Helping President Obama

When I saw this picture the other day of President Obama saluting before his first ride on the Marine One helicopter, I instantly knew that something was very wrong. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, so I did some research. I opened the photo in Picassa and upped the mid-tones a little bit. Was it the salute? Turns out that what the New York Times termed a crisp salute doesn't conform to saluting standards at all. I opened the picture in Paint, and put some marks on the picture so you could see the problem, too.

No question that less than a month into office, President Obama is having some major difficulties. Thank goodness we have identified one that he can easily solve right away! The Army Study Guide webpage on how to salute makes the answer to this problem very clear: "Your hand, wrist, and forearm are straight, forming a straight line from your elbow to your fingertips. Your upper arm (elbow to shoulder) is horizontal to the ground."

Since a lot of people from Illinois know Barack Obama, perhaps you will be seeing him soon. If you plan to, will you please print out the page from the Army Study Guide and take it to him? I know President Obama is really trying to be a good American, occasionally wearing a flag pin, remembering to say, when prompted, "God Bless the United States" at the end of his Prayer Breakfast speech, and tackling the salute. Let's give him a hand.

I Travel to New Engand and See Barack Obama's Plane

Just as Obama fatigue sets in, Barack takes off for Hawaii. On Monday, returning home from my summer vacation, I saw his plane arrive at Boston Airport, taxiing down the runway like any ordinary jet. It was bright and sunny in Boston, but Chicago was in the midst of summer storms. I was lucky that after a good deal of flight delay and cancellations, I made it back to Chicago in time to go to bed. My luggage arrived a little later--12:30 on Thursday morning to be exact. While I was happy to have my suitcase, I think they could have brought it at a more reasonable hour.

Somehow I didn't think that the Obama family would take that huge plane that I saw in Boston to vacation--I don't know why I envisioned the Obama family flying commercial, but somehow I did--that's why this picture of Barack Obama going up the stairs to his private plane on the way to Hawaii surprised me.

With the exception of the ocean and the many harbors I saw on my trip, the New England states mostly looked like Illinois or Indiana; even the Green Mountains in Vermont didn't look very different from home. It was sort-of like being caught in an endless loop of traveling through Winnetka and Harms Woods, with most of the scenery being trees and white wood houses, and I was a little disappointed. Nevertheless, it was good to return to some places I had seen before and finally seeing all the New England states.

On the last couple of days of my trip I was suffering with a cold, and after I got home I spent all Tuesday in bed. No matter how well the oceans are doing after the appearance of Barack Obama on the scene, (and a new special Obama salute that Barack's team has adopted directly following his trip to Germany) I thought it might be my duty to report that my Obama sighting did not heal me, not even one little bit.

President's Salute is Improving

Today we have something nice to say about the President; his salute is improving! The President has made great progress since our concerns of last February. While he still has a ways to go, I think there is hope!

UPDATE: With excerpts of tonight's healthcare address, it looks as if President Obama may attempt a death sentence to insurance companies, or making keeping the plan you have so expensive it becomes a joke. Bottom line: Who knows? Stay tuned.