.

The point of all of this is that there are only 12 spots on the team. Just like there are only 12 slots on the 2024 USA women's basketball team. A lot is being written about how the choice to leave Caitlyn Clark off of that team is a major snub.

I do not follow the WNBA closely enough to evaluate comparative performance of its players.  I have no idea of Ms Clark's particular skill sets would or would not be a good fit with the other 11 players. Christian Laettner was a non-factor in the Dream Team's gold medal achievement. Who knows with any level of certainty how Ms Clark would contribute to the 2024 team?

What I do know is that Caitlyn Clark has brought about a much higher level in women's professional basketball.  Average attendance at Washington Mystics home games for each of the last three seasons is under 5,000 per game. This week the Mystics hosted the Indiana Fever, Caitlyn Clark's team. The game was played before a sellout crowd of 20,333. Caitlyn Clark is a major attendance draw.

When there is a factor that increases a team's revenues, you don't hide whatever is behind the increase. You promote it.

That is why leaving Ms Clark off of the USA Women's basketball team is a bad choice.

Remembering Our Fallen - 2024

 I wrote the following Memorial Day weekend in 2013.

It's Memorial Day and I am sitting here remembering those I served with who died while on active duty.  A pilot who couldn't eject from his jet while on a training mission over the Yellow Sea.  Two guys who were just swimming at the on-base beach after a 12 hour shift, who went beyond the rope and were never seen again.  A young airman killed by a drunk driver while on the way to his duty assignment one morning.

In my mind, anyone who dies while wearing our nation's uniform deserves to be remembered today.  The 241 Marines who died in the bombing in Beirut and the 248 soldiers who died in a plane crash at Gander while on their way home.

Same goes for those who simply could not go on living after their experiences in combat.  When a military member takes his or her own life because they just can't go on living with what they endured, in my mind they also died while serving.  The question is, did we fail because we didn't prevent their end?  I have no answer to that question.  It is as they say "above my pay grade".

On Memorial Day weekend in 2017, Ivanka Trump's "brand" posted the following tweet.

The reality is that most folk think of Memorial Day as a long weekend to travel, barbecue and celebrate the unofficial start to summer. I find the actual text of 36 U.S. Code § 116 - Memorial Day to be a clear message of what the holiday is meant to be.

(a)Designation.—

The last Monday in May is Memorial Day.

(b)Proclamation.—The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation—

(1) calling on the people of the United States to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace;

(2) designating a period of time on Memorial Day during which the people may unite in prayer for a permanent peace;

(3) calling on the people of the United States to unite in prayer at that time; and

(4) calling on the media to join in observing Memorial Day and the period of prayer

***

I was thinking back (yeah, I do way too much of that) to the afternoon of March 21, 1987. It was a Saturday and I was doing my part-time job anchoring the news on what was then All-News KNUU 970 AM. There was a crash of a California Air National Guard fighter jet in the San Bernardino Mountains. We learned later that day that the pilot and his weapons system officer (WSO) had perished in the crash. Because Captain Martin was a celebrity in his own right as well as being the son of Dean Martin had coverage laser-focused on his death. Without giving details, let me say I was told how awful it was that a news station in Las Vegas gave almost no attention to that WSO, Captain Ramon Ortiz, who was from Las Vegas.

Both of their deaths were tragic and as worthy of being honored on Memorial Day as any other military member who died in service to our nation.

***

More than 3,500 military personnel have received the Medal of Honor. Roughly 18.5% of those so recognized individuals received their Medal of Honor posthumously. While their actions were and are the stuff of legends, all of the fallen deserve to be honored. In my 15-month assignment on Guam, my 460 person unit lost five of its members during my time there. We honor them on this day as well.

We honor the eight people who died in the ill-fated Operation Eagle Claw during the attempt to rescue the Americans who were taken hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran.

We honor those who fell on the battlefield, who died during training exercises and who died while wearing the uniform; no matter the cause of their deaths.

We honor Colonel Pat Ryan, commander of the 21st Tactical Fighter Wing who died when his F-15 crashed into the Yellow Sea during an exercise known as Team Spirit 85.

We honor all the fallen, without regard to their rank, or how they died; who passed while serving.

Speculation

A certain politician speculated that if asked, most Americans would say they were better off four years ago. Is that accurate?  Let's examine a few statistics:

                                                         Mar                                       Jan

                                                        2021                                      2024

Unemployment rate                        6.4%                                      3.7%

Labor Force Participation Rate       62.5%                                   62.5%

***

The inflation rate was 1.5% in March of 2020 and stood at 2.9% in January of 2024. Bear in mind that the inflation rate was 9.1% back in March of 2022. That's a decrease of over 300% from then to now.

***

But the biggest difference between now and four years ago is that the Oval Office is not held by a self-aggrandizing narcissistic megalomaniacal man who says he wouldn't defend NATO member nations if they are behind in paying their dues to the alliance. who is facing dozens of federal charges, and who has been found to be inciting acts of violence tied to his rhetoric.    'No Blame?' ABC News finds 54 cases invoking 'Trump' in connection with violence, threats, alleged assaults. - ABC News (go.com)

Our democracy is in jeopardy. If #TFG wins the presidency, it may be the last presidential election ever. Take notice of AZ Senate Concurrent Resolution 1014. It proposes to take away the right of the presidential election results to determine who will be awarded the state's 16 electors. It has only a snowball's chance in hell of coming to pass. However, it shows that the politicians who are part of the MAGA crowd would be happy if Trump were to become a dictator.

I did not spend 10 years of my life in the military for someone to usurp our 200+ year democracy.

Veterans Day- 2023

I was ruminating this morning after my morning shower. It is to honor everyone who is serving or has served in the U.S. miliary. No one questions our honoring of Sadao Munemori.  You can read his Medal of Honor citation here.  He was part of the 442ns Regimental Combat Team, a unit made up almost exclusively of Japanese-American men. What made Army PFC Munemori unique among his unit is that he was the only Japanese-American to be awarded his Medal of Honor during or immediately after World War II ended. However, the fact that his family was interned by the U.S. during the war was something he shared with others in the 442nd.

No one thinks twice about our honoring of CAPT John Sax, USMC. He was killed in a training accident in 2022.

No one thinks twice about honoring a USAF LTCOL that I served with at Homestead Air Force Base. His military legacy was to crash an F-4 fighter jet right after take-off. He failed to ensure his jet had full tanks of fuel.

***

The question on my mind is whether or not those who served and became traitors to our nation should be honored on this day? Take the case of McKinley Nolan. He was serving in Vietnam on 11/22/1967 with the 1st Infantry Division when he slipped away from his unit and turned himself over to the Viet Cong. The Pentagon classified him as a defector. Should he be honored among other veterans today?

How about Martin James Monti? During WWII he defected to the Nazis with a stolen aircraft. He volunteered for duty with the SS. Should his service be honored today?

One more. Charles Robert Jenkins was serving as part of the U.S. Army unit that patrolled the Korean Demilitarized Zone. He deserted his post and defected across the DMZ.  Do we honor him?

I do not have an answer to this question. Maybe you have one.