"Civil dissension is a viperous worm..." (Henry VI)

.....My previous two blogs seemed to have tickled a few funny bones, judging from the comments I received. That is justly what I expected. My views are liberal--and to the "left" I would agree--but not always. I have no objections whatsoever if readers desire to disagree with me in writing comments. If I did, would I publish them? I think that of all the blogs I have written, and in the five books of them I have published that I rejected only two or three--and those had nothing to do with controversy. So, if you dare to read what the Baron believes, keep those comments coming. He is fearless, or he wouldn't have joined the Navy.

.....Florida now has what they refer to as a "mini" SunPass--which deducts the tolls on the Florida Turnpike automatically. (Once in a great while one sees a sign calling it the Ronald Reagan Turnpike) The "mini" pass sells for $4.99, but before they came out with that, they charged $25 which I paid. Consequently, I e-mailed SunPass and said that I didn't think this was fair, and I asked what the difference was. I got a reply today that there is no difference and that the mini SunPass was offered so that people who could not afford $25 could go through toll booths automatically. Now isn't that the exact same reason that Obama would like a "public option" on the health care reform plan so that people who couldn't afford to pay the private insurers premiums would have an opportunity to protect their health with a government policy? That's how it appears to me, anyway.

.....The Baron's daughter, Robin, says that America is the only place she wants to live.

As for me, this is not the country I fought for. Sometimes I feel like I want to vomit as I read and hear about all the bickering between the two parties in the Capitol; and the rowdiness of the protesters--whatever they're protesting-- is not like the country it was once when you didn't have to dial one for English. Sometimes I think about moving to a more civilized country. But then I've not been able to find a country on Google that sells chocolate covered halava or Mallomars, and so I'm stuck here in Condoland--the land of Early Birds and buy one, get one free land; or get soup and half a sandwich land. The land where guns are allowed in the forums where the President speaks. And how many Presidents have been assassinated here?

.....Since our two party system doesn't appear to be working too well and the country is divided 50-50, perhaps we ought to consider the autocracy in China according to Thomas Friedman of the NY Times. He writes, "...When one-party autocracy...is led by a reasonably enlightened group of people, as China is today, it can just impose the politically difficult but important policies needed to move a society forward in the 21st Century." China is overtaking us in electric cars, solar power, nuclear power, wind power--and many other important improvements in the lives of its people. Think about that!

....I probably have more to say, but I just got a telephone call from RH+. She is truly amazing. Besides being a first rate and loving caregiver and a leader as President of a large charitable organization, she is apparently now an athlete. Today was the first day of bowling in the club she belongs to and on the telephone she just told me that she bowled a 204! I never broke a 100--except on the golf course. She only weighs about 45 pounds and she bowls a 204. I'm impressed.