by TAKEO "BABE" UTSUMI

Well, at last the election is all over. We will certainly miss the election literature, pamphlets and propaganda that came through our mail drop almost every day for some weeks.

In some way, I am glad that Barack Obama won the presidency. There were rumors afloat for a while that if he didn’t get elected, there was a possibility of riots taking place.

Don’t take it lightly. Do you remember a few years back when Rodney King was beaten up by the police in Los Angeles and the scene was recorded by some guy with a video camera? Then you will recall what happened in the streets of Los Angeles. Riots, vandalism and looting spread, and the city was in widespread turmoil.

Most of these vandals were not so much concerned about King, but an opportunity to steal. It was reported that in the Korean business area employers and workers stood on the rooftops with shotguns to ward off these looters.

During the ’40s, I was in Michigan when a rumor spread that a white guy pushed a black girl over the bridge that spans the Detroit River onto the park on Belle Isle. I don’t know how true it was, but a riot began. There were shootings from windows and rooftops in the black neighborhood, and even the National Guard was called in.

So these rumors, true or not, cannot be taken lightly. Remember, these riots took place in two separate cities. Can you imagine a riot on a national scale?

* * *

There was a note in the book section that some guy just published a cookbook titled “The Manifold Destiny.” I guess that a meal can be cooked over a hot engine or something. I can’t imagine ... I just don’t get it.

Also, I saw in the financial section that the Napa Auto Parts Company is going to add seven more branch stores in this area. One wonders why in this shaky economic time a company would want to expand.

In a way, it makes sense. People are not buying new cars right now and are trying to make their old ones last a little longer. Consequently, many of these handy guys are repairing and maintaining worn-out or damaged areas to prolong the life of their old car.

* * *

I was listening to a doctor’s show on the radio and he announced that many of the prescription drugs one gets at the pharmacy are of the placebo variety. In other words, they have no effective medication in them and are just sugar-coated pills to make one feel better.

If so, I guess there is no harm involved. However, these pseudo-pills still cost a lot of money, and that’s the alarming thing.

* * *

Talk about a glutton for punishment! There’s a featherweight boxer in England who decided to end his career in the ring at his 300th fight. Now hear this ... so far, he has lost 257 of his bouts. I am glad to report that on this eventful occasion, he won!

That reminds me of a quote from Bob Hope, who used to engage in a little pugilism in his early days. He said that he was the only fighter who was carried onto the ring.

* * *

There was an incident in Amsterdam where a young fellow spotted a bicycle without any chains or lock on it. Nearby the police waited to see if anyone would steal it.

Well, the young guy took the bait and started to pedal away. The police jumped on him immediately and an arrest was made.

The culprit pleaded in court that it was a case of entrapment. But the judge decreed that stealing is stealing. So now the young guy is in the cooler for 22 days, thinking it over.

* * *

The famed Navy precision fighters called the Blue Angels recently scratched one of the six pilots, so now you will see five planes in formation instead of six.

The reason for this is that one of the pilots was grounded because of unofficer-like conduct with a female in the support group. So you can see they are not all angels.

* * *

The Oakland pro football team boasts themselves as the Raider Nation, and their ads proclaim commitment to excellence, pride, poise, etc. But last week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons was horrible.

Do you realize that the Raiders did not have a first down until the third quarter? Of the 77-yard ground game, more than half of it was made by two of the runs gained by quarterback Jamarcus Russell? The result of the game was a 24-0 loss.

Both the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders are posting a sad history in pro football in the Bay Area. Both teams have fired their head coaches in mid-season and the two franchises are floundering like a ship without a rudder.

Perhaps the Raiders and the Niners should have a game at the end of the season to see which is the worst.

* * *

This reminds me that a pundit wondered why there are more weddings in June. He came to the conclusion that there is no football on television then.

* * *

I would like to mention to all of you that there will be a gathering at the Nihonmachi Terrace Social Hall to discuss and explain dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. We know personally of some with this affliction, and I am sure you are aware also of this affliction among your friends and relatives.

So if you have the time on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m., please attend this important program. Remember the date ... don’t forget!