* The Wild West
If you follow the local headlines, you are aware that shooting at innocent people (for target practice) has become a wide spread sport. Do you think that people have decided to start shooting now before Obama takes away their bullets and guns?
* The Wild Unintended Consequences
Since more and more people are now getting guns it will become imperative for those who don’t own guns to buy one just to protect themselves from those that do.
* The Wild Strip
People from Newport Beach love to visit Las Vegas for a quick get-away holiday. On Feb. 21, the Las Vegas Strip became a scene of open violence, when someone in a black Range Rover opened fire on a Maserati at a stoplight. The Maserati was propelled into a taxi that burst into flames, leaving at least six people injured and three dead. The car-to-car attack occurred at the site of several major casinos, including the Bellagio, Caesars Palace and Bally’s. The buzz of the week on the strip is whether or not Las Vegas should still be allowed to advertise itself as a family friendly destination? Maybe that corner could be used to film “Die Hard 13.”
* Stupid Decision
The number of paroled sex offenders who are on the loose in California has increased 15 percent since the sweeping law enforcement realignment law took place 17 months ago. A bleeding heart federal court decided the jails were too crowded after some of these offenders — who had repeat crimes while paroled — were returned to jail. Using all their best legal wisdom, the judges ordered them released. Our judiciary seems more worried about the crowding of criminals than protecting your safety and that of your family. How about a simple solution? When one of those released sex offenders commits another crime how about the judge who ordered him released being held responsible and liable. Maybe they wouldn’t be so anxious to let these predators loose on the rest of us.
* Stupider Decision
Didn’t we used to live under the impression that one of the duties of the government is to protect the people? At least that’s what the First Amendment says. In the past few years so many decisions seem to be just the opposite of common sense that it makes you wonder just whose side they are on. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that starting April 25, small penknives, souvenir bats and two golf clubs would again be allowed on planes. Why go backward just because certain items are hard for inspectors to find, which could lower their efficiency rating? In 30 seconds, trained terrorists could easily take control of a plane with these potentially lethal weapons. Why is it when we learn to take one step forward we undo it with two steps backward?
* Where Do We Live?
A friend was standing in a grocery checkout line. The man and woman ahead of him were having a casual conversation. The man was making reference to Orange County and the few oranges surviving to support that distinguished designation. The woman replied, “We don’t live in Orange County. We live in House County.”
Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., is a multiple award-winning writer who lives in Newport Beach.
