Dr. Brij Bhambi shares his thoughts on the attack at Capitol Hill: American exceptionalism and the dangers of false prophets who traffic in conspiracies, lies and myths

 Dr. Brij Bhambi is a cardiologist and one of the physician owners of Bakersfield Heart Hospital as well as an owner and director at Centric Health. He is a regular guest on The Richard Beene Show, which airs weekday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM/1180 AM. He appears Fridays at 2 p.m. What follows are his thoughts on the attack on the U.S. Capitol, American society and American exceptionalism.

"I  have been raised in double speak of third world politics. Flag and religion are the usual failsafe drapes that hide ugliness in the guise of populism. Corrupt agendas are adorned in digestible slogans. Divisions are created. Divisions are exploited. A few win. All else lose. Always!

 Never occurred to me that wheel could come a full circle in a place that birthed modern democracy.

Democracy is founded on the sacred covenant that outcomes have to be accepted. Allegations repeated and amplified don’t erase reality that actually transpired. Hugo Chavez may have risen from dead to reprogram Dominion voting machines to the benefit of Biden. 

 And yet be dumb enough to recklessly let down ballot vote go unchanged. Either way he left no crumbs. None that any election officer, any court of law, all the way to SCOTUS could find. Remember SCOTUS was purposefully packed to find the crumbs, when none existed. Third branch of government redeemed itself by just not lowering itself into gutter. Courage in any incarnation is worthy of applause. Thank you SCOTUS.

 At personal level, I have been awed by a lot of things. Three memories figure prominently.

 A visit to Nagasaki is a spiritual exercise. It grabs your soul, wrenches your guts and compels kindness as human-speak. Devastation begs not to be repeated. Sombre.

 A visit to Vatican is divine. The beat that sustains your heart feels a different flutter there. Sublime.

 A visit to Oval Office... speechless! That little real estate is sacred. Thats where Right is Might has been practiced. Like life, it's a work in progress. Yet it symbolizes the best in pursuit of human endeavors. Awe inspiring and humbling.

 I have not had an occasion to visit Capitol Hill yet. I intend to. The desecration of Jan 6th, 2021 has accelerated that impulse.

 The spectacle of violent assault on Capitol Hill was a repulsive actualization of vitriolic rhetoric. A rhetoric built on manufactured grievances and considered lies. Lies repeated and amplified in echo chambers of the faithful. Faithful to a false prophet.

 The crescendo was carefully choreographed to deliver the democratic republic a decapitation strike.

To witness dystopian events of January 6, 2021, unfold at the sanctum sanctorum of the birth place of modern democracy convulsed mind and singed soul. The nation that cultivated the notion of “government of the people, by the people for the people” witnessed a disfigured interpretation. Government of the people incited insurrection against government for the people to perpetuate a corrupt regime through deception and intimidation.

 Faithfuls were misled in to embracing the conspiratorial and contrived myths, to the ill of the country.

For years, naked greed, narcissistic self aggrandization, nepotism, authoritarian tendencies, flood of lies and sophisticated marketing of snake oil succeeded in building a large constituency of the committed believers. That, Trump would sell these believers for profit, was obvious.

 Trump equalled a historical precedence of losing big, AFTER first term AND taking down both houses with him.

 As the flame flickered, it laid bare the core of Ttrumpism. There was no soul. Never was. Only swamp. And selfishness.

 In due time, shock will wear off. Politicians will go back to political dealings. Jan 6, 2021 will remain the abyss. A routine day that had ceremonial duty of electoral vote count was denied rendezvous with destiny. No destiny, it joined Pearl Harbor to live in ignominy.

“Remember the day”, outgoing president tweeted; to adorn the proceedings of an inglorious day.

Injury to insult.

The democracy was shaken not stolen. Republic stood unsteady. Resiliency endures. Sanctity will be restored.

 Let's rebuild decency as the foundation to politics. Let's rebuild camaraderie as foundation to governance. Let compromise be the bridge. Let love be the strength.

Whats good for goose is good for the gander. Access to equality is foundational. Jan 6th was not our finest moment. Let's not respond in kind but with kindness. Let's unclench the fist and reach out with an open hand.

We don’t need to regress to trial by combat. Aaron Burr won a version of that. Nation lost Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr walked a dead man’s walk to his final death.

 Pathetic ambition seeking furtherance on the ruins of decency and democracy is un-American to the core. At the end, when we do inventory of life, it's the good deeds we did, comfort us the most. America I came to had an inner beauty, an exalted message, a propulsive energy that encouraged the best in a person. That America is eternal. The carnage in Capitol Hill, the desecration of sanctum sanctorum is not demolition of American dream. Its an opportunity to write the next chapter. We need a time out from hate. We need to make time for love. We need to listen. We need to be humble. We vote once every two years but we live every moment. We need to regain equilibrium.

 The Jeffersonian prophecy prevailed. The temple was bloodied by the reviled. Instigator got away.

A few can’t win at the expense of all else this time.

This time let “all else” change the paradigm.

Joe Biden clinches Pennsylvania and becomes president elect, the return of pets to the White House (German Shepherds Major and Chamo) and the world loses Jeopardy host Alex Trebek to pancreatic cancer

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other company or publication.

 * ... ELECTION: Joe Biden is now the president-elect following one of the closest elections in American history which saw a record number of votes. All of the ballots are not yet in but Biden hit the magic

number in electoral votes when he won Pennsylvania on Saturday. In his acceptance speech Biden vowed to be a president for all Americans, regardless of party. Most Republicans I know were disappointed but resigned to a Biden presidency. Others, in fact perhaps most Republicans I know, are more fearful of vice president-elect Kamala Harris and their perception of her as "too far left" should something happen to Biden and she rises to the presidency. Dr. Brij Bhambi of Centric Health called Biden's acceptance speech "powerful and well worded that met the moment." Pastor Angelo Frazier of Riverlakes Community Church had this to say: "Yes, convictions are not based on polls, politics or focus groups, regardless of the outcome of the elections, it is this country we are fighting for... we must fight the good fight with honor, integrity and truth. It is the founding principles in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution that we uphold for all people and parties. The lust for power must never trump the triumph of love! We are all Americans now and we will be afterward. Let's rolll." Both Bhambi and Frazier are regular commentators on The Richard Beene Show on KERN Newstalk 96.1 FM. Frazier appears Mondays and Bhambi Fridays.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If civil war starts, I ain't running! Cause I'm fat, that's why."

 * ... FIRST DOGS: The election of Joe Biden will do one thing we can all agree on: it will be good to see pets back in the White House. Joe and wife Jill have two German shepherds, Major and Champ, and the president is quite fond of dog kisses, we are told. In the pictures below are Major and Champ along with another yellow lab that a voter named ... Joe Biden.

 * ... ALEX TREBEK: We lost Alex Trebek, the longtime host of the popular game show "Jeopardy!" who died Sunday after a bout with pancreatic cancer. Trebek, 80, served a year with the cancer (the odds of surviving a second year with pancreatic cancer are just 7 percent) but recently took a turn for the worse and died Sunday. Trebek's connection with Kern County was strong, thanks in part to Sheri Horn-Bunk of the Taft College Foundation. When Horn-Bunk discovered that Trebek once joked he might attend Taft College to study oil drilling in retirement she reached out to him to appear at the West Kern Petroleum Summit. He did, graciously, and later funded a scholarship there. My wife and I were guests of Horn-Bunks last January when we went to Burbank to watch the filming of Jeopardy! where Trebek greeted us with warmth and charm. He was one of a kind and he will be missed.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this old picture of a motorcycle club in Kern County back in the day.

Will Majority leader Kevin McCarthy play an important role as the liaison between the House Republicans and Donald Trump? And noting some really good form, as well as some bad stuff

 * ... MCCARTHY: It looks like the election of Donald Trump as president could thrust Bakersfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy into an important role in a Trump presidency. That's the word from Dan Walters, a longtime political columnist for the Sacramento Bee who appeared at the Vision for the Valley

symposium at Bakersfield College Tuesday. With Trump at odds with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Walters said Majority Leader McCarthy is in a unique position to be the liaison between Trump and House Republicans. "He is in a good position to play a larger role, and that can be good for California and Kern County," Walters told me. Another panel member, Marty Wilson of the CalChamber, said McCarthy was on the short list of people who Trump called on election night. Stay tuned.

 * ... GOOD (AND BAD) FORM: Here is some good (and bad) form all in one take, compliments of Nancy Vibe. "First off, I would like to send out a heartfelt 'thank you' to the elderly gentleman that walks up and down Auburn street between Oswell and Fairfax. This awesome man makes this trek maybe twice a month with a cart covered with a trash bag and a rake, and he picks up trash! I am sorry I do not know his name, but he is an angel. I have stopped to say thanks but didn't take the time
to ask his name. I will soon. And then there is the other side of the coin. There is a family that lives on Ina Court whose yard backs up to Auburn Street. This owner of a dog(s) has taken the time to FLING dog feces over his fence onto what he thinks is the easement of bushes next to the sidewalk.  Well this lazy moron has such a great arm on him (her) that it makes the sidewalk. Guess who ends up cleaning up the mess? Yeah, the man with integrity!"

 * ... STARBUCKS: The downtown Starbucks at 24th and L streets lost a regular customer the other day when he was verbally assaulted by one of the many homeless men who hang out in front asking for money. "I walked past him leaving with my coffee and he muttered something," he told me. "I didn't really hear him until he screamed and me, stood up and flipped over the outside table and told me he was going to kill me." Sick of being hit up for spare change, he has sworn off the downtown location.

* ... NORIEGA'S: I can only go a few months before I need a fix at Noriega's, one of the Basque treasures that has served our community for so many years. There are few things better than a hearty Basque meal on a chilly night at the iconic Bakersfield restaurant. My favorite: fried chicken night.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My parents believed you should never go to bed angry. They were awake for the last 17 years of their marriage."

 * ... REUSABLE BAGS: This interesting note from reader Steve Hollick showed up in my mailbox: "I just was getting caught up on your columns and wanted to put in my two cents on the reusable bags. I ordered three canvas bags from www.feedprojects.com. Each of the bags bought feed a starving child for a year. They are super durable bags and I constantly get compliments on them. They hold a ton of groceries. Plus, it makes me feel good that I am helping out a child in need."

* ... MEMORIES: I ran into a Bakersfield old-timer who was waxing poetic about growing up in a much simpler time. As a child, he said JBA (Junior Baseball Assn.) had fields across from Memorial Hospital where Gregg's Pharmacy stood.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And finally, Jean Burette added these memories: "I remember when the Bakersfield Californian was delivered in the evening, and once a month a man came to the door to collect for the bill. Oh yes, and I too remember the Union Avenue pool and also the pool at Hart Park. We used to enjoy badminton at Kern Union High School in the evening, supervised  by Cap Harlson, and afterward go to Reed and Bell for a great root Beer."

Some wise thoughts as our nation struggles to understand the election, the Padre Hotel rolls out an extended Happy Hour and here come the kids home for Thanksgiving

* ... ELECTION: There have been some terrific essays about the election of Donald Trump and the vitriol and reactions that have swept the nation since. One of the best, in my view, was penned by Charles Einstein, who summed it up this way: "We are entering a time of great uncertainty.

Institutions so enduring as to seem identical to reality itself may lose their legitimacy and dissolve. It may seem that the world is falling apart... For many, that process started on election night, when Trump’s victory provoked incredulity, shock, even vertigo. 'I can’t believe this is happening!' At such moments, it is a normal response to find someone to blame, as if identifying fault could restore the lost normality, and to lash out in anger. Hate and blame are convenient ways of making meaning out of a bewildering situation. Anyone who disputes the blame narrative may receive more hostility than the opponents themselves, as in wartime when pacifists are more reviled than the enemy." It is well worth your read. Google his name and enjoy.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Call your dad now and ask him what the wifi password is so he has time to find the little paper it's written on before Thanksgiving."

 * ... HAPPY HOUR: The Padre Hotel downtown has extended its happy hour and is now offering half price deals on wine and other specials on beer and mixed drinks. The happy hour now runs from 2 p..m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 * ... THANKSGIVING: This is my favorite time of year, and one reason is the flood of young people who will come home to reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving. Expect to see these college kids (or recent graduates) at all their familiar haunts: Luigi's, Pyrenees, Woolgrower's, Noriega Hotel, Uricchio's Trattoria and Cafe Med, just to name a few.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Here's a tidbit that will make you feel good about our local Boy Scouts, compliments of Ron Lommen: "A follow up on the veteran’s day parade. For the last three years, the Boy Scout Troop 188 out of east Bakersfield meets at the American Legion at 6 am on veteran’s day to help serve breakfast to the veterans.  We than stay until the parade is complete, and sweep the trash from the sidewalks and business fronts along the entire route, we are the unsung final group to walk
the parade route.  The Boy Scouts spend their entire day off from school donating their time to the veterans and the city. Just letting folks know that a there are good kids out there trying to help
keep the city clean and support our veterans without any fanfare."

 * ... TRASH: And speaking of trash, Bob Moses passed this along: "I was at Riverwalk last Sunday and the park was spotless even though the Brews and Bacon event took place the day before. I complimented the park worker about the cleanliness and he said BARC had cleaned it. Let's have them out after all the parades, it will be good for everyone."

* ... MEA CULPA: Ellen Cypher was among a dozen folks who wrote (some more politely than others) about an error I made in explaining the "safety pin" campaign. In her words: "I feel compelled to correct your misconception that wearing a safety pin is 'a show of solidarity against our president elect.'  In fact, it is an anti-hate message. It lets others know you are a safe person to talk to or sit next to--that you won't attack them or discriminate against them. Even Trump supporters can wear a safety pin if they do not subscribe to the rhetoric of xenophobia."

A tale of two cities: celebrating the success of the first Bakersfield Marathon and lamenting the trash left behind after the annual Veterans Day parade

 * ... MARATHON: Kudos to the organizers of the first Bakersfield Marathon that succeeded on levels far beyond the athletic endeavor for almost 2,000 participants. From elite runners to folks

doing their first 5K, this was an all inclusive event that filled our streets with good cheer on a near perfect November morning. Across town, from the southwest to Panorama Drive, neighbors met on the street, coffee mugs in hand and dogs in tow, to watch the runners pass. When was the last time an event like this brought so many of us together?

 * ... VETERANS DAY: I wish the same could be said for the annual Veterans Day parade, but shame on those parade goers who thought it was okay to leave their cups, soiled napkins and fast food wrappers along the parade route. Here's a thought: next year let's hire folks (the homeless?) to walk the route with empty trash bags to encourage people not to litter.

* ... TRUMP: If you start noticing people wearing safety pins on their shirts or blouses, there is a reason. The idea: people who have felt insulted or maligned by Donald Trump are being urged to wear a safety pin as a show of solidarity against our president elect.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a huge house and cry in any room you like."

 * ... NEXT GENERATION: When I moved to Bakersfield more than two decades ago the community leaders included people like Jim Burke, Ray Dezember, Wendy Wayne, John Petrini and Eric Matlock, all tremendous people who have since died. I was thinking of them recently when a group of Bakersfield's "next generation of community leaders" gathered for dinner to support Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Miracle Society. These young philanthropists include Lindsay and Nick Ashley, Gianna and Ken Beurmann, Stacie and Clayton Campbell, Antone Chicca, Jen and Dan Clifford,  Lauren and Jeremy Helper, Elizabeth and Jeff Holz, Jill and Morgan Houchin, Jen and Dawson Li, Nicole and Jacob Panero, Lara and Michael Riccomini, Anna and Austin Smith, Victoria and John Trichell, Jennie and Beau Woodward and Briana and Dominic Zaninovich. Miracle Society donations this year enabled the purchase of a motorized gurney to transport patients who arrive at Memorial Hospital via air ambulance.

 * ... HARBOR FREIGHT: When did the Walgreen's on White Lane become Harbor Freight tools?

 * ... GOOD FORM: And finally there was this note from Mark Schaefer: "As a proud father of a student and husband of a teacher there, I have to say the annual Veterans Day celebration at Veterans Elementary School in the Norris School District was another wonderful event. Since opening in 2006, they have stayed true to the school's name during the week of Veterans Day. Monday night was another packed event with thank you letters to veterans written and read by students, patriotic singing, a guest speaker, and a flag planting ceremony by all the families in attendance. Nearly 1,000 attended this celebration, and made me proud of our school and community yet again! I can't wait to do it again next year."

Wrestling with the meaning of the election of Donald Trump, Terry Maxwell gets hung by the noose of the 24th Street widening project and RIP to the mainstream media

* ... TRUMP: My take on the election of Donald Trump comes down to this: all of us, especially the pollsters and the media, underestimated two important factors... the deep personal unpopularity of Hillary Clinton, and

more importantly the widespread feeling that Washington (our government) isn't working for a wide swath of America. Casting this as a rural versus urban vote is only partially true, and it overlooks a deep and serious anxiety in this country that the ruling elite (so to speak) operate under a different set of rules than the rest of us. Clinton, more so than President Obama, represented the idea that those in power can get away with conduct and behavior that would land others in jail. Dismissing rural and "fly over" voters as uninformed boobs seems to miss an important message that half the country does not want business as usual. Trump did not create this widespread national anxiety; instead he rode it and exploited it while offering an (albeit jarring) alternative. The fact that so many voters overlooked his well documented flaws speaks volumes about the level of distrust of the political establishment. (Below: a map circulating on social media)

 * ... LOCAL ELECTIONS: Locally, I was surprised to see the local school bond measures pass (they were all well funded), Ward 2 City Councilman Terry Maxwell was hung by the noose of his opposition to the 24th Street widening project, and Congressman David Valadao fought off Democrat Emilio Huerta in a particularly nasty slugfest that won my award for the most dishonest campaign of the season. Karen Goh looks headed to a squeaker of a win over Kyle Carter in the mayor's race, and Jeffrey Tkac sent Harold Hanson into forced political retirement in the Ward 5 council race.

* ... ENERGY: Trump's election will be good news for the oil and gas sector, and we can expect a dramatic rollback of environmental regulations that have been the hallmark of the Obama presidency. Expect the Keystone Pipeline to be built and for regulators to have a friendlier attitude toward both coal and hydraulic fracturing.

 * ... MAINSTREAD MEDIA: And finally, RIP to the mainstream media, the traditional "gatekeepers" of political thought who were violently repudiated in this election. Will we ever be able to trust the polls again?

* ... ELECTION HUMOR: From Twitter: On election day "I saw the line where they were giving out stickers and wound up getting a damn flu shot."

 * ... STEAKS: One of the best cooks in town, Mike Ariey of Big Mike's Ragin' BBQ, is serving up a 16-ounce New York steak lunch at The Mark every Friday. The steak comes with cowboy potatoes, chili beans, green salad and corn bread. Lunch is served in the out door patio next door (called The Park at The Mark on 19th Street) and is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. And if a steak isn't your think, try the garlic chicken or excellent slow cooked baby back ribs, my personal favorite.

* ... OLD BARS: Here's a puzzler some of you readers may be able to answer. Karen R. Williams wrote: "Many years ago, the family of two of my school friends owned a bar that I believe was located in the alley behind the Haberfelde Building. It was called Potts Back Door. My friends were Gloria and Steve Potts. I was wondering if this is the location of one of the bars that have been in the news recently. It sure brings back memories from the late 1950s." Anybody remember this place and what occupies the space today?

Breakfast at Milt's Coffee Shop with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the remarkable Connor McCarthy

 * .... MCCARTHY AND RYAN: Accompanied by our own Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Speaker Paul Ryan is making a swing through California to raise money for House Republicans. Early

Monday morning, as a light rain fell on Bakersfield, I drove to Milt's Coffee Shop off Olive Drive to have breakfast with Ryan, McCarthy and McCarthy's son, Connor.
 There was no breaking news here, no stop the presses moment, just an opportunity for McCarthy and his guests to start the day at a signature Bakersfield landmark while entertaining diners who greeted Kevin on a first-name basis.
 Over a breakfast of coffee, omelettes, fruit and Milt's famous hash browns, Ryan and McCarthy talked candidly about the Republican and Democratic debates - a "time of anxiety" as McCarthy put it - and the role of the House leadership in providing  a "foundation of substance" for pushing the country forward no matter who is the next president.
 Are they frustrated and concerned about how the debates have reflected the Republican Party? Of course, but as Ryan noted, "we don't have any control over that. We have to concentrate on defining ourselves and be a place of ideas."

 And what about GOP front runner Donald Trump's much publicized comment that Ryan would "pay a big price" if the Speaker would not work with Trump? Ryan downplayed it, saying he laughed aloud when he first heard it and added that he had since talked to Trump on the telephone this weekend.
He said that Trump seemed to "walk back"  the threat a bit but did not elaborate.
 Ryan, at 165 pounds as fit as he appears on TV, said the House was moving forward with a "clarifying mandate" based on five principles: economic growth and tax reform, replacing Obamacare with a better alternative while addressing entitlement spending; dealing with poverty and moving people from welfare to work; national security; and finally reclaiming the separation of powers that has been undermined by the extensive use of executive powers.
 If it sounds like the 1984 Contract with America under then Speaker Newt Gingrich, it is but both Ryan and McCarthy are reluctant to frame it in that manner, seeking to put their own stamp on a House initiative to bring the country together.
 "We need to go on the offensive," Ryan said, setting out core Republican goals that any nominee - even Trump - could work with. Ryan said he reviewed the five-point strategy with Trump during the telephone call and Trump seemed okay with it.
 And what about the Political Action Committee that was created to draft Ryan as a presidential nominee in the event of a brokered convention? "My lawyers have disavowed it," he said. "We sent them a letter and asked them to cease and desist."
 Ryan condemned Trump earlier this week for refusing to disavow the Ku Klux Klan, but the Republican leader has sought to remain neutral in the race. He said he had met Trump several years ago but only chatted with him for a minute or so.

 * ... CONNOR: Politics aside, the highlight of my breakfast was chatting with and getting to know Connor McCarthy, who will graduate this year with a degree in philosophy from Georgetown University. Connor is engaging, wickedly smart and carries the confident swagger of youth. His first job after graduation: he will be working for the $4 billion venture capital firm of Andreessen Horowitz in Menlo Park near Silicon Valley's famous Sand Hill Road. Not a bad start for a Bakersfield boy who always hits up Milt's when he is back in town.

 * ... RYAN: The Speaker, who was Mitt Romney's running mate in the last election, counts as his mentors the late Congressman Jack Kemp, a moderate who co-sponsored the Kemp-Roth tax cut in 1981. Ryan called Kemp not only a mentor but a huge influence on his own political philosophy.

 * ... SEA ISLAND: McCarthy has just returned from Sea Island, Ga., where he added the American Enterprise Institute conference that included Apple CEO Tim Cook, Napster founder Sean Parker and entrepreneur Elon Musk. While there McCarthy discovered the wonders of a small shack on St. Simons Island called Southern Soul Barbecue.

 * ... FITNESS: At 46, Ryan is a fitness nut who often worked out with McCarthy in the House gym. His father died of a heart attack at 55 and it drives Ryan to put a high priority on his health. In Bakersfield, he stayed at the downtown Marriott ("Marriotts have good gyms" he told me) and showed up for breakfast after an intense 40 minute workout doing multiple reps of the p90x workout. McCarthy gave up p90x and now has a personal trainer.

 * ... HOUSE OF CARDS: Does Ryan watch the Kevin Spacey HBO series House of Cards, a political thriller based in Washington and full of deceit, sex and mayhem? "Not a chance," he told me, saying Washington can appear bad enough to outsiders without a TV drama making it worse.    McCarthy, on the other hand, was shadowed by Spacey when the series was getting under way and remains a fan of the show.

Is Trump a bully or a breath of fresh air, puppies are hot in the rental market (seriously) and California pins its hopes on a strong El Nino

 * ... TRUMP: So what do you think of Donald Trump and his "no holds barred" campaign style? Is he a breath of fresh air, a mean-spirited bully or a candidate who has the guts to say what others won't?Peggy Noonan, a former speech writer for Ronald
Reagan and now a respected conservative columnist for The Wall Street, was not charitable when she recently described Trump this way: "Mr. Trump is not a serious man, which is part of his appeal in a country that has grown increasingly unserious. He’s a showman in a country that likes to watch shows—a country that believes all politics is showbiz now, and all politicians are entertainers of varying degrees of competence. At least Mr. Trump is honest about it."

 * ... PUPPIES: And speaking of the Wall Street Journal, it carried a story the other day about the popularity of rental puppies (that's right, rented puppies) at a child's birthday and bachelorette parties. I am serious here. Across the country people are actually renting adorable puppies to entertain children and adults. One business in the Los Angeles area has access to 70 puppies with rates starting at $200 an hour for up to 10 pups.

 * ... EL NINO: There is a lot of talk about the increasing chances that California could get some relief from the drought with a strong El Nino this year. Said The Washington Post: "The present El Niño event, on the cusp of attaining 'strong' intensity, has a chance to become the most powerful on record. The event — defined by the expanding, deepening pool of warmer-than-normal ocean water in the tropical Pacific — has steadily grown stronger since the spring." Even a strong El Nino won't erase four years of drought, but it's a start.

 * ... THIEVES: There is a Facebook account dedicated to catching the thieves that break into our homes and cars. It's called 'Bakersfield Thieves' (search for it and then ask to join) and it features posts by victims about local crime. One recent post: it turns out as the price of gas goes up, thieves are routinely crawling under cars and stealing the entire gas tank.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If you're an astronaut and you don't end every relationship by saying 'look, I just need space' then you're wasting everyone's time."

 * ... COHN: Chain, Cohn, Stiles, the local plaintiff's law firm, is getting ready to move into its new downtown headquarters at the corner of 18th Street and Chester Avenue. Originally built as a bank in 1874, the 30,000-square-foot building has been gutted and remodeled and now bears a fresh coat of paint, a welcome addition to the heart of downtown. For most of the building’s history, banks have called it home: Kern Valley Bank and Crocker National Bank to name a few. The lawyers and staff will be moving this weekend and will be at the new location beginning next week.

 * ... HIGHWAY 58: A regular reader posed this question: "Can you please tell me when Highway 58 is going to be completed for the lanes go straight instead of looking like a maze being pushed to the right and the left by all these little orange pylons?"

 * ... GOOD ADVICE: Here's some sound advice I received in a local horoscope the other day: "Some people believe other people's lifestyles are somehow an affront to their own. Let them argue it out while you're busy making money."