MORE STUFF TO TALK ABOUT

so all i'm reading now about SGT. BOWE BERGDAHL is that he's a traitor and abandoned his post five years ago, knowing he would be taken into custody by the taliban. but i have one question burning in my skull.  if bergdahl was a traitor, why would we negotiate for his release, let alone give up 5 for 1 to secure his release? what better punishment for a defector than to spend the rest of your life in that god forsaken country.  something doesn't smell right.

the jungle has started their warm weather recreation, namely killing & maiming their own. since mid-april, the unofficial count is 41 dead and 119 wounded.  in just six freaking weeks. wait until the temps stay in the 80's & 90's around the clock.

i just read where there's a shortage of 9 mm ammunition. please read above paragraph and connect the dots.

the seattle city council  approved a minimum wage of FIFTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR starting in april of 2015, making it the highest minimum wage in the country. around my house, workers make about nine bucks an hour full time and i'm not sure the local business guy could afford a 66% increase in payroll.

i'm a huge advocate of the death penalty and when i hear or read about death row, i automatically think that blacks are the number one population awaiting execution but the fact of the matter is whites are the leaders,  43% to 41% with 12% latino. surprised? me too.  

can you name the five methods of execution in the united states?  lethal injection, electrocution, hanging, gas chamber and firing squad. in some states, prisoners can actually chose their method of dying.

i was recently in las vegas for five days and stayed at MANDALAY BAY which is a spectacular and expensive property. three swimming pools, 47 restaurants, a shark exhibit and impeccable service but a vodka & cranberry at the pool will cost you sixteen bucks. that's right, sixteen, as in 16. even if you can't stay there, take the time to visit the hotel but drink water. 

on the same trip and at the opposite end of the strip, we visited the rotating TOP OF THE WORLD restaurant at the stratosphere hotel, located 800 feet above ground with an incredible view of the strip. now the stratosphere is a dump as far as hotels go but this restaurant has exceptional food to go along with the view. even if you're not hungry, you're welcome at the bar for a beverage after dark.  worth the trip for sure.

finally, the story you'll be reading about all summer and then some is the tragedy known as the VA hospitals. i have several friends who are veterans and need regular medical treatment for long term problems and they've told me horror stories for years about waiting hours for their appointment, lost records, incorrect prescriptions (imagine this---getting ear drops for your eye infection....it happened) and being unable to get replacement parts for a c-pap sleeping machine even though the doctor told them the machine was useless without a new part.

plus i also have had conversations with a couple who both work at a VA facility and they've confirmed all of the atrocities listed in the original reports but as the male said, "i've been there 20 years but if you start making noise about patient abuse, you suddenly get transferred to another hospital out of state. i've seen it happened more than once so you learn to zip it because it doesn't pay to be a whistle blower. the system here is broken and has been for a long time."

our veterans deserve better. let's see what happens.