Nobody asked me, but --
. . .In all the fallout from the much-ado-about-nothing in Largo, it appears that Commissioner Charlie Harper is guilty of not taking this agent to lunch.
. . .Go figure -- In World War 2, soldiers killed in combat had a $10,000 death benefit. Today, the benefit is $6,000 for those killed. Ten grand 60 years ago translates into at least $100,000 today and, as a corollary, the $6,000 paid today is worth $600 by 1940s standards.
. . .The terrible event in Southeast Asia and South Asia is compelling by its very drama and high loss of life. But to keep things in perspective, two million people quietly die each year from malaria.
. . .As Samuel Johnson piercingly observed, "Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier."
. . .When they say Congress is "broken," this is what is meant -- representatives and senators do not actually legislate any more. What they do is merely vote for bills unseen and unexamined with a gallimaufry of items into which nefarious elements have been inserted and can become the law of the land. Great, huh?
. . .Note to A.M.G. -- No, Ann Coulter is not married. And we can understand why.
. . .We pray for those who wish us ill.
. . .To paraphrase Dr. Johnson, "How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for for warfare from the avoiders of military service?"
. . .It is so easy to carry on patriotic bloviating and soliciting prayers for our brave troops when one has not served one minute under arms or been deprived for a moment of all life's luxuries. The only people effected by the war are the families who have troops involved. Elsewhere, hedonism, extravagance and debauchery reigns.
. . .If, in a death penalty case, the jury is instructed to avoid all emotion in its decision as to death or life, why are emotional appeals by counsel allowed and why are there victim impact statements? It makes no sense.
. . .Think of it -- Until he led the most powerful Army in the world against the 10th-rate Iraqi forces no one had ever heard of Tommy Franks. Now he's making money off that war with his book. And he was smart enough to get out of Iraq before it turned into a disaster. Smart boy.
. . .Strange Texas -- a guy there got four months in prison for killing his wife. For attempted murder on another man, he got 15 years.
. . .Listen to the C-SPAN callers and those on other talk shows and you understand how Hitler succeeded in Germany.
. . .Devastation is as bad in places like Haiti, Sudan and other places in Africa, but take a dramatic event like the tsunami in South Asia and all attention goes there.
. . .It is always amusing to hear an elected official lecture members of the press, instructing them on what to put into print. Too bad the qualifications for elected office don't include a requirement for brains.
. . .This corner picked the Bucs, 4-12, in the just ended NFL season. They finished 5-11. Not bad for an old ball writer, 40 years away from the trade.
. . .Remember last fall when we were having the coded-color "terror" alerts? Amazingly, no flashing lights of any color since election day. Isn't that remarkable?
. . .One local official apparently got his head in a tizzy over the presence at a particular meeting of a very attractive member of the County Commission. He was so entranced and obsessively dedicated to talking to the commissisoner that he ignored all that was going on about him. Wonder if he has recovered yet?
. . .If you have any doubts about what human beings are like, watch them at overseas soccer games or American NFL games. Ugh!