Biden's "Accomplishments" - Part II

I asked myself this question:  "Why is Biden so intent on reinstating the awful Iran nuclear deal?'  Besides, doesn't Iran already have enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons?  What's the point?  I came up with this answer.  The mainstream media is already helping Biden sell all the lies about the "Inflation Reduction Act."  I bet Biden is thinking if he can lock up a foreign policy "success," no matter how spurious, the mainstream media will help him sell that as well, and just maybe the Democrats will be able to hold onto the Congress in the midterms.

With the 2015 Iran nuke deal under the Obama-Biden team, Iran received $150 billion, which, of course, all went to helping the Iranian people.  Nope.  Iran continued its support of the Houthis, Hezbollah ,Hamas and other terrorist organizations.  My suspicion of Iran being able to produce nuclear weapons was borne out, according to Caroline Glick.  She reports that "last month Iran announced it has already crossed the nuclear threshold and can develop bombs at will."  

Glick opines that the post-war ideal of nuclear non-proliferation is over.  Although, one could argue that with North Korea, India and Pakistan all having the bomb, that era had already ended.  But this seems different.  If Iran has nukes, surely Saudi Arabia will want to get nukes.  Which means Turkey will also want them.  Who's next?  Egypt?  The smaller Gulf states?  The Middle East has already been the location and source of numerous conflicts over the decades.  Do we need to add the risk of nuclear war?  And we should never forget that Iran refers to the US as the "Great Satan."  

What about the planned assassination attempts by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, on the lives of John Bolton, former National Security Adviser, Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State, and others?  Shouldn't that give pause to any deal with Iran?  Glick reports that Iran is demanding that the US do nothing to retaliate, and that Biden is apparently agreeable.  

And where is the outcry from Jews and Jewish organizations, who openly opposed the original deal?  Glick's answer is that they "have been sidelined in the Democratic Party, and have no appetite for further arguments with the party that is not only abandoning them, but empowering lawmakers like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib who demonize them."   

In March of this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke of the problems with the original deal, but claimed the current negotiations to resurrect the deal are "good."  Good how?  Good by demonstrating just how weak Biden is?  Good because appeasing a tyrannical, terrorist supporting regime is supposed to do what?  Demonstrate strength?  

I do not expect any of my fellow Jews who are Democrats to care much about this, because...Trump...January 6...Trump...January 6...Trump...January 6...But the world did not end on January 6, 2021, and the threats from China, Russia and now Iran are growing all the time.  But Trump... 

Biden's "Accomplishments" - Part I

It's hard to argue with success.  After all, Biden and the Dems have managed to pass $3.8 trillion in spending since Biden took office.  Although, in fairness, the infrastructure bill was passed on a bipartisan basis.  But now we have the reduced version of "Build Back Better," aka the "Inflation Reduction Act (I.R.A.)"  But will it really reduce inflation?  Not according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).  The CBO states that the legislation will have "a negligible effect" on inflation this year, and may reduce inflation by 0.1% next year.  Or may raise inflation by 0.1%.

This huge piece of legislation passed on a single party vote.  It was 50-50 in the Senate, so the VP was able to break the tie.  It passed 220-213 in the House.  All the Dems were in favor and all the Repubs opposed.  Was anyone on the left outraged by the bill being called the Inflation Reduction Act, when it will do no such thing?  Of course not.  Only Trump lies, not Biden.  Maybe it was just a cute name.  And does it concern anyone that major pieces of legislation are passed on single party votes?  I thought Biden was going to be the great unifier.    

The IRS, the most hated federal agency, is getting a huge amount of money with this law - $80 billion.  That is enough, some say, to hire 87,000 new agents.  $45.6 billion is marked for "enforcement."  Newsweek reported that the IRS had originally posted listings for new job applicants that said they must "be willing to use deadly force."  That requirement was removed.  Recall that historically tax compliance was always considered voluntary.  Sure, there were cheats, and there were audits, but the vast majority of filings were accepted at face value.  My guess is those days are over.  

The Wall Street Journal claims that, contrary to the Democrats' assertions, "the main targets (for audits) will by necessity be the middle and upper-middle class because that's where the money is."  As the paper reports:  "the super wealthy employ lawyers and accountants who make litigation time-consuming and risky."  There is a new 15% corporate tax, which the Democrats never seem to acknowledge will affect all consumers, as corporations pass on their costs to all of us.   

According to the Dems, $369 billion will go towards investments in "Energy Security and Climate Change."  So what about climate change?  According to climate scientist Bjorn Lomborg, "the new US climate bill will do almost nothing to reduce global temperature."  His estimate?  Anywhere from .0009 degrees Fahrenheit to .028 degrees Fahrenheit.  It is easy to forget that China and India combined have over 1/3 of the world's population, and are perfectly willing to use fossil fuels when necessary to bolster their economic output.  

In fairness, the law reinstates "the largest oil and gas lease in U.S. history," according to Fox.  Specifically, Lease Sale 257 covers over 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico.  Unless, the Dems and environmental groups find some loophole to defeat this provision.  The law does provide for a tax credit of $7,500 for the purchased of new electric vehicles.  I guess people will need that given the cost of electricity that has been discussed on the social media app "Next Door."  One homeowner complained of getting a bill for $1464.99, while another said her bill was $1800.  

The bill does allow Medicare to negotiate the negotiate the price of some high cost drugs.  Which causes me to question if the drug companies (derogatorily called Big Pharma by the left) will do less research and development, and therefore produce less life-saving drugs.  

 I would like to spend some time discussing Biden's other accomplishments.  The record 2 million illegal entries into the US.  The resultant human trafficking and drug smuggling when the border is not adequately protected.  The record number of fentanyl deaths.  The unknown number of terrorists who may have been able to sneak into the country.  I'd like to discuss the real rate of inflation.  The out of control crime.  The homeless crisis.  The reduction in our military readiness.  Biden's bending toward the woke left, and helping to undermine respect for this country, at home and abroad.  I'd like to discuss Biden's foreign policy failures.  But time and space do not permit a discussion of these issues.  Although, I will make an exception for one foreign policy disaster, for which you will need to see Part II.  

Growing Up In 1991

The tide was turning for me.  1991 saw the end of the Soviet Union, the end of the cold war, and a new group of independent countries - the former Soviet Socialist Republics.  There was a renewed hope for peace.  And it was yet another victory for Ronald Reagan.  His military buildup was done at a pace that the USSR was unable to match.  Reagan's idea of "peace through strength" was yet another success of his.  Again, it was hard not to notice.

March 3, 1991 saw the brutal beating of Rodney King by police officers.  As a defender of the police, I remember saying that if the police had given him a dozen whacks, given the danger he put them and the public in, I think people would understand.  But over 50 times?  I predicted that some of the officers would lose their jobs and go to prison.  But after a Simi Valley jury acquitted 4 of the officers, the city of Los Angeles was devastated by 6 days of rioting and looting.  Businesses that had nothing to do with the police or Rodney King were destroyed.  I was disgusted by it.  Property damage was estimated to be over one billion dollars.  I recall Korean shop owners, armed and ready to defend their businesses and their livelihoods.  Ultimately, the National Guard was deployed.  Tanks were on the streets.

Over 50 people were killed and more than 2000 were injured.  Some were shot and killed by the police and the National Guard.  Then there was the case of Reginald Denny, an innocent truck driver who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.  With traffic blocked in the streets, Denny was pulled out of his truck and had his skull smashed.  He was a white man viciously attacked by a group of blacks.  Where was LAPD during this chaos?  Mostly standing by and doing nothing.   

Yet, I still loved cop shows, because there the good guys would get the bad guys.  But in 1990, one of my favorite cop shows had ended.  Miami Vice.  I am not "cool" and never have been; nor have I ever cared about "cool."  But Miami Vice was cool.  It was different.  The music was cool, and early on the music often substituted for dialogue.  The cars were cool.  The clothes were cool.  And the women were hot.  

Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) wore a tee shirt with a white sports coat.  Yes, he was cool, but he was intense, and no one was more determined to get the bad guys than Crockett.  Not that many years ago, my then adult daughters were clothes shopping with me.  They have much better taste in clothes than do I.  As I walked into the men's store, the very first rack had white sport coats.  As I started to reach for one, I heard my older daughter yell "No!"  I asked "what do you mean?"  In her direct fashion (the only way she knows to be) she said:  "This is not the 1980's and you are not Don Johnson."  I replied:  "Then I'll come back when you are not here and buy it."  Her retort:  "And I'll return it!"  No, I didn't get the coat.  

When I was a kid, the Westerns were the shows where the good guys won.  But the Westerns were replaced by police dramas.  Two years after 1991, "Walker, Texas Ranger" began.  I loved the show and the theme music.  In 1993 our kids were only nine, six and six.  But when episodes were shown at 11pm on a Saturday night, we let them stay up to watch.  And we all sang the theme song.

I am not obsessed with cop shows; I am obsessed about seeing good prevail over evil.  However, my wife and I have watched a few other cop shows over the years.  In no particular order:  Hawaii 5-0, Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, Law and Order Criminal Intent, Southland, NYPD Blue, Chicago PD, Blue Bloods, Flashpoint, Rookie Blue, The Rookie, CSI Miami, NCIS, NCIS L.A., NCIS Hawaii, NCIS New Orleans, FBI, FBI International, and FBI Most Wanted.  There are probably others.  

In 1992 Bill Clinton ran for President for the first time.  I voted for him.  Once.  In 1993, Michael Woo was a liberal Democrat running for the office of Mayor of Los Angeles, against businessman Richard Riordan.  But this was no longer 1971 or even 1981, when I would have automatically voted for the Democrat.  My recollection is that I was hearing "identity politics" talk from Woo, and that is an idea that I found to be deeply offensive.  Plus, Riordan just made more sense to me.  So, I voted for Riordan.  

In 1991, a dozen eggs could be had for 99 cents.  A gallon of milk cost $1.05.  And gasoline?  $1.14 a gallon.  Imagine that.  1990 saw the launch of the Hubble telescope.  It was very exciting, as I have always had an interest in astronomy.  With the Hubble, we could look deep into space and far back in time.  Looking up at the night sky with my telescope and binoculars, I was able to see the wonders of other planets.  I could see Saturn's rings, and even about 10 of Jupiter's moons, including the 4 inner Galilean moons.  With my backyard telescope, those moons only were visible as tiny specks of light.  But if I watched long enough, I was able to see the 4 Galilean moons traverse across the much larger body of the planet.  Star clusters were absolutely fascinating.  It was impossible for me to look at the wonders and vastness of the universe without thinking that this could not have happened without the hand of G-d.

After 9 years of walking with a cane, I had my first hip replacement in October of 1992.  The other hip was 6 months later, in April, 1993.  These 2 surgeries were quite the ordeal, as my doctor did not use cement to keep the implants in place.  Instead, the idea was to let the bone grow around the implant.  For two months I could not sit comfortably, as I had to make sure my hip was higher than my knee, in order to avoid a possible dislocation.  I could not drive.  Getting in and out of bed was a challenge.  And the only wat to take a shower was by sitting on a shower chair.  Of course, I was not allowed to put any weight on the operated hip.  Therefore I had to use crutches, or hop with a walker.  And I had to wear the compression stockings around the clock.  But I could not bend my leg to put them on.  Once again, my bride was there to take care of me every step along the way.  (Yes, pun intended.)  By the end of 1993 I was able to walk without a cane.  One's perspective is certainly affected when the simple act of walking is not something that can be taken for granted.   

One other thing was certain.  At this time, I may not have yet considered myself to be a conservative; but I was clearly no longer a man of the left either.       

Biden Targets Trump, Part II

Do I believe the raid on Mar-a-Lago was politically motivated?  Of course I do.  Do I believe that Republicans are targeted in a way that Democrats are not?  Sadly, yes.  And it gives me no pleasure to say that.  And, frankly, I am not interested in hearing from those on the left regarding "whataboutism."  Because that is just a way of saying you do not care about the equal application of the law.

So, let me remind everyone that Hillary Clinton, when she was Secretary of State, used a private email server that was in her home.  It was not secure.  Then FBI Director, James Comey, said that there were classified emails sent on that server, including some that were Top Secret.  James Comey said that they "were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information."  And that "hostile actors" gained access to her email account.  Yet, there was no raid on her house.  In fact, her lawyers were allowed to sift through the emails first.  There was no prosecution of Hillary Clinton.  After laying out the case for her criminal conduct, Comey declared that "no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case."  Of course, it was not up to him.  It was up to the DOJ.  But the fix was in.

And what about the Clinton Foundation?  Getting one million dollars from Qatar (a supporter of the terrorist group Hamas), while Clinton was serving as Secretary of State.  Not to mention all the other foreign countries that donated.  I know the arguments.  She had nothing to do with the Foundation while serving as Secretary of State.  Plus, the Foundation did good work around the world.  I just do not believe the same defenses would be made if the name was the Trump Foundation.  

And how long is the DOJ going to keep Hunter Biden's laptop and do nothing?  How about the various times Hunter flew on Air Force Two with his father, when he was Vice President, to countries like China?  What was it, take your 40 year old child to work day?  Hunter was making deals in Ukraine and China.  Let's not forget "10% for the Big Guy."  Any raids on the homes of Hunter Biden and Joe Biden?  Does anyone really doubt that Hunter was trading on his father's name.  It's called influence peddling.  How about the Mexican billionaires invited by Hunter to the VP's residence?  And, we have a revealed text by Hunter to his daughter, complaining about having to give half of his salary to "Pop."  I guess Hunter was not getting a free ride on Air Force Two.  Yet neither Biden has been prosecuted.  Instead, the family is off on a vacation at the estate of a donor/friend.  How nice.   

Then, we have this rather incredible Op-Ed in the August 10, 2022, Los Angeles Times by Harry Litman.  If you don't know, Litman has held various positions within the Justice Department.  He started as an Assistant US Attorney, then becoming a Deputy Assistant A.G., and finally leading his own office as a United States Attorney.  Litman is clear when he states his obvious disdain for Trump, calling him a "pox on the country."  Litman recognizes the legal challenges to disqualifying Trump from running again (see Part I for a further discussion of this issue).  

But, no fear, Litman has the solution.  Offer Trump a deal.  Agree to a minimum prison term, or no prison at all, and drop all other potential charges, in exchange for Trump agreeing that he was disqualified from running again.  I could not believe that when I read it.  By looking at Trump as just another perpetrator, he completely overlooks (it can't be accidental as I doubt he is stupid) that he is willing to threaten the man who might very well be the challenger to the SITTING PRESIDENT in the next election.  Did that really not strike Litman as being so overtly political, so as to appear that we are living under a dictatorial regime.  The mere suggestion should have been anathema to any sensate citizen.  Lock up, or threaten to lock up, political adversaries.  And, to be clear, I cringed when Trump said "lock her up" with regards to Clinton.     

We have indeed crossed the Rubicon.  We now have the minority leader in the House, McCarthy, already threatening A.G. Garland, should McCarthy become Speaker after the midterms.  One paper had this headline:  "A High-Risk Gamble By the Justice Dept. In a Polarized Nation."  The conservative NY Post?  No.  The NY Times.  Yet, I hear from people on both sides with no concern about creating even further divisions within the country.  I'll repeat a line from the WSJ which I stated in Part I:  "The Justice Department is unleashing political furies it can't control and may not understand..."  

May G-d bless the United States of America.  

Biden Targets Trump, Part I

C'mon man, what do you mean Biden targeted Trump?  The Attorney General, Merrick Garland, said he signed off on the warrant.  And the FBI conducted the search/raid.  What has Biden got to do with it?  What I mean is, Biden had previously said that Trump was a threat to democracy.  Biden had previously said that Trump ought to be prosecuted over January 6.  Biden had previously said that "he wanted Mr. Garland to act less like a ponderous judge and more like a prosecutor."  (Per the New York Times)  Does anyone really believe that Garland did not get the message from the Commander in Chief?  Of course he did.

So let's talk about this unprecedented raid on the home of a former president of the United States of America.  Is anyone really surprised by this unprecedented act?  If so, permit me to remind you of Nancy Pelosi rushing a second impeachment vote against Trump after January 6 - without first having any House Judiciary Committee hearings.  Unprecedented.  Although they managed to get around to having the hearings 18 months later.  Allow me to also remind you of the unprecedented action taken by Speaker Pelosi in denying the minority leader, Rep. McCarthy, the right to appoint the Republican members of that January 6 committee.  Weren't we just told that the Supreme Court did not respect precedent?  It appears that the Democrats do not care for it much either. 

But why did it require dozens of FBI agents to raid Mar-a-Lago?  Well, it was urgent, as there was a risk of highly classified documents being destroyed.  So, "urgent" now means that the government could wait for 18 months after Trump left office to collect those documents?  Urgent now means that, a warrant signed on Friday need not be carried out until Monday because...what?  The agents had beach days planned?  (To be clear, I have always supported law enforcement.  But, to also be clear, the top echelon of the FBI has already shown themselves to be corrupt.  Think James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.)

I must say, I do appreciate the coordination of talking points within the Democratic Party, and within the mainstream media.  Talking point no. 1:  "No one is above the law."  Everyone agrees with this.  Everyone.  And, theoretically, it is correct.  But in practice, plenty of people are above the law (see Part II.  Maybe Part III.)  Talking point no. 2:  "This was not a raid."  I know this to be true because one MSM talking head after the next told me.  If they say it was a "search" and not a "raid," it must be so.  Right?  Talking point no. 3:  "How dare those dastardly Republicans and conservatives criticize the DOJ and FBI over carrying out a lawful search warrant?"  What about criticism of local police departments around the country for the last two years?  Perfectly permissible.  Harsh criticisms of, and even threats against, the Supreme Court must be perfectly permissible.  Or, did I miss the prosecution of Senator Schumer, following his threats against Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh? 

Question:  Does anyone really believe this raid was about classified documents?  Yes, the Federal Code does have section 2071, which provides for certain punishments of those found guilty of concealing, removing, mutilating etc. any public documents.  That section provides for fines and imprisonment, but the key is the provision that states the guilty party "shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States."  Disqualified.  Some on the left were drooling over that provision.  However, a number of commentators have already made the point that, even if Trump were to be found guilty under that section, he would not be disqualified from running for, and becoming president again.  

The reason is simple.  The Constitution states the 3 requirements for being eligible for the office of president - being a natural born citizen, being 35 years of age, and being a resident of the United States for at least 14 years.  No statute can change the constitutional requirements.  The Supreme Court has already ruled on similar issues, such as when a state tried to impose term limits on members of Congress.  Again, the Constitution does not place any limit on the number of terms for members of Congress.   

Then, if section 2071 is not the issue, what is?  First, we have the 14th Amendment.  That Amendment does bar someone from office if, having previously taken an oath to support the Constitution, they engaged in insurrection or rebellion.  That is what Biden and the DOJ and the FBI are looking for.  A smoking gun that ties Trump to the events of January 6.  This raid was not just about classified documents.  Now we learn from the warrant that there is also a claim of possible violations of the Espionage Act.  And. just to make sure that Trump is either found guilty of something, or becomes so repugnant to the voting public that he cannot possibly win reelection, someone has leaked to the Washington Post a claim that the government is concerned about nuclear secrets having been taken to Mar-a-Lago.  Nuclear secrets are of great import, which, again, explains why the government waited 18 months to retrieve those documents.  

Former Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi, asked why, if Trump was not complying with a previously issued subpoena, the DOJ did not just seek an order compelling Trump to comply.  After all, we have already shown that time was not of the essence.  

Perhaps the Wall Street Journal said it best, in their 8/10/22 editorial:  "The Justice Department is unleashing political furies it can't control and may not understand, and the risks for the department and the country are as great as they are for Mr. Trump."  Yet, not a single person of the left with whom I have communicated, has expressed any concern about the risks to the country.  Instead, I get the main talking point of the left - only Trump is a threat to the country.    

Growing Up In 1981

 (Note.  The series continues.)

This was a big year.  I had already moved from New Jersey to California 6 1/2 years earlier.  I had already graduated from law school, and was about to start my fourth year as an attorney.  On the personal side, I was already dating my future bride.  And, in 1981, I would be turning the big 3-0.  

1981 was also the year that I purchased my first home.  After working for the same firm for three years in downtown Los Angeles, I was transferred to a suburb about 30 miles away.  It was in that area that I bought a townhouse, for the grand sum of...$105,000.  It was a two story home, with the kitchen, a small family room, dining area and living room on the first floor.  There was also, thankfully, a half bath on the first floor.  The second floor had two baths, the master (a now politically incorrect term, which I have learned from watching House Hunters) bedroom, and a second bedroom/den/study that was open to the downstairs.  

In 1981, the average price of a gallon of gasoline was a buck and quarter.  A loaf of bread cost 59 cents, and a dozen eggs went for 95 cents.  If you wanted to send a first class letter?  18 cents.  1981 saw the beginning of seven seasons of "Hill Street Blues," with an ensemble cast of some rather eccentric characters.  As with many police dramas, Hill Street Blues became one of my favorite shows.  Regardless of my political leanings, I have always loved the shows where the good guys prevail.  I have always possessed a strong sense of right and wrong, even though my political beliefs, at times, might have resulted in my reaching incorrect conclusions. 

1981 was the year that Ronald Reagan, having defeated Jimmy Carter in 1980, became the 40th President of the United States.  However, as I was still a man of the left, I recall predicting before the election, that Reagan might be "too extreme" for the American electorate.  So much for that.  It was the day before Reagan took office, that Iran agreed to release 52 American hostages that they had kept in captivity for 444 days.  When Reagan took the oath of office, the hostages headed home.  One could not help but notice.

Then, on March 30, 1981, we had yet another assassination attempt on an American President, when John Hinckley shot, and nearly killed, the new President.  I remember being moved by Reagan joking with the doctor at the hospital when he said:  "I hope you're a Republican."  And I remember the doctor replying:  "Mr. President, today we are all Republicans."  I felt the same way.  I did not vote for Reagan either time he ran.  But I have always considered myself "old school" with regards to certain things.  When a bad guy attempts to assassinate a sitting president, and thereby change the course of history, I will always be opposed.  Plus, I hate bad guys.

One year later, my girlfriend/fiance and I got married.  In just a few weeks it will be 40 years that we have been married.  As the joke goes, some say I should get a medal; but many more say she should get the medal.  Forty years later we have three wonderful children, and finally one grandchild, a beautiful granddaughter who is now 13 months old. 

Two years later, in 1983, I would suffer another serious medical setback.  After being sick for two weeks with a low grade fever and vomiting and diarrhea (sorry), I lost 20 pounds.  Given the fact that I only weighed 140 pounds at the time, that was a substantial weight loss.  At the end of those two weeks I finally started to feel better.  But the following morning I could not get myself out of bed.  My legs simply would not move.  My now wife called the ambulance and I was taken to the hospital.  Nobody was sure as to exactly what happened to me.  However, in the hospital, they did a stool culture which showed that I was exposed to a food born bacteria called campylobacter.  

As it turns out, my family had been visiting my mother-in-law two weeks earlier, and she served what was likely some undercooked chicken.  (Was she trying to tell me something?)  No one else got sick.  But, I have an autoimmune disease called ankylosing spondylitis.  As I was later told (after this happened again in 1986) by the head immunologist at UCLA, my immune system often has a delayed reaction.  If the chicken we all ate was undercooked, other family members with a normal immune response, had their antibodies successfully fight any bacteria.  But with my delayed immune response, I was sick for two weeks.  

And the not being able to get out of bed?  That's when my antibodies finally kicked in.  And the autoimmune nature of the illness is that my antibodies attack me.  So, my muscle enzymes were elevated to such an extent that I could not move my legs.  My liver enzymes were also elevated, as was my alkaline phosphatase and my sed rate.  In medical terms, my entire body was out of whack.  My antibodies went on to attack my hips, resulting in my use of a cane, and the beginning of the destruction of my hips.  But it was my bride (before any doctor told me the cause) who went to the medical library at UCLA (what internet?) and found articles discussing the relationship between ankylosing spondylitis and campylobacter.  And, while there were more difficult times to come, my bride was there to take care of me each step along the way.       

A Postscript to "Growing Up In 1971."

 (Note.  Sometimes I forget things, such as the two academic related paragraphs I should have included in "Growing Up In 1971."  Neither story is flattering to me.  Nevertheless, here they are.)

In high school, I loved math and science.  I also loved history and current events.  What can I say.  When I enrolled at Rutgers I was confident that I would be able to do well in calculus.  I was wrong.  It turns out, that a good understanding of trigonometry would have been quite beneficial.  However, having missed over half of my senior year in high school because of my back surgery, I also missed over half of the year of trigonometry.  

Thankfully, that year at Rutgers we were able to take classes the first semester on a pass/fail basis.  Also, thankfully, a math whiz (Ramon) who lived across the hall in the language section of the dorm, volunteered to help me.  A lot.  So I was able to pass.  But I also realized that would be the end of my math and science curriculum.  Thereafter, liberal arts it was.

Another first semester class was English composition.  I have no recollection if we were assigned a topic or permitted to discuss whatever we might choose for our first composition.  The assignment was given the first week of classes.  And I have no recollection of the topic I chose.  I wrote the essay in a blue book and turned it in.  I do recall that the grading was done by a teaching assistant, who corrected it in red ink.  If I had to estimate, I'd say that the amount of red ink at least equaled the amount of the blue ink that I used.  Then, the T.A. ended with this classic line:  "This is crap!"

On the bright side, I learned to improve my writing during my years at Rutgers.  However, at that moment, I remember saying to myself:  "Well, Mike, you're off to a great start at Rutgers."