My Wish List for Whoever Wins the 2016 Presidential Election

October 26, 2016
Volume 5, Number 3

Thanks God the Silly Season is Almost Over

Well in just under 2 weeks, all of this silliness will be over, at least for a day or two. This is by anyone’s account, the most contentious election that I, or most other people, can ever remember happening. I mean “what the heck” is happening here anyway?
By any measuring stick, this election is important, as all elections are, but this one has a lot riding on it. Regardless of who you vote for president, one thing is undeniable. The incoming president will more than likely nominate 2 or 3, or maybe more, justices to the United States Supreme Court. Whoever gets nominated, and ultimately confirmed by the Senate, could alter the lives of all Americans for 30 Plus years. So now you see why so many people are so concerned as to who becomes president. Depending on your viewpoint, the “new” court could be a Godsend or just a step away from hell. We will just have to wait and see what happens.
One thing is certain and that is that we need some real changes in Washington, D.C. People are mad and justifiably so. Far too many of the 536 people who make and sign laws into being, while they may have had good intentions when they went to D.C, they have succumbed to pitfalls of power and money.
That being said, there are some things that, in my ever be it some humble opinion, the new president should really consider enacting ASAP. So in no particular order, here we go.
1. Make all siting and former Representatives and Senate members, participate in the Social Security system. No more lifetime pay for themselves and their spouse (which today is approximately $175,000 a year). Those already out of office will be converted to SS and given credit toward their SS benefits.
2. All members of Congress will have the same health benefits if Obama Care that they make everyone else have. In other words, no more benefits that the rest of us don’t get. Seems pretty simple to me.
3. No sitting or former President can do any fundraising or campaign for any candidate for any office. Also you cannot do any fundraising for any political party or any other entity. If you become president, then campaigning and fundraising is something you give up for life.
4. Once any member of Congress leaves Congress, they are barred for life from working for or with any lobbying firm or organization. If they have already left, they must quit now. Any lobby firm hiring or using, in any capacity, any former member of Congress in any form or fashion, will be fined and those fines will start at $1 million per charge.
5. All members of Congress will now be governed by terms limits. I would suggest 12 years in either the House or the Senate and then out you go. We have term limits for their boss, the president, so why have the other 535 folks been exempt. New people bring new ideas and that is a good thing. For those worried about institution knowledge, new members of Congress can always pick up the phone and call the last guy if they need any additional info on any subject.
6. We should consider having the president serve a single 6-year term and not two 4 year terms. As it is now the president spends year 3 and 4 running for re-election, so by giving her or him a single 6-year term they can focus on doing their job and not worry about getting re-elected.
7. President’s spouses are not allowed to use the office of the president for an excuse to travel all over the world on vacation. The American taxpayer should not be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars an hour, just so the spouse and any children can travel wherever. You might even consider putting a certain number of days allowed for vacation time.
8. Once a president leaves office he/she is permanently barred from ever campaigning for anyone running for any office, anywhere. (See number 3 above, this repeated because so many will not get it the first time).
9. All bills submitted for a vote in Congress will stand alone with no amendments or riders. Only one item per bill/vote. Far too often bills voted yes or no because of the riders and not the bill itself. So one bill, one vote.
10. The rules of the House and Senate will have a complete re-do. The present “rules” are a big part of the problem of why nothing get done in either house. So let’s start over with some common sense rules and not rules that only serve to benefit the party in the majority.
11. The members of Congress will start working, in their D.C. offices, a minimum of 4 days per week. There will also be set hours for both houses to be “in session” and all members will be present for the entire session or they will NOT be paid. We will also have a set number of days for vacation, that will be far fewer than what they presently take. We need people who want to get something done, not those who just want to create a job for themselves and others.
12. Any member or former member of Congress caught using his/her office or former office to enrich themselves will be immediately prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
13. Congress will pass no laws that excludes themselves. If it is good enough for the rest of the country, then it is good enough for them as well.
14. Campaigning for Congress, Senate and President will be limited to 90 days prior to the primary and general elections themselves.
I am sure there are numerous other things that need to happen, but this is just a shortlist to start with and I am sure that the list needs to be refined somewhat.
What we need to do is eliminate many of the perks that seem to draw some may into this form of public service. Their job was never meant to be a lifetime appointment and it was never meant to make them rich, but that is exactly what has happened in many cases.

Quote of the day:
Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions — President George W. Bush

Lawlessness Appears to be the Norm and Not the Exception and Needs to STOP Now

October 6, 2016

Volume 5, Number 2

The Shooting of Law Enforcement Personnel is NEVER Acceptable

The events of the last few years, and certainly the last few weeks, should give us all pause and we should be asking many questions.   Why does it seem to be the norm to just shoot people, in many cases randomly, to try to make your point, political, religious or otherwise?   When did this become acceptable?   Now add to that, the senseless shooting of law enforcement personnel and we are fast approaching anarchy.   How can we possibly survive with this kind of mentality?   The short answer, I believe, is we can’t.

I think most people can understand other folks being desperate and thinking that murder is the only option they have left.    Obviously they are incorrect in that assumption, but they don’t realize that.   Some people feel that making headlines is the only way to draw attention to their injustice or cause, real or just perceived, or whatever they are calling it.   But the intentional gunning down of law enforcement (Dallas and Baton Rouge just to name two) cannot EVER be acceptable.   Not now, not ever.   Law enforcement is NOT the enemy.   The real enemy is the people who try to divide us.

People need to listen to law enforcement.   When an officer tells you to do something, just do it.   Don’t argue, don’t try to run away, don’t act like you are doing something wrong.   Don’t do things that make you look guilty.    Just comply.   It’s really that simple.   Comply and live.   Anything else may cost you your life.   When you don’t comply many officers will believe that you are guilty of something besides being hard of hearing.   So just do as you are told and things will work themselves out in a positive outcome, even if it takes some time.

But the shooting of people is not the only form of lawlessness that we are subjected to each and every day.   Local, state and federal politicians seem to think (or in most of their cases believe) that it is perfectly OK to say whatever pops into their mind, when in most cases, they know full well that they are lying through their teeth.   They have taken lying to an art form and many should be receiving Oscars for their performance, as they make many people believe their lies.   If you have been watching this presidential election cycle, aka the silly season, you have noticed that there is plenty of lying to everyone, (often times under oath) from Congress, to the FBI, to the man on the street.   They look directly into the camera and lie to us and they believe that we are so stupid that we believe their lies.   But you can make the case they, the candidates, are correct, because we keep electing these lying idiots and we do not demand better behavior or let the candidates know what is and what is not acceptable.  When did we, the citizens of the greatest country ever, decide that this is OK for the candidates to do?   When did we decide that we would accept such unacceptable behavior?   Why aren’t we demanding more and better of the people who run this country for all of us?

In a country of over 300 million people is this what we want?   Is this the best we can do?   Why do we accept such behavior?   Do we think so little of ourselves?   Has our self-respect sunk so low that we just let people run over us and we say nothing?   If we don’t wake up America, we will go the way of the Roman Empire and the greatest country the world has ever know will just disappear.   We must start demanding better of all of us.   Make lawlessness the exception and not the norm.   Make lying to Congress and the FBI/law enforcement punishable with a lot of jail time.   No one should be exempt, regardless of who they are.   Make lying to the voters not only unacceptable, but automatically disqualifying you for public office in the eyes of the voters and that you will never be elected.

Now I am not so naive as to believe that most people will act like real adults and do the right thing.   That will take a whole lot of time and effort on everyone’s part and I will not live long enough to see that.   But we certainly could make a start of it now, and hopefully our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would see some positive results from all of our efforts.   If we do nothing and accept the status quo, then we have no one to blame but ourselves and we all need to stop our complaining right now.   We need to be part of the solution, or we ARE definitely part of the problem.

Quote of the day:

Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions — President George W. Bush

(Spoken at the memorial service for the fallen Dallas police officers)

 

The “Silly Season” is Getting Longer and Longer

Volume 5, Number 1

We Need Election Reform More Than Ever

Well here we are with a presidential election looming in just a few months. Sadly, far too many months are spent “running” for the highest office in the land. We are all pretty tired of hearing all of the negative ads, debates, town hall meetings and just plain old lying by all of the candidates. No one gets a pass here, liar, liar, pants on fire.

This is just a sampling of less the than truthful statements that we hear every day. Both parties are equally guilty this charade.

I was the first person to stand up to (fill in the blank)
I stood up to (fill in the blank)
I have a (fill in the blank) point plan to fix the (fill in the blank)
In my first 100 days I will (fill in the blank)
I wholeheartedly support (fill in the blank)
I guarantee my administration will (fill in the blank)
I will work tirelessly to (fill in the blank)
I will do all that I can to (fill in the blank)
When I am president I will (fill in the blank)
And the list goes on and on and on.

I have watched all of the debates, both republican and democrat, and I have to tell you I am getting pretty scared at our choices. For far too long, people who run for president, will say ANYTHING, ANYTHING, to get you to vote for them. Let’s get one thing straight here. It is a whole lot easier to “run” for president, then it is to “be” president.

They make a whole lot of promises, knowing that the chances of any of those things actually happening are slim to none. And what is even worse is the fact that the American public is so naive they actually believe what the candidates say. How sad is that?
If it were within my power here are ideas that I would propose to end, or certainly alter this “silly season.”

1. Only allow 90 days to campaign for President, Senator or Representative. So campaigning starts the first Tuesday on August and ends on election day.
2. Make it illegal to accept any campaign contributions until that 90 days before the elections.
3. Make the presidency a single 6-year term. Under the current system, the president spends year 3 and 4 of his/her first term running for re-election. So if they only have a single 6-year term, then they can concentrate on running the country and not running for re-election.
4. Impose term limits for Senators and Representatives. Twelve years maximum (so a Senator get 2 terms and Representatives get 6 terms). If term limits are good enough for the President, Congress should have term limits as well.
5. Congress should not be able to pass any law for the rest of us underlings, that they do not have to abide by themselves.
6. Eliminate the present retirement plan that Congress currently enjoys (serve one term and they get full retirement for the rest of their and their spouses live). Instead they can participate in Social Security just like the rest of us.
7. Eliminate Congress’ current health care plan, and have them go to the open market like the rest of us.
8. Make it illegal for any member of Congress to ever work for a lobbyist firm once he leaves office (whether he/she retires or is voted out of office)

I know there are many more things that could or should be “fixed” in Congress, the above is just a quick list for openers. The problem is we have 535 individuals who vote on all the laws, and when they act in concert with what is best for themselves and not looking out for their constituent’s, bad things can and often do happen. While they may have gone to D.C. with the best of intentions, it gets pretty hard to stay that way.

Public service is supposed to be about the betterment for all and that seems to have been lost a long time ago, for some of the members of Congress. Sadly, power and corruption have taken over our political system and the citizens, both voters and non-voters are the ones that suffer.

I have always said that if you fail to vote, you give up your right to complain. But non-voters lack of participation, in the voting process, is a huge contributor to the overall deterioration of our country and our way of life.

Quote of the day:
Intelligence is everything that we know “not” to be true—Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

Here is My Christmas Wish List for the Jolly Old Fat Man

Volume 4, Number 7

Come on Santa, a Little Help Here

 

I am sure that each of us has a wish list of things, that we would love to see, if we have the means to make them happen.   So many wishes and so little time for sure.   But if I, or you, could make things happen by just wishing it, what would be on your list?   Here are some of my top wishes.

 

All governments (City, County, State and Federal) first order of responsibility is public safety.   The federal government has the military, while city, county and state have police/sheriff and fire protection.  It’s pretty simple, keep the citizens safe and then worry about all of the other stuff.

 

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could wave a magic wand and eliminate the score of illegal drugs all over the world?   Nothing else compares with the zillions of dollars wasted on buying them and the zillions of dollars wasted on trying to stop the buyers and then helping, medically, all of the buyers when they over dose.   Just think of all the good that come from all that money, if it was re-directed to something positive, instead of something negative like illegal drugs.

 

Next would be the elimination of crazies that believe if you don’t believe the way they do, you should die.   In what universe is that even plausible?   If I live to be 1000, (not likely to happen) I will never understand that way of thinking or how anyone else can think that way as well.  Radical terrorism causes so much heartache, pain and misery, and no one is any better off in the end.   If it could just fade away, quickly, I would love it.   When I see what happened in my hometown of San Bernardino, on December 2nd, where 14 people were killed and 22 were injured, it makes my heart ache.   This should not happen anywhere.

 

Now here is a real big wish, that could be achieved, if only the contestants would learn to play nice.   National elections (President, Senators and Representatives) happen every two, four or six years depending on the office.   Now those people running for those offices are supposed to be looking out for the best interests of ALL of their constituents.    Sadly, many but certainly not all of those running, may have the best intentions before they get elected to those national offices, things change once they get to Washington, D.C.   If I could get my wish, I would shorten the election season to 8 to 12 weeks’ maximum.   No campaigning, of any sort, except during that shorten window.   We are all so tired of all of the posturing, name calling, well let’s just quit beating around the bush and just say it, LYING, by virtually everyone, it is sickening to say the least.   Instead of telling us what is wrong with the other person, how about telling us what you are going to do if you get elected.   Be realistic and don’t make promises that you could not and will not fulfill.   Name calling and tearing down the other person should be against the law, and besides it solves nothing.   Just because veterans over the years have secured your right to say whatever you want, (your first amendment right) doesn’t mean you should exercise that right in a negative way.

 

Personally, I am not overly thrilled with our present crop of presidential candidates.   I keep hoping that once in my life, I will be able to vote for the best person, instead of what usually but not always happens, voting for the lesser of two evils.   Sadly, money and power corrupts, in varying degrees, and if we could take those two elements out of politics, we all would be so much better off.

 

Eliminating crime of all kinds would certainly be on anyone list.   It comes with feeling safe.   Crime affects us all and wouldn’t it be great if there were not any crime whatsoever.   For the people that just can’t live without committing crime, once caught they should be punished quickly and severely.   Maybe we need to place them on a deserted island somewhere, until they show us that they can live among us without committing crime.   If that happened, I have to believe it would certainly slow down crime and hopefully, someday, eliminate it completely.

 

As the infamous Rodney King once said, “Can’t we all just get along.”   Now that would be pretty awesome for sure and it should be on my and everyone else’s wish list.   We are not always going to love each other, but if we could just show some respect for each other’s differences and get along, that would go a long way to obtaining some real world peace for sure.

 

And finally health, happiness and safety would be on my list for sure, for all of my friends, and the rest of the world.   It is something so basic and we should all feel safe, no matter where we are on the planet.   Pretty basic for sure.

 

So, will I get much on my wish list?   Sadly, I will not.   But getting some real leaders, in the right places in all city, county, state and federal government offices, sure would be a great start in the right direction.   The presidential contenders need to tone down and/or eliminate the rhetoric, and start acting like true leaders.   Now wouldn’t that be a real welcomed surprise and just think of all of the good that could be accomplished.

 

I hope that wherever you are, that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year.   Just always remember “that any day above ground can’t be all bad”.

 

Quote of the day:

Throughout history freedom has been most often taken away from the people not in armed clashes, but in the “gradual and silent encroachment of those in power.”   It is the concentrating of all power in Washington that is hurting America — James Madison 1788

So Many Good Ideas, if They Would Just Use Some of Them

Volume 4, Number 6

There is lots of talent in the Republican Party these days

One of the things that really struck me when I was watching the Republican debate several days ago, was that virtually every candidate had at least one idea that I believe most people could get behind.

The debate was held at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA. If you have never been there, I suggest that you put it at, or near, the top of your pocket list. Regardless of your political leaning, there is so much history there, so many different exhibits that are continually changing, that there is something there for everyone, even Democrats. If all you did was to step into the Air Force One pavilion, you will experience something breathtaking. As you enter the room, Reagan’s plane is center stage and you cannot help but be awe-struck. You also get to have your photo taken just before you step into the plane (red carpet and all) and walk through the plane and history. One thing that may surprise you is just how small that (compared to today’s 747’s) Reagan plane is. It only seats about 40 people, once all of the other presidential gear is accounted for. But regardless of size wouldn’t you like to tell your children and friends that you have been on Air Force One? Oh heck yes.

So back to the debate. This talk feast was certainly, if nothing else, an exercise in stamina. I mean three hours, give these folks a break. One of the main things that I did NOT like about the entire evening was when the talking heads reporters would ask one candidate what they thought about what another candidate said about them several days earlier. Good grief, just what does that have to do with anything. Do any of us really care what Donald Trump thinks about what Jeb Bush said about him last week? I think not.

As hard as most TV reporters try, they are generally less than acceptable interviewers. Don’t you love it when a reporter sticks a microphone in a person’s face and says “how are you feeling right now as you look and see that your house has been destroyed by fire?” Could there be a more idiotic question?
There were some thought-provoking questions and quite a few thought-provoking answers. I was really amazed that there were so many really good ideas. Here were some that may deserve further scrutiny.

One candidate wants to have terms limits on Congress. Why not, there are term limits on the president, so why does Congress get a pass. He also wants to end their lifetime retirement package once they serve a single day in Congress. He wants them to have the same Social Security and medical insurance that every other citizen gets, no better and no worse than John Q. public gets.

Several of the candidates want to do, whatever it takes, to end the practice of people showing up in the United States, just to have a baby and that baby automatically becomes a US Citizen.

Another wants to do something to slow down, and hopefully and in a perfect world, stop all of the illegal immigration.

Then there is the building of a wall on our southern border. There were some ideas on foreign policy, domestic policy, the military, a flat tax, a consumption tax, elimination of all of the free goodies that are currently available to far too many people, and the list goes on.

Here is one of my own favorites that I would like to see enacted. Once your term limit is reached, you can NEVER work for, or as, a lobbyist for the rest of your life. Political office is not supposed to be a lifetime job. Its public service. Serve a set period of time and then move on, let someone else come in and let’s get their ideas.

My take away was, that this group of people had some interesting ideas, that certainly bear further investigation. Not all good and certainly not all bad, but ideas nonetheless.

So in my perfect world, here is what I would like to see happen. Regardless of whoever gets into the White House, I would like the new president to bring together all of the candidates, pick their brains, get some of those great ideas and implement the common sense ones. The ideas that will positively affect the most people. I have to believe that if this were to happen, we all would be much better off.

It’s a long way off until November of 2016 and while we have plenty of candidates right now, the list will be pared down to just several folks in the near future. I would hope that at this early stage, no one has completely made up their mind as to who is the most qualified person to hold the highest office in the land. Just know that whoever gets the job, they will need our prayers as it is a pretty much thankless, not to mention that some people would like to kill you.

So as Betty Davis famously once said “hang on, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”

Quote of the day
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution — President Abraham Lincoln

Tom LaBonge aka “Mr. Los Angeles”

Volume 4, Number 4

The Fourth District Councilman Leaves Some Really Big Shoes to Fill

This week Tom LaBonge leaves his City Council office. Not because the voters voted him out, but because of term limits. If ever there was a local politician that really related with the people, it is Tom LaBonge. Regardless of who you are, an important mover and shaker or just a visitor to Los Angeles, he treated everyone the same. He made you feel welcomed, important and like no one else mattered. A real breath of fresh air to say the least, compared to many his political colleagues in Los Angeles and elsewhere.

To prove my point, let me expand on my own personal Tom LaBonge story. Back in early 2014, some of my fellow San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and myself, decided to take the Metro Link train into Los Angeles and have lunch at Olvera Street. None of us had ever ridden the Metro Link before, but we were anxious to see what it was like. After arrival at Union Station we made our way to Olvera Street and found a restaurant for lunch. After a pleasing meal, we decided to go for a short walk to the “Little Tokyo” section of Los Angeles, which was only several blocks from Olvera Street.

As we were walking down the street, a group of about six people was walking toward us. As I looked at the group, I immediately noticed that one of the men in the group was Councilman Tom LaBonge. I stuck out my hand and said “good afternoon Mr. LaBonge.” Now keep in mind we had never met and the only reason I knew who he was, was because I watch the news religiously every night. Tom is frequently on the news, so I just knew his face, but really nothing about his reputation.

Tom immediately greet our group, as if we were long-lost friends who he hadn’t seen in many years. Tom wanted to know if we were locals, and if not, where we were from and why we were in Los Angeles. Once he learned we were out-of-town visitors, he asked if we had time to take a tour of City Hall, or the main Library or possibly the Memorial Coliseum? Sadly we did not, as the train we needed to catch was leaving in approximately one hour, but we asked if it was possible to take advantage of his gracious offer on another visit. He said by all means he would make that happen.

Tom said “well we at least need to have a picture taken together.” He had one of his staffers, that was accompanying him, step out into the street and stop traffic for a moment. We all ventured out into the street and took the photo which had the silhouette of the famous City Hall in the background. Once we finished the photo, we exchanged business cards and he said he would have Isaac Burks, his Deputy of Arts and Culture from his staff, call us and set a return date for us to enjoy the tours Tom had mentioned.

As we were about to continue our walk, one of Tom’s staffers asked me, since you are from San Bernardino and not Los Angeles, how did I know Mr. LaBonge. I told her that I just watch the news and knew his face when I saw him coming toward us on the street. She could hardly believe that someone from outside Los Angeles would know him by sight.

It was several months before everyone’s scheduled permitted the return to Los Angeles, but when we did, Isaac was the perfect gentleman and tour guide. Isaac took us all around City Hall, showing us many old photos of Los Angeles and giving us details about Los Angeles that only a native would know. Isaac took us to the top floor of City Hall so we could see everything from 28 stories tall, and what a view it was. Then we were ushered into the City Council chambers and we were formally introduced by Tom to his fellow council persons. Again Tom made us feel more like relatives than just out-of-town visitors.

Next Isaac took us on a tour of the main Library in downtown LA. Then we were off to the Memorial Coliseum. Once there, we were greeted by the general manager of the Coliseum. He spent the better part of an hour, telling us some of the many facts about the Coliseum, pointing out many of the plaques that adorn the walls of the beautiful structure, relating numerous facts and figures about the two Olympic Games that were held there and giving us a real history lesson. He also suggested that on your next trip, we really needed to visit the California Science Center, located next door to the Coliseum.

So with our tours complete we ventured back to Olvera Street for a quick-lunch before heading back to Union Station and our Metro Link ride home. We thanked Isaac profusely for his time and his wonderful treatment of us before we left him. Issac is a true gentleman, just like his boss Tom. I would have expected nothing less of someone who worked for and with Tom.

Since our first visit to Los Angeles City Hall, we have made a return visit to see Tom and Isaac again and also another visit to the California Science Center to see the space shuttle.

So my point here is that Tom LaBonge has Los Angeles running through his veins and he is by far the best spokesman for the City bar none. He should be running the chamber of commerce or maybe even be the mayor. When I was watching News Conference on Channel 4 this morning, Conan Nolan, the newscaster, was interviewing Tom LaBonge about his tenure on the City Council. Conan said that many people have said that Tom should be the greeter at LAX airport. If ever there was a man who would be perfect for the job, it would be Tom.

Always upbeat and never negative, he is just a positive force to be reckoned with. A man who gets to know everyone. especially his constituents. A man who is arguably one of the most popular and likeable men in Los Angeles politics. A man who treats everyone with respect and the way he would want to be treated himself. If only there were more people in politics like Tom, politics might have a much better image.

Quote of the day:
Never get tired of doing little things for others. Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their lives — Unknown

It’s like Losing a Member of the Family

Volume 4, Number 4

The announcement that “The Mug” is closing, is a Loss for All Who Loved It

I have often said that the only constant in life, is change. Like it or not, it happens and there is nothing we can do to stop it, short of the world coming to an end. But just as change is constant, that doesn’t mean we have to like it one bit. That being said, reading in today’s edition of The Sun, that The Mug will be closing in several weeks, after more than 67 years in business was akin to having a beloved family member pass away.

Regardless of what my children and grand children may believe, growing up in San Bernardino in the 1950’s and 1960’s was a piece of heaven. A great blue-collar city, with thriving businesses and a whole lot of great people living here. My memories of those times are nothing short of awesome and this was a wonderful time and place to be growing up.

In 1952 my father returned from active duty with the Air Force in Japan. He was stationed there during the Korean War. Once he returned and we resumed some as semblance of family life, we had a routine of things that we did. One of those was to go out and have dinner at a local restaurant. Usually there were only two places that we went for that dinner; The Mug or the Mitla Cafe. We always looked forward to Saturday nights, family time together, great food and supporting a local business.

So I have been eating at The Mug for 64 years or just 3 years shorter than The Mug has been in existence. That’s a lot of half sausage/half pepperoni pizza (my personal favorite), spaghetti/ravioli combination, garlic bread and that fabulous oil and vinegar salad dressing. Arguably some of the best Italian food on the planet and second to no one. In all my years on God’s good green earth, I have never had a pizza like The Mug’s anywhere else. I believe it is oregano that makes the difference, but The Mug isn’t saying. Their salad dressing is different from any you will ever have anywhere, and good to the last drop that you soak up with your garlic bread.

The Mug is being run by the fourth generation of the same family, not unlike The Mitla Cafe. When we went The Mitla it was run by the family of Salvador Rodriguez. He was a very funny man and he would always walk around his restaurant with his Groucho Marx glasses and mustache on and speak with everyone, especially the kids, as he loved kids. The food was fabulous then, just like The Mug, and is still today.

I have heard several reasons why The Mug is closing, and the why is not what is important. We can only hope that Jeremy and his family have better days ahead of them, whatever adventures they encounter. But for the rest of us, The Mug closing is just another reminder of better times and a better place. It is a reminder of our youth. It is a reminder that the only constant in life is change. It is a reminder that we are all getting older and closer to the end of our own story.

We don’t have to be happy about it, but life goes on and on and on. We just have to suck it up and move forward.

On this Memorial Day weekend, please take a moment, bow your head and say a prayer for all veterans, here and gone. They all made a difference and their sacrifice allows you to do what you are enjoying today. All gave some and some gave all.

Quote of the day:
Always leave everything better than the way you found it — President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Don’t Pass Up a Chance to See History

Volume 4, Number 3

The Lincoln Shrine is an Exhibit Not to be Missed and Right Next Door

On April 15, 1865, at 7:22 AM in the morning, our 16th, and arguably the greatest or certainly one of the greatest Presidents that have ever lived, took his last breath. Abraham Lincoln was shot by an assassin’s bullet, that was fired into the back side of head just below his left ear, a mere eight hours earlier. Sadly he would not be the last US President to die while in office, in such a horrible fashion, shot by a troubled individual.

On Wednesday, April 15, 2015, my wife and I finally visited a place that I have known about for decades, but never took the time to go and see for myself. It is the largest exhibit, west of the Mississippi River, of Abraham Lincoln artifacts, and it was less than 10 miles from our home.

The mission of the Lincoln Shrine is three-fold:
—As a memorial to the President Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War period
—As a research center for scholars, students and researchers
—As a repository museum, library and archives, open all people who are interested in American history, the Civil War period and Abraham Lincoln.

The Shrine was built and endowed by philanthropist Robert Watchorn. It was dedicated and presented to the City of Redlands by Watchorn and his wife Alma, on February 12,1932. Watchorn built the Shrine in memory of his son who was injured in World War I and died from complications from his war injuries after the war’s end. Watchorn was a great admirer of Lincoln and had personally collected many Lincoln artifacts himself.

One of the items prominently displayed at the Shrine, is a 1945 original painting by artist Norman Rockwell entitled “Thoughts on Peace on Lincoln’s Birthday.” This painting has many faces in it, one of them is Lincoln in the upper left hand corner, that you only see if you look at the painting from an angle. The painting is the largest Rockwell that was ever painted and was acquired through the efforts Watchorn’s nephew John Porter. It was donated to the Shrine in 1945, several months after it appeared in an issue of the Saturday Evening Post. Hollywood Director Steven Spielberg, who has one of the largest collections of original Rockwell’s has made huge monetary offers to buy the painting, but the Shrine has a hard and fast rule that they do not sell anything donated to them. So this Rockwell isn’t going anywhere. Sorry Steven.

Some years ago the only known photo of Lincoln and his casket was discovered. Upon the discovery the Batesville Casket Company made five replicas of the casket. One is permanently displayed at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The remaining four caskets tour around the country on temporary display for determined amounts of time. The Redlands Lincoln Shrine is very fortunate to have one of those four caskets on display until May 24th, courtesy of Emmerson Bartlett Memorial Chapel in Redlands.

The dome of the main building has murals, painted on canvas, and then attached to the walls and they are truly beautiful. Another interesting aspect of the Lincoln Shrine, is that when you are sitting on a bench on one side of the room, you can hear exactly ever word anyone speaks on the other side of the room. It sounds like there is a speaker behind you, it is so loud and clear. The same condition exists in one room of the Capitol in Washington D.C. It is said the John Quincy Adams used to pretend to be asleep and instead he sat and listened to his fellow Congressmen talk and learned what they were planning.

To say the Lincoln Shrine is amazing is an understatement. It is a trip back in time and well worth the time and effort. At any one time there is approximately 25% of all of the artifacts on display. Each year, on Lincoln’s birthday, they change out the display, so it will take you four visits to see everything they have. So we have three more visits, over the next three years, so we make sure we see it all.

The Lincoln Shrine is located at 123 West Vine, in Redlands, CA., and is open Tuesday’s through Sunday, from 1 PM to 5 PM. It is closed on Mondays, holidays and Lincoln’s birthday.

Quote of the day:
Better to say nothing and let people believe you are a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt — President Abraham Lincoln

What Do We Need More, Water or a Bullet Train?

Volume 4, Number 2

Some Would Say Governor Brown Isn’t Seeing the Big Picture

Several years ago the voters in California voted on and passed a proposition to fund and build a bullet train, that would run from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The projected cost was to be in the zip code of $9 billion dollars. The idea sounded good on paper, but as time has passed, reality has set in and the true cost has been reported at anywhere from $70 to $100 billion, depending on who you ask, and a completion date of 2025 or later. It has also come to light that the ridership numbers used to “sell” the public on the bullet train idea, were greatly inflated and actual guesstimates say ridership won’t even cover the cost of running the train.

There have been recent polls that say that if voters were given a “do over”, they would scrap the bullet train idea completely. Many would say Governor Brown should quit trying to secure his place in history, his legacy, with a “train to nowhere”, aka Jerry Brown’s Crazy Train and start worrying about how to keep the state open for business.

Water is the life blood of all human existence, period. No water and nothing lives. It is just that simple. We all know that water in California is in very short supply these days and doesn’t look to get much better anytime soon. So what has the state done, and what are they proposing to do, to help keep the water flowing? Severe water restrictions and possible water rationing would be the minimum. But is that enough, and what else could we do that might be a better idea than a train to nowhere?

Every year many of the mid-western states have floods of varying degrees. These floods could be caused by melting snow, tornadoes, hail storms, torrential rains and many other mother nature causes. The flood waters breach levies, overflow river banks and flood parts of cities and towns. Other states, especially on the east coast, have feet and feet of snow and nowhere to put it. And when that snow starts to melt, we have more flooding. So maybe, just maybe, there is a better idea for all of that extra water that others don’t need and California and other states desperately want.

For more years than I can remember, I have said we need a canal, trench, ditch, pipeline or whatever you want to call it, that runs across the country from California to the Carolina’s. As these flood waters run down various rivers across the country, gates could be opened up and divert some of that water into this trans-continental canal. Having that canal running completely across the country, all of that excess water could be taken by the states that so desperately need it. We could reduce local flooding and the damage it causes and never have to worry about droughts again, or at least make droughts the exception, instead of the current norm.

Now I realize that a project of this magnitude would take many years to complete and cost an untold amount of money, but isn’t it a better alternative to the bazillions of dollars spent each year on flood insurance, flood repairs and other associated costs of the flooding. Does it really make any sense to send all of that fresh water downstream to the ocean, instead of using it for human consumption? Probably not.

Or if that idea can’t gather a “head of steam”, how about taking that $70 to $100 billion of Jerry Brown’s “Crazy Train” money and invest it in desalination plants that could convert salt water to fresh water? Other ideas could be to haul water in via rail tank cars, or maybe even run a pipeline from Alaska to California to carry water. At this point almost any idea is at least worth talking about calculating it’s viability.

The bottom line here is that we need the water a whole lot more than we need a bullet train. So how do we get the leaders in Sacramento to see the light? Public outcry is the best answer, as the squeaky wheel gets the grease. So if you want water more than a train, that virtually none of us will ever ride in our lifetime, get on the phone and call you state senators and assemblymen and make your thoughts known, because we cannot count on mother nature to continue to provide us with ample amounts of water.

One thing is for sure. If we don’t do something besides reducing our consumption, the last person leaving California can turn out the lights.

Quote of the week:
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them — John F. Kennedy

If We Only Had More People Like Him, the World Would Be a Much Better Place

Volume 4, Number 1

Larry R. Sharp, A Man For All Seasons

As we travel through life, we all have many people who we come in contact with. Some people make no impression and others make huge, to life-changing, impressions on each of us. Some people are in our lives for a short period of time and others are there, physically or emotionally for all time. Some people we don’t like at all, others we like, and others we just out right love. You get my point.

On February 1, 2001, I was fortunate enough to be hired at Arrowhead Credit Union as a Membership Services representative. I was really honored to get the job, as I had absolutely no experience in the financial services industry and there really wasn’t much market for 55-year-old males. But they took a chance on me and I believe I did not disappoint them.

I had met Larry Sharp on several other occasions, at social events, but this was the first time I had ever worked for or with him. Larry was a very kind and gentle man, that took a keen interest in everyone that he came in contact with. One of the first things that I came to realize was that working at Arrowhead meant you were part of a big family. A family that really like one another, took care of one another and wanted each other to succeed. Working at Arrowhead was NEVER like working, it was something that each of us enjoyed doing. In my 46 years of working life, it was never like this, before or since. It was fun and being part of something bigger than itself.

A huge part of that camaraderie was because of Larry. The way he made each and every employee feel important and special. He treated people that way, and by his leading by example, so did his subordinates. It was a feeling that I had never been subjected to before and I loved it, as did almost all of the employees. Having your co-workers (your family) care about you, watch out for you, willing to help you, making sure you were successful, was what Arrowhead was all about. It is the way that all companies should be run.

Larry loved to challenge people, challenge them to do things that they probably thought they could never do. He loved seeking out and finding talented people and giving them a platform to showcase those hidden talents, hidden to everyone but Larry. After I had been at Arrowhead just one year, I was summoned to one of the senior vice president’s offices. Ann B. told me that Larry wanted me to go to the Credit Union National Association Management School at the Pomona College in Claremont, CA. The school was for people on the upward track within their respective credit union. The course was a two-week course, every year for three years in a row. It was a tremendous commitment for both the student and the credit union in both time and cost. Between the first and second year of schooling, and again between the second and third year, each student was required to complete “a project.” That project was a written report about certain aspects of their own credit union, their current condition, their possible position in 3 to 5 years and other information. This manual was well over 150 pages, took many, many hours of research and generally took approximately 100 plus hours to complete. As you see this was something that Arrowhead, or myself, did not take lightly. It was one heck of a compliment that Larry had bestowed on myself, asking me to attend the class. I completed the class and I am sure it helped me in ways that I am not even aware of to this very day.

Later on, when Kohl’s department stores announced that they were coming to California, Larry told me he wanted to make sure that their employees had an opportunity to become Arrowhead members. Here again was the challenge. After many phone calls to Kohl’s corporate offices in Wisconsin, meetings here locally before their stores were even opened, we were able to offer Arrowhead’s services to their employees. We were even able to offer direct deposit to any employee that joined Arrowhead, a service that Kohl’s wasn’t offering any of their employees anywhere else in the country.

A few years later, I decided to seek a seat on the local school board. Once Larry heard what I was doing, he and Pete Aguilar, another credit union employee (now Congressman Aguilar) helped me and even held a fund-raiser for me. Here again, doing whatever they could to help out a family member.

Larry loved to mentor people. He loved to see his employees (his family) get as much education as they could, because he knew it would make them better human beings and enable them to accomplish great things. Larry didn’t seek out the limelight, but instead enjoyed working in the shadows and watching his family members accomplish whatever they wanted to.

Far and away, Larry was the most approachable CEO I have ever seen. He always told me to call up Larry and I never once feel intimidated, just going right to him and starting a conversation. Not too many people have that luxury on their job.

There are thousands of other stories like these about Larry. From hiring a young guy named Pete Aguilar, who had been a field rep for governor Gray Davis, and is now a United States Congressman, to helping someone down on their luck and just needing a hand up, Larry was always there. Larry was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, mentor, leader, visionary and a host of other adjectives. He was a man for all seasons.

Larry passed away one week ago, after a very long and courageous battle against cancer. A memorial celebration of his life was held yesterday. More than 500 people attended the service to hear stories about Larry, his life and his family, and about things that many may have not known about him. Truth be told, for me and many others of his Arrowhead “family”, it was a family reunion of sorts. Many of my “family” members I had not seen since we had left Arrowhead. Each and every person I talked with, had the same thing to say. We all missed our “family” and wished we could get that time back again. It was one heck of a ride for sure, one that most people never get to experience and can only wish for or dream about.

In the end, Larry Sharp was one of a kind, the kind we certainly need more. Someone who is more concerned with the success of others, than with the success of themselves. Someone who loved God, his family and his country. Someone we should all try to emulate.

Rest in peace my friend.

Quote of the day: (from Larry’s service)
The purpose of life is . . . to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well — Ralph Waldo Emerson