The past couple of weeks have left me wondering about a number of things that are very disturbing.  They run the gamut and cover a wide range of topics and areas. But this old guy just scratches his head and wonders why these things are happening. I know today’s world is a different world from the one we all remember 20, 30 years ago or beyond. Hell, the world today is different than it was 2-3 years ago. That being said, here are just  three and I still have to wonder why.

I wonder why – The state of California has been turned into a tinder box with wildfires consuming almost half the state and there seems to be no relief from Mother Nature in the form of rain. It is razing hundreds of thousands of acres throughout the state and especially in the northern area of California’s wine country and up around the San Francisco area. 200,000 people have had to evacuate, many already losing their homes and everything they own. Yet Nancy Pelosi who represents that area and lives there has not said one word or done anything to try and get help for the people she represents or even give them a glimmer of hope in the form of a heartfelt statement. Is going after Donald Trump for three years more important than what her constituents are being faced with? I just wonder why.

I wonder why – Why did it take the Houston Astros almost a week to fire their Assistant GM Brandon Taubman after the circus he created during the Astros celeb ration of going to the World Series. They are a tremendous baseball team loaded with talent top to bottom. They have won more than 100 games in the regular season 3 years in a row and are now in the World Series. But they have had a big black cloud over this incident. Taubman directed his “F” word comments towards a female reporter, Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated, who is an advocate against domestic violence and the fact that Robert Osuna was suspended 75 games for DV, and Taubman’s comments that were directed at her did not sit well with the reporter. Then to make it worse, the Astros made excuses and called out Ms. Apstein and said  she was lying about what took place. Even though the truth came out about the remarks being said and directed at her, it took the Astros almost a week before they admitted they were wrong and fired Taubman. Now the Astros will be under further investigation because of this incident, but now no need to wonder why.

I wonder why – We hear it all the time about threats made against schools and students that are quickly put to rest and dealt with. We have seen the tragedies that have occurred at various schools and the loss of innocent young lives. But, thanks to an 8 year old boy, Blake Johnson, from Hudson, in the Tampa Bay area, what could have been a very deadly situation was defused. Once again we see a difference in parenting in regards to this young hero and the other 8 year old. To begin with why does an 8 year old come to school with a loaded 9 mm hand gun in his back pack? He shows it to Blake then tells our young hero “If you tell anyone, I will shoot you.” Thankfully, scared or not, Blake went and told a school security officer who went and got the boy and the gun and no harm done. Now, one 8 year old will face capitol charges while the other 8 year old is a hero for speaking up. But I still wonder why this even happened in the first place

Added – As I was working  on this piece a report just came over the TV of a mass shooting  at a homecoming party at Texas A & M Commerce, with 2 dead and 14 injured. With all the people at this party, over 700, no one could, or would, give a good description of the person, or persons, responsible. No need to wonder why because they are obviously afraid of retaliation and that it may be one of their own fellow students, so for now instead of doing the right thing and helping the authorities they are doing the wrong thing by not aiding them

It is a crazy world we live in today, a far cry from the world I grew up in as a young boy and young man. There is so much wrong today in everything be it politics, the corporate world, sports, education and just about everything else. It is really a shame that today, no matter what we do, what we say or where we go, wall have to continuously look over our shoulder and be aware of everything that is taking place all around us and………….I wonder why?

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine & AAN