High Fructose Corn Syrup

Public pressure has caused some food manufacturers to change their ingredients. It's even common now to see "No high fructose corn syrup" printed right on the labels. What's interesting about that, is that high fructose corn syrup is the exact same thing as cane sugar after it hits our mouths. I would be interested to know who funded the propaganda against corn syrup. This short video gives the best explanation of the facts regarding this controversy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RDCnDK2K6Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Why Drop Bombs on Syria?

I'm dismayed by recent rhetoric of Pres. Obama, Sec. of State Kerry, and Sec. of Defense Hagel justifying military intervention in Syria's civil war. After firmly criticizing the invasion of Iraq (then-senator Obama actually voted against giving authority for it), it is surreal to hear Hagel and the president speaking vaguely about "threats to American interests" and "building an international coalition" against the Syrian government. Although Prime Minister Cameron wants to join the US, yesterday the British parliament voted to stay out of it, reflecting public opinion there. A solid majority here are also against intervention, but Pres. Obama won't ask our lawmakers to vote. He used to say he would never unilaterally go to war like Pres. Bush did. Why the change of heart?

I stumbled on this map from Der Speigel of presumed chemical weapons facilities in Syria. Someone recently deployed some of them to devastating effect in the country, which the Obama administration is blaming on the government and promoting as a humanitarian reason to bomb targets there. I don't believe for a minute that's the reason.

But this map made me see for the first time how widely distributed and close to borders the materials may be. With a civil war raging and so many people on the move, I imagine equipment and chemical stock could easily become unsecured. I'm sure lots of criminal and terrorist organizations would love to scoop up some of those bad boys. Isreal is certainly worried about it. Could this be the real reason the US government wants to attack Syria?

And if so, why not just say that?

Canine Veterans, Not Equipment

I'm so happy about this! This year's Defense Dept Appropriation bill, HR 4310, signed by President Obama, includes provisions for "Retirement, adoption, care, and recognition of military working dogs"! Sec. 361 spells it out, starting with reclassification: "The Secretary of Defense shall classify military working dogs as canine members of the armed forces. Such dogs shall not be classified as equipment."

I wrote a post about this on May 24, 2011. At that time, Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog, who oversaw the adoption program begun in 2000, was advocating for reclassification. She received mixed reviews in her next assignment heading up the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, but she certainly made a positive change for the dogs and their handlers.

These dogs will finally get the respect and care they deserve. Instead of being left behind or killed in foreign countries when military units leave, the dogs will be transferred at the defense department's expense to either an adoption center or the 341st Training Squadron. They are also entitled to veterinary care for life. Hoo-ah!

Conservative Argument for the Right to Marry

I like this lawmaker's logic.

Congresswoman Illeana Ros-Lehtinen, who signed on as the first Republican co-sponsor for the Respect for Marriage Act, the law that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act: "As Republicans we believe in equality of opportunity rather than outcome. Most importantly, we believe that the individual and the family are the central engines in our society. The right for individuals to lead their lives without government intrusion is a bedrock conservative principle and it is much more than just about sexual orientation. It is about the fundamental rights we all share as Americans. It is about equality for all with no exceptions."

It must be Autumn because everybody's wearing red.

In Nebraska, this season has a color and that's Husker Red. Game Day is celebrated by the wearing of red, or sometimes "blackshirts" black. It's a statewide phenomenon, fans everywhere wear their team gear in droves. Parking lots and driveways are dotted with tents decorated in red and white. Smoke rising from thousands of grills perfumes the air with the smell of searing meat. Shortly before kick-off, the streets, restaurants and stores empty out. Just about everyone has gone to sports bars and TV rooms to watch the game. Here at Frank & Simon's, we provide a tailgate spot in the parking lot. We grill our Chicago hot dogs and bratwursts for hungry customers and entertain them with games of cornhole, the Husker pre-game show blaring from my 1978 boombox, and door prizes. Go Big Red!

Men Dressing Badly



Omaha, Nebr. Great looking dog but the guy needs a wardrobe makeover.



Years ago I sold menswear and really enjoyed it. It was fun to help men find clothing that fit well and made them look great. For a long time now, it seems like men's clothing gets worse every year. The low point, in my opinion, was sagging pants. Unfortunately, those are still a common sight in Lincoln. GQ.com published a slide show called "The 40 Worst-Dressed Cities in America". Sagging pants aside, most of my personal peeves are represented and some of the writing is clever. I wonder what it would take to get the majority of U.S. men back into clothes with decent tailoring that actually fit. It would be wonderful to see guys looking good again!

Retirement Reality Check

So many political arguments are being made about funding social security and medicare, it made me wonder. Is it possible for a middle income worker to save enough money to support him or herself in retirement for, say, 20 years? I decided to try to answer my own question.

The current individual median income for workers 25 and over is about $33,000. That means half of American workers earn more and half earn less. Also, that's exactly what my latest full-time annual salary was with an associate's degree and many years of working up from entry-level clerk to senior office associate. So it seems like a good number to use for representing a middle income.

I used the calculator at CalcXML to determine how much a 25 year old would have to save in order to achieve the equivalent of $33,000 annual income from age 70 through 89 (assuming 3% inflation per year). I assumed the retirement savings plan would earn 6% per year, which is roughly the historical average return for stock funds. Here's the result:

"To provide the inflation-adjusted retirement income you desire, you need to save $7,282 or $607 a month. The total amount needed for retirement...is $2,423,159."

Does anyone expect a young middle-class worker to sock away over $600 per month for retirement? I think that's highly unlikely, which raises more questions, especially this one: Are there other ways to fund one's own retirement?

Celebrating Wildflowers

I just discovered that this is Nebraska Wildflower Week. What a lovely thing to celebrate! Events across the state include tours, outdoor concerts, morning yoga, hikes, plant sales, fun runs, and photography seminars.

Retirement for US War Dogs

I knew the US military uses dogs. Our local Veterans Memorial Garden includes a K-9 Corps Memorial. What I didn't know is when their tour of duty is over the dogs aren't returned to their home station, and can be euthanized or abandoned in a foreign country. It wasn't even legal to adopt them until 2000.



Photo: http://lovingforaliving.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html



Fortunately, "...the military has made dramatic strides since then," according to an eye-opening article in the Military Times. Publicity about Cairo, a Navy Seal dog who participated in the raid on Osama Bin Laden's house, has increased the number of adoption applications so now there's a waiting list. I like Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog's idea; she wants the dogs to be re-classified from "equipment" to canine veterans. "That would take an act of Congress, but it could also ensure that all dogs shipped out of the United States are brought back," says the Times. “Uncle Sam gave the dogs a ride over. He should give them a ride back,” says Kandoll.

 I couldn't agree more!

Rapture

Seems like all the news broadcasts are covering the story of Harold Camping's prediction that Rapture will occur tomorrow, May 21st, 2011. The Atlanta Journal reports, "According to the Pew Center for the People and the Press, 41 percent of Americans believe Jesus Christ will return to Earth by 2050."


The web site Rapture Ready is chock full of information those folks could find useful, including a timeline of events pertaining to significant armaggedon factors such as the European Union and Rock and Roll. Another web site, Rapture Assurance, has an interesting pitch: "Are you ready to be Raptured? The Rapture Card will assist you. Get a Rapture Card and get peace of mind." I had to click on that, just to see what the card does.


I grew up learning all about the Rapture, or as our chuch called it, the Second Coming. As a child, whenever I saw beautiful cloud formations I searched the skies for Jesus just in case he was coming through. That's because I Thessalonians says, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." I didn't want to miss that!

If you're still around after May 21st, reading Tim LaHaye's books, especially the Left Behind series is another way to get a detailed perspective on these beliefs. By the way, a couple of months ago LaHaye said on Mike Huckabee's talk show that the Obama administration's policies are "bringing us closer to the apocalypse."

Predictions are a common as weeds. A local pastor, Gil Rugh, predicted Rapture would occur around the year 2000. Since then, he changed his mind. Rugh's pamphlet "The Rapture," published in 2010, says, "The next event for the church is the rapture. This has been true for the past 2000 years. No one knows when Christ will return because no one knows when the rapture will take place."

Though I find other people's end-times beliefs interesting, I don't feel anticipation or worry about any of that. I still love to watch our beautiful Nebraska skies and look forward to seeing Jesus some day, but for now my favorite version of "Rapture" is Blondie's!

Four-Legged Immigrant Coming to Omaha

A very unique therapy animal is coming to Omaha, all the way from Iraq! Smoke, a donkey who befriended a Marine unit while they were stationed in Iraq, will soon be part of Nebraska's Wounded Warrior Family Support program. Apparently, he's a charmer and really good with military personnel. Best of luck, Smoke!