It is heart warming this holiday season to know our leaders in government are living by the principles they espouse, such as: providing low-income housing; assisting ex-felons with access to job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling; improving living conditions in poor neighborhoods; and providing the national and community service they advocate.
In California, House Leader Nancy Pelosi has opened the three hospitality businesses in which she and her husband Paul are partners. The Auberge du Soleil resort hotel, the CordeValle Golf Club, and the Piatti Italian restaurants are hosting the local homeless while providing three meals a day to drug addicts.
Meanwhile, Senate Leader Harry Reid has donated the $1.1 million he earned in 2004 from his ethically-challenged land swap deal to Habitat for Humanity.
Lastly, but most importantly, President-elect Barack Obama and his lovely family struggled with the terrible Chicago winter weather to work the soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and rescue missions. This show of leadership, when the Obama’s could have just as easily gone to some tropical paradise for the holidays, is what makes one proud to be an American.
December 31st, 2008 | Good Bad Ugly
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About a week after I graduated from puppy kindergarten my human pack leaders (HPLs) enrolled me into Basic Obedience. (Ed. Note: Harvard told us this was also a prerequisite.) My HPLs and I went to the local National Guard Armory for these classes. We would arrive early so I could greet the my other classmates. Before the training started I would go around to each of my classmates and see how things had been in the week since the last class. It only took a few minutes since us canines, by using our scents, communicate more information much faster than humans. I guess this is how I came to be known as “Mac the Diplomac.”
Basic Obedience was my last formal training. My picture shows how blue I felt when I graduated and would never again see my classmates. (Ed. Note: We decided Harvard was too liberal for Mac, and instead are concentrating on Hillsdale College in Michigan.)
Thanks for your time, but now I have to catch some rays.
December 27th, 2008 | Canine Culture
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American homes decorated with outdoor Christmas lights is a tradition many of us enjoy. Either as a cocoa-sipping drive-around spectator or as an amateur Christmas decorating and light artist.
In a sense it is a microcosm of the good American experience.
Some people spend much time and a good sum of money on their decorations and the resulting electric bill. Their only return on investment is the joy it brings to others. Some people have donation boxes which aid local charities. There are folks experimenting with LED lights in order to save on power bills. The artistic make many of their own display items, such as characters and scenes. There are those which choreograph music with their lights and broadcast it over a local FM Transmitter.
Individual Americans being creative and charitable.
Merry Christmas!
(Bah! Humbug! to the politically correct among us.)
December 24th, 2008 | American Ingenuity, Good Bad Ugly
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When I was about 11 weeks old, my human pack leaders (HPLs) decided I was in need of a top-notch education. So off we went to puppy kindergarten. (Ed. Note: Harvard told us this was a prerequisite.) My HPLs also had to attend the six weeks of classes. We learned to sit, stay, and come. I also got to socialize with the other puppies in the class. Some of these puppies were a lot bigger than I was. It helped me gain confidence. (Ed. Note: At first he would try to hide behind us, but that was not allowed.) Soon I could play with any dog of any size or age. Sometimes I would go up to an older dog and get in their muzzle. I learned quickly not to do this without an invitation. They did not teach that in puppy kindergarten.
Thanks for your time, but now I have to catch some rays.
December 24th, 2008 | Canine Culture
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This year, 94 percent of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives that ran for reelection were returned to office. Yet, a few days before the election a FOX/Opinion Dynamics poll had the approval rating of congress at 18 percent and the disapproval rating at 75 percent.
December 17th, 2008 | Good Bad Ugly, Raw Politics
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When my human pack leaders (HPLs) forked over the $1000 to my breeder Lois, they drove me to my new territory. We stopped for my first dining out meal at a Wendy’s. The HPLs were trying their best to make me feel welcomed and safe. To be honest, I was scared, being only eight weeks old and never apart from my mother and brother and birth house. Overall, it was rather traumatic.
At this point in my life I did not associate car rides with fun, obviously. (Ed. Note: For the first few days Mac would get nervous when we put him into the 4Runner. But knowing many dogs love car rides, we thought it best to develop a plan to help him get over his fear of cars.) With tremendous fortitude and my sense of adventure I quickly mastered car riding! (Ed. Note: We first put down the tailgate of the 4Runner and got in the back with him, without starting the vehicle. After he got comfortable with phase one, it was onto phase two; starting the 4Runner and sitting in the back with him. Phase three was slowly driving a short distance. Phase four was driving him wherever he wanted to go.)
Thanks for your time, but now I have to catch some rays.
December 13th, 2008 | Canine Culture
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The not so big news this week is the arrest of the Democrat Governor of Illinois for conspiring to sell or trade former Senator Obama’s vacant Senate seat for its market value. How is this different from the unions contributing $55,700,000 to Democrat candidates for votes supporting card check?
December 10th, 2008 | Good Bad Ugly, Raw Politics, What Do You Think?
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When I am out and about many dogs are amazed with the life I have lived so far. So it got me to thinking, why not blog about my exciting past a little bit.
Today I will start at the beginning. (Ed. Note: He did not remember any of this, so I filled him in on his earliest days.) I have posted the first picture taken of me by my breeder, Lois. She sent this to the people who became my human pack leaders. When the female human pack leader showed the picture to the male human pack leader he exclaimed “You want to pay $1000 for that slug!?”
Well, they did; and I’m worth it!
Thanks for your time, but now I have to catch some rays.
December 5th, 2008 | Canine Culture
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You don’t need to feel sorry for Mr. Tiger Woods. Yes, the Buick endorsement with Mr. Woods is going to end. GM needs to cut expenses wherever it can.
The ironic fact is Mr. Woods may easily be worth more than Buick. GM has a market capitalization of $2.925 billion. Having eight vehicle divisions, each is worth on average $366 million. Mr. Woods earned $90 million dollars last year according to the Forbes money rankings. It is rumored Mr. Woods is on the way to being the first athlete to achieve the billion dollar milestone.
December 3rd, 2008 | Dollars & Sense
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