Current online, print media and TV pundits convince me that most talking heads are way behind the American electorate. I see much better perspective amongst a wide variety of "ordinary" citizens.
Once people acknowledge that they do not want to be limited by categories such as class, ethnics, economics, gender, location, unionization, politics or any other "social" preferences, they become dangerous to those whose seek power over them. The effort of some to paint Wall Street demonstrators with the same brush as the Taxed Enough Already illustrates the ease with which power brokers may muddy the political waters. Is it any wonder that, arising from the muck, a multitude now cries for the end of politics as usual?
If ever there was a time for each of us to jump our traces, surely it is now. Right now, we have an opportunity to see Cain, who like most of us has never held political office, cheerfully navigate shark infested waters that deter many a devout U.S. citizen from taking his turn at shouldering the public wheel. Here on the table, again, is the question as to whether it is still possible for an honest accomplished businessman like our Founding Fathers to jumpstart free market capitalism. The stakes couldn't be higher considering that so far, despite many plans to the contrary, this economic structure is the only demonstrated engine of our defense against tyranny both at home and abroad.
Granted there may be a better financial driver, but until it surfaces, picking apart every effort to keep capitalism productive and lolling about in sleeping bags on Wall Street is sure to kill our motor. Yes, capitalism requires regulation, but not at the expense of those who, through their actions, stoutly defend honesty as the best policy. Have we not all faced this battlefront? Who, for instance, has not once in a while run into a buzz saw while trying to explain a personal perspective?
If not Cain, rather the usual political alternatives, how about drafting Steve Wynn? Odds are this Las Vegas titan's demonstrated success in respectful American business practices coupled with his compelling delivery of his objections to the current regime would save the day.
Fortunately, it's our call. Once more, we, the people, will soon determine whether a nation conceived in liberty with a government of, by and for "ordinary" people can long stand.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Getting Mail
We all get mail, right? Betcha there's no one out there likely to read my musings who isn't flooded with snail and e-mail, most of which can't possibly be reciprocated without unlimited time, energy and monetary resources. Since I can't imagine anyone under the sun has all that, I feel happily in tune, this morning, with my own hunt and peck system for staying in the loop.
My legacy of positive thinking was particularly useful to the matters of my yesterday. Last night, I couldn’t resist sending out an all points bulletin about a presidential candidate who lifts my hopes for our exceptional republic. No matter what may come, I will gladly hold to the momentum I got from my mail today. For instance:
An old faithful childhood pal mailed me one of his upbeat forwards. I replied as follows:
Thanks for a nice fit for my exchange with my first born as her first born arrives with his platoon in Afghanistan today. First thing this morning she thanked me for my political message and I replied, “It was all I could do to keep from notifying our most precious brave soldier, yesterday, that I'm working hard on getting him Commander in Chief Cain :>) Wishing you the peace that passeth all understanding as your wonderful son moves on in his well chosen field of endeavor, thanks to your fine guidance."
As you may guess, I am very grateful for my daughter’s reassuring response:
"Thank you for your generous appreciation. It IS all in God's hands, as it always is, and I am striving to live by the fruits of the spirit and Phillipians 4: 4-9. Love you."
Dear friend, I hope this message conveys my gratitude to you for staying in touch with me. No wonder I still hold onto the notion that love is what keeps this old world turning.
Cheers!
My legacy of positive thinking was particularly useful to the matters of my yesterday. Last night, I couldn’t resist sending out an all points bulletin about a presidential candidate who lifts my hopes for our exceptional republic. No matter what may come, I will gladly hold to the momentum I got from my mail today. For instance:
An old faithful childhood pal mailed me one of his upbeat forwards. I replied as follows:
Thanks for a nice fit for my exchange with my first born as her first born arrives with his platoon in Afghanistan today. First thing this morning she thanked me for my political message and I replied, “It was all I could do to keep from notifying our most precious brave soldier, yesterday, that I'm working hard on getting him Commander in Chief Cain :>) Wishing you the peace that passeth all understanding as your wonderful son moves on in his well chosen field of endeavor, thanks to your fine guidance."
As you may guess, I am very grateful for my daughter’s reassuring response:
"Thank you for your generous appreciation. It IS all in God's hands, as it always is, and I am striving to live by the fruits of the spirit and Phillipians 4: 4-9. Love you."
Dear friend, I hope this message conveys my gratitude to you for staying in touch with me. No wonder I still hold onto the notion that love is what keeps this old world turning.
Cheers!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
In honor of my circle
Amongst a few friendly souls seated in a comfortable circle winding down a lovely backyard family party, my son said he wished more people felt free to share their thoughts about what's going on. Music to my ears, and the key word to others, also, must have been "share."
Fortunately, I hesitated, for a moment before offering copies of a tiny booklet I had tucked in my purse, "just in case." Otherwise, we would not have enjoyed yet another treat of the day from our genial host remarking that he thinks most people just want to do what's best for our country. Following full company agreement, I then asked if anyone would like to look at the booklet I have found useful in my study of current events and the fine gentleman to my left held out a hand. When he read the cover aloud, my host chuckled and advised me, "He's a liberal, you know," which I didn't. Maybe I should have, from the conversation we'd had earlier about his vast store of history on our local Giant Sequoias. But I have many friends a bit younger than I who share a productive perspective with me about what they call their "tree hugging days." I have a life-long fondness for the unique beauty nature provides my locale. I smiled when the gentleman to my left politely said he would put the booklet in his backpack and offered his description of himself as “an old fashioned liberal, more like an old fashioned conservative."
We all spoke of various ways in which a community might take back responsibility for the "safety net" currently provided by government that appears, once again, to be choking off individual endeavor. A thoughtful counter-argument ensued with reference to Giant Sequoias slain a century ago by the relentless sense of manifest destiny in the American lumber business. "Those folks thought then that the bounty of the land in America was endless," said the man to my left, and we all agreed people must be good stewards of our planet.
Then, surprise, surprise! Instead of producing a long list of evils inflicted by man upon nature, the man on my left led the discussion to a consideration of the present economic dangers of too many regulations. Again, good fortune at my side, I resisted the urge to plunge into my own list of evils in that regard. That was when I realized my luck is always in the company that I keep. He had earlier encouraged my passionate recollection of a failed effort to draw a community to good works, stifled by residents of means who had declined to contribute because they said, "We already pay enough taxes to take care of that sort of thing." I said I could only wish I'd had enough sense then to address that issue usefully with these friends I knew had our nation's best interests at heart.
All of a sudden, I could hear myself exclaiming, “What I wish I had said was, ‘Hey –what would you rather do with your money: give it to the government threshing machine or directly produce what you see most useful?’” – and everybody laughed. And that’s when I knew I’d finally accomplished the purpose of all my ranting for the last several years. At least, what appears to me now is that I may have achieved a useful sense of humor.
Thank you, Jerry Seinfeld! It really has helped me a lot to sit at my word processor as I review daily events on the tube and type “yadayadayada . . .”
Fortunately, I hesitated, for a moment before offering copies of a tiny booklet I had tucked in my purse, "just in case." Otherwise, we would not have enjoyed yet another treat of the day from our genial host remarking that he thinks most people just want to do what's best for our country. Following full company agreement, I then asked if anyone would like to look at the booklet I have found useful in my study of current events and the fine gentleman to my left held out a hand. When he read the cover aloud, my host chuckled and advised me, "He's a liberal, you know," which I didn't. Maybe I should have, from the conversation we'd had earlier about his vast store of history on our local Giant Sequoias. But I have many friends a bit younger than I who share a productive perspective with me about what they call their "tree hugging days." I have a life-long fondness for the unique beauty nature provides my locale. I smiled when the gentleman to my left politely said he would put the booklet in his backpack and offered his description of himself as “an old fashioned liberal, more like an old fashioned conservative."
We all spoke of various ways in which a community might take back responsibility for the "safety net" currently provided by government that appears, once again, to be choking off individual endeavor. A thoughtful counter-argument ensued with reference to Giant Sequoias slain a century ago by the relentless sense of manifest destiny in the American lumber business. "Those folks thought then that the bounty of the land in America was endless," said the man to my left, and we all agreed people must be good stewards of our planet.
Then, surprise, surprise! Instead of producing a long list of evils inflicted by man upon nature, the man on my left led the discussion to a consideration of the present economic dangers of too many regulations. Again, good fortune at my side, I resisted the urge to plunge into my own list of evils in that regard. That was when I realized my luck is always in the company that I keep. He had earlier encouraged my passionate recollection of a failed effort to draw a community to good works, stifled by residents of means who had declined to contribute because they said, "We already pay enough taxes to take care of that sort of thing." I said I could only wish I'd had enough sense then to address that issue usefully with these friends I knew had our nation's best interests at heart.
All of a sudden, I could hear myself exclaiming, “What I wish I had said was, ‘Hey –what would you rather do with your money: give it to the government threshing machine or directly produce what you see most useful?’” – and everybody laughed. And that’s when I knew I’d finally accomplished the purpose of all my ranting for the last several years. At least, what appears to me now is that I may have achieved a useful sense of humor.
Thank you, Jerry Seinfeld! It really has helped me a lot to sit at my word processor as I review daily events on the tube and type “yadayadayada . . .”
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
So, is the party over?
Is it just about as bad as it gets yet?
I wonder if this man feels bad about what he said - as reported Monday, August 01, 2011, by Nicholas Ballasy:
(CNSNews.com) – Congressman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). . . claimed . . ."These ‘Tea Partiers,’ as willing conspirators with their so-called leadership have enacted on a plan to dismantle the American government and in the process, we have lost our moral compass," . . . when speaking with the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus last week.
You know how they say what you call other people is probably true of you? From what I hear, this Congressman favors President Obama who has stated he wants to change America. It has also been reported that this member of the House of Representatives grilled a Vice Admiral of the Navy about the dangers of the "very narrow island of Guam tipping over, if there would be too may sailors stationed on this very narrow island" I admire how this Vice Admiral is said to have managed to assure the Congressman in a very measured voice that there really was no danger yet of the island tipping over.
Once again, I'm wondering why Congressmen such as Mr. Johnson are still in the business of shaping the future of my nation. I can't help but also wonder if he really believes what he's saying. I have said things about others that make me feel stupid and bad about myself. I suppose that's why I keep stopping myself and trying to find something better to say for myself.
What I hope is that America will get through this time of confusion and back to a better show of itself. What I keep wishing is that I could figure out how to be of some help in clearing up the confusion.
RE news (at least to me) that we recently sent two school administrators to Cuba to learn how the Cubans educate their children, I am reminded of an old friend, sweet guy, trying to convert me to liberalism telling of his trip to Cuba with fellow Superior Court Judges sponsored by our friendly U.S. Government. Talk about confusing. His wife packed gift bags of asprin and other basics he said Cubans are lacking, and then raved when he returned about the enlightenment he'd seen in Cuban politics. Go figure why the last fifteen years our courts have been bleeding out.
We're still old friends, this now happily retired judge and I, but he limits his contact with me to faithful birthday greetings. I suspect we don't have many left between us, yet I'm hopeful that the spirit of our good will towards one another will linger on in this sorely troubled land we both love.
On Tea Party Nation, a website that favors my interest in fiscal sanity, comes a review of a media double standard when it comes to violent rhetoric. After screaming for so long about every possible hint of a suggestion of a possibility of violent speech from the Right, it’s amazing what will be forgiven when it comes from the Left:
Tom Friedman — who knows a bit about Hezbollah — calls the tea partiers the “Hezbollah faction” of the GOP bent on taking the country on a “suicide mission.” All over the place, conservative Republicans are “hostage takers” and “terrorists,” . . . and “traitors.” They want to “end life as we know it on this planet,” says Nancy Pelosi. They are betraying the founders, too. Chris Matthews all but signs up for the “Make an Ass of Yourself” contest at the State Fair. Joe Nocera writes today that “the Tea Party Republicans can put aside their suicide vests.” Lord knows what Krugman and Olbermann have said.
I guess you just have to have "been there" to see how self-destructive it is to wish dead everyone you think has done you wrong.
Reviewer Moe Lane wonders whether attempts by some moderate media types "calling out egregious Lefty violators of the civility principle on either the talk shows – or the cocktail party circuit – " will help or harm their careers. "But then," as he says, "the rest of us have suffered socially for our beliefs and our affiliations; why the heck should they be immune to that?" adding, "I am a moderate Republican on social issues, after all. I’ve just simply avoided the subtly insidious trap of getting into the unethical habit of sneering at more socially conservative friends in order to try to curry favor with socially moderate enemies. I am not the only squishy Republican in the United States of America who is capable of making that choice."
I can relate to Mr. Lane, being tempted to call myself a Libertarian after developing a fondness for John Stossell's common sense review of the folly of too much regulation of one guy's life by another. On the other hand, I used to get so confused as a church member about what's liberal and what's conservative. So, now I just take matters on a case by case basis as to what I want conserved and how my conservation efforts may be liberally sprinkled with the gift of human kindness. I guess that doesn't make me much of a partier, but at least I'm glad I'm still having fun.
I wonder if this man feels bad about what he said - as reported Monday, August 01, 2011, by Nicholas Ballasy:
(CNSNews.com) – Congressman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). . . claimed . . ."These ‘Tea Partiers,’ as willing conspirators with their so-called leadership have enacted on a plan to dismantle the American government and in the process, we have lost our moral compass," . . . when speaking with the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus last week.
You know how they say what you call other people is probably true of you? From what I hear, this Congressman favors President Obama who has stated he wants to change America. It has also been reported that this member of the House of Representatives grilled a Vice Admiral of the Navy about the dangers of the "very narrow island of Guam tipping over, if there would be too may sailors stationed on this very narrow island" I admire how this Vice Admiral is said to have managed to assure the Congressman in a very measured voice that there really was no danger yet of the island tipping over.
Once again, I'm wondering why Congressmen such as Mr. Johnson are still in the business of shaping the future of my nation. I can't help but also wonder if he really believes what he's saying. I have said things about others that make me feel stupid and bad about myself. I suppose that's why I keep stopping myself and trying to find something better to say for myself.
What I hope is that America will get through this time of confusion and back to a better show of itself. What I keep wishing is that I could figure out how to be of some help in clearing up the confusion.
RE news (at least to me) that we recently sent two school administrators to Cuba to learn how the Cubans educate their children, I am reminded of an old friend, sweet guy, trying to convert me to liberalism telling of his trip to Cuba with fellow Superior Court Judges sponsored by our friendly U.S. Government. Talk about confusing. His wife packed gift bags of asprin and other basics he said Cubans are lacking, and then raved when he returned about the enlightenment he'd seen in Cuban politics. Go figure why the last fifteen years our courts have been bleeding out.
We're still old friends, this now happily retired judge and I, but he limits his contact with me to faithful birthday greetings. I suspect we don't have many left between us, yet I'm hopeful that the spirit of our good will towards one another will linger on in this sorely troubled land we both love.
On Tea Party Nation, a website that favors my interest in fiscal sanity, comes a review of a media double standard when it comes to violent rhetoric. After screaming for so long about every possible hint of a suggestion of a possibility of violent speech from the Right, it’s amazing what will be forgiven when it comes from the Left:
Tom Friedman — who knows a bit about Hezbollah — calls the tea partiers the “Hezbollah faction” of the GOP bent on taking the country on a “suicide mission.” All over the place, conservative Republicans are “hostage takers” and “terrorists,” . . . and “traitors.” They want to “end life as we know it on this planet,” says Nancy Pelosi. They are betraying the founders, too. Chris Matthews all but signs up for the “Make an Ass of Yourself” contest at the State Fair. Joe Nocera writes today that “the Tea Party Republicans can put aside their suicide vests.” Lord knows what Krugman and Olbermann have said.
I guess you just have to have "been there" to see how self-destructive it is to wish dead everyone you think has done you wrong.
Reviewer Moe Lane wonders whether attempts by some moderate media types "calling out egregious Lefty violators of the civility principle on either the talk shows – or the cocktail party circuit – " will help or harm their careers. "But then," as he says, "the rest of us have suffered socially for our beliefs and our affiliations; why the heck should they be immune to that?" adding, "I am a moderate Republican on social issues, after all. I’ve just simply avoided the subtly insidious trap of getting into the unethical habit of sneering at more socially conservative friends in order to try to curry favor with socially moderate enemies. I am not the only squishy Republican in the United States of America who is capable of making that choice."
I can relate to Mr. Lane, being tempted to call myself a Libertarian after developing a fondness for John Stossell's common sense review of the folly of too much regulation of one guy's life by another. On the other hand, I used to get so confused as a church member about what's liberal and what's conservative. So, now I just take matters on a case by case basis as to what I want conserved and how my conservation efforts may be liberally sprinkled with the gift of human kindness. I guess that doesn't make me much of a partier, but at least I'm glad I'm still having fun.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Cheers!
How's this for financially encouraging words from teapartynation.com today?
"As I read the Constitution, Congress writes the laws and you get to decide what you are going to sign.”
Wow! There is a high and tight fastball aimed right at Obama. Can you guess who the pitcher is? It will shock you. It was none other than John Boehner. No freshly laundered white flag of surrender for him on Saturday. He was giving Obama some chin music. Has Boehner seen the light? Or just responding to the pressure from freshmen and from the people who are telling Boehner this time, no surrender.
Boehner is a politician so I know all too well not to get excited about him, but this is the power of the Tea Party at work. Boehner is not capitulating, at least not now."
(What follows are highlights of TPN's weekend Twitter "intervention" strategy)
- "Beltwayaddicts.com is the website for the intervention. The plan is very simple . . . social media as well as personal contacts with our Representatives to tell them to stop spending (for starters) $2.6 million of our tax dollars on a program to teach Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly, close to a million to study methane production from cows or to digitize images from concerts by the band, The Grateful Dead, $1.8 million to a museum for neon signs in Las Vegas, $35 million to phantom medical clinics that never existed . . . classic sign of an addiction."
- ". . . the Twitter Tea Party this weekend and the Washington Spending Addiction Intervention this week (are advising that) the government does not deserve any more of America’s money when it cannot even manage what it already has. Now is the time to keep the pressure on. Now they are listening. Now, we are winning."
. . . although Twitter is beyond me, here's my reply to this TPN article:
"BRAVO!!! - and my two cents worth about Speaker Boehner. I know that guy, not personally of course, but I've hung around with guys like him all my life so I can tell you even the best of character needs cheering from the stands. Our "players" may not always hear it, but the brave hearted feel the energy! Go, Go Go!!!"
OK, your turn - am I still too naive, too optimistic - or does it make sense for me to be fueling off my own merry-go-round?
"As I read the Constitution, Congress writes the laws and you get to decide what you are going to sign.”
Wow! There is a high and tight fastball aimed right at Obama. Can you guess who the pitcher is? It will shock you. It was none other than John Boehner. No freshly laundered white flag of surrender for him on Saturday. He was giving Obama some chin music. Has Boehner seen the light? Or just responding to the pressure from freshmen and from the people who are telling Boehner this time, no surrender.
Boehner is a politician so I know all too well not to get excited about him, but this is the power of the Tea Party at work. Boehner is not capitulating, at least not now."
(What follows are highlights of TPN's weekend Twitter "intervention" strategy)
- "Beltwayaddicts.com is the website for the intervention. The plan is very simple . . . social media as well as personal contacts with our Representatives to tell them to stop spending (for starters) $2.6 million of our tax dollars on a program to teach Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly, close to a million to study methane production from cows or to digitize images from concerts by the band, The Grateful Dead, $1.8 million to a museum for neon signs in Las Vegas, $35 million to phantom medical clinics that never existed . . . classic sign of an addiction."
- ". . . the Twitter Tea Party this weekend and the Washington Spending Addiction Intervention this week (are advising that) the government does not deserve any more of America’s money when it cannot even manage what it already has. Now is the time to keep the pressure on. Now they are listening. Now, we are winning."
. . . although Twitter is beyond me, here's my reply to this TPN article:
"BRAVO!!! - and my two cents worth about Speaker Boehner. I know that guy, not personally of course, but I've hung around with guys like him all my life so I can tell you even the best of character needs cheering from the stands. Our "players" may not always hear it, but the brave hearted feel the energy! Go, Go Go!!!"
OK, your turn - am I still too naive, too optimistic - or does it make sense for me to be fueling off my own merry-go-round?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Are We Vital or What?
- gotta do this . . . gotta keep trying . . . gotta share wherever I'm welcome what I just spouted off to my local CVTP, hoping that somewhere along the line I connect with people who can get we, the people, off the blocks and back into preserving our precious union!
Dear Fellow Patriots. if you are so inclined, take a look at what I just sent Bill O'Reilly
(like I think he's ever going to read a word I say - but last night was just plain the last straw for me! His total disregard for the thought that some of his audience may include something besides baby birds waiting in our nests for him to drop his worms of wisdom into our open beaks reminds me of Obama! - and if he doesn't respond to me, that will be the substance of the next message I send him )
Bill, with all due respect, it's your turn to listen! Stop looking out for me until you hear me out and learn who I am! This isn't about you or me - it's about U.S. staying alive, right? I offer you the following perspective from my point of view because I don't think you mean to divide and conquer and I think we need each other's company.
I just heard Dennis Miller say, "You can have everything, but if you don't feel vital you have nothing." Since you and I both feel vital to the process of staying alive in America, please consider the following:
- Call to arms from Erick at redstate.com:
"The President today (July 12) signaled his willingness to shoot the hostage. (i.e.: senior citizens' social security and military checks). The GOP should do the same — show an absolute unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling without their balanced budget amendment passing out of Congress to the states."
- Drawing the battle lines:
"Jim Pethokoukis notes a Goldman Sachs report showing there will be plenty of money flowing into the treasury in August for the government to pay its debt obligations, pay social security obligations, pay military obligations, and avoid default. But Obama won’t let facts stand in the way of starving senior citizens to score political points against the GOP."
- Surge strategy outlined by Senator DeMint (R-SC):
"Republicans need to stop worrying about their own political careers and demonstrate the courage our country needs in this critical time.
Change in Washington means changing the people we send there.
The only way forward . . . the only acceptable trade-off for raising the debt limit is to (1) immediately CUT spending, (2) CAP spending out into the future, and (3) pass a constitutional amendment to force Congress to BALANCE the budget every year. This is the only way to ensure that this is the last time the debt limit will ever be raised again."
- The Wall Street Journal teetering on the front line:
"The tea party/talk-radio expectations for what Republicans can accomplish over the debt-limit showdown have always been unrealistic. As former Senator Phil Gramm once told us, never take a hostage you’re not prepared to shoot. Republicans aren’t prepared to stop a debt-limit increase because the political costs are unbearable. Republicans might have played this game better, but the truth is that Mr. Obama has more cards to play."
- and I say, come on folks - let's be men not mice!!! I'm with Erick here:
"Again and again, Congress folds to the doomsday scenarios. The Wall Street Journal again and again claims the sky will fall and the markets will crash. The suits come down from New York and paint the disaster scenario. The GOP falls in line. TARP is passed. What else will be passed?
This time, the GOP should embrace the apocalyptic future, call B.S. on the fear mongering, and shoot their debt ceiling hostage. If they engage in politics as usual as the Wall Street Journal and Mitch McConnell would have them, we’ll be back in this mess again next year.
Politics as usual usually gets us here. If we want to move back to fiscal sanity, we need to try a different approach."
This morning, one young lion of my close acquaintance said, "We drop a bomb on DC!!! That's how we fix this." I'm only one of many he knows are willing to sacrifice our social security checks in behalf of his best business practices. So, what do you think? Aren't we the bomb - we who refuse to cave to politics as usual this time around?
Thank you for your attention and consideration of how we may work together for the preservation of our Republic.
C. Brooks Nielsen
Visalia, CA
cbn, citizen journalist, Char Speaks or http://cbnielsen.blogspot.com/
Dear Fellow Patriots. if you are so inclined, take a look at what I just sent Bill O'Reilly
(like I think he's ever going to read a word I say - but last night was just plain the last straw for me! His total disregard for the thought that some of his audience may include something besides baby birds waiting in our nests for him to drop his worms of wisdom into our open beaks reminds me of Obama! - and if he doesn't respond to me, that will be the substance of the next message I send him )
Bill, with all due respect, it's your turn to listen! Stop looking out for me until you hear me out and learn who I am! This isn't about you or me - it's about U.S. staying alive, right? I offer you the following perspective from my point of view because I don't think you mean to divide and conquer and I think we need each other's company.
I just heard Dennis Miller say, "You can have everything, but if you don't feel vital you have nothing." Since you and I both feel vital to the process of staying alive in America, please consider the following:
- Call to arms from Erick at redstate.com:
"The President today (July 12) signaled his willingness to shoot the hostage. (i.e.: senior citizens' social security and military checks). The GOP should do the same — show an absolute unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling without their balanced budget amendment passing out of Congress to the states."
- Drawing the battle lines:
"Jim Pethokoukis notes a Goldman Sachs report showing there will be plenty of money flowing into the treasury in August for the government to pay its debt obligations, pay social security obligations, pay military obligations, and avoid default. But Obama won’t let facts stand in the way of starving senior citizens to score political points against the GOP."
- Surge strategy outlined by Senator DeMint (R-SC):
"Republicans need to stop worrying about their own political careers and demonstrate the courage our country needs in this critical time.
Change in Washington means changing the people we send there.
The only way forward . . . the only acceptable trade-off for raising the debt limit is to (1) immediately CUT spending, (2) CAP spending out into the future, and (3) pass a constitutional amendment to force Congress to BALANCE the budget every year. This is the only way to ensure that this is the last time the debt limit will ever be raised again."
- The Wall Street Journal teetering on the front line:
"The tea party/talk-radio expectations for what Republicans can accomplish over the debt-limit showdown have always been unrealistic. As former Senator Phil Gramm once told us, never take a hostage you’re not prepared to shoot. Republicans aren’t prepared to stop a debt-limit increase because the political costs are unbearable. Republicans might have played this game better, but the truth is that Mr. Obama has more cards to play."
- and I say, come on folks - let's be men not mice!!! I'm with Erick here:
"Again and again, Congress folds to the doomsday scenarios. The Wall Street Journal again and again claims the sky will fall and the markets will crash. The suits come down from New York and paint the disaster scenario. The GOP falls in line. TARP is passed. What else will be passed?
This time, the GOP should embrace the apocalyptic future, call B.S. on the fear mongering, and shoot their debt ceiling hostage. If they engage in politics as usual as the Wall Street Journal and Mitch McConnell would have them, we’ll be back in this mess again next year.
Politics as usual usually gets us here. If we want to move back to fiscal sanity, we need to try a different approach."
This morning, one young lion of my close acquaintance said, "We drop a bomb on DC!!! That's how we fix this." I'm only one of many he knows are willing to sacrifice our social security checks in behalf of his best business practices. So, what do you think? Aren't we the bomb - we who refuse to cave to politics as usual this time around?
Thank you for your attention and consideration of how we may work together for the preservation of our Republic.
C. Brooks Nielsen
Visalia, CA
cbn, citizen journalist, Char Speaks or http://cbnielsen.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Best of the Best
"Joe Louis was the first black hero of white Americans, as well as black Americans. The dignity and sportsmanship with which he conducted himself had much to do with changing the image of black people in general, and eventually opening many doors for them.
In those days, you didn't have to act like a lout to try to show that you were black. Acting like a gentleman was something admired by blacks and whites alike.
Louis engaged in none of the cheap, show-off antics that have become all too common among boxers of a later era. He came to the ring to do a job, and he did it professionally, skillfully and with devastating results. He still holds the record for the most one-round knockouts in heavyweight championship fights."
- written by Dr. Thomas Sowell, another of those door openers, in his case to better economic prospects for everyone
I wish Whoopie Goldberg would get a grip on herself and stop ruining her own good professional standing by ranting over every imagined slight to whatever "demographics" she associates with herself. Maybe it's just "The View" that has tainted her good nature. If so, hopefully she will look around and see that she's dealing herself out of her own promise.
Meanwhile, I wonder if Whoopie is suffering, like so many other self-afflicted types I've known, from a lack of sufficient mothering. It appears to me that everyone I know who has fallen into his own reflection in the pond is still begging his mother (or a reasonable facsimile) to save him.
Pardon the politically incorrect pronoun reference here, but I'm tired of trying to be so . . . . inclusive about everything. I once tried to invent a non-gender-specific pronoun to make my writing life easier, but all I could come up with is "heshit" which is entirely too incivil for my tastes. Besides, I take no affront at being referred to as a member of mankind. Oh, well, each to his own - at least that's what I will keep thinking until they deliver the knockout punch to my individuality, and even then, I doubt the music will come to an entire halt.
In those days, you didn't have to act like a lout to try to show that you were black. Acting like a gentleman was something admired by blacks and whites alike.
Louis engaged in none of the cheap, show-off antics that have become all too common among boxers of a later era. He came to the ring to do a job, and he did it professionally, skillfully and with devastating results. He still holds the record for the most one-round knockouts in heavyweight championship fights."
- written by Dr. Thomas Sowell, another of those door openers, in his case to better economic prospects for everyone
I wish Whoopie Goldberg would get a grip on herself and stop ruining her own good professional standing by ranting over every imagined slight to whatever "demographics" she associates with herself. Maybe it's just "The View" that has tainted her good nature. If so, hopefully she will look around and see that she's dealing herself out of her own promise.
Meanwhile, I wonder if Whoopie is suffering, like so many other self-afflicted types I've known, from a lack of sufficient mothering. It appears to me that everyone I know who has fallen into his own reflection in the pond is still begging his mother (or a reasonable facsimile) to save him.
Pardon the politically incorrect pronoun reference here, but I'm tired of trying to be so . . . . inclusive about everything. I once tried to invent a non-gender-specific pronoun to make my writing life easier, but all I could come up with is "heshit" which is entirely too incivil for my tastes. Besides, I take no affront at being referred to as a member of mankind. Oh, well, each to his own - at least that's what I will keep thinking until they deliver the knockout punch to my individuality, and even then, I doubt the music will come to an entire halt.
Friday, July 1, 2011
"Oh, oh, oh, just listen to the music!”
I can hardly wait for July 4th! Every year I'm more grateful for my American Independence. I had to laugh, today, when I heard that one of our esteemed halls of ivy claims Fourth of July celebrations are not good for democracy. According to a Harvard University study, kids who participate in this holiday are more likely to grow up to be Republicans. That probably makes some sense if we're just talking about labels. After all, America is not a democracy, rather having been conceived as a republican form of government.
But, then labels do not a country make, at least not this country! Fortunately, we are free to march to our own drums in America, argue our heads off and call ourselves and each other any names we want. That makes me ever fonder of crooning this song along my own parade route:
There's a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And a white moon beams:
There's a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams all come true;
Till the day when I'll be going down
That long, long trail with you.
Written in 1915, its words were penned by Stoddard King and its music by Alonzo "Zo" Elliott; the song proved popular among America's newly-departed Doughboys during WWI. I figure if it was good enough for those guys to march to, it's good for me, too!
It was also good for me to start out this year touring The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, the first of its kind in the United States, built and operated by a non-profit organization. Since its opening in June of 2009, this world-class facility right outside the gates of the Fort Benning Maneuver Center of Excellence, honors infantrymen, past, present and future. Throughout the 190,000-square-foot museum, visitors may take an interactive journey through every war fought by the U.S. over the past two centuries.
The museum tells the heroic story of everyday Infantrymen through an enviable collection of more than 30,000 artifacts. Era galleries trace Infantry history from before the Revolutionary War to action today in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a special gallery recognizing Medal of Honor recipients and one that pays tribute to those who love an Infantryman, and the sacrifices they make supporting him.
I was drawn to this tribute by my oldest grandson's graduation from Army basic training. The ceremony was a moving tribute to the ongoing strength of our American way, conducted at the adjacent Patriot Park that includes a parade field composed of earth collected from every American battlefield.
Once again in mid-2011, reports of war weariness on the home front remind me that sometimes people need reminding what our American military is all about. Whether through the draft of our nation's past or the current volunteer recruitment process, somehow America continues to produce many strong young people who recognize the value to themselves of serving our country. Although it is true that a steady job, benefits and future higher education possibilities may be the initial draw these days, what better motive than the determination to achieve self-reliance?
Looking forward to Independence Day 2011, I thank God that our American military still protects and preserves the soul as well as the soil of our exceptional nation. May we all add our support for those in our halls of government who likewise honor our good old U.S.A.!
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO EVERYONE!
But, then labels do not a country make, at least not this country! Fortunately, we are free to march to our own drums in America, argue our heads off and call ourselves and each other any names we want. That makes me ever fonder of crooning this song along my own parade route:
There's a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And a white moon beams:
There's a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams all come true;
Till the day when I'll be going down
That long, long trail with you.
Written in 1915, its words were penned by Stoddard King and its music by Alonzo "Zo" Elliott; the song proved popular among America's newly-departed Doughboys during WWI. I figure if it was good enough for those guys to march to, it's good for me, too!
It was also good for me to start out this year touring The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, the first of its kind in the United States, built and operated by a non-profit organization. Since its opening in June of 2009, this world-class facility right outside the gates of the Fort Benning Maneuver Center of Excellence, honors infantrymen, past, present and future. Throughout the 190,000-square-foot museum, visitors may take an interactive journey through every war fought by the U.S. over the past two centuries.
The museum tells the heroic story of everyday Infantrymen through an enviable collection of more than 30,000 artifacts. Era galleries trace Infantry history from before the Revolutionary War to action today in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a special gallery recognizing Medal of Honor recipients and one that pays tribute to those who love an Infantryman, and the sacrifices they make supporting him.
I was drawn to this tribute by my oldest grandson's graduation from Army basic training. The ceremony was a moving tribute to the ongoing strength of our American way, conducted at the adjacent Patriot Park that includes a parade field composed of earth collected from every American battlefield.
Once again in mid-2011, reports of war weariness on the home front remind me that sometimes people need reminding what our American military is all about. Whether through the draft of our nation's past or the current volunteer recruitment process, somehow America continues to produce many strong young people who recognize the value to themselves of serving our country. Although it is true that a steady job, benefits and future higher education possibilities may be the initial draw these days, what better motive than the determination to achieve self-reliance?
Looking forward to Independence Day 2011, I thank God that our American military still protects and preserves the soul as well as the soil of our exceptional nation. May we all add our support for those in our halls of government who likewise honor our good old U.S.A.!
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO EVERYONE!
Friday, June 24, 2011
forever more
So far this is pretty much a "one man show," but I keep on plugging, hoping to start a conversation. So, if you please, jump on anywhere in this collection of random thoughts. Today I'm sparked by all the people I've been encountering lately who actually want to talk about what's going on in our world. I am also encouraged by all the people lining up for possible service to our country in the White House. And, as always, I'm grateful for every brave guardian of my freedom at home and abroad.
All this noble effort to make good on life reminds me of a time when I thought everything was always all right - and of a song that still rings true to me:
Say, say, oh playmate,
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
Shout down my rain barrel
Slide down my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more more.
Say, say, oh playmate
I cannot play with you
My dolly's got the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Can't climb your rain barrel,
Can't slide your cellar door
But we'll be jolly friends forever more.
- Words and music by Saxie Dowell, Copyright 1940
All this noble effort to make good on life reminds me of a time when I thought everything was always all right - and of a song that still rings true to me:
Say, say, oh playmate,
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
Shout down my rain barrel
Slide down my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more more.
Say, say, oh playmate
I cannot play with you
My dolly's got the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Can't climb your rain barrel,
Can't slide your cellar door
But we'll be jolly friends forever more.
- Words and music by Saxie Dowell, Copyright 1940
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Missing Money
We, the people, clearly need all the help we can get to keep an eye on where our money is going. I find this Economics professor's articles particularly helpful, for instance:
Thomas Sowell
The Missing Money
6/21/11
One of my earliest memories of revulsion against war came from seeing a photograph from the First World War when I was a teenager. It was nothing gory. Just a picture of a military officer, in an impressive uniform, talking to a puzzled and forlorn-looking old peasant woman with a cloth wrapped around her head.
He said simply: "Don't you understand, madam? The village is not there any more."
To many such people of that era, the village was the only world they knew. And to say that it had been destroyed in the carnage of war was to say that there was no way for them to go back home, that their whole world was gone.
Recently that image came back, in a wholly different context, while seeing pictures of American seniors carrying signs that read "Hands off my Social Security" and "Hands off my Medicare."
They want their Social Security and their Medicare to stay the way they are -- and their anger is directed against those who want to change the financial arrangements that pay for these benefits.
Their anger should be directed instead against those politicians who were irresponsible enough to set up these costly programs without putting aside enough money to pay for the promises that were made -- promises that now cannot be kept, regardless of which political party controls the government.
Someone needs to say to those who want Social Security and Medicare to continue on unchanged: "Don't you understand? The money is not there any more."
Many retired people remember the money that was taken out of their paychecks for years and feel that they are now entitled to receive Social Security benefits as a right. But the way Social Security was set up was so financially shaky that anyone who set up a similar retirement scheme in the private sector could be sent to federal prison for fraud.
But you can't send a whole Congress to prison, however much they may deserve it.
This is not some newly discovered problem. Innumerable economists and others pointed out decades ago that Social Security was unsustainable in the long run, including yours truly on "Meet the Press" in 1981.
But the long run doesn't count for most politicians, since elections are held in the short run. Politicians' election prospects are enhanced, the more goodies they can promise and the less taxes they collect to pay for them.
That is why welfare states in Europe as well as here are facing bitter public protests as the chickens come home to roost.
It has been said innumerable times that nobody already on Social Security will lose their benefits. But it needs to be spelled out emphatically, so that political demagogues will not be able to scare retired seniors that they are going to have the rug pulled out from under them.
Retired seniors have the least to fear from a reform of Social Security, since neither political party is about to take away what these retirees already have and are relying on.
Despite irresponsible political ads showing an old lady in a wheel chair being dumped over a cliff, the people who are really in danger of being dumped over a cliff are the younger generation, who are paying into Social Security but are unlikely to get back anything like what they are paying in.
The money that young workers are paying into Social Security today is not being put aside to pay for their retirement. It is being spent today, paying the pensions of the retired generation -- and it can't even cover that in the years ahead.
What needs to be done is to allow younger workers a choice of staying out of a system that is simply running out of money. Nor can the system be saved by simply jacking up taxes on "the rich."
Generations of experience have shown that high tax rates that "the rich" can easily avoid -- through tax shelters at home or by investing their money abroad -- do not bring in as much revenue as lower tax rates that keep the money here and the jobs here.
Since the law does not allow private pension plans to be set up in the financially irresponsible way Social Security is, that is where young people's money should be put, if they ever want to see that money again when they reach retirement age.
Thomas Sowell
The Missing Money
6/21/11
One of my earliest memories of revulsion against war came from seeing a photograph from the First World War when I was a teenager. It was nothing gory. Just a picture of a military officer, in an impressive uniform, talking to a puzzled and forlorn-looking old peasant woman with a cloth wrapped around her head.
He said simply: "Don't you understand, madam? The village is not there any more."
To many such people of that era, the village was the only world they knew. And to say that it had been destroyed in the carnage of war was to say that there was no way for them to go back home, that their whole world was gone.
Recently that image came back, in a wholly different context, while seeing pictures of American seniors carrying signs that read "Hands off my Social Security" and "Hands off my Medicare."
They want their Social Security and their Medicare to stay the way they are -- and their anger is directed against those who want to change the financial arrangements that pay for these benefits.
Their anger should be directed instead against those politicians who were irresponsible enough to set up these costly programs without putting aside enough money to pay for the promises that were made -- promises that now cannot be kept, regardless of which political party controls the government.
Someone needs to say to those who want Social Security and Medicare to continue on unchanged: "Don't you understand? The money is not there any more."
Many retired people remember the money that was taken out of their paychecks for years and feel that they are now entitled to receive Social Security benefits as a right. But the way Social Security was set up was so financially shaky that anyone who set up a similar retirement scheme in the private sector could be sent to federal prison for fraud.
But you can't send a whole Congress to prison, however much they may deserve it.
This is not some newly discovered problem. Innumerable economists and others pointed out decades ago that Social Security was unsustainable in the long run, including yours truly on "Meet the Press" in 1981.
But the long run doesn't count for most politicians, since elections are held in the short run. Politicians' election prospects are enhanced, the more goodies they can promise and the less taxes they collect to pay for them.
That is why welfare states in Europe as well as here are facing bitter public protests as the chickens come home to roost.
It has been said innumerable times that nobody already on Social Security will lose their benefits. But it needs to be spelled out emphatically, so that political demagogues will not be able to scare retired seniors that they are going to have the rug pulled out from under them.
Retired seniors have the least to fear from a reform of Social Security, since neither political party is about to take away what these retirees already have and are relying on.
Despite irresponsible political ads showing an old lady in a wheel chair being dumped over a cliff, the people who are really in danger of being dumped over a cliff are the younger generation, who are paying into Social Security but are unlikely to get back anything like what they are paying in.
The money that young workers are paying into Social Security today is not being put aside to pay for their retirement. It is being spent today, paying the pensions of the retired generation -- and it can't even cover that in the years ahead.
What needs to be done is to allow younger workers a choice of staying out of a system that is simply running out of money. Nor can the system be saved by simply jacking up taxes on "the rich."
Generations of experience have shown that high tax rates that "the rich" can easily avoid -- through tax shelters at home or by investing their money abroad -- do not bring in as much revenue as lower tax rates that keep the money here and the jobs here.
Since the law does not allow private pension plans to be set up in the financially irresponsible way Social Security is, that is where young people's money should be put, if they ever want to see that money again when they reach retirement age.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Keeping our Balance
I'm sorry to see so many people stressing out on all the talk about politics. I'm glad to see the thorough review of the fundamentals that divide America. My roots are midwest Democrat morphed to ag based California Republican. Both political perspectives were grounded (you should pardon the pun) by people who understood the American Dream is doing for ourselves so we can help those who can't.
Whatever FDR had in mind during his reign, it's clear to me that he didn't have much faith in "ordinary" American capitalists. In any case, the current Mid-East mess supposedly powered by cries for democracy should raise the level of public understanding as to why America is a Republic.
I'm pretty sure most Americans know we need to keep our balance by electing home-grounded citizens to conduct our public business - speaking of which, shouldn't we take a clue from Texas, not to mention our first President George Washington, and return public service to a part time job? Really, how many rules and regs do we, the people, need to mind our own business?
Whatever FDR had in mind during his reign, it's clear to me that he didn't have much faith in "ordinary" American capitalists. In any case, the current Mid-East mess supposedly powered by cries for democracy should raise the level of public understanding as to why America is a Republic.
I'm pretty sure most Americans know we need to keep our balance by electing home-grounded citizens to conduct our public business - speaking of which, shouldn't we take a clue from Texas, not to mention our first President George Washington, and return public service to a part time job? Really, how many rules and regs do we, the people, need to mind our own business?
Friday, June 10, 2011
Never say die, say I
Who knows what good we may do by talking about what goes on in this world? I like to think, like the drip, drip, drip of water on stone, that people who try to puzzle things out together may be of some use to better human practices.
So, last night when Bill O'Reilly appeared genuinely distressed over the hammering U.S. Representative Weiner is getting for behaving so badly in office and was struggling with others over why the Congressman is getting more criticism than Schwarzenegger, I couldn't resist giving him my take on the matter. Although I never expect my e-mail to get a hit at Fox News Channel on the "The Factor" letter segment, I would like to know what somebody thinks of my opinion, so I'm copying the note here:
"Bill, I can't figure how you missed this! It's not a question of who behaved worse. Weiner has brought heavy public criticism upon himself for not resigning from public office. Schwarzenegger isn't on the public dime anymore. What employer in his right mind retains an employee who wastes company time and money on sleezy business practices?"
If nothing else, likely somebody will get a kick out of noting that I misspelled the word "sleazy" - further proof that everyone needs an editor. So, please, everyone, feel free to jump in here any time!
I had no clue how to blog until I got this sweet challenge from my middle kid to jump into a new way to bide my time. I like to imagine that this adventure might be as good for others as it is for me.
So, last night when Bill O'Reilly appeared genuinely distressed over the hammering U.S. Representative Weiner is getting for behaving so badly in office and was struggling with others over why the Congressman is getting more criticism than Schwarzenegger, I couldn't resist giving him my take on the matter. Although I never expect my e-mail to get a hit at Fox News Channel on the "The Factor" letter segment, I would like to know what somebody thinks of my opinion, so I'm copying the note here:
"Bill, I can't figure how you missed this! It's not a question of who behaved worse. Weiner has brought heavy public criticism upon himself for not resigning from public office. Schwarzenegger isn't on the public dime anymore. What employer in his right mind retains an employee who wastes company time and money on sleezy business practices?"
If nothing else, likely somebody will get a kick out of noting that I misspelled the word "sleazy" - further proof that everyone needs an editor. So, please, everyone, feel free to jump in here any time!
I had no clue how to blog until I got this sweet challenge from my middle kid to jump into a new way to bide my time. I like to imagine that this adventure might be as good for others as it is for me.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Who Knew?
Boy, talk about scary e-mail! I just received notice of the "12 Deadliest Garden Plants." I was really surprised to see hydrangea on the list. Not only do I have a brightly blooming pot-full on my patio where my youngest grandchildren often play when they visit, but hydrangeas are staples in their very own pretty backyard.
Sooooo, I'm glad to have found the following references, among others that give me some breathing room. The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia says "All parts of hydrangeas may cause mild stomach upset if ingested; contact with the foliage may aggravate skin allergies." Not so scary after all, right? Still, worth noting from elsewhere that other garden favorites of mine, azalea and iris, are also considered to be toxic plants, as in:
"Most people know about the very poisonous plants like mistletoe, deadly nightshade and poison ivy, but as a safety precaution, you should also know about other toxic plants like iris, azalea and hydrangea which might not necessarily kill, but could still poison someone and make them feel very ill. Paradoxically, many potentially harmful plants, including Irises, are also considered to have healing properties."
Talk about that old saying, "what doesn't cure you kills you," which now that I've looked it up, apparently exists only in my mind, but at least I've found my point in this quotation:
"Some cures are worse than the dangers they combat." — Lucius Annaeus Seneca
All this has me thinking, wouldn't it be nice if everybody knew that about Obamacare?
Sooooo, I'm glad to have found the following references, among others that give me some breathing room. The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia says "All parts of hydrangeas may cause mild stomach upset if ingested; contact with the foliage may aggravate skin allergies." Not so scary after all, right? Still, worth noting from elsewhere that other garden favorites of mine, azalea and iris, are also considered to be toxic plants, as in:
"Most people know about the very poisonous plants like mistletoe, deadly nightshade and poison ivy, but as a safety precaution, you should also know about other toxic plants like iris, azalea and hydrangea which might not necessarily kill, but could still poison someone and make them feel very ill. Paradoxically, many potentially harmful plants, including Irises, are also considered to have healing properties."
Talk about that old saying, "what doesn't cure you kills you," which now that I've looked it up, apparently exists only in my mind, but at least I've found my point in this quotation:
"Some cures are worse than the dangers they combat." — Lucius Annaeus Seneca
All this has me thinking, wouldn't it be nice if everybody knew that about Obamacare?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Watch out . . . because, in both the words and tone of a very scary character in a Stephen King movie, . . . "I'm baaaack!" Oh, wait, according to a movie trivia website, nobody ever famously said that. The line Jack Nicholson delivered so memorably in “The Shining” was, “Heeeere’s Johnny.”
Wonder why it is that my image of that scene is faulty and whether that should give me pause for talking today about anything that’s going on in the world? Oh well, it's probably just as well I am amusing myself rather than complaining, like I hear many of my fellow seniors are doing, that U.S. Representative Paul Ryan is trying to dump me off a cliff.
See, the thing is, I've been thinking I'd have my own very pleasant little say on this blog once a month - just in case I could engage others in my fun. But, since I haven't stirred up the interaction I'm always hoping for, I'm taking the advice that I just spout off to myself whenever I'm so inclined.
It took yesterday - my very own observance of D-Day - to remind me that time waits for no one person to just Do it - do whatever it is that rings his chimes. What rang mine was celebrating the wedding anniverary of my son and daughter-in-law and recalling other reasons, as well, for me to celebrate life on this day.
Primary for me, obviously, is that that my dad was born on June 6, 100 years ago. And then, that takes me back to June 6, 1944, where, at six years old, I observed my parents' hopes for the successful invasion of continental Europe by Allied forces during World War II. Bringing this event even closer to home is my pride in my soldier grandson currently out in the desert perfecting his contribution to our best hopes for repelling despotism.
So, since everything that matters to me is all about best hopes for everyone, including preserving the American Republic, perhaps it's no wonder that today I'm posting a rant. I simply can't get over hearing the president of the land that I love deliver an Economics 101 lecture to the world in the company of the German Chancellor who I admire extravagantly for not strangling him on the spot.
I just can't help but wish President Obama knew what the valedictorian of Exeter High School's graduating class deftly pointed out last Friday, that everyone has unique gifts to contribute to the American Promise. Perhaps then he would quit acting like we, the people, need to be entirely under his care. As for the appalling behavior of U.S. Representative Weiner now playing in the wide world of "what now?", if he doesn't make the case for getting smarmy sex gamers out our public business, I'm afraid you're just going to have to throw this mama off the merry go round.
Okay, I feel better now. Likely it's just as well I bailed out on the stress test I was supposed to take today because my back is creaky - scheduled just for drill by a cardio doc who, after all, has to cover his own butt. All I had to do was spout off to get back to my usual certainty that the future is still safe in the hands of the kiddies. As for whether I ever stir up any conversation on this blog, at least I'm taking care of myself here - and what good can I do for the world if I can't do that?
Wonder why it is that my image of that scene is faulty and whether that should give me pause for talking today about anything that’s going on in the world? Oh well, it's probably just as well I am amusing myself rather than complaining, like I hear many of my fellow seniors are doing, that U.S. Representative Paul Ryan is trying to dump me off a cliff.
See, the thing is, I've been thinking I'd have my own very pleasant little say on this blog once a month - just in case I could engage others in my fun. But, since I haven't stirred up the interaction I'm always hoping for, I'm taking the advice that I just spout off to myself whenever I'm so inclined.
It took yesterday - my very own observance of D-Day - to remind me that time waits for no one person to just Do it - do whatever it is that rings his chimes. What rang mine was celebrating the wedding anniverary of my son and daughter-in-law and recalling other reasons, as well, for me to celebrate life on this day.
Primary for me, obviously, is that that my dad was born on June 6, 100 years ago. And then, that takes me back to June 6, 1944, where, at six years old, I observed my parents' hopes for the successful invasion of continental Europe by Allied forces during World War II. Bringing this event even closer to home is my pride in my soldier grandson currently out in the desert perfecting his contribution to our best hopes for repelling despotism.
So, since everything that matters to me is all about best hopes for everyone, including preserving the American Republic, perhaps it's no wonder that today I'm posting a rant. I simply can't get over hearing the president of the land that I love deliver an Economics 101 lecture to the world in the company of the German Chancellor who I admire extravagantly for not strangling him on the spot.
I just can't help but wish President Obama knew what the valedictorian of Exeter High School's graduating class deftly pointed out last Friday, that everyone has unique gifts to contribute to the American Promise. Perhaps then he would quit acting like we, the people, need to be entirely under his care. As for the appalling behavior of U.S. Representative Weiner now playing in the wide world of "what now?", if he doesn't make the case for getting smarmy sex gamers out our public business, I'm afraid you're just going to have to throw this mama off the merry go round.
Okay, I feel better now. Likely it's just as well I bailed out on the stress test I was supposed to take today because my back is creaky - scheduled just for drill by a cardio doc who, after all, has to cover his own butt. All I had to do was spout off to get back to my usual certainty that the future is still safe in the hands of the kiddies. As for whether I ever stir up any conversation on this blog, at least I'm taking care of myself here - and what good can I do for the world if I can't do that?
Monday, May 2, 2011
On the Merry-Go-Round
Grateful that I've still got a ticket to ride, I've been trying to get up the nerve to hop on this blog I received for my birthday from my middle kid, as she charmingly refers to herself. If I don't do it now, alas, my first message will be out of date, so here goes! With thanks for the company I keep, I cordially invite one and all to join me for some fun playing with the music in our lives!
Today, the lyric that tickles me most is, "If they asked me, I could write a book." No worries not writing one here, just a line from a song in the Rogers and Hart musical "Pal Joey" about making lovers of friends. I liked seeing that scenario play out in the fine marital and church traditions celebrated at the wedding of William and Kate. I almost got caught up in the negative hype about this event, but, thankfully, youthful wisdom brought me to the party. There I sat on the last Friday morning in April, watching the gala at a gourmet English breakfast P.J. party, courtesy of my firmly rooted Irish daugher-in-law and her British counterpart pal. And once more I am prompted to advise those who say the world is going to hell in a handbasket that they'd feel better if they got out more amongst the kiddies.
Speaking of which, I wonder what the kids think about Superman becoming an expatriate, at least according to the comics. Are we really to swallow the news that Truth, Justice and the American Way no longer ring his chimes? Do you suppose the recently provocative movie, "Waiting for Superman" shows we're all merely the sum of our fanciful parts?
Perhaps, when all is said and done, we are Superman's kryptonite, we who live in the land of make believe where people are free to make whatever they want of what they believe. Consider the current state of public education. Once a staple for empowering a brave new American Republic with an informed electorate, public school now appears to be nothing but fodder for political grabs. I was glad, yesterday, for a chance to cast my vote for communities taking better care of themselves by attending a private church school benefit. What a lift, also, to see volunteers from out and about aiding the recovery of Alabama and neighboring states from astounding natural forces. And, then still resonating from last night's report of a just reply to 9/11/01, is the full throated cry of young voices in celebration of our National Anthem. Such music to our ears must give us all pause, especially in light of those who say "what's right" is strictly a matter of opinion.
I prefer the term "perspective" as referred to in the "Stand Out - Don't Stick Out" chapter of a timely new book, "The Power of Civility". "In every situation, each person sees things entirely from his own perspective. We cannot help it—no two people can stand in exactly the same spot at the same time. Your own good, honest perspective on matters at hand can create a positive outcome—a sure way to stand out in a crowd." - Tiffany Nielsen, Founder of Premier Etiquette.com
I love seeing the recycling of positive thinking that my parents appreciated from Norman Vincent Peale. Last night, I was further encouraged by a movie rerun of "The Bucket List" displaying how decidedly different people may face, together, the fundamentals of their own life and death with a greater regard for the whole. All in all, I can't shake the notion that it's lovers of family and friendship that make the world go round.
So, what do you think? Please, if you wish, "Put another nickel in, in the nickelodeon." If you do, I promise no more than a nickel's worth at a time from me anymore, now that I've hopefully primed this conversational pump. Like Teresa Brewer on the juke box of my youth, "All I want is lovin' you and music, music, music!"
Today, the lyric that tickles me most is, "If they asked me, I could write a book." No worries not writing one here, just a line from a song in the Rogers and Hart musical "Pal Joey" about making lovers of friends. I liked seeing that scenario play out in the fine marital and church traditions celebrated at the wedding of William and Kate. I almost got caught up in the negative hype about this event, but, thankfully, youthful wisdom brought me to the party. There I sat on the last Friday morning in April, watching the gala at a gourmet English breakfast P.J. party, courtesy of my firmly rooted Irish daugher-in-law and her British counterpart pal. And once more I am prompted to advise those who say the world is going to hell in a handbasket that they'd feel better if they got out more amongst the kiddies.
Speaking of which, I wonder what the kids think about Superman becoming an expatriate, at least according to the comics. Are we really to swallow the news that Truth, Justice and the American Way no longer ring his chimes? Do you suppose the recently provocative movie, "Waiting for Superman" shows we're all merely the sum of our fanciful parts?
Perhaps, when all is said and done, we are Superman's kryptonite, we who live in the land of make believe where people are free to make whatever they want of what they believe. Consider the current state of public education. Once a staple for empowering a brave new American Republic with an informed electorate, public school now appears to be nothing but fodder for political grabs. I was glad, yesterday, for a chance to cast my vote for communities taking better care of themselves by attending a private church school benefit. What a lift, also, to see volunteers from out and about aiding the recovery of Alabama and neighboring states from astounding natural forces. And, then still resonating from last night's report of a just reply to 9/11/01, is the full throated cry of young voices in celebration of our National Anthem. Such music to our ears must give us all pause, especially in light of those who say "what's right" is strictly a matter of opinion.
I prefer the term "perspective" as referred to in the "Stand Out - Don't Stick Out" chapter of a timely new book, "The Power of Civility". "In every situation, each person sees things entirely from his own perspective. We cannot help it—no two people can stand in exactly the same spot at the same time. Your own good, honest perspective on matters at hand can create a positive outcome—a sure way to stand out in a crowd." - Tiffany Nielsen, Founder of Premier Etiquette.com
I love seeing the recycling of positive thinking that my parents appreciated from Norman Vincent Peale. Last night, I was further encouraged by a movie rerun of "The Bucket List" displaying how decidedly different people may face, together, the fundamentals of their own life and death with a greater regard for the whole. All in all, I can't shake the notion that it's lovers of family and friendship that make the world go round.
So, what do you think? Please, if you wish, "Put another nickel in, in the nickelodeon." If you do, I promise no more than a nickel's worth at a time from me anymore, now that I've hopefully primed this conversational pump. Like Teresa Brewer on the juke box of my youth, "All I want is lovin' you and music, music, music!"
Saturday, April 23, 2011
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