Stray Thoughts

By

William D. Dannenmaier

My son Stephen announced to me that he has finally figured out “global warming.” He says there is no such thing, but that politicians spend so much time in air conditioned offices, airplanes and automobiles that they are shocked by their momentary exposures to the out-of-doors. They are also concerned about all the energy consumed by their air conditioners. Their solution is “global warming.” By cooling off the planet as a whole, they won’t need to expend energy – or their suppliants’ energy – by turning on and off air conditioners. 

Obama has suggested that if we keep our tires filled, we will increase our gas mileage and reduce our dependence on oil. That is true, but he should expand that theme. For one, we should quit using plastics. Plastics are an oil derivative. Return to glass soda bottles, they don’t require the use of oil and they can be re-used. Quit using plastic pipes, which have a short lifetime. Return to copper pipes, which last for years. Quit paving roads with asphalt which is an oil derivative, use concrete which lasts forever. Women should quit using make-up, again an oil derivative. The government should quit paying for highways which encourage drivers and use that money to support electric streetcars and buses in cities. Return to coal fired locomotives. All of these changes would do much more to reduce our dependence on oil than filling up our tires. They would reduce our dependence on oil companies and our need to drill for more oil also. 

For the past fourteen years, Congress and Presidents, primarily under the lead of Democrats have prevented the drilling for oil in known locations. Now the Democrats are complaining about the economy. Hasn’t it occurred to any of them that sending hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of dollars to foreign countries every year for oil, while not using our own resources, is going to hurt our economy? It is remarkable, and a testament to the strength of our nation, that we have done as well as we have done during this stupidity.

Son Stephen said that people like Justice Thomas, Secretary of State Rice, Drs. Sowell and Williams and Star Parker aren’t real Blacks because they’re too busy being successful. He said it is only fair to say that Sarah Palin isn’t a REAL woman. While she has a successful, full-time career, she also has five children and a husband. No real woman would do that.  ((I have since read that the spokeswoman for NOW (National Organization for Women) has said that Palin isn’t a real woman!))

The cold that has plagued me through July and August has resumed its attacks. I mentioned to my bride that one of us should go to Dr. Smith and get enough medicine for two – a gentle hint that I KNOW she enjoys driving to Nashville. Her reply was that Dr. Smith never gives her medicine, only me. It’s a plot. To increase his business and the pleasures of my visits, he gives only me medicine. Knowing that Sheila and I are what you might call affectionate, he relies on the fact that as soon as I am well I’ll catch her cold again, requiring another trip to his office. (Actually, I’m afraid to return. I ate so many of their office brownies on my last visit – they may have been under the impression I was sharing with Sheila – that I need for Sheila to cook some treat before I return, which seems unlikely to happen until Christmas.)

Dinesh D’Souza ( Townhall.com, September 08, 2008) reports that Obama’s half-brother is living in poverty in Africa on a dollar a month. Obama visited that brother when he was publicizing his African “roots.” Then he left him in poverty. Obama has said great things about ending poverty for all, but if he won’t help his half-brother, what makes anyone, who is not a member of his clique, believe that he would help them? In a way, it was like his tour to Germany. When he found out that his press corps would not be admitted to the hospital in Landstuhl if he visited wounded veterans, he played basketball instead.  If it doesn’t profit Obama, forget it.

My bride was not disturbed by Obama’s reaction to his half-brother, but son Stephen was. He said that if any of his half-brothers or sisters were in trouble he would certainly do his best to help them, and I believe that. I also believe that those half-siblings would never permit their step-mother or half-brothers or sister to need help. In fact, two of them have already offered free housing to Stephen if he wanted to attend school in their communities. 

I was reminded the other evening of rule number three for helpful husbands. “Never take a shower immediately after putting a load of wash in on hot.” That comes immediately after rule one, “Always obey your bride,” and rule two, “always obey your bride.”