Watched most of a story on CNN about the violence in Mexico due to the drug war. The violence is spreading to America and despite Obama saying that we are going to help Mexico fight this, I don't think we will succeed. As I have said many times before: where there is a demand, there will be a supply. Our demand for illegal drugs have made the cartels rich. There is a 2 way traffic with drugs coming in and money and weapons going to Mexico. With these money and weapons, the Mexican police are outgunned and government officials are bribed. Illegal drugs are a national security problem and no amount of border control will stopped it.

I say go the way of alcohol and tobacco. Legalize drugs! I hate drugs and I am proud to say that I have never even smoke a joint. But the reality is rich free nations don't seem to be able to curb their appetite for drugs. I am under no illusion that legalizing drugs will decrease the addiction rates. I don't think the Netherland's drug addiction rates has decreased. But I don't think it has increased with legalization either. But by legalizing, we can at least take the profits away from the mob. I am also under no illusion that taxes from drugs will help in prevention and treatment as the politicians will funnel the money to elsewhere. But right now we are not getting anything and we are spending tons of money to police drugs not only here but abroad as well. So legalize now before our streets turn bloody like those in Mexico.

Just returned from Hilton Head, South Carolina, where I watched my daughter's college tennis team played 5 matches during spring break. I was pleasantly surprised by how I enjoyed the trip. I was looking forward to seeing my daughter of course, but I did not think that I would like to watch college tennis so much. I have not played tennis for a while because of my shoulder injury and with only one more child still competing, I had not thought much of tennis lately. But at Hilton Head I saw some incredible matches involving athletes who will not be going pro after graduation. They were playing for the love of the game with genuine joy, something I don't see often in pro or high level div. 1 sports. It makes me want to start playing tennis again!

In contrast to this, I saw an article about this guy started a "rock, scissors, paper" tournament for college students. It is going to on cable tv with bikini clad women and beer kegs. So we are trying to sell a kids' game with sex and alcohol. So this is how low our intellectual level has sunk to? People are actually going to watch this and think these "competitors" are athletes or geniuses who can out think their opponents? And I thought college poker tournaments was the lowest we would get!

Is Obama spreading himself too thin? Obviously, whether his presidency will be judged to be successful over the next couple of years depend on how fast the economy recovers. Many people are criticizing him for not focusing on the economy at this time. Obama is trying to put new policies in healthcare, energy, education, stem cell research, war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and foreign relations. These are ambitious programs and many people think that he should just concentrate on the economy for now. I disagree. It is not like he can spend 24 hours a day on the economy and things will turn around in a month. He promised changes and he is trying to achieve them. I don't agree with all of his ideas but I give him credit for trying to improve the country beyond the next couple of years.

The problem with trying to do all these things is that you make enemies with each program. No matter what you propose there will be people who oppose it. Today, for example, he spoke about changes he want to make in education. You know that things like merit pay and charter schools will get the teachers unions all upset. And they are among the strongest supporters of the Democrats. So you are making an enemy of an ally, never mind what he proposes make sense to most Americans. The truth is most of us are selfish, so our politicians are selfish and try to protect the interest of his district or state even though it is not for the best interest of the country.

Obama has assembled an intelligent group in his cabinet. But so far he has been the only spokesman. He is trying to sell all the programs by himself. About the only one who has been helpful in public has been Hillary. She is carrying out the foreign policies well. Tim Geithner has been of no help with trying to sell the stimulus program. Stephen Chu needs to speak out more about the importance of the energy program not only in the future but also on the economy today. Where was Obama's education secretary today? Where has Joe Biden been? Obama can't do it by himself. He needs his cabinet members to step up. He needs the Congress to be less selfish. Well, that last part we probably will never get.