Proof of scuba expedition in Key Largo, Florida

Here is pic of me and eldest son, nathaniel, on dive boat 6 miles off Key largo in the open ocean. I snorkeled and he scuba dived. there is a whole new world "under the sea" as Ariel the mermaid sings about. I loved it. Key Largo rocks, great place.

Movie "The Reader" - Spoilers so watch out

Absolutely incredible film, I read IMDB.com message boards and here is my reaction. First, yes she can't read or write, michael finally figures this out. She is rural, illiterate girl, quits jobs when she is put in position of having to admit her illiteracy. This is not unusual, a fellow at the senior center can't read, he flunked out of school grade 5, he has asked me to help him learn to read. (problem is he is kinda senile, or maybe simple minded, I can't figure if he wants attention or really wants to read, I am caring for a sick cat, I mean there are limits on my humanity ya know?). Anyway, the movie is about Justice, capital J. Not the law (michael is lawyer, his professor is stressing law, not morality or justice, his students dont get it, neither does michael. The reason Hannah doesnt say at her trial, I cant read or write, I am illiterate, I was in bad situation with the world collapsing around me and didnt know what to do, is NOT that she was embarrassed, but that SHE RECOGNIZED HER GUILT even though her comrades didnt, lied, covered for each other, and then blamed her and dumped on her. She paid for her guilt, and in a way the guilt of others denied by them (almost like christ like figure). She leaves what little money she has for the sole survivor of the church fire - its all she can do, in a meager way, her own imprisonment wasnt enough, she finally died for her sins. So who is really fucked here? the morally superior law students who dont understand the complexity of justice; the court that wanted to establish guilt under law, and fit square pegs in round holes to do so; Michael, the prick, he had great sex with this woman but abandons her once she is on trial, how shallow is he? (very). the lone survivor of the fire - does she get it? Well, from her perspective, can there ever be justice even if everyone involved gets life in prison? how can you make something like this "right?" Socrates played with us in the Republic about Justice - it is illusionary, hard to define. The film deals with a joseph Conrad "heart of Darknesss" dilemma, an illiterate rural girl joins the SS as a low ranking guard because she needed a job that would hide her illiteracy, and "Mr. Kurtz, he dead" there was no one to guide her or help her make decisions, esp the c**nts who were her guard comrades. She takes on the guilt, as best she can - how can she atone? Does anyone get this like me, or am I being the political philosopher here and looking back at the cave I just walked out of???? your comments are welcome (just be civil :)

I guess she didn't like his nuts.....Sham Wow guy beats up prostitute

Oh, the humanity. Sham Wow guy gets arrested for beating up a prostitute in South Beach. For the record, I was recently in south beach florida, and I did not get arrested for anything. "Are you following me undercover police guy...?" He said she bit his tongue and he had to punch her to get her off of him - a common problem most of us guys have, how to get a woman we have paid for sex to let go of our tongue. this is just so terribly wrong.....I hear marlon brando saying, "Oh, the humanity...." thanks for the link noah !

AlterNews gets it wrong

Here is AlterNews.com version of why this felon killed 4 police officers: he couldnt find a job. Left out of the story is that he was a suspect in two rapes, so in addition to parole violation, the police wanted to interview him regarding the two rapes. He didnt want to go back to jail: he was a recidivist, he has been in and out of jail his entire adult life. he couldnt get a job: yeah, employment is hard for life time criminals and rapists. This guy was a career criminal, there was no life for him outside of prison, other than more crime. Even among career criminals, few will kill police officers to avoid jail time for a parole violation. This guy knew the police were coming for him because of the rapes, he knew he would be getting life in prison for the rapes (this is california, 3 times a felon you get life without parole). Below is quote from Alternews.com:

The killing of four police officers in Oakland shows the desperation of an ex-felon. Lovelle Mixon was trying to avoid going back to jail and at the same time unable to find any employment that would give him a second chance. It’s a story repeated all over America, even if it does not always end in a killing spree as it did in Oakland.

A general consensus is that it was a deadly mix of panic, rage, and frustration that caused Lovelle Mixon to snap.

What bullshit. Alternews can be good sometimes, but obviously they had an axe to grind and spun this story out of control.

Man survived both Hiroshima and Nagasaki a bomb blasts

this man is certified as having survived BOTH the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - either the luckiest man alive or the unluckiest, depending upon how you view it. BTW, this weekend is start of cherry blossom festival in DC, a gift from the Japanese people. Don't forget the beautiful vase that japan gave James Buchanan, on display at Buchanan's house in Lancaster.

HIllalry says Palestinian state inevitable !

My misgivings about Hillary were misplaced - I am all for a two state solution, and finally Obama-Hillary are willing to put their political careers on the line for peace between jews and the arabs. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was done the last 4 years. Think of where we would be if we had not invaded iraq, instead, helped the creation of a Palestinian state. The billions we spent on Iraq could have been spent on the new Palestinian state, compensating arabs for lost lands, ending the refugee camps where children for two generations now have been born in poverty and hopelessness. I pray that she can pull it off. She will have to deal with extremists on both sides, deal with militants who will want to derail the peace, she needs to be safe (I mean really safe) about her own security traveling there. But if she can make her way through the mine field of Israeli Palestinian politics, the peace will be amazing - think of the lives to be saved, the human potential that can be tapped. And people from all over the world will be able to vacation once again in the land of the bible, the dead sea, and this tourism will result in alot of revenue for both Israel and the new Palestinian state.