Around HereBy Leo CoughlinNobody asked me, but - . . . Once again, this year, many people including high government officials, confuse the purpose of Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Veterans Day is to honor all those who have served and recognizes, particularly, the living. The fallen are honored at Memorial Day. Making Arlington National Cemetery the venue for Veterans Day ceremonies is wrong. . . . Largo City Commission's little "cake celebration" for newly elected members following its meeting November 10 had some notable absences. City Manager Mac Craig and one of his assistants, Henry Schubert, didn't show up. They skedaddled out of the meeting room because they are obviously not happy with the newest addition to the commission - Curtis Holmes. . . . Anyone who is surprised by the Army's screw-up in not seeing all the signs of trouble with the terrorist who shot up soldiers at Fort Hood obviously has never been in the Army. . . . Also - the failure to recognize and get under control the screwball Muslim Army psychiatrist who did the Fort Hood killing is the price we are paying, in part, for "political correctness." That crippling notion wants tolerance of the intolerant and you the price we pay. . . . Once again, the contention of one of Largo's most astute political observers was demonstrated in the commission election just held. "The Hive" always musters up its core of 3,000 votes. If a contender, not favored by The Hive, can overcome that, victory ensues. . . . Heck, it's only money, and not even ours and we can get unlimited amounts from the taxpayers for whatever inane idea comes along. Such is the philosophy of some of those who hold public office. Witness the veracity of this with the piece of junk "sculpture" now ensconced in downtown Clearwater. Synonym for taxpayers = suckers. . . . Talk about suckers - look how one Al Grieshaber took Indian Rocks Beach to the cleaners. Of course, he was aided and abetted in his heyday by a former mayor and a City Commission that didn't have enough sense (with one rare exception) to come in out of the rain. . . . Here's an example of the distortion in the pay professional athletes are getting - the Seattle Mariners have signed Jack Wilson, a shortstop, to a $10 million, two-year contract. He batted .224 last year and had one home run. Go figure.... . . . Looking ahead - Harriet Crozier and Louis Brown end their terms on the Largo commission next November. Both need to be replaced. Crozier has been there too long and even though she needs the pay check this is not a good enough reason to keep her. Brown is dead wood - contributes nothing and is an empty suit, as the expression goes. . . . Whatever became of Jim Palamara? . . . If you have to go to court for any reason, don't get the idea that the setting is anything like you see with that TV program "Judge Judy." No real judge acts like that. Sheindlin is abrasive, insulting, disrespectful - a true yenta. She is a stereotype that many have tried to quell and live down. And she gets a lot of money for being abusive which demonstrates what fools people are. . . . Speaking of foolish people - hard to top the three bobbleheads from the Largo commission who showed up at their former colleague's "loser's party" after the recent election. Remember the names - all members in good standing of "The Hive" - Pat Gerard, Gigi Arntzen, Harriet Crozier. Some observers have said there may be Sunshine Law violations implicit in the gathering for the "team mascot." . . . Rodney Woods vows to stay active in Largo. Good. That would be departure from his performance for 44 months where he just showed up and, from all indications, never having read the memos on pending business. Maybe he could be appointed as a sidewalk inspector. It doesn't pay much, but what the heck. . . . Add to the list of the good guys and an effective elected official - Mayor Gary Katica of Belleair. . . . One hired hand in Largo - and he gets big big bucks - is nervous about his future. Changes may be made and he may have to get a real job.
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