dean

This is only for those who have lived in California sometime over the last 60 years. Cal Worthington died at the age of 92.

Let's see if I have this straight. The Federal government brings its full weight against an individual who teaches prospective government employees how to get away with lying on their mandated polygraph test. However, in 5 years, the Federal government has not successfully prosecuted anyone involved in the financial meltdown of 2008. Do Federal officials care more about removing someone that could affect their job performance (and make them look bad, in the process) than people that cost the government and American taxpayers trillions (but are well connected, contribute millions to elected officials and have lobbyists coming out the wazoo)?

Tommy Morrison, heavyweight champion after beating George Foreman and the opponent in Rocky V, died after a long battle with AIDS. He spent many of his fighting years living in KC, and was quite the party goer around town. Rather than look at his boxing career as successful, most people associated with him have said he could have been a boxing great with more determination and less partying. After being told he had the HIV virus, he denied it and tried , ultimately not successfully, other treatments. He was 44 years old. RIP

As my wife complains when I try to help out, I let her do most of the housework. That may change since she has her first real job in the U.S. (after 5 years). I do most of the driving and all of the communication with the schools for the 2 kids still in school. Last year, having to deal with the step son's antics at school, I would have traded jobs with her in a heartbeat.

I know that most posters here complain about the size and scope of big brother (government), with good reason. The only thing worse than big brother is big business. I grew up never wanting to work for a business and, through age 59, have managed to remain self employed. If it means helping the bottom line even slightly, they will screw both the public and their own employees. I have never had either the desire or the stomach to "play their game."

Living in KC, I checked both Kansas and Missouri for tuition assistance to Vets. Kansas not so good but Missouri surprisingly generous, even at the University of Mizzo. It would be a reason to move across State Line Road.

Being in the National Guard while living at home and working at McDonalds doesn't appeal to me. His email address is Ming_Rider@hotmail.com. Please send your suggestions to him.

HS, congratulations on your wife getting US citizenship. My wife has been eligible to get US citizenship for almost 2 years but has no desire to get it. My 19 year old step son barely graduated from HS last May and had a laid back summer. He goes to court on Monday for kicking 2 holes in my house. I talked to the DA and have an understanding that the charges will be dropped on completion of some anger management sessions and paying court costs and joining the National Guard. He will never go to a 4 year college but maybe, givien time, a 2 year program may look good to him. The 23 year old step daughter decided to drop out of college after breaking up with herboy friend. As she had changed to hotel management ( her 3rd major change), I didn't try to stop her. She does have potential, so I hope that she will go back eventually. No such worries about the16 year old, who is both smart and determined. So far, she has straight "A"'s in college Advance Placement courses in Math and science. Hopefully, she will get a full ride somewhere, or she will be living at home and attending a local college

I really hope that, eventually, health care in the U.S. gets to the point that individuals are responsible for their health care choices, not employers (as the Federal government is the largest employer in the nation). I have no objection in giving IRS employees (actually anyone who gets their health insurance from an employer) the amount spent on their health insurance (and pay taxes on it). Let them (actually, everyone) buy their own insurance, which should be the biggest impetus to reducing the rise in health care. I'd vote for Rand Paul for President in 2016 if he promised (and went through with his promise) of a more equitable tax system and got rid of the IRS.

Just give me healthcare that is transparent, with everyone paying the same amount for the same procedure/operation. Anything that makes people question the need for "unnecessary" tests/procedures/ hospital stays (and keeps costs down) is fine in my book. Re-work the laws pertaining to medical care, holding doctors and health care workers to a high standard but forgo most of the high judgments. That would be a start. I would personally also add competition between U.S. and foreign hospitals (those foreign hospitals whose standards are approved and are included in accepting U.S. healthcare insurance. I think that the chances of the last happening are slim to none, with slim having left the building. It will be interesting this fall, going over whats offered to my and my family as "affordable" under Obamacare.

So, the owner of an East Texas CiCi's pizza chain had to sell some of his stores so that he could get under the minimum number of workers under Obamacare. Texas has the most uninsured citizens in the U.S. I'm sure that he wasn't offering any of his regular Mexican-American workers any benefits anyway by keeping them under 40 hours a week. Unions do have a problem with taxes owed on their negociated "Cadillac policies" under Obamacare, starting in 2018. I'm willing to take a wait and see how wide spread the problem of employers cutting hours back of employees under Obamacare. I'm surprised that no one has posted an article concerning how the individual mandate will unfairly burden middle class and poor non insured individuals/families.

James Gandolfini, star of "The Sopranos" on HBO, died while in Italy at a film festival. He was 51 and is suspected of dying of either a heart attack or a stroke.

Cav, I think we just read health care articles from a different perspective. With a family of six, I'm not looking forward to seeing how much my monthly premium will be, even if a significant portion will be subsidized. I see many problems Obamacare, particularly with the influx of newly insured and a static number of Doctors/health care providers. I see U.S. health care as an inevitable train wreck, unless costs are drastically reigned in. I keep reading articles about the vastly differing price of medical procedures and the drastic discounts given by hospitals to insurance companies and the people that negotiate medicare payments. If you have decent health insurance, you don't care about the inflated prices and the lack of transparency in billing. If your Doctor tells you that you need a certain procedure, you do it, since you won't have to pay much of the costs. The problem with health care costs is it will force insurance companies to raise the costs of policies, or raise the deductible. Insurance companies could negotiate harder with hospitals on costs, but why should they? Their profit margins are guaranteed by passing any additional costs in higher premiums. More and more people in the last 10-15 years have been priced out of buying health insurance because of the ever increasing costs. So, we can keep our health care as it is now and eventually bankrupt it or keep Obamacare and hopefully tweak it enough to take the stacked playing field away from the Hospitals, insurance companies and Doctors. Unless the playing field is changed, and patients take more responsibility in making their health care decisions with an eye on the costs incurred, health care in the U.S. is headed for a cliff.

Any 3rd party candidate has to go up against the united opposition of both major parties. To get into the debates, I think the threshold is to have at least 10% support. I'm pretty sure that jesse won't have anything close to that kind of support.

Cav, you have half the States, like my home State Kansas leaving it to the Federal government to create their exchanges. And you have the same States not buying into increasing Medicaid coverage, as allowed in the Supreme Court decision. I'm looking forward to this fall, when I can actually compare coverages available to me. As the sole breadwinner in a family of 6, I will get some sort of subsidy. If the premiums are above $600 a month, I may have to pass, at least on myself. Taking a 60 year old out of the health care equation, with the rest, 40, 23, 19, 16 and 5, I should be able to at least cover them. I'm going to be interested in whether public opinion on Obamacare changes over 2014, as it is implemented and people see the good things in it, as well as the bad. There is no doubt that Obamacare will need major tweaking in the next couple of years. However, gutting it or repealing it may not be an option if public opinion does change toward liking Obamacare.

Steve, I was referring to schemes that require several people to succeed. Whether its the person that brings in the customer, the person that actually does the paperwork or the official that is paid to turn a blind eye, in many of these schemes, there are too many people that can turn in the perpetrator in, if only to get a reduced or no jail time. I wouldn't trust anyone involved in a scheme that could turn me in because they were disgruntled or wanted to save themselves. Having family members as co-horts is a safeguard, but Robert DiNero had the right idea in "Goodfellas," when he started killing his co-horts in a multi-million cargo heist at JFK. That is the only way to insure secrecy.

I've never understood why these so called "smart people" think that they can get away with an elaborate crime that requires knowledge of the crime by many people. All it takes is one disgruntled cohort that thinks that they were cheated by the perpetrator to go to the authorities for the scheme to implode.

The only thing that I've noticed about GWB that is commendable is his reluctance to comment on Obama's actions or any policies of the Obama administration. He hasn't performed any humanitarian missions, as have Carter, Clinton and even his father. Its only been 4 yers since he left office. I may change my mind about his post presidency in 10-15 years, depending on what he does in that time.

I'll bet that the person, if he or she is still working for immigration, that approved this family's asylum status, is taking a lot of heat on tht decision.

Nevermind, he was granted asylum, which allows him to receive welfare benefits.

I'd really like to know who his sponsor is.

I did skip over the section of the Kansas sales tax owed on out of state purchases. Like Kansas, which is lowering income tax rates (to try to eventually eliminate state income tax), raising the various sales taxes is a movement that isn't going away. I do like to see a level playing field, with internet taxes being collected as they are on brick and mortar business. I'm not going to pay it until forced to, however. Ebay could care less about its customers, given several disputes that I have had with sellers. Let those that don't want to sell on Ebay because of the sales tax go to Craiglist. If the government can get Craigslist sellers to collect sales tax, that would be impressive.

That's definitely one contingency that I hadn't thought of when I booked my wife and 3 children's flight to LOS on two different airlines (WN/MALAYSIA) . Hopefully, Southwest Airlines has a better constructed computer system than American's.

Many Hurt in Blasts at Boston Marathon Charles Krupa/Associated Press Medical workers aided injured people at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon on Monday after an explosion. By KEN BELSON and MARY PILON Published: April 15, 2013 FACEBOOK TWITTER GOOGLE+ SAVE E-MAIL SHARE PRINT REPRINTS A series of explosions erupted near the finish line at the Boston Marathon on Monday. The Boston Police Department confirmed that they were looking into an explosion, but had no further comment. THE LEDE Live Updates on Explosions at the Boston Marathon Photographs from the scene are appearing on social media, and The Lede blog is providing live updates. 3:07 PM Boston Police Say At Least 2 Dead, 22 Wounded 3:05 PM Boston's Off-Duty Police Officers Ordered to Report In 2:57 PM White House Official Says Obama Has Been Notified MORE UPDATES » Connect With Us on Twitter Follow@NYTNational for breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors Enlarge This Image WBZ-TV, via Associated Press The explosions at the Boston Marathon went off more than four hours after the start of the men’s race, which meant that there were still several thousand runners yet to finish the race. The Associated Press reported that the authorities were helping injured runners leave the scene and bloody spectators were being carried to a medical tent that was being used for runners. The A.P. said that a loud explosion was heard on the north side of Boylston Street, near a photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another explosion was heard several seconds later. Local television showed ambulances at the scene. Pictures posted online showed several injured runners being attended to and smoke around the finish line. The headquarters for the organizers of the marathon, one of the world’s oldest, was reportedly locked down while authorities investigate. Reporters inside the Copley Plaza Hotel, where the media center is and where many elite athletes are staying, were unable to leave. The explosions went off more than four hours after the start of the men’s race, which meant that there were still several thousand runners yet to finish the race. Big city authorities are typically on the highest levels of alert for events like a marathon, said Anthony Roman, a security expert. “It is quite the counterterrorism effort,†said Mr. Roman, who runs Roman & Associates, a New York firm. For major events in New York and other large cities, Mr. Roman said the police would typically weld manhole covers shut, while also examining the entire route just before the race. They will also place snipers on rooftops, with helicopters overhead. Analytic cameras in the city will be focusing on the race, he said. “They have all the analytic cameras in the city focusing on the race with their advanced software network, reading license plates,†Roman said. The Boston Marathon is one of track’s most storied events, established in 1897 and one of the six World Marathon Majors. The event typically attracts an estimated 500,000 spectators and requires certain qualifying times for runners to compete. The course winds throughout downtown Boston as well as several outlying cities, including Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley and Newton. Unlike many sporting events that take place in closed arenas, marathons are known and heralded for their sprawl, allowing throngs of spectators to line the 26.2-mile course. Within minutes of the explosions on Monday, social media and cable networks projected the images of gray smoke on Boylston Street in Boston, emergency crews on the scene and an unknown number of persons injured.

Its not news. Its entertainment and cable news networks are in the entertainment, not news business.