Our Mr. Brooks
From The Republican Glasnot, by David Brooks: There are increasing signs that House Republicans are willing to unite behind Speaker John Boehner so he can cut a deal to avert the “fiscal cliff.” There has been an epidemic of open-mindedness as Republicans try to win minority votes and create a version of their party that...
Instagram – Nickelback Parody
Howdy Do! If you happen to be one of the b’zillions who shares every friggin’, non-event or insipid moment of every day via one (or more) social network? Well . . . I suppose I owe you an apology. (I suggest you hold your breath.) But for the rest of you? Enjoy.
Republicans And Damn Republicans
There’s an old saying: “There are lies, and there are damn lies”. Well, I suggest there are Republicans, (Old School), and there are damn Republicans (Model 2.0). WWII Disabled veteran and former Senator, Bob Dole, is from the Old School. Sadly, his kind are rapidly disappearing, and being replaced by the (cold and stingy) Mod...
The Men Are Getting Hungry
This morning’s quiz: What’s white, conservative, middle-aged, (or older), and has a dongle? Go ahead, I can wait while you ponder. Hum-tee-hum-tee-hum. Give up? The answer, of course, is simple. After the nation just handed the GOP a note saying, “Change your party you bunch of stupid *&#^!”, the House leadership (that would be...
Millennials And The GOP
The first note in this stream puts things in a bit of perspective. My kids were born between 1976 and 1990. Clearly, when it comes to politics and government leadership, (leadership, in this case, should probably be Bold, “in quotes” and italicized, just to make my sarcastic point), the preponderance of my kids’ experience has...
Hey, This Forest Is Full Of Trees!
Philosophy and the Poetic Imagination: … most of us rarely stop to think about how language works, or how come we succeed in getting our ideas across in words. It all seems to happen naturally. Poets, novelists, speechwriters or the merely curious sometimes confront these questions, but it is a job that often falls...
Fighting For Her Dad
I rarely promote petitions, but this is different. Dana Siegelman is fighting for her dad. “Nine years ago, the Bush Administration went after my father when he was Alabama’s governor. He was the first governor to endorse Al Gore for president and speak out against Bush. GOP operatives in Alabama and Washington D.C. struck up...
I Write Every Waking Minute …
I just came across this article by Silas House. I think it contains some very helpful information about writing, (well, at least the kind of writing I attempt), and thought I’d pass it along to other, aspiring writers. The following quote from the article really stands out: “The No. 1 question I get at...
When They’re Little
Kids. Go figure. You can’t eat ’em, and you’re not supposed to sell ’em to gypsies. (Oops!) When they’re little on your lap; when they’re big they sit on your heart. Every year that I grow older adds another year of awe and humble thankfulness for my own parents. When children become adults and have...
Taxes & Inequality
When I read or hear, “Nobody likes paying taxes”, it really bugs me. Nobody wants to pay a disproportionate amount, but I like paying taxes because I connect the dots. I’m not saying Congress spends all of our tax dollars wisely, but a good chunk of the dough buys us some pretty good stuff....
Investigate!
NASA says the Mars rover, Curiosity, has found something in the sand, but they won’t say what it is. Personally, I think somebody needs to look into this: Seriously.
From Darwin to Frankenstein
I like what this author has to say. And in particular: How do I respond to students like this? I point out that some religion-bashing Darwinians exaggerate the power of evolutionary theory. For example, Richard Dawkins was wrong — egregiously wrong — when he claimed in his 1986 bestseller, The Blind Watchmaker, that life ‘is a...
Rich Blokes and Their Taxes
. . . let’s forget about the rich and ultrarich going on strike and stuffing their ample funds under their mattresses if — gasp — capital gains rates and ordinary income rates are increased. The ultrarich, including me, will forever pursue investment opportunities. Warren Buffet. The other day, me n’ Buffy (y’know, Warren?) were...
Slackers N’ Surgeons
Here’s a little something I stumbled across, from Andrew Sullivan. I can just imagine Saturday Night Live moving this down the road a bit, by having the youngsters compete against the surgeons in diagnosing particular ailments. Scene: Operating Room Student, poking around inside anesthetized patient: “Dude, I swear to god I thought he swallowed a...
God Stuff
Even though I’ve already waxed eloquent on this particular subject, (i.e. Gus ~ Elliott’s Story), I thought you’d enjoy this read. Setting aside a debate about whether one believes in God or not, I should add that I’m always off-pissed when I read something about God or God Stuff that immediately assumes what we...
Better Living Through Chemistry
Better living through chemistry? I trust your wonderfully lethargic, (Thanksgiving-fully?), feast-induced stupor abates. I’m just diving into my second cup of java . . . decaf, if you must know . . . thus, my own torpor is being chased out of my veins as I write. Amazing, isn’t it? I mean, how the...
Thanksgiving for a Traditional America!
It’s Thanksgiving, and time to give thanks for Traditional America, (TA) just like the first Thanksgiving participants gave thanks. It’s completely understandable if you choose to ignore the somewhat uncomfortable, eventual fate of half of those first participants . . . the, ahem, non-traditional, uhh, Native half . . . who ended up getting bulldozed...
How Dumb!
S’up? That’s not Mandarin for anything, by the way. Frankly, this article amazes me with its dumbness. Why? Glad you asked. It’s simple, really. Any kid who watched cartoons in the 60’s knows how Yogi can wreck your body. Jeez. I mean, he’s a friggin’ bear, for Pete’s sake. And bears can wreck your body...
Got Quiet?
Ni hao ma? That’s Mandarin for “S’up?”. (Okay, it’s actually Mandarin for “How are you?”, but hey, close enough for jazz.) Moving on . . . I value quiet as I value few other things. (Notice I use as and not like? There’s a difference. Check out Grammar Girl sometime. She’s a hoot.)...
The Greatest
I’ve never been a fan of boxing, (nor of the Box Rebellion, Boxing Day, thinking outside of, etc.), but I have been intrigued by great Personality. And among great personalities, Muhammed Ali stands out. I also enjoy Dick Cavett’s writing, and his wry, self-deprecating humor. If you get a few moments, check out the...
I Just Love A Man in Uniform
Before your read anything further, take a gander at the pictures of Generals Petraeus and Eisenhower. Look closely. Notice anything different? I don’t mean to be a hard-ass. Really, I don’t. But I can remember a word I first learned in the Navy, and it stayed with me: Geedunk. Here’s a brief definition: “To...
Apropos of Nothing
Your daily dip? Whoa there, Buckaroo! (That’s how Pony Express riders greeted one another, but I digress.) This Brylcreem ad was from a bygone era, a time when — according to many who hold to very conservative ideas and notions — things were good and proper and yummy in America. But really . . ....
The Return of the Ring
Okay, it’s a little corny, and yeah, I know the book is called The Return of the King, but let me wander just a bit. The one ring, the ring of power, forged generations ago in the fire of our nation’s beginning, has returned to its rightful place: The people. Forces of darkness sought the...
The Numbers
Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight organization has been following the state and national polls for quite some time now. (His emphasis is on the state polls.) As you can see from the charts and numbers, according to the state polling average, (and as a reminder, these are statistics, not politics), things don’t look good for Mr. “I’ll...
Politicians & Jellyfish
Sorry. I don’t mean to disparage jellyfish, but aside from certain politicians and more than a few talk-radio or television hosts, they’re the only spineless creatures I’m aware of. And I know I’m tilting at windmills every time I write about the juvenile behavior of some members of Congress, but jeez. I guess I just can’t help...
Lance And Bernie
I’m only one cup o’ Joe into the morning and it just hit me. (The epiphany, not the coffee.) Why I am fascinated with the Lance Armstrong scandal. It’s because Armstrong is the Bernie Madoff of sports. (You may prefer to insert Allen Stanford or Dietmar Machold or Chuck Ponzi or . . . ?)...
A Kindergarten Lesson
This post is part of an email exchange regarding Lance Armstrong, between me and my two, best friends. One is a retired attorney and the other is a Senior Superintendent for a large, commercial construction company. I include their comments because I highly value my friends’ opinions. Both make — to my way of...
Miscarriage Of Justice?
Many of you probably aren’t old enough to remember this terrible thing. Jeffrey MacDonald, a Special Forces trained, Army physician, was portrayed to be a monster; he murdered his pregnant wife and two daughters. At least that’s what the news reports told us. From the very beginning, MacDonald claimed he was innocent. He claimed he...
Boiling The Lance
Top o’ the morning to All. I’m working on my 23rd cuppa, or thereabouts, enjoying the beautifully clear, crispy-cold morning, and as usual, reading some news. There’s an article in this morning’s The NY Times front page, piling more background on top of the Lance Armstrong debacle. (“Lance, we never knew ye . . ....
It’s Clobberin’ Time!
About three years ago I was (somewhat constantly) groaning and moaning to any and all who would listen to me regarding Obama’s lack of fire when dealing with congressional Republicans. He bent over backwards to find a middle ground where something good for the country might be done. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership made it clear from...
