P.C. Barbie

Political correctness has entered the world of little girls. That's because  the maker of Barbies, Mattel Inc.,  is introducing new President and Vice President Barbie dolls. Not just any old VP and Pres. though. The doll is said to represent Barbie’s first all-female ticket, meant "to expand her career opportunities to more inspiring and empowered roles", according to a PC press release from Mattel. It's all in anticipation of Hillary Hilton being elected as president and her choosing a female as her running mate.

Hmmmm I wonder if the Barbie President doll wears the same pant suits Hillary clings to.  And will the doll lie and mishandle every task it is given?  Accuracy in dolls should be adhered to. Erin Loos Cutraro, co-founder and CEO of 'She Should Run', said in a press release that she believes “our country will benefit from having a government with varied perspectives and experiences” and feels that the new dolls will “encourage girls everywhere to unlock their leadership potential.” Odd...How about encouraging girls to achieve things through talent and effort? Maybe the new VP and Pres.. dolls are affirmative action dolls.

Mattel went into a partnership with the 'She Should Run' group because it says it is a “non-partisan organization dedicated to expanding the talent pool of future elected female leaders, ”in order to create the new PC White House dolls. The duo hopes that by working together, they can create more products that will enable dialogue between parents and young girls about their future as leaders. Are not parents already teaching their daughters  what is true in the U.S., that there are no restrictions for women and that they already do achieve everything that males do?
Here's a  short video for little girls that illustrates Mattel's campaign for it's new Barbie White House dolls.  http://www.nylon.com/articles/barbie-president-vp-congress

I wonder if there is also a video of two male Mattel dolls cooking the White House Doll's dinner? Oh well, Barbie has run for president in the past, but this is the first time she’s doing it with another lady by her side, the Vice President Barbie.  Of course, if Donald Trump some how miraculously defeats Hillary in the election, I suspect it might be a good time for Mattel to introduce another new doll, the Lying Incompetent Failed Candidate Doll. From my perspective that's a more realistic and teachable doll or all girls and boys.

Olympic Trials

I watched the July 2016 track and field Olympic trails on TV in which the United States team is picked for Rio.  It reminded me that sports events are one of the few genuine things still left one can view on the idiot box (TV). Unlike the phony reality TV nonsense so many are enthralled with, live sporting events are wholly real. They mirror all that life presents and, like life, give us the one true reality in life- that there are more losers than winners in real life competitions.

The joy of the athletes who win spots on the team is exuberant, and given those athletes have devoted all their time, efforts and resources for the sole purpose of being selected it is understandable. Some collapse on the track after discovering they have won a place on the team. Whether they sob or smile in joy, they most obvious feeling they convey is relief. They are relieved to avoid injury before or during the trials, for injury as often as time or score defeats the best competitor.

Those who lose their competitions and do not make the team have to have conflicted emotions. There is the sadness of not qualifying, but there must also be deep disappointment in not being a qualifier on the team. Is that not like our own everyday life disappointments. We salve our heartache at failing by reminding ourselves we tried so hard to succeed. The real losers are only those who do not give complete effort in pursuit of the goal. In the end, in all our efforts in life we all learn that sometimes you have to lose to get better.

I never root for "Americans" to "win" when watching the Olympics. The competition somehow delivers a favorite to root for regardless of the country uniform he or she wears. All the athletes who compete in Rio are winners. Some win medals, but all endure struggles and reach inside for their achievements. That's what sports and life are truly about.

San Fermin Bull

A dying tradition has endured for 2016 as the famed running of the bulls at Pamplona, Spain was completed with great fanfare and, fortunately, no deaths this year (except for the bulls who are slaughtered in a local bull ring hours after the make their triumphant run). This year four runners had been transferred to hospital for cuts and bruises to their heads and arms. All four of those reportedly hospitalized are Spanish men, one of whom may have a fractured skull. Let's hope the fracture knocks some sense into him. 

That crazy event in which seemly crazy humans dressed in cheesy white run in front of the rampaging bulls in an attempt to avoid being trampled or gored. I suspect liquor is the main motivation for such a pointless risk, given that drinking is second only to the bulls as the attraction.

The celebration of Sanfermines (San Ferinn), as it is officially called,  in 1591 makes since because, well, there wasn't a whole lot to do in those days. But that this survives today is  interesting.   It was thanks to the writing of American writer Ernest Hemingway that the festival developed the notoriety of today. The publication of his novel “The Sun Also Rises” stirred curiosity and interest, enough to motivate foreign participation and those crazy tour directors to ad it to the tour book offerings.

The smart among the curious watch from behind the protective barriers on the street or from balconies that overlook the run. Since records have been kept, starting in 1910 a total of 15 runners have been killed in the runs. many hundreds more have been seriously injured and in some cases, permanently disabled from the injuries. I was hoping that Hilary Clinton would be among the runners this year, but as we all know, she is incapable of finding her E mail, much less San Fermin, Spain.

Animal rights groups such as AnimaNaturalis and PETA have frequently protested the running of the bulls and subsequent bullfighting, but it still endures. This year's protest was bizarre. Wearing nothing but black underpants, bull horns and carrying red buckets reading “Pamplona: Bloodbath for Bulls” in multiple languages, the protesters poured the fake blood all over their bodies. Wow! Women only in black underpants, who needs bull----!
Cultural expression or cruelty to animals. You decide. For me the ladies in their underpants have far more appeal. Here is a look at how Spanish TV covered the 2013 run.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX_v16dh6H

A Politically Correct Language Day in Portland

The other day while venturing into politically correct downtown Portland, I noticed my language was not quite clear to the PC crowds there.  When I casually said to a Star buck's lady (Opps! I wasn't PC with you here either. The politically correct term should be "feminine gender barista") that "I don't like black coffee", she castigated me for being a "racist". Well, at that point I decided that in order to survive the stupidity of the PC Portland world that day I would have to speak like one of the natives. Sure enough, I surmised,  it was the only thing uttered out of my normally non PC mouth the locals would understand and accept.

I regained my composure at the Star buck's and quickly corrected my language deficiency by telling that feminine gender barista that, "Actually, black coffee is best. I hate the light colored roasts". She smiled and agreed that black is always best.  So to give you an idea of what PC lingo I spoke the other day while in the downtown bubble, liberal, out of touch with reality Portland I shall now try to reconstruct some of my best PC lines that day. I trust you are PC enough to understand and realize that we must never offend anyone, never hurt a single feeling because....well, it's always best to avoid the truth and to do so we should by change our the language to PC babble.

I left the Star bucks and headed out the door to my destination when I saw a  "comb free human"  staring into his cell phone and about to bump into a pole along the sidewalk. I knew that he must have been "visually challenged" so I yelled in caution to him. "Are you "spacially perplexed? Be careful of that pole and those two "undocumented immigrants" and "outdoor urban residents" or you may collide with them.

The comb free guy thanked me and said that if I would not have warned him someone might have become "living impaired" in a tragic accident.  I moved onward, until a "person of mass" blocked me. It was a "sanitation engineer" who was cleaning the sidewalk. Angry with me for walking on his ground he yelled that I was a dolt and  probably a "uniquely fortuned individual on an alternative career path" who never knew the right place to walk in PC Portland. I felt "emotionally raped" by his remark and crossed to the other side of the street.

Oh my! I immediately came face to face with a  male dressed in a long white robe, evidently, I thought,  "newcomer" to the country. He who sneered at me and gave me the impression that he was "chemically challenged" and a "dedicated to Allah jihadist". Of course the PC police had previously taught me that all Muslims are sacred and that to suspect that he might be a holy warrior bent on attacking me was "racist" on my part. After all, terrorism against infidels is not something any Muslim would contemplate.

At that point I realized I must be "mentally challenged". I was a fish out of water when in Portland PC world. I immediately retreated to the direction of my car to escape the madness. While on the way I saw an "undocumented pharmacist' selling something to some kids. But I did not alert any "pigs" to what was happening. Instead I continued with my cover by chanting "we must fight climate change" until I reached my "fossil fuel" vehicle. After all, it was best to be a PC fool while there since I didn't want any of the PC Portlanders to "reduce my carbon footprint" to zero!

Sigh....  after yesterday I am thinking of moving to a more sane place, perhaps to planet Mars.

Another Odd Apology

Can you guess who said this? "I believe that the Catholic Church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended, but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons." No, it's not a left wing nut pushing the idea that anyone who is not in the mainstream is a victim of the evil of the majority. Or is it? Because it's the Catholic Pope Francis who made that declaration. Oh brother....all we need now is an apology tour from the pope.

The rationale for this stance is that because the Catholic Church hasn't defended the gay community and practically every other marginalized group, the Church owes them an apology. Too, in Catholicism, forgiveness is an essential part of the Christian life. And also, because no group feels more marginalized in the church today than LGBT people, Francis says we should take blame for their condition.

Nonsense, I say. Though no one should be marginalized for their beliefs and lifestyle when those do not hurt others, the idea that the Church should pick and choose some groups for an apology tour is ridiculous. But then this is the age of entitlement and  feeling offended.

If the Church started making a tab for an apology tour I am sure every group, majority and minority would find a reason to seek an apology. But life is tough, and apologies don't lessen the impact of the toughness. Too, most members of the Catholic Church and most Christians in general have nothing to apologize for, given they have not discriminated or harmed anyone in the LGBT community.

If Francis thinks his church hierarchy has been unfair to gays, then perhaps he should apologize for them, but don't include the members of those churches with the apology. Surely, the Catholic Church has behaved badly many times, from the early days of the Church when it was openly corrupt, to making a pact with the NAZI's in WW II to keep itself safe, to the long standing molestation of children by Catholic priests and other clergy, the Catholicism has not been , well, holy,  throughout it's history. Politically correct apology tours by the Catholic Church can not change it's image in regard to its past failures.

In fact, Francis should understand that molding a politically correct image of the church is doomed to fail and even discourage devout Catholics from following the lead of Francis. Instead, if Francis likes to apologize,  perhaps he should "apologize" for his now too frequent attempts to embrace trendiness by seeking more of the "victims" in his imagination.

Bumpy Road To Rio

The road the Rio Olympic Games seems to be paved more with hope than certainty. The August Olympic Games might melt down faster than the fans in sweltering Rio. Even the mayor of Rio has stated grave concern whether the Olympic Games can be held there.  He announced to the world that he has no faith even in security for the athletes or the fans. But alas! It's far to late to move them to another city. But then, the Olympic committee chooses host cities as much on the basis of how much bribery the bidding city can hand over, as on the basis of whether the city chosen is capable of hosting.

Here are a few of the problems Rio faces with putting on the games:

1) Brazilian politics is so corrupt that impeachment proceedings against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff are on going
2) A 45 meter section of a bike path built along a cliff side linking Ipanema and ­Copacabana beaches with the Barra da Tijuca Olympic Park site, crashed into the sea, killing two people. The track was meant to be used by locals long after the Games end. It raises questions about building standards and possible corruption in Olympic projects.
3) Rio is so strapped for money that athletes in the Games village won’t have televisions in their bedrooms because of budget cuts.
4) The Zika virus scare has caused an increasing number of athletes to skip going altogether
5) The entire Russian track and field team has been banned from competing because tests showed it is rife with illegal drug usage.
6) Social unrest and street crime in Rio is so bad it's considered by some to be suicidal for fans to venture out late at night.
7) Constant power outages, transportation breakdowns fears and appalling pollution (Rio's waterways are even considered too polluted for any Olympic competition) are keeping many foreigners from even thinking of attending.
8) Off duty police officers the other day displayed a prominent banner at Rio’s Galeao International Airport for early arrivals to the games that read " Police and firefighters don’t get paid. Whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe,” and “Welcome to Hell"

It's a bit ironic that a troubled dysfunctioning world would pick a troubled dysfunctioning venue to stage the Olympic Games. I suppose Rio will pull it all together to at least get by and make it seem that it all went well. But then, even troubled Athens was not in the mess Rio is in now when it hosted the 2004 Summer Games. The lessen in all of this then should be for the Olympic Committee to at least require that a city and nation be capable of hosting before being granted the privilege of doing so.

Well, at least we can all be thankful the corrupt Olympic Committee has not yet decided the next games should be hosted by ISIS.

Transgenders On The Battlefield

The Obama decade has been confusing, if not bizarre. It's one of liberalism run amok, where individual rights are sacred and collective rights problematic. No better example is the co called transgender emancipation. The Obama administration is sparing no  taxpayer expense to accommodate the "third sex' of those who have what psychiatrists call "Gender identity disorder". The latest transgender mandate is an Obama directive to the military to  repeal its ban on transgender service members.
The military may one day have a tranny unit, I guess. Allowing transgenders into the military is a controversial decision that would end arguments among the armed services on how to allow those troops to serve openly. Well, if transgender people want to be shot on the battlefield too, they should be able to go for it. The tranny in the military plan would direct each branch of the armed services over a one year period to implement new policies affecting recruiting, housing and uniforms for transgender troops according to a pentagon official.
In the past the military in the United States banned transgenders on the basis that might have an “adverse impact on military effectiveness and readiness.” That phrase basically suggests that military readiness, morale and good order and discipline might be affected by having transsexuals among the troops. It's not just about having a tranny in a fox hole with non trannies. What about having trannies in the barracks rest room?
And then the greatest concern of all about lifting the transgender ban is....you guessed it.....the one that always takes precedence....the cost of it. The military has relayed to Obama concerns about  what extent would military barracks, ship berths, gym shower facilities, latrines, and other facilities have to be modified to accommodate personnel in various stages of transition and what would be the projected cost of these modifications.  And what about the cost of providing medical treatment for transgender troops, including behavioral health treatment, cross hormone therapy, voice therapy, cosmetic or gender reassignment surgery and other treatments? Too, would a flock of transgenders join the army simply to access free sex reassignment surgery? And how long transgender service members would have to serve before being eligible for medical treatment to transition to the other gender?  Taxpayers would probably not be pleased about a significant cost.
Finally, the question of troop morale might be one to consider. How will the troops react to having transgenders in their platoons? At the moment the U.S. military disqualifies transgender troops for medical reasons. But the Obama administration has directed an end to that. I suppose soon after transgender soldiers are recognized as desirable we will have a White House ceremony anointing the first transgender general. It's quite a different world we are entering. But then, that is about all that we can expect from the Obama gang.