The Egg and I
This article by Gail Collins got me to thinking. Quick Aside: Gail Collins often gets me to thinking and chuckling and weeping upon occasion. Good stuff, that. Truth be told, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld frequently had the same effect upon me. But for significantly different reasons. Where was I? Oh...
Writing Good
George Orwell . . . Animal Farm . . . Politics. The Eton-honed author wrote some marvelously good books and essays, and if you enjoy reading but haven’t yet sampled any of his work, shame on you. Granted, his oeuvre (how’s that for a $5.00 word?) walks a rather dark path at times, but much...
Guns, A Continuing Discussion Pt. 9
I just read an April 18th article by Bill Keller of The New York Times. I think the two of us see fairly eye to eye when it comes to guns, and his article got me to thinking about the issue again. He quotes some politicians who have been digging their proverbial heels into...
Greed & Co.
Every now and then I stumble across something that gives my belly a serious twist; stories that are so difficult to believe, they seem to come from a Hollywood script. Imagine you’re the parent of a little child. Imagine that child has a life-threatening disease that is essentially untreatable but for one medicine available to...
Guns, A Continuing Discussion Pt. 6
Got logic? “The only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” Wayne LaPierre. While I grasp the initial attraction to LaPierre’s bad guy/good guy thing, the underlying logic runs down a twisty, dark rabbit hole. Human nature, unbound and unfettered by national boundaries, will...
Thelma & Louise & the Fiscal Cliff
Remember when T&L whooshed off the cliff? Yes, it was just a movie, but consider a couple of things. They careened off that particular cliff by their own choosing. They didn’t have to. They’d made a number of rather unfortunate choices earlier that boxed them into an emotional corner, but remember, those choices (for...
Guns, A Continuing Discussion Pt. 3
The following post shares my comments from a correspondence with a dear friend regarding the horror that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I include it here because I think it’s relevant to our Village. My initial reply: I agree with you on almost everything you’ve written, and the part with which I...
Please Don’t Let It Break
Please Don’t Let It Break. If, on some sunny, cheerful morn, the bridge I happen to be traversing, (whist silently pleading, “Please don’t let it break, please don’t let it break”), chooses that particular moment to heave a sigh of frustration, and collapse into the swirling maelstrom, I can assure you ONE of my...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Function 920
Welcome to the Congressional Budget. No, I’m not a government policy wonk. Truth be told, crunching through congressional budget numbers is one of my definitions of hell. That being said, it’s worth noting that there are folks in and about Congress who anticipate citizen apathy toward all things budgetary, and they plan accordingly. Actually, when...
Why It Matters
— I occasionally choose to exhume older posts, simply as a reminder. This one is from April 18, 2011 — Most of you reading this post … I’m assuming a few of you actually do read this … are too young to be personally concerned with things like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. But you...
