Miscellany: 5/29/11

Quote of the Day

I love those who yearn for the impossible.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Memorial Day: A Tribute To the Ultimate Sacrifice For Freedom

For many, tomorrow is the start of the summer travel season, the culmination of a 3-day weekend and family barbecues. Today was the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 which saw a dramatic finish as Dan Wheldon just ahead of rookie JR Hildebrand whom suffered a crash around the final corner. But let us take a moment to remember the reason for the holiday: a number of courageous young men have answered their country's call to service, paying the highest price for the sustenance of liberty we have enjoyed for the centuries of this republic. I will never forget.

Government Of the Bureaucrat,
By the Bureaucrat,
For the Bureaucrat
Gettysburg [Your Home Here] Address

• State Edition: Oregon Bureaucrats Shut Down an 82-Year-Old Barber

Eighty-two-year-old barber Dale Smith of Old Town Sherwood, Oregon inadvertently neglected the timely renewal of his barber license back in 2006, 50 years after passing his initial exam. The state bureaucracy finally caught up him this past January 14 (isn't there a statute of limitations on bureaucratic stupidity?) and shut Dale's Barbershop down: to regain his license, he would have to pass the original barber exam, a practical exam showing he can cut hair, and a current Oregon rules and regulations written exam (covering topics like hair and nail chemicals, which he doesn't use). The Oregon Board of Cosmetology was willing to waive the first exam (bless their little hearts), but, insisting "rules are rules: it's not fair to the others", refused to budge on the last two, pleased with their consistency in prohibiting his regular customers (whom readily attest to the quality of their haircut experience) and him from exercising their economic liberty because of arbitrary rules and regulations... Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Over fifty years of satisfied customers, more than willing to put up the bargain $8, but the state isn't satisfied; it doesn't matter if Smith doesn't dye his customers' hair or give his customers manicures: he needs to do it "because we said so". Of course, the bureaucratic view of consistency wouldn't have had a problem with Dale Smith not having had to jump through those same hoops if he had simply processed his license renewal promptly. (I mean, I might understand the assessment of a late penalty, but the business death penalty is excessive...)

Dale Smith decided that it wasn't just worth the hassle of satisfying the bureaucracy in order to continue being a taxpaying, productive member of society (while people 20 years his junior are filing for social security). Larry Watson of Tigard bought the shop and will continue to operate it under Dale's given name. (Pure class, Mr. Watson: thumbs UP!)

Randy Everitt, director of the Oregon Health Licensing Agency: I'm going to have to cite you for operating a state bureaucracy under the influence of progressive legislators. I also conclude that you don't meet the job requirement minimum of an ounce of common sense.

• Local Edition: El Pasoans Win More Dining Choices

Food trucks aren't just your typical sidewalk cart anymore, providing economically priced food, including, but not restricted to, upscale burgers or hot dogs, specialty ethnic cuisine, lobster rolls, and distinctive desserts. Restaurants in El Paso wanted to zone their food truck competitors out of business...

Putting a Human Face on the Unintended Consequences

of Unauthorized Drug Policy Enforcement

Following up on yesterday's post, which explored a libertarian perspective on outlawed drugs, a topic motivated by the presidential campaigns of former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and Congressman Ron Paul, I decided to provide a retrospective of a case that got some national attention 3 years ago. Ten-year-old Jayci Yaeger was dying of brain cancer. She had one final wish: a hug from her daddy, Jason Yaeger, in the final year of a 5 1/2 year sentence in a minimum-security federal prison on drug-related charges. Yaeger sought any number of remedies, including extending his sentence by any time granted for a compassion furlough, so he could spend time comforting his scared daughter at her own request in her final days. Under public pressure, the prison finally relented and allowed one escorted visit of just 20 minutes; by then, she was unconscious, but they think she knew, that "she was hanging on for daddy". Less than 2 days later, Jayci died. A year later, Jason, then free, recalled that the prison escorts had refused to let him be a pallbearer at the funeral; he had more freedom going to lunch across a public street to the jail cafeteria during his sentence. (The prison PR machine pathetically noted the "extraordinary" lengths the prison went through to accommodate Yaeger, including a handful of 'free' phone calls; the family inferred Jayci, lapsing in and out of consciousness, recognized her daddy's voice by her tears or labored breathing. That beautiful gift from God did no wrong to be kept away from her daddy's strong, reassuring arms and comforting words. Brain cancer is an unrelenting, merciless foe which does not recognize the authority of our justice system; it is unwilling to wait out arbitrary, inconvenient sentences.)

My personal opinion is the prison's inflexible handling of the situation constituted a violation of the Eighth Amendment (i.e., against cruel and unusual punishment) and the uncompassionate actions of prison management were morally unjust and reprehensible. I do not know the specifics of Yaeger's drug offense, but I do not see how keeping him from his dying daughter, when it counted, served the interests of justice.

Initial Media Report: Jayci's Dying Wish

Follow-Up Report: Jason's Visit and Jayci's Passing

Harmon Killebrew's 1984 Hall of Fame Induction

Just a note here: unfortunately, Harmon Killebrew, who never made more than $120K in a season, ran into personal and financial problems during the years following his induction. Elaine, the childhood sweetheart he married (and introduced during his address below), was granted a divorce on grounds of irreconcilable differences five years years later, allegedly over a relationship with his long-time secretary. Harmon married Nita a year later. An interesting bit of trivia, at least to me: Harmon Killebrew appeared in only one World Series, which the Twins lost in a full 7-game series against the Dodgers in 1965. He hit his only Series home run off Don Drysdale in a game 4 loss. Don Drysdale was one of his fellow HOF inductees.

Fukushima Nuclear Incident Update

This is a reminder that I am reducing my updates to three per week starting on Mondays, every other day.

Political Humor

"Rudy Giuliani says he may run for President. So now we're up to 7 candidates and 35 ex-wives." –Jimmy Fallon

[Not to mention up to three candidates in a dress....]

"They [the British] drive on other side of the road there, so Obama had to switch sides — kind of like Mitt Romney is doing over here." –Jay Leno

[Obama took to driving left of center like a duck to water. But when he drives back home, he finds the exits from Iraq and Afghanistan blocked and the road to Gitmo is still open.]

Musical Interlude: My Favorite Group

Chicago, "Take Me Back to Chicago"