Personal Musings category archive
Because It Is. Okay? 0
Stray Thought 0
There is no sign more convincing of the end of intelligent life than the sight of grown men walking around in cargo shorts in near-freezing weather.
Gutting Out the Vote 0
It appears that Republicans did not have to gut out the vote.
Voters did it for them.
My Daddy taught me through example that voting is not a right.
It is a duty.
Via PoliticalProf, it would appear that a large portion of the citizenry was not taught that lesson or, perhaps, chose to ignore it.
I fear that they–and the rest of us who did vote–will pay dearly for their indolence and apathy.
Recommended Listening 0
Harry Shearer’s interview with Dr. Stephanie Kelton, professor of economics and public policy at Stony Brook University, in which they hold a balanced discussion of the federal deficit; In the course of their discussion, Kelton explodes many of the myths and falsehoods spread by the self-styled “deficit hawks.” The discussion starts at the 21-minute mark.
By the way, the rest of the show is also well worth a listen. I try not to miss an episode.
Stray Thought 0
Today’s Republican Party does not only value party over country.
It values party over competence.
“The Party of Personal Responsibility” 0
Despite what some pundits appear to (want us to) believe, Democrats are not to blame for what Republicans choose to do.
Taking Exception 0
Methinks this cartoonist has got it exactly backwards as to who failed to learn from history.
And methinks we shall all pay a great price for that failure to learn.
Recommended Viewing 0
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Ronald Howard.
The series is faithful to the spirit of the Canon, yet has a delightfully tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.
I’m watching it on Tubi, but you can likely find it elsewhere.
Signs of the Fall 0
I seldom look at the sport section of my local rag (except to read Bob Molinaro’s column, because he is a fine writer with a sharp pen and a wicked sense of humor). Even when I paid much more attention to sports than I do now, I was more interesting in watching competitions than in reading about them.
Nevertheless, as I leafed through the sports section on the way to the agony columns in yesterday’s paper (yes, paper, not electrons), something caught my eye.
My local rag now carries a syndicated column methinks no doubt subtly designed to suck people into covering sports betting.
We are a broken society.
Stray Thought 0
When persons loudly and repeatedly crow about how patriotic they are, they probably aren’t.
Dissonance 0
As I was preparing to hang the flag out–something I do for national holidays–I thought of others who fly the flag, maybe just not only on holidays as I do but every day, some of them even flying maybe multiple flags from their “I am an inadequate male” pick-up trucks.
I thought of how they congratulate themselves on being such patriots.
And I wondered, as they do that, do they think of the pledge, do they repeat the words
. . . and liberty and justice for all . . . .
to themselves, even as they vote for Donald Trump, the man who puts children in cages?
The Rule of Flaw 0
I go to sleep worrying about the American dream.
I wake up to the American scream.
I am not sanguine.
No, I Am Not Watching the Election Coverage 0
I am stressed out enough already from worrying that we are on the verge of the end of the American dream.
I’ll read about it tomorrow.
It’s All about the Benjamins 0
All Hallows Eve it not until next week, and I was just subjected to a Christmas commercial.
Furrfu.
Stray Question 2
When did “who has the ugliest grill/front end?” become the standard against which automobile designers measure themselves?
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
It seems clear that Richard Nixon’s “southern strategy” has come full circle and that today’s Republican Party has devolved into the party of the Secesh.
A. The “I Am an Inadequate Male” Pick-Up Truck 0
Q. What do you call a ginormous pick-up truck with dualie rear wheels that some dude buys so he can drive it to the 7-11?
Stray Thought 0
This whole pumpkin spice thing has gotten way out of hand, but at least my dentist didn’t try to inflict pumpkin spice dental floss on me.
No, I Will Not Be Watching the Debate, Reprise (Updated) 0
My friend watched some to the debate while I was watching Inspector Frost.
Based on her reaction to the behavior of one of the participants (you know which one–the one of which she said, “I can’t believe they allowed him to be on that stage”), all I can say is, well, I called that.
Addendum:
An early fact-check from Scripps News.
Facts may not lie, but Donald Trump most assuredly does.
