Nobody asked me, but --
. . .Yes, indeed, the penalties for these monsters who prey on children should be severe, and enforcement needs to be of the first rank. However, the first line of defense is in the home and when a parent is down at the local bar or out gallivanting, as in two recent cases, the child is at risk.
. . .Wonder of wonders -- there hasn't been a terrorist alert of red, orange, yellow or any color since before last November's election. Before the election they were coming on a daily basis. Does it make you wonder?
. . .How come the open container alcohol law is ignored and not enforced at least at one popular eatery in Indian Rocks Beach?
. . .One of the best kept secrets around here is the wonderful work done by one of our leading businessmen? More later.
. . .For those of you who miss the late and lamented Amos ‘n' Andy show, tune into "Divorce Court" on the local Fox channel (13) weekday afternoons. You'll get your fill of laffs.
. . .What's wrong with this picture? -- Steve Stanton, Largo city manager who puts in maybe 9 to 10 hour days and runs a pretty fair sized city, is paid about $125,000 a year; Alan Zimmet, Largo's part time city attorney, who puts in maybe 20 hours a month, gets $106,000-plus a year. Huh? Yes, really!
. . .My learned friend observes -- "The GOP stepped up its efforts to ban filibusters. The filibuster gives a lawmaker a chance to talk as long as he wants without anyone interrupting. It is like being Chris Matthews for one day."
. . .Whatever became of Ida Lupino?
. . .In the face of horrendous problems, including the deaths of school children, Pinellas County's school boss has lowered -- repeat, lowered -- standards for bus drivers. (You can't make this stuff up.)
. . .More school board zaniness -- because one youngster is allergic to nuts (including, reportedly, even including getting a whiff of one), nuts have been banned at his school. The prohibition may be extended countywide. Well, there are nuts and there are nuts (wink, wink).
. . .The White House Correspondents dinner used to be for and attract newspapermen and the talking heads you see on TV with an occasional celebrity. Now it has turned into a glitzy outing for the "stars." Which is why so few newspapermen bother going any more.
. . .Tim (Pieface) Russert is out on the hustings again (TV programs like Motormouth Mathews where they sell each other's books) promoting a follow-up book to the silly and goofy one he wrote about his father. Tom Brokaw, another jerk, did the same thing and is still milking the "greatest generation" shtick for all its worth.
. . .One politically correct zealot would, no doubt, to be perfectly correct about it, have to call his city, where his family has been for more than 60 years, "Native American Rocks Beach."
. . .Which leads to this thought -- while this political correctness foolishness is followed with exactitude, the general population gets dumber and dumber and workers in all categories more inefficient and doddering.
. . .An observation from my wise and witty friend -- "The U.S. Navy is being asked to pay the electric bill for Vice President Dick Cheney's house. It's $186,000 a year! Only two people live there! How many times are they shocking him back to life?"
. . .I am wondering, after the recent events in Rome and observing all the finery and robes and brocaded chasubles and glittering gold and towering mitres and all, that if Christ returned and were there would he say, "This is not what I had in mind." Is ad majoram Dei gloriam best expressed in material terms?
. . .The Army's recruiting efforts are off by 40 percent. Now being offered is a 15-month enlistment. It won't work -- the kids can see through that; first, they don't want to be cannon fodder and second, once their in, they can be extended whether they like it or not. Another scheme being considered -- transferring Navy and Air Force personnel to the Army. Ow!