A little after 6:00 this morning, as usual, I started the coffee and flipped on the TV. CNN was showing our president being introduced at a prayer breakfast. A PRAYER breakfast!! How absolutely embarrassing!
I have no idea what President Obama believes deep in his own mind. But that is really beside the point in our society. He is bound and gagged, completely incapable of extrication from the bonds of traditional ignorance. Supreme intelligence in a human being is still overwhelmed by the need to bow and scrape to show humble acceptance of (and "obedience" to) a phantom being that supposedly exists somewhere out there!
I am personally and profoundly offended. The TV is now on the Golf Channel.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Left/Right, Human Plight
"When nothing goes right,............ go left."
The above quote drifted my way as part of an unrelated email topic. Upon reading it, I mused that this could (and should?) be a political axiom. Makes good sense in so many ways.
I also have oft repeated my own line of: "Two wrongs don't make a right - - - but three lefts will do it."
Think about it. It applied first to driving around city blocks, but now I'm seeing this could be applied politically as well!
And while on the general subject, I love reminding folks of my favorite slam against the hawk attitudes among us: "War never proves who is right - only who is left!"
The above quote drifted my way as part of an unrelated email topic. Upon reading it, I mused that this could (and should?) be a political axiom. Makes good sense in so many ways.
I also have oft repeated my own line of: "Two wrongs don't make a right - - - but three lefts will do it."
Think about it. It applied first to driving around city blocks, but now I'm seeing this could be applied politically as well!
And while on the general subject, I love reminding folks of my favorite slam against the hawk attitudes among us: "War never proves who is right - only who is left!"
Monday, February 3, 2014
SUPER(?) BOWL
Well, at least for you folks in Seattle area and your national fans, it was super. Congrats!
"Cousin" Peyton had never seen such a swarming, smothering defense. I hope he wasn't hurt other than in his pride. Funny that I had entered the game with a compassion for the Seahawks and fans, thinking there could be an embarrassing blow-out.
Oh, well - the 5-time MVP will survive and do just fine. Now onward to spring training baseball!
"Cousin" Peyton had never seen such a swarming, smothering defense. I hope he wasn't hurt other than in his pride. Funny that I had entered the game with a compassion for the Seahawks and fans, thinking there could be an embarrassing blow-out.
Oh, well - the 5-time MVP will survive and do just fine. Now onward to spring training baseball!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
State of Reality
Fifty years from now, I don't expect to be here. I certainly expect my grandson will be here, nearing 60 years of age.
It would not be logical to expect Barack Obama to still be here, but it is possible he will surpass the century mark and enjoy many years of post-presidency productivity.
What I DO expect to occur at some point while they both still occupy space on this planet, is that these two and millions of others will read historical accounts of this presidential administration that was one of the very most successful in our national history. And the honesty and devotion to fact that historians are known to possess will make them also point out that no president ever had to work so hard to accomplish what citizens wanted and needed, simply because the other elected politicians of his day comprised the most worthless congress on record. And the problem wasn't just that they were lacking in any practical ability to perform their job, they were instead devoted to an effort to impede the president's and the nation's steps forward.
With a huge stroke of luck, the 2014 elections may return control of the congress to people who want to help an amazingly capable chief executive to do an even greater job of building our country.
The view back from the future will surely prove what I assert today. I so wish I could be around to witness the written words of historians.
It would not be logical to expect Barack Obama to still be here, but it is possible he will surpass the century mark and enjoy many years of post-presidency productivity.
What I DO expect to occur at some point while they both still occupy space on this planet, is that these two and millions of others will read historical accounts of this presidential administration that was one of the very most successful in our national history. And the honesty and devotion to fact that historians are known to possess will make them also point out that no president ever had to work so hard to accomplish what citizens wanted and needed, simply because the other elected politicians of his day comprised the most worthless congress on record. And the problem wasn't just that they were lacking in any practical ability to perform their job, they were instead devoted to an effort to impede the president's and the nation's steps forward.
With a huge stroke of luck, the 2014 elections may return control of the congress to people who want to help an amazingly capable chief executive to do an even greater job of building our country.
The view back from the future will surely prove what I assert today. I so wish I could be around to witness the written words of historians.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Music Fulfills
Kudos to organizers of the Grammy Awards this year. Someone came to the realization that a great many old farts in the country might tune in (at least for some of the show) if it would yield a glimpse of Paul and Ringo. I caught part of it, then recorded the bulk of the show and sorted through it the next evening, naturally backing up the recording a time or two to more clearly see the oldies perform. It was deeply satisfying to see the remaining half of the Beatles, up there knocking out melodies as senior citizens. I even enjoyed watching Yoko bopping out to the music.
Much of the beat causing Yoko, Paul, Ringo and scores of others in the crowd to show lots of movement and pleasure, was provided by new young artists. Carole King also performed and she blended her rich old tones with those sharper new sounds of a recent arrival on the music scene. The youngster (name I can't recall) gushed later about the privilege of actually joining one of her greatest icons on the stage and Ms. King returned the comment that she was so glad to see the future of music in good hands. Quite a successful and entertaining duet, I felt personally.
And a successful awards program! No, I cannot say graciously that I enjoyed all of the show but I certainly appreciated a job well done and much of the output of new artists impressed me. Another youngster whose name I didn't know or remember, sang a powerful song with a message that all kids around the age of puberty should hear and heed. Amazing stuff coming out of young musicians - along with "stuff" that I cannot call amazing but certainly seems to turn on the youth of today. Hope "...it's all good."
Much of the beat causing Yoko, Paul, Ringo and scores of others in the crowd to show lots of movement and pleasure, was provided by new young artists. Carole King also performed and she blended her rich old tones with those sharper new sounds of a recent arrival on the music scene. The youngster (name I can't recall) gushed later about the privilege of actually joining one of her greatest icons on the stage and Ms. King returned the comment that she was so glad to see the future of music in good hands. Quite a successful and entertaining duet, I felt personally.
And a successful awards program! No, I cannot say graciously that I enjoyed all of the show but I certainly appreciated a job well done and much of the output of new artists impressed me. Another youngster whose name I didn't know or remember, sang a powerful song with a message that all kids around the age of puberty should hear and heed. Amazing stuff coming out of young musicians - along with "stuff" that I cannot call amazing but certainly seems to turn on the youth of today. Hope "...it's all good."
Monday, January 27, 2014
WTF Moment
A member of my own extended family - an otherwise intelligent lady - actually said to me yesterday that she would vote for Scott Walker as a presidential candidate.
Scott Walker! The man who is completely in the grasp of the Koch brothers and has turned Wisconsin into a tiny dictatorship; a man who angered his states citizens so much that they managed to set up a recall election but got thwarted by dirty-money politics.
Leading up to the state-of-the-union speech on Tuesday, people in television news are asking, "What IS the state of our union?" Apparently it's all fucked up!
If more of those idiot right wingnuts aren't ousted (the way Vagina Governor Bob McDonnell was) and maybe find justice coming down hard on them (the way FORMER Vagina Governor Bob McDonnell has), then much of our "union" will continue to be unified behind powerful madmen who want to see democracy destroyed.
Scott Walker! The man who is completely in the grasp of the Koch brothers and has turned Wisconsin into a tiny dictatorship; a man who angered his states citizens so much that they managed to set up a recall election but got thwarted by dirty-money politics.
Leading up to the state-of-the-union speech on Tuesday, people in television news are asking, "What IS the state of our union?" Apparently it's all fucked up!
If more of those idiot right wingnuts aren't ousted (the way Vagina Governor Bob McDonnell was) and maybe find justice coming down hard on them (the way FORMER Vagina Governor Bob McDonnell has), then much of our "union" will continue to be unified behind powerful madmen who want to see democracy destroyed.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
ATTITUDE
The word means so much - in many differing usages - but is so frequently tossed out in flippant or accusatory ways that the word itself is diminished in importance.
While in college, I was often told I had a "bad attitude," which was a criticism easily and very readily leveled at a rambunctious student in a church school where everyone was expected to be courting perfection. It occurs to me that even "close to perfect" attitudes are still subject to down-time and sometimes at the most unexpected moments, surprising everyone.
The (seemingly) considerate and "nice" fellow who was recently shot to death in a theater while texting, may not have been the slightest bit concerned about his "attitude" leading up to the split second of his death. The retired police captain who shot the young father for texting and not responding to warnings to stop, certainly could have better maintained a "good attitude" and refrained from drawing his gun in the situation. Perhaps this was a "nice guy" also, but one who had been through something frustrating or devastating prior to the event in the theater.
It's too bad that attitude isn't more consistently balanced and controlled by humans.
The ordinarily nice young man could have simply recognized that his use of the cell phone in a theater might be a nuisance to others and he could have stepped out to the lobby or outdoors to phone the day-care center to check on his little daughter. But for that short time when his mind was completely on making sure his two-year-old was okay, he wasn't quite completely in control of his "attitude."
The former police captain who still carried his side-arm everywhere certainly could have done any one of a number of things short of drawing his weapon to confront another human who was there as a short-term near neighbor to enjoy some entertainment. But he drew the gun because at that moment, his "attitude" was not at all under control. He somehow felt he had the right to react the way he did and that deadly force was acceptable.
It wasn't acceptable. It rarely is. But then, any use of deadly force EVER - by ANY human or trained army of shooters - should be considered unacceptable. Humans as a species don't see it this way. The very reason guns are everywhere present in our world is that humans would often rather kill someone than to keep their own attitudes in control.
People have laughed at me for saying a gun has no place in my home. The reason I make that statement is simple: a gun in my possession would be completely unused until the unfortunate time when it would be MISused. I could never shoot another human, so a gun in my possession would be completely foolish.
My simpler statement: guns are foolish! That's my attitude.
While in college, I was often told I had a "bad attitude," which was a criticism easily and very readily leveled at a rambunctious student in a church school where everyone was expected to be courting perfection. It occurs to me that even "close to perfect" attitudes are still subject to down-time and sometimes at the most unexpected moments, surprising everyone.
The (seemingly) considerate and "nice" fellow who was recently shot to death in a theater while texting, may not have been the slightest bit concerned about his "attitude" leading up to the split second of his death. The retired police captain who shot the young father for texting and not responding to warnings to stop, certainly could have better maintained a "good attitude" and refrained from drawing his gun in the situation. Perhaps this was a "nice guy" also, but one who had been through something frustrating or devastating prior to the event in the theater.
It's too bad that attitude isn't more consistently balanced and controlled by humans.
The ordinarily nice young man could have simply recognized that his use of the cell phone in a theater might be a nuisance to others and he could have stepped out to the lobby or outdoors to phone the day-care center to check on his little daughter. But for that short time when his mind was completely on making sure his two-year-old was okay, he wasn't quite completely in control of his "attitude."
The former police captain who still carried his side-arm everywhere certainly could have done any one of a number of things short of drawing his weapon to confront another human who was there as a short-term near neighbor to enjoy some entertainment. But he drew the gun because at that moment, his "attitude" was not at all under control. He somehow felt he had the right to react the way he did and that deadly force was acceptable.
It wasn't acceptable. It rarely is. But then, any use of deadly force EVER - by ANY human or trained army of shooters - should be considered unacceptable. Humans as a species don't see it this way. The very reason guns are everywhere present in our world is that humans would often rather kill someone than to keep their own attitudes in control.
People have laughed at me for saying a gun has no place in my home. The reason I make that statement is simple: a gun in my possession would be completely unused until the unfortunate time when it would be MISused. I could never shoot another human, so a gun in my possession would be completely foolish.
My simpler statement: guns are foolish! That's my attitude.
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