The Meaning of Life Revisted (reposted)

By Dan Barber

People have been searching for the meaning of life in many different ways for eons.  Before the creation of civilizations with societal rules, one of our ancestors discovered that they could use a rock as a tool to crack open nuts and smash up fruit, vegetables and berries for the toothless old clan grandpa… the birth of the stone-age.  

Then someone got tired of just eating veggies, nuts and berries so they added meat to the diet. If anthropologists have it right, this act caused our ancestors brains to grow a bit larger... life once again got a little easier. A new method of food preparation probably happened when someone accidentally dropped the leg of Ground Sloth into the boiling hot springs outside the cave. By the time, they found a stick big enough to scoop it out of the scalding water the meat was cooked, and it tasted better after soaking in the hot springs.  

It was then discovered that you could tie the rock tool to the big stick to give a little more power in cracking bigger nuts, and cooked sloth bones to retrieve the high protein marrow. The larger brain led our ancestors to invent even better tools with the sloth bone splinters, and according to the experts in evolution, our ancestors were now able to speak and started thinking in the abstract… life again got a little easier.  

Then we started speeding along the evolutionary path through the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Middle Ages, Dark Ages etc.

Presently we are in the Silicon Age… I don’t know if life got any easier but definitely more complicated.  In my humble opinion, life is ever evolving in many different ways in every second of every minute of every hour of every day. 

Some might define their existence by the quality of their life… they measure their meaningful being by their skill in obtaining money or material things. Others search out the spiritual or mystical meaning of their birth by meditating or attending church or participating in retreats in the desert for only $800 per person per day, where they can wallow in a mud puddle with other naked people… or they might even pay a motivator thousands of dollars to guide them to a better understanding of themselves… hopefully without dying in a sweat lodge in an Arizona desert.  I might even start my own motivating business if I could figure out a way to get people to pay me to chase them around the block with a stick to motivate them into doing something. Also, I would need a business license so I wouldn’t get arrested for assault.

Uncountable generations of people have hoped for something better than just life since our first ancestors climbed out of the mire of ignorance or the community mud puddle and started to think perhaps there was something better than just living.

Maybe what we have is the best that's possible… Didn’t God create the heavens and earth?  Maybe when we die we get to replay our earthly experiences over and over again in the realm that God created.  Look around you, what you see could be your heaven… or your hell.  We do have free will to live our lives as we wish -- good or bad. Maybe we should strive to live every day as if it were the last… sooner or later it will be.  What will your inventory of life experience hold?

      

Those with inflated egos might believe that their life has to have a mystical meaning. They probably can’t or won’t grasp the thought that their parents just had sex, which resulted in conception.  Most of us, me included, just don’t want to dwell upon that disturbing scenario.

My advice…when your children, who believe they are the reason for the universe, grow up, and they try to blame their neurosis on you, just tell them “Your problems are due to a genetic disorder that you inherited from your birth parents”… then walk away.  That bit of information will probably keep them occupied for a while, and they might leave you alone, if that’s what you wish.

      

Even the government is increasingly trying to improve our quality of life or maybe even attempting to define life by telling us what we should or shouldn’t do… from who we should fall in love with (now resolved for the most part except for the legalization of polygamy... the next civil rights case) to what we should eat or drink (still being debated).  

If we were born sometime before 1950, the chances are, our mothers drank and smoked while pregnant with us… most of us turned out OK.  Some of us even went on to become productive citizens who put humans on the moon, and discovered that mothers who smoke and drink during pregnancy are potentially harming their unborn children.

We improved society by inventing cable TV so the children of the future wouldn’t be deprived of unlimited cartoon channels like we were… we invented computers the internet and video games so children also wouldn’t have to use their own imaginations for entertainment purposes.   We even created fruity breakfast cereal without even having to use one bit of fruit! We invented fast-food and quickie-lube places for our fast-paced lives and instant gratification.  We even remodeled the old movie palace with the seats covered in plush red velvet into the multiplex theater complex today, where several shoe-boxed shaped black boxes offer several of Hollywood’s latest releases and endless sequels of past hits, instead of the regular double feature.

     

We cemented in the dangerous creeks running through our neighborhoods and turned them into storm drains to prevent flooding and to keep children from drowning in their favorite swimming hole… they were becoming way too polluted for fishing or swimming anyway.  In their place, we built huge water parks with death-defying slides with young lifeguards, earning the minimum wage, hanging around talking to other young men or women and waiting to save a child from drowning… all of this for only a nominal entrance fee. But because of those flooding prevention measures we now have drained our life sustaining aquifers.

      

After Vietnam, we eliminated the draft so now there is no need for junior to move out of Mom and Dad’s comfortable home and seek a deferment from the draft by going to college… after all there are over 100 cable channels to choose from and a multitude of video games to play, and thanks to our lawmakers junior can even stay on his parents health insurance policy until he reaches 26-years of age. Jobs are also plentiful if junior attended a four-year college. There are the water park lifeguard openings, lube technicians, or at one of the fast food places on darn near any corner of any city in the country, of course, the minimum of a Bachelors degree would be required to compete for those entry level jobs.  Life’s not so bad, is it?

       

Many find life so enjoyable they want to extend it for as long as possible by only eating a healthy diet of uncooked fresh vegetables, fruit, berries and nuts smushed up by an electric food processor into a smoothie, "no meat please!" Also no teeth needed to enjoy this modern meal... in addition it can be consumed uber rich people at a clothing optional restaurant somewhere in the Bay Area of California.

What is consumer confidence?

By Dan Barber

I am hearing a lot about “consumer confidence” in the news regarding our economy today. I wonder what consumer confidence really means. Does it mean that it is safe to spend? Does it mean that what was purchased really worth the cost? Was the product or service American or foreign?

My consumer confidence really took a hit a recently. In an attempt to manage my household budget since retiring, I’ve had to make some changes for services my wife and I receive, namely changing our cable/internet/telephone subscription. I took the steps a couple of years ago to try and cut the overpriced service in those areas by calling the cable’s customer services line to cancel our home phone thinking that it would reduce the monthly bill. My wife and I have cell phones so having a third telephone line that is mainly used by Robo-callers trying to sell us more services or scam us out of income is a waste of money… (HINT) the national DO NOT CALL registry does not really work!

The friendly customer services person at the cable company informed me that it was not a good idea to cut the land-line phone because it really wouldn’t save any money. As a matter of fact, their company would be able to reduce our bill for being a good customer for nearly 20 years…I agreed to maintain services for another 2-years but at a reduced cost.

Fast forward two years I finally had the consumer confidence to demand a change… I signed up for a two-year deal with a satellite provider for television services but kept the cable company’s internet services. I no longer have a land-line that allowed access by crooks or sales companies into my retirement peace with incessant “robocalls” which are instigated after a click on an internet item I am trying to research. At the end of my two-year satellite TV contract, I might investigate the sign-up offer the cable company offers to “new” customers.

While speaking to the “off-shore” cable company’s customer services representative, whose second language was apparently English, I was having difficulty in communicating my need to cancel the cable TV and land-line telephone service but keep their internet service with Wyfy in my home. He finally had to transfer my call to his “supervisor.” After about 5 minutes of hold time, a woman with an impeccable grasp of American English came on the line to inform me that the only internet service that I could “qualify” for would still cost me about $65 per month…I told her that I wanted the $45 per month service that was advertised on their website. She said that was for new customers only. Because it was still a saving for me I agreed. My wife took the many devices that were installed in our home to bring us hi-tech services from our cable company back to their local office. The friendly customer relations person at the counter told my wife that I was right we could have the $45 per month internet service!

I realize that we can access the internet from our smartphones, but I have not mastered typing with my thumbs like my granddaughters have done on their cell phones… I need the use of my eight fingers and two thumbs to type.

With the rapid advancement in technology I would recommend that a smart young person should start a business to educate old people, like me, into how to save money and prevent being taken advantage of by “hi-tech” companies. However, there will always be those unscrupulous people who will always take advantage of people’s “consumer confidence” just to make a fast buck rather than provide a good American made product or service.

I’m really not old-fashioned, I’m just old

By Dan Barber

I recently read in the news that many of us “baby-boomers” are trying to relive the 60s. What’s wrong with that? Many generations have “borrowed” something from previous generations… it is just called “retro” which according to the dictionary means a style from a previous time that has been revived.

My daughter, who was born in the mid 70’s recently told me that some of the clothes that she buys for her teenaged daughters are the same style, pattern and colors that she wore as a teenager. When I have suggested to her a source in the past where she can get shoes or clothes on sale, I’m told, no, those shoes, clothes or underwear are not stylish enough for her kids to wear. I’m clueless when it comes to style! It is the main reason that I never buy clothes, shoes or underwear for anyone except myself! It is much easier to hand the grandkids a card with money in it so they can buy their own “retro” fashions.

I see children today walking down the street thinking that they are really fashionable with their spiked Mohawk multi-colored hair wearing a black trench coat with the outside temperature here in the Mojave Desert hovering around 110 degrees in the shade… I think holy cow there is an alien from a planet whose average daytime temperature must hover around 220 degrees!

Then there are the gangsta wannabes, rappers or real hoodlums who wear bagging pants with the waist hanging about knee level. They also think they might look tough, but in fact they are easier for law enforcement or fans to catch in a foot chase. Every generation is tagged with some kind of phrase or word to describe them, if I was to label this generation in the future, I’m afraid the only phrase that comes to mind is the “doo-fuss generation.”

I would also probably have to label myself as a doo-fuss  because when I was a teenager, the style I was wearing was a tight white t-shirt and jeans with the cuffs about 6 inches above the sneakers with any neon-colored socks, I saw this disturbing image in a recent old home movie! By the time I graduated from high school, the fashion was bell-bottomed pants… maybe that’s why I joined the Navy, because of the trousers.

My favorite satellite radio channel plays music from the 60s when my daughter borrows my vehicle I find the radio channel reset to the music from the 80s!

I swore when I was younger I would not bore anyone with stories from the “good old days,” but guess what I sometimes catch myself boring my grandkids with stories from the “good old days!” I only do this with love, because I am trying to explain an example of why they shouldn’t or should take some course of action… maybe I should just make them read some of Aesop’s Fables!

Don’t call me an old-fashioned man; just call me “Retro-Man”… maybe I’ll get a tight XXX-Large white t-shirt with that stenciled across the belly.

Our trusted news sources today are stuck on spin cycle

By Dan Barber

The Most Valuable Cities in America

From TRENDSFINDTHEHOME.COM -- I would have changed this headline from the most valuable to the most expensive places to live.

Retiree Budget-Buster: Big Price Hikes for Medicare Premiums in 2016

From KIPLINGER.COM -- So much for Obama's Affordable Care Act, reducing the cost of medical care. The only thing Obamacare did was give large healthcare insurance companies and investors a big pay raise.

Obama bumps into Bill Clinton on golf course

From THE HILL -- "Obama bumps into Bill Clinton on golf course" This sounds like the lead into a joke where two progressive liberals raising hell about rich people bump into each other while at vacationing Martha's Vineyard...

Ben Affleck's former nanny 'wants reality TV career'

From THE BANG SHOWBIZ -- I'm sure there are a bunch of agents in Hollywood who represents "no-talent clientele" for reality TV who are clamoring to sign one more moron to fill air time with nonsense.

IRS says breach of taxpayer data far more widespread than it first thought: 610,000 taxpayers at risk

From THE WASHINGTON POST -- Obama's administration continues to ruin the trust of the American people in the U.S. government. Foreign criminals and their governments have targeted Americans because they know there are no consequences for their actions.

States raising taxes, fees and debt to pay for road repairs

From THE ASSOCIATED PRESS -- Trying to pin high taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel on conservatives won't work. Liberal Progressives and Obama have been trying to destroy the fossil fuel industry in favor of renewable energy as part of their party platform. Three out of the four states with the highest tax rates on gasoline and diesel fuel are controlled by Democrats, California, Hawaii, and New York, Pennsylvania's state house has a Republican majority. Of those four states, California's per-gallon tax is a bit lower, but the Democratic-controlled state legislature and Governor Jerry Brown are working on legislation to reduce greenhouse effect pollution has on the planet's ozone layer by rationing fuel sold in the state... I suppose another way to reduce the amount of fuel sold in California is to make it unaffordable. Don’t even get me started on smoke and mirrors… I mean Cap and Trade legislation restrictions!

Rents are rising, but there are ways to stretch your dollar

From CNBC -- I'll bet that camping trailers will continue to gain popularity... see posts below.

Why 6 million Americans would rather work part-time

From BLOOMBERG -- More reasons why people are working part-time. I wonder if they are still living with Mom and Dad or in a used camping trailer.

How America learned to love the Airstream again

From BLOOMBERG -- I suppose living in a camping trailer is better than living on a sidewalk as a homeless person or more affordable for a part-time employee...is this article a spin on bad news, you betcha! Am I the only one who senses a media trend here?

More thoughts on the “entertaining” media

By Dan Barber

Christian Baker Must Make Cakes Celebrating Gay Marriage, Appeals Court Rules

From The Daily Signal -- I wonder if this ruling will prevent the expression of "free speech" on a cake any couple may not like. Hint to cake decorators, you may want to charge a non-refundable deposit...

The Climate Change Election

From the US News & World Report -- American's can cease the use of gasoline and diesel fuels. Warming their homes with heating oil, coal or wood-burning stoves and fireplaces; eliminate nuclear, natural gas, hydro or coal-fired electric power plants.

In addition, all the large population centers in the US can tear up the entire concrete and blacktop surfaces to expose earth that can soak up rain. People can cover large swaths of desert with solar panels or wind turbines. Abortion centers can step up future population control, but none of that espoused by progressive liberals will change or alter the global climate.

It seems to me that changing the talking point to alter the political message to fit any political platform will only expose ignorance. For example, Global Warming to Climate Change; Illegal to Undocumented; Terrorist to Muslim Extremist to Syrian/Iraqi/Iranian/Yemeni/Libyan rebel or protestor; Strong-armed robbery to a shopping Gentle giant; Thug to Young man; Unborn baby to Research Tissue.

What America needs it a leader, not a talking point editor/reader who threatens about crossing a red line but does not follow through on the threat?

Kerry’s claim that Bush offered Iran ‘way beyond’ what Obama negotiated

From The Washington Post -- Here we go again, an inept Obama administration trying to blame Bush or alter history to justify stupidity.

Is Hillary Clinton Really in Danger of Losing the Primary?

From the New York Times -- We might be seeing history in the making... the first democrat under indictment for treason winning the primary election!

White House cribs 'Compton' meme to sell Iran deal

From The Hill -- As an old man, my memory is fading fast, but not fast enough to not remember reading an article about the Clinton's getting a financial boost to their foundation/income in the New York Times Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal

  

Army says nay to 700 feral horses roaming Louisiana base

From the Army Times -- This is the result from years of progressive liberalism. I would love that if my grandchildren chose to serve in the military the most serious threat they could face on a sterile battlefield would be to sprain an ankle by stepping in a hole. However, that would never happen, I would hope the Army would train them to not worry about stepping in a pile of horse crap, but to worry about stepping on a land mine! Whatever happened to adjust and overcome?

Hillary Clinton’s e-mail server turned over to FBI

From The Washington Post -- Clinton's strategic release of her e-mail server to the FBI rather than Congress will give her cover. Since the Progressive Liberals have been in control of the Executive and Judicial branches of our government with blind media support our government leaders have gotten away with a lot of criminal behavior and overt support of the perpetrators.

New stuff is coming along to replace the old stuff

By Dan Barber

Me collecting solar energy.

We survived the end of our existence in 2012. Remember, it was reported on TV that the Mayans, Hopis, and some ancient alien speculators thought we were likely to be sucked into a black hole, or the north and south poles of the earth would shift or we would be hit with a giant invisible asteroid. Remember December 21, 2012?

It was the year I had a very darn good reason to delay Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve, or at least I thought I did.

Technology that worked for
hundreds or even thousands
of years by Native Americans.

Many people are easily snookered into believing anything they read or watch on TV. “It said so in the newspaper, so it must be true… right?” Wrong, one of my favorite pastimes, since I retired is scanning newspapers to find something stupid that someone wrote and then comment in the readers section about what I thought was wrong or slanted in some way. I’m currently following the 2016 GOP Presidential primary campaigns with interest. However, I have to restrain myself from throwing objects at my large flat-screen smart TV.

I am very wary about any new technology, Every time I get my electric bill I will go online to research solar panel power technology, and with my faulty memory I keep forgetting each month that once I click on an internet link for solar technology the alarm bells go off in some telemarketing phone bank and my phone starts ringing asking if I'm interested in installing solar panels on my roof? They even have my address readily available with a satellite provided photograph that shows my roof in the Mojave Desert is perfect for solar panels!

I even once agreed to lease solar panels for my roof for a fixed dollar amount. Two months later the company called and said I could still get the panels, but for about $50 more a month than the previously agreed upon amount. In a loud and not so polite voice, I told them where they could relocate those panels because I was no longer interested. Then I just learned the other day that my conversation with that salesperson was probably recorded by my smart TV as well as the insults that I yell at politicians while watching televised debates!

After another exorbitant electric bill I received and news reports that my investor-owned electric utility provider just got approval from the wonderful officials at the California's Public Utilities Commission to increase the amount they can charge in the ever reducing pricing tiers for electricity, I've agreed with another company to lease solar panels. If all goes well, my wife and I should see some relief from our high electric bills, even though we don't use our central air and heat, due to the expense of electricity, to survive the summer heat and winter cold of the Mojave Desert until sometime next Spring.

I was hoping that I could wait it out until the cost of solar panels went down like the old BETA video tape players did. I didn't realize at the time that BETA technology was doomed, only to be replaced with the VCR tape player. I recall when it cost over $500 for a VCR player. Now I can find a “Blue Ray 3-D” video player for about $50… videos went from Beta to VCR to DVD to Blue Ray to someplace in the clouds that I can now download to my smartphone, which, by the way, is too dang small for me to watch a movie on! I still buy DVDs when I’m allowed because my wife wants the Blue Ray High Definition. According to her, and the movie studios, it provides a better picture. I try to explain to my wife that neither one of us have good enough sight to tell the difference between a regular DVD and Blue Ray.

When I remember to turn on our wireless surround sound while watching a Hi-definition Blue Ray movie it just causes me to jump up during a movie to see who in the hell is messing around out in my front yard… it also causes the dog to start barking! My granddaughter thinks it would be a hilarious prank to buy one of those “clap on clap off” devices she could hook up to my TV, so while I’m watching football or baseball, and I started clapping an excellent play my TV would mysteriously start going off and on! Which would cause me to call my cable company to complain about the crappy service they provide on my smart TV!

I have made predictions in the past that have come true about some smart kid up in Silicon Valley inventing a new doodad that his marketing buddies will convince the public, through the media, that they just have to have. Therefore many people will camp out on a hard cold sidewalk for a week so they can be the first among their friends to own the new doodad that will be obsolete in just a very short period of time.

I will just keep my $12 Big Box Store wristwatch that has worked fine for the past 10 years, I don't think that I will ever buy a $1,000 dollar wrist computer that my old eyes can't see. Also, I'd be afraid of getting it wet, or go off and forget that I left it on the sink after washing my hands at the Big Box Store after using their facilities.

Happy shopping for your latest technology.

Searching out the facts

By Dan Barber

When I read news reports I have a terrible habit of also reading between the lines looking for the real facts or purpose behind the story. I especially enjoy reading stories about politicians and politics where I can almost pick out the plot in today’s news that Tom Clancy would have used for a political spy story.

I once worked as a writer, before being diagnosed with early on-set dementia. I have lost many of my spelling and grammar skills.  Or I could blame my lack of skills on my poor education…because I am self-educated in my craft. I wanted to be a writer so that I could “possess the power of the pen.”  I now only write this blog to maintain some purpose to my life in retirement.

Journalists are people, they aren’t unbiased computer robots programmed only to spew out the facts like Sergeant Joe Friday on the old television show “Dragnet” would dryly ask for. Journalists can allow their bias to creep into the articles they draft. Editors are supposed to keep the journalists honest.

During my career, I interviewed some very extraordinary people. One of those remarkable people was Medal of Honor recipient, Robert E. Bush who served in the Pacific during World War II. I saw that he was very weary of repeating the story about his experience in battle. Most of the true heroes I was honored to interview during my career seemed to suffer from this same weariness, they mostly credited their fellow service people for their actions, or they accepted the honors on behalf of those who didn’t get to come home. Their best memories seemed to be the experiences they had with shipmates, fellow soldiers, airmen or Marines while on liberty or doing their mundane duties.

The best story about Bush, to me, was the fact that he dropped out of high school to join the Navy to enter the war effort. He spent just a few months in the Navy where he went into battle as a Navy Corpsman, saved the life of a Marine Corps officer, who eventually became a judge in Inyo County, California. During a battle on Okinawa, Bush was severely wounded and blinded in one eye, while tending to his patient and fighting off an attack by several Japanese soldiers, according to Bush both he and his patient were lucky to have survived. He was medically discharged from the Navy returned to high school to finish his senior year, got married; was invited to Washington D.C. to be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman with most of the senior military leaders of World War II looking on, all before he turned 20-years old.

Bush became very successful in business and was very proud of his children and grandchildren who he often told stories about at speaking engagements. He also learned to fly and got his pilot's license. A friend of his told me, “It is a very scary thing to fly with Bush because he is a one-eyed pilot with no depth perception.”

Bush passed away in November 2005 at the age of 79.

It is so much more fun to read between the lines to search out “just the facts.”

Hidden facts in today’s news

By Dan Barber

Donald Trump turned to Rudy Giuliani ahead of debate to ask Fox News CEO to make sure Megyn Kelly isn’t too hard on him, report says

From the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS -- Here is a New York newspaper article that leads with a negative comment about Trump's fear of a Fox News host to an anonymous "online report!" This paper has two journalists Adam Edelman and Celeste Katz writing this article. I would ask, is that the best research they can do? This veiled attack by a news organization on both Trump and Fox New's Megyn Kelly makes me want to like them both more.

The Retirement Expert Who Got Death Threats for Her Ideas 

From BLOOMBERG NEWS -- Wow, an article about a successful approach to retirement "accidentally" occurring to a Berkeley economics graduate who went to work for Notre Dame, a Catholic university, where her employer had a mandatory but generous retirement savings plan for employees.

Now she works at the New School in New York that proudly touts itself as a progressive university and she is one of Clinton's economics advisors. According to this article her second husband recently went to work for George Soros, a well-known progressive liberal money manager. She wants the government to give everyone the same savings benefits that Notre Dame made her participate in.

The irony of this article in Bloomberg by Carla Fried is trying to twist personal responsibility that this liberal progressive "unknowing" economic professor fell into as a young person is now hated by the very organization that touts personal responsibility.

I would question this associate professor's ability to come up with any original "progressive" idea on economic planning other than distributing other people's money to everyone else. Also, according to the article she and her husband plan to move into a commune type of living arrangement in their old age. I wonder if she is advising Hillary that socialism is the way to go for America's future. Carla Fried your headline is a bit misleading... the subject of your article does not have any new economic ideas.

How the Obama White House runs foreign policy

From the WASHINGTON POST -- Failure to delegate responsibility to more knowledgeable managers and failure to trust those senior leaders to do their jobs can only lead to disaster for everyone. The Washington Post has finally pointed out the problems our country faces with national security and foreign policy. We can't be led by committee or a leader paralyzed by fear of action. Our current President will go down in history as an example of the "Peter Principle" where a person is promoted to their level of incompetency. Obama is probably a fine community or union organizer but a lousy President of the United States.

FBI looking into the security of Hillary Clinton’s private e-mail setup

From the WASHINGTON POST -- There are so many things wrong with Clinton's use of a private e-mail setup and her attempt to cover up her perceived or real wrong-doing, or bad decisions she made while serving as Secretary of State. 

From my own personal experience of working for the federal government, I had to save every official document I worked with. Also, I was not allowed to plug in a thumb drive or even a digital camera into the computer that was connected to the official government internet system. I actually had three computers in my office, one stand-alone computer that I used to program our closed circuit television system for patient and staff training, one that I used to create the hospital newsletter, command website and other graphic products where I could transfer to a thumb drive to physically deliver to our contracted civilian publisher (rules prohibited me from sending my official work over the government provided internet connection). 

I programmed our command website with weekly updates and changes and saved those changes on a CD, I then personally loaded that CD on a "stand-alone" computer in our command's secure IT server vault. 

I was required to complete annual training to ensure that I understood federal government REQUIREMENTS on government records retention and security. Apparently Clinton considers herself above the rules every government employee must abide by.

The Dissection of Politics

By Dan Barber

Here is some new analysis of news stories that I have collected over the past couple of days… I will include a link to the news story and source then my commentary.

I only peruse articles from reputable news organizations. I chose to stop subscribing to and reading one major Los Angeles newspaper. That print publication has consistently censored my honest critiques in their reader comments section of the publication. I never used personal attacks or vulgarity therefore I can only assume they are afraid of what I have to say or I am spot on accurate to point out their style inaccuracies or journalist biases. With that in mind, I can no longer trust that newspaper to provide honest reporting. Besides, agree or disagree with me it does not matter, but don't censor my honest opinion.

Lawmakers petition Obama to investigate Marine officer's dismissal

MARINE CORPS TIMES -- Is it OK for Clinton to use personal email for convenience while serving as Secretary of State, but a punishable offense for a Marine Corps officer to use personal email in an attempt to save the lives of Marines in Afghanistan! 

President: ObamaCare finishes job started by Medicare, Medicaid

THE HILL -- Obamacare is not health care, it is health insurance. Large health insurance companies and their shareholders have joined in with the government operated by the Obama administration to collect health insurance premiums from everyone and to pay out less to health care providers to give that health care. In addition, if there are any shortfalls to those large health insurance carriers the government will pay them for the shortfalls. Obamacare requires everyone to pay their premiums for health care or be fined by the IRS, and if people can't afford to pay the premiums to the large health insurance companies, not to worry, the government will pay them for you.

Obama tells liberals: I can't carry Iran deal on my own

THE HILL -- Obama needs this Iran deal to go through so he can have another false narrative to boast about his foreign policy legacy. The problem is the Obama administration has not eliminated the terrorist threats that Iran supports and our country still faces. Hint, just removing the term "terrorists" from the administration's talking points and mainstream news reports does not remove the threat. Fortunately for our country a majority of our citizens know this fact.

What's considered 'classified' is a judgment call

ASSOCIATED PRESS -- Apparently Clinton's judgment is to put her interests above the security of the United States. Ask the 20 plus million government employees whose personal information was hacked by the Chinese about the importance of protecting classified information?

Clinton charity donors surge amid Hillary Clinton's campaign

ASSOCIATED PRESS -- Who wants to bet donations and speaking engagement fees, will plummet once Clinton fails in her bid for the nomination or loss in the presidential election... she will be worthless to “donors.”

Problems Plague System to Check Gun Buyers

NEW YORK TIMES -- New York Times is your newspaper really morally bankrupt at worse or totally uninformed as best! Why would you use a photo of a military funeral, as an illustration, to support your anti-gun article... are you trying to tell a story that military personnel should not be armed because they are dangerous? This funeral depicted in your paper was for the Marine who was killed by the Muslim extremist in a Tennessee recruiting station that had a sign on the door banning the carrying of weapons!