SF Examiner "Coit" Title Needs Examination

Am I the only one who finds this headline crass? Probably. And, that is a problem.

The story has nothing to do with the well know and highly flawed birth control method. It’s a story about a delay in getting a food vendor licensed at the well known San Francisco landmark, Coit Tower.

But, I get it. Oh yes, the Coit Tower has a phallic shape. But, so does the handle of my toilet plunger.  

Without putting much thinking into it, I can think of several other titles that would not be as shameful and just as cutesy. How about:

“Coit Cuisine Crashes”

“Coit Tower Starving?”

“Coit Chowless”

“Chowless Coit,”

“Chow Cut at Coit”

The title, while eye catching, is unnecessary.

Cheap headlines like this only seem to cheapen the story, our minds, and our bodies. Garbage in, garbage out. Perhaps the Examiner is impregnated with the seductive embrace of convention whereby we all go around coarsening our culture at every turn.  

We don’t’ have to be infected by the same coarseness.

Serving The Law that Serves Us Best

When I think back on my career as a police officer, it was not uncommon to say or think, “I served the law.” While I knew there were reasons for the law, the phrase, “I serve the law,” never seemed problematic. I always knew I served the people and didn’t get too hung up on the phraseology.

Even outside the vocation of policing, we often think in those terms. We serve our boss, we serve our company, we serve our stockholders, we serve our nation, etc.

Heck, we even service our cars.

We say these things without too much thought; we sort of understand and believe its all good. I wonder, however, how often we consider what’s behind that service.

"Do I hope that those people die screaming of rectal cancer? Yeah! - Sean Penn

Speaking Out on the First Amendment Issues…well sort of, Sean Penn believes journalists who call Hugo Chavez a "dictator" should be jailed.

This guy never ceases to surprise me with the level of intellectual dishonesty that his own ego will take him to. Put in jail, really? The incarceration statement erupted during an active week of interviews where he parlayed his powerful influence and asserted his own constitutionally protected right to speak his mind. But he had more to say about those who disagree with him and he used his constitutionally protected rights to express his own heart-felt sentiment. When he was solicited for a response on the fact that some people question his motivations in his Haitian humanitarian efforts, he cut loose with a curse of sorts. Here is a quote from him on his response to those who question his motives,

"Do I hope that those people die screaming of rectal cancer? Yeah. You know, but I'm not going to spend a lot of energy on it."

Thank God he is not going to spend any energy on wishing some of us rectal cancer. Whew, I feel so relieved. Still, it’s the thought that counts as they say. Wishing those who disagree with him a painful death? He considers himself a great humanitarian? Well, I pray that when his time comes (as it will for all of us) that he passes on peacefully and at a time when God chooses.

There was a time in my life that I really liked Sean Penn. Unfortunately he has turned into such a wing nut that I can only now feel pity for this man. I pray that he one day finds some level of balance and that he learns to leave his ego on the mantle with the rest of his acting achievements where it belongs. Maybe when he is able to achieve that, he will be a great humanitarian. God Bless.

Click HERE or on the image for the full story.

Coming to American Shores Soon – The Thought Police

UK schools are now starting a data base to keep track of children who use language considered hateful or bullying.


Click HERE for the full story.

Watch Your Language!

The California Legislature has passed a resolution for a cuss free week.

This story draws a "What the Spank" salute.

The absurdity of this is difficult to fathom. As if we don’t have enough to worry about, the government is going to tell us how we should speak. Yes, I know that in this case, it’s only a suggestion. Now, I do not disagree that civil discourse should be expected. But, our California legislature has too much to worry about than to get involved in this effort. Don’t we have a huge deficit to contend with among many other pressing and critical issues? I wonder how much this public awareness campaign is costing the tax payers?

Again, I sound alarm behind this type of governmental intrusion in our lives for this reason:

What is today a suggestion or an awareness campaign becomes tomorrow’s regulations.

This is the nature of unchecked government. It can not control it because it justifies its sense of importance and control. This is the nature of the governmental beast. The beast is necessary; but  we must keep it on a short leash, lean, working for us, and trained to stay out of our way. A recent CNN poll bears out this belief that our government is growing much too powerful.

Stay out of our lives! The government has no business telling us how to speak and think. My mother and father taught me what acceptable language is, and what is not. Now, anyone who knows me is aware I am not a saint in this area. I have been known to use a colorful metaphor from time to time. However, true improvement or reform is best, true, and permanent when it comes from the free will, not from coercion. And while I do not disagree with the notion of self control (cussing,) it is not the government’s role in our lives.

Click HERE for the full story.

A WAR BY ANY OTHER NAME…revisited

I wrote the first article on 9-11 about one month after 9-11-01 and submitted it to the Contra Costa Times. (I have it posted here on my blog under the date of October 4, 2001) Of course, they never published it. What a surprise.


Looking back on my concerns of the time, I am saddened by the fact that what I feared has, for the most part, come true.

A WAR BY ANY OTHER NAME…

It has now been one month since our nation was transformed once again. On September 11, 2001, we were changed forever in the blast of fire, rubble, horror, and hate.