You may see me on Colorado ski slopes this coming season, but not in the company of unruly urchins. It came down to a choice between ski instructor and a correspondence course in brain surgery, and I confess to having taken the easy way out.
#####
I received an e-mail (from Old Europe, no less) with a color photograph of a Colorado lawn sign, in perfect depiction of the ubiquitous GOP campaign poster, but which read:
Geezer
&
Dingbat
I responded that as a proud geezer, I heartily approve, and also noted my delight in the left’s fixation on the Lady Sarah. I have learned from 5+ decades of looking over the political fence, that when the left mocks and ridicules, it is usually in panic mode. Remember how Ronald Reagan was the object of much derision and scorn until the rest of the world anointed him one of the better presidents of the 20th century. I absolutely love the way she gets, as the Brits would say, “up their nose.” But I must hand an accolade to the left, which has successfully portrayed her as grossly unprepared, while their own candidate’s resume is as bare as a snowbound mountain cabin’s larder in February.
#####
If the outcome next week is accurately reflected in current polls, one of the more odious scenarios I will have to endure going forward will be the genuflective ass-kissing of old Europe by the American intelligencia, desperate to once again garner its approbation and adoration. Actually, I have been amused by European horror at America’s go-it-alone attitude these recent years, as I felt it actually reflected a European, notably French, attitude.
One of my favorite quotes comes from the revered General De Gaulle who returned triumphant to France in August 1944, surrounded, of course, by a protective phalanx of American GI’s, and was later asked about post-war cooperation with the allies. To which he sniffed "France has no friends, it has only interests." This at a time when the graves of thousands of American soldiers interred in eleven military cemeteries in France has not yet had time to sprout grass. Now that, folks, is going-it-alone on steroids.
And it calls to mind the historical footnote that both De Gaulle and Churchill were rejected by their citizenry shortly after the war. It appears convenient to have heroes available in times of strife, so long as they retire quietly to the closet when the battle is won.
#####
I tuned in last night to “60 Minutes” for my weekly dose of “what’s wrong with America,” and heard Andy Rooney tell me that writers must be egotistical, as they need believe someone out there will be interested in reading what they scribble. An interesting thought that gave me pause, but I think, at least in my case, he missed the mark (again).
Though it may sound mawkish and whiny, I live by the dictum of expecting no accolades for my efforts, literary or otherwise, as none will likely result, and thereby one avoids disappointment through anticipation. And in those rare instances where an affirmative result is achieved, it comes as an unexpected call on a cold rainy night from an long-lost friend. And so, those who receive these words should feel no guilt if they react as the reader who noted “I am in the smallest room in my home with your BLOG before me. Soon it will be behind me.”
#####
The perfect economic storm may be morphing into the perfect political tsunami. But a word of caution to those with hands on champagne corks. Our political system has always worked best when “checks and balances” is more than an abstract notion in a civics text. Having the White House and both Houses of Congress in the hands of one party – either party – has not historically been in the best interests of the nation.
Nor, in fact, in the best interest of the “ruling” party. Remember how the euphoria of 1992 quickly evaporated and resulted two years later in the first legislative power shift in 40 years. Ditto Bush and Congress from 2000-2006. There is little doubt that a Democrat sweep would result in a hard left turn. And history tells us that such maneuvers usually end in whiplash and rarely result in an improved landscape. Liberals with capital gains should read the fine print of the Obama Economic Plan.
…the adventure continues as the west beckons…
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
VIRGINIA 005
I’m conflicted over the “$$ for grades” craze sweeping the nation, where kids as young as 7 are awarded cash bonuses for good marks in school, with one program in New York even forking over cash for “C” grades. My enthusiasm for private enterprise (and not the misnomers “free enterprise” or “free markets” – neither markets nor enterprise are ever free), embraces rewards (monetary or otherwise) for exceptional performance. And yet I experience a vague unease when compensation need be proffered for behavior that has historically been rendered for the simple satisfaction of personal achievement.
We have already seen emergence of the oxymoron “paid volunteer.” Will the next step be to propose a stipend for citizens that report illegal behavior (we’re almost there with police hotlines remunerating tips “that result in arrest and conviction”). Will Boy Scouts request $2.00 for each aged citizen they escort through traffic? Will Red Cross workers pass the tip jar after rescuing the victims of famine and flood? Is there nothing we won’t do for free, for the simple joy of helping our fellow man?
#####
Flash: In the midst of the global economic crisis, Leesburg, VA, where my hat is temporarily hung, has approved $25,000 for a dog-walking park. I am considering petitioning for a diamond encrusted cat scratching post in the town square.
#####
A classic definition of bigotry is to ascribe negative attributes to an entire group or class of people. So those who condemn a minority as “lazy” or in any way inferior, are bigots. Likewise when Limbaugh labels all liberal females as “femi-nazies,” or Savage calls autism the "illness du jour," that would be bigotry (or in Savage’s case, bigotry compounded by idiocy).
Then what do we do with Garrison Keillor who hangs the sobriquet “freelance racists, misanthropic frat boys, shrieking midgets of AM radio, tax cheats, nihilists in golf pants, brownshirts in pinstripes, sweatshop tycoons, hacks, fakirs, aggressive dorks, Lamborghini libertarians,…” on Republicans, not just the ones he particularly dislikes, but “Republicans.” Or Nancy Pilosi who finds total Republican fault but no Democrat complicity in the economic meltdown despite the pivotal involvement of Freddie and Fannie, long the darlings (and benefactors) of Democrat politicians. Or Air America/Daily Kos/MoveOn.org who, try as they might, cannot find an ounce of redeeming social value in anything conservative. Bigots, all? D’ya think?
And Good Golly, Ms. Molly, yes there are bigots on the right as well, scads of them. It’s just that I find the left so smugly superior in believing themselves better than “those people” on the other side of the philosophical tracks. Bigots to the left of me; bigots on the right.
#####
Today, mid-October, it is 3 degrees Fahrenheit in Georgetown, Colorado, and thoughts turn to white streets, ski slopes, and frosted window panes. And as in a dream in the midst of this reverie, I received (so help me) an offer of employment as a ski instructor in Colorado!!! If you find that difficult to process, coming from one bumbling well past the midpoint of his sixth decade, I did also and still do.
Thoughts of rosy-faced cherubs being turned into modern day Suzy Chapstick’s were quickly replaced by images of herding an unruly gaggle of 7 year olds across the frozen tundra. A final decision hasn’t yet been rendered, but I don’t anticipate seeing this métier on any future resume of mine, although it might mitigate the suspicion that age prevents me from walking and chewing gum simultaneously. And it might give pause to any of you who contemplate plunking down a king’s ransom for instruction at your favorite ski resort. Think of what you might get!
…the adventure bundles up and slaloms ahead…
We have already seen emergence of the oxymoron “paid volunteer.” Will the next step be to propose a stipend for citizens that report illegal behavior (we’re almost there with police hotlines remunerating tips “that result in arrest and conviction”). Will Boy Scouts request $2.00 for each aged citizen they escort through traffic? Will Red Cross workers pass the tip jar after rescuing the victims of famine and flood? Is there nothing we won’t do for free, for the simple joy of helping our fellow man?
#####
Flash: In the midst of the global economic crisis, Leesburg, VA, where my hat is temporarily hung, has approved $25,000 for a dog-walking park. I am considering petitioning for a diamond encrusted cat scratching post in the town square.
#####
A classic definition of bigotry is to ascribe negative attributes to an entire group or class of people. So those who condemn a minority as “lazy” or in any way inferior, are bigots. Likewise when Limbaugh labels all liberal females as “femi-nazies,” or Savage calls autism the "illness du jour," that would be bigotry (or in Savage’s case, bigotry compounded by idiocy).
Then what do we do with Garrison Keillor who hangs the sobriquet “freelance racists, misanthropic frat boys, shrieking midgets of AM radio, tax cheats, nihilists in golf pants, brownshirts in pinstripes, sweatshop tycoons, hacks, fakirs, aggressive dorks, Lamborghini libertarians,…” on Republicans, not just the ones he particularly dislikes, but “Republicans.” Or Nancy Pilosi who finds total Republican fault but no Democrat complicity in the economic meltdown despite the pivotal involvement of Freddie and Fannie, long the darlings (and benefactors) of Democrat politicians. Or Air America/Daily Kos/MoveOn.org who, try as they might, cannot find an ounce of redeeming social value in anything conservative. Bigots, all? D’ya think?
And Good Golly, Ms. Molly, yes there are bigots on the right as well, scads of them. It’s just that I find the left so smugly superior in believing themselves better than “those people” on the other side of the philosophical tracks. Bigots to the left of me; bigots on the right.
#####
Today, mid-October, it is 3 degrees Fahrenheit in Georgetown, Colorado, and thoughts turn to white streets, ski slopes, and frosted window panes. And as in a dream in the midst of this reverie, I received (so help me) an offer of employment as a ski instructor in Colorado!!! If you find that difficult to process, coming from one bumbling well past the midpoint of his sixth decade, I did also and still do.
Thoughts of rosy-faced cherubs being turned into modern day Suzy Chapstick’s were quickly replaced by images of herding an unruly gaggle of 7 year olds across the frozen tundra. A final decision hasn’t yet been rendered, but I don’t anticipate seeing this métier on any future resume of mine, although it might mitigate the suspicion that age prevents me from walking and chewing gum simultaneously. And it might give pause to any of you who contemplate plunking down a king’s ransom for instruction at your favorite ski resort. Think of what you might get!
…the adventure bundles up and slaloms ahead…
Thursday, October 16, 2008
VIRGINIA 004
One significant beneficiary of the global economic meltdown is McDonalds, which will now have an ample supply of available labor from the pool of former financial executives out on the street. The next person who welcomes you to the Golden Arches may be your former bank manager or a recently departed Lehman Brothers Vice President.
Legions of Baby Boomers ambling toward retirement will be forced to muddle through the work-a-day world a bit longer, as their retirement nest egg shrinks to pea size. And still I encounter those who snigger at the ”fat cats” getting theirs, totally oblivious to the fact that their own pension fund has been sliced in half, and the likelihood that their companies will continue generous retirement contributions in the near future reduced to the probability of pork taking wing.
And yes, the giddy smirks on European faces become more muted daily as they twig the word “global” in “global economic crisis” really does include them. Of course, the USA garners the lion’s share of blame for the mess. If only all the others weren’t following so closely, emulating all our horrid practices they so publically abhor.
#####
Cable TV in Loudoun County, VA, has 38 channels devoted to public access (and another 10 or so reserved), an amazing number considering that until recently Britain had only 3 channels total, shared equally by the BBC (an excellent source for Botswanian crop reports) and gardening shows. This is not to be confused with BBC World News aired around the world, an excellent source for Botswanian crop reports as well as daily updates on the waning influence of America on the world stage.
Most of the public access channels feature community interest material, including a public school channel whose only apparent service is to announce school lunch menus for the coming week. In my day we would simply grab a tray and get in line. Approaching the steam table we would ask “What is it?” and Bertha, white uniform festooned with gravy stains and congealed Jello would answer in her charming eastern European accent “Thirty-five cents.”
But I did learn of one positive innovation. Local schoolchildren can now have their parents pay for school lunches by credit card on the Internet. Would have saved me years of humiliation (not to mention calorie deprivation) as bullies shook me down for my lunch money.
#####
Joe Biden talks about “my friend, John McCain” in terms describing someone I would not want to meet in a dark alley. Adds new meaning to adage “with friends like that….”
#####
I spied a lone McCain/Palin sign in the neighborhood yesterday amidst a sea of Obama/Biden posters. You can actually see shudders emanating from passers-by in this “upscale” community and see noses rise a half inch or so as they scurry past. Fun to watch.
#####
Predatory lenders are rightfully mentioned as villains in the economic meltdown saga. And as I have previously noted, irresponsible borrowers must also take a hit. Of course blame centers (as does virtually everything these days) on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But ironically, both the Clinton and Bush Administrations tried mightily but in vain to curb the evil twins Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, condemned by many as prime architects of this tsunami.
And who, you may inquire, were the foremost champions of these out-of-control “Government Supported Enterprises”? Most of Congress as it turns out, led by the likes of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Charles Schumer, Democrats all who prattle on endlessly over the “failed policies of the Bush Administration.” Now it’s clear that there is blame aplenty assignable to all quarters of the political spectrum, but self-proclaimed white knights riding through the village in heavily soiled uniforms presents an image of egregious deceit. There are no clean hands here.
Clearly the White House and most Republicans lacked the courage and fortitude to challenge more aggressively the hypnotic notion of “homeownership for all,” but they were not the prime progenitors of this crisis. Perhaps that’s why Bush’s approval rating is way up there in the mid 30’s, while Congress lurks around 12%, headed for single digits. And yes, McCain did take about $25,000 from Freddie/Fannie over the last decade, while Obama garnered over $125,000 in less than 3 years.
…the adventure stumbles occasionally, but moves ahead…
Legions of Baby Boomers ambling toward retirement will be forced to muddle through the work-a-day world a bit longer, as their retirement nest egg shrinks to pea size. And still I encounter those who snigger at the ”fat cats” getting theirs, totally oblivious to the fact that their own pension fund has been sliced in half, and the likelihood that their companies will continue generous retirement contributions in the near future reduced to the probability of pork taking wing.
And yes, the giddy smirks on European faces become more muted daily as they twig the word “global” in “global economic crisis” really does include them. Of course, the USA garners the lion’s share of blame for the mess. If only all the others weren’t following so closely, emulating all our horrid practices they so publically abhor.
#####
Cable TV in Loudoun County, VA, has 38 channels devoted to public access (and another 10 or so reserved), an amazing number considering that until recently Britain had only 3 channels total, shared equally by the BBC (an excellent source for Botswanian crop reports) and gardening shows. This is not to be confused with BBC World News aired around the world, an excellent source for Botswanian crop reports as well as daily updates on the waning influence of America on the world stage.
Most of the public access channels feature community interest material, including a public school channel whose only apparent service is to announce school lunch menus for the coming week. In my day we would simply grab a tray and get in line. Approaching the steam table we would ask “What is it?” and Bertha, white uniform festooned with gravy stains and congealed Jello would answer in her charming eastern European accent “Thirty-five cents.”
But I did learn of one positive innovation. Local schoolchildren can now have their parents pay for school lunches by credit card on the Internet. Would have saved me years of humiliation (not to mention calorie deprivation) as bullies shook me down for my lunch money.
#####
Joe Biden talks about “my friend, John McCain” in terms describing someone I would not want to meet in a dark alley. Adds new meaning to adage “with friends like that….”
#####
I spied a lone McCain/Palin sign in the neighborhood yesterday amidst a sea of Obama/Biden posters. You can actually see shudders emanating from passers-by in this “upscale” community and see noses rise a half inch or so as they scurry past. Fun to watch.
#####
Predatory lenders are rightfully mentioned as villains in the economic meltdown saga. And as I have previously noted, irresponsible borrowers must also take a hit. Of course blame centers (as does virtually everything these days) on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But ironically, both the Clinton and Bush Administrations tried mightily but in vain to curb the evil twins Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, condemned by many as prime architects of this tsunami.
And who, you may inquire, were the foremost champions of these out-of-control “Government Supported Enterprises”? Most of Congress as it turns out, led by the likes of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Charles Schumer, Democrats all who prattle on endlessly over the “failed policies of the Bush Administration.” Now it’s clear that there is blame aplenty assignable to all quarters of the political spectrum, but self-proclaimed white knights riding through the village in heavily soiled uniforms presents an image of egregious deceit. There are no clean hands here.
Clearly the White House and most Republicans lacked the courage and fortitude to challenge more aggressively the hypnotic notion of “homeownership for all,” but they were not the prime progenitors of this crisis. Perhaps that’s why Bush’s approval rating is way up there in the mid 30’s, while Congress lurks around 12%, headed for single digits. And yes, McCain did take about $25,000 from Freddie/Fannie over the last decade, while Obama garnered over $125,000 in less than 3 years.
…the adventure stumbles occasionally, but moves ahead…
Thursday, October 9, 2008
VIRGINIA 003
I don’t like, and regularly refuse to read lengthy treatises, whether they be articles, BLOGS, or whatever. Yet I find myself increasingly loquacious, with earlier posts averaging around 500 words and recent efforts exceeding 1,000. And so I have determined to write fewer words, hopefully not lesser thoughts. That might also mean more frequent posts, which some might find annoying. Thankfully, the Almighty (Bill Gates, of course) has endowed us with the delete button, an ever present comfort in times of garrulous excess.
#####
I may be the only person on the planet who has never consumed a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. As an adult the combination just didn’t appeal to me, and as a child the effort was beyond the mean culinary talents of my sainted mother, whose idea of gourmet fare was Spam garnished with a lettuce and sliced carrot salad. On special occasions she would toss in a handful of tiny marshmallows. May provide some explanation for the pull I feel toward L’Isle de France, even as certain other other factors push.
#####
I wonder if folks realize there are just over 100 days until the 2012 U. S. Presidential election campaign begins, assuming a hiatus between November 5 and January 20, an assumption that carries no assurance of fruition.
Someone (it sounds like Daniel Patrick Moynahan) once opined that we are all entitled to our own opinions, but not to our own facts. I have observed that this dictum is suspended during the political silly season, and now that campaigning is a 24/7/365 sport, appears to have been removed from the books entirely.
#####
Why, I wonder, are the young so overwhelmingly liberal, yet traditionally grow more conservative with age? Winston Churchill was misquoted (though only slightly) as noting If you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not conservative when you're older, you have no brain. The premise is anecdotally if not demonstrably true. The rationale should be unsettling for liberals.
#####
Geezers take lots of prescription medicines, and we are always warned against using heavy machinery, and thus I am constrained to ask: how heavy? A blender but not a bobcat? Electric tooth brush but not electric lawnmower? And two of the more popular drugs on the market, neither of which I’ve tried, caution me in the first instance against thoughts of suicide and in the latter to be on the lookout for erections lasting more than 4 hours. I wonder if taken together they cancel each other?
#####
I have taken to observing children at play, from a distance so as not to incur the suspicion of the ever vigilant guardians of morality, a practice as unfortunate as it is necessary in our troubled times.
Scarlet Ribbons was written in 1949 and performed by over 20 artists, from Doris Day and the Kingston Trio, to something called the Bonzo Dog Band. It’s a tender song about a child who prays for scarlet ribbons, for which her father searches the town in vain, yet they mysteriously adorn her bed at the morn. It used to bring me soothing images of the supernatural, but lately when I hear it I think of Elizabeth Smart, snatched from her bed in Salt Lake City.
Were the song written today, the ending might go something like this:
Through the night my heart was aching
Just before the dawn was breaking
I looked in and on her bed in gay profusion lying there
I saw ribbons, scarlet ribbons, scarlet ribbons for her hair
Called the cops and they came screaming
Convinced them that I wasn’t dreaming
Red lights whirling, sirens blasting
What a nightmare everlasting
Searched hi and lo for perps a’lurking
Insured my Glock properly working
Changed the locks; installed alarm
All to shield my child from harm
If I live to be one hundred
I’ll never forget that scare
Pervert leaving scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for her hair
…the adventure appears stalled for the moment, but should soon continue…
#####
I may be the only person on the planet who has never consumed a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. As an adult the combination just didn’t appeal to me, and as a child the effort was beyond the mean culinary talents of my sainted mother, whose idea of gourmet fare was Spam garnished with a lettuce and sliced carrot salad. On special occasions she would toss in a handful of tiny marshmallows. May provide some explanation for the pull I feel toward L’Isle de France, even as certain other other factors push.
#####
I wonder if folks realize there are just over 100 days until the 2012 U. S. Presidential election campaign begins, assuming a hiatus between November 5 and January 20, an assumption that carries no assurance of fruition.
Someone (it sounds like Daniel Patrick Moynahan) once opined that we are all entitled to our own opinions, but not to our own facts. I have observed that this dictum is suspended during the political silly season, and now that campaigning is a 24/7/365 sport, appears to have been removed from the books entirely.
#####
Why, I wonder, are the young so overwhelmingly liberal, yet traditionally grow more conservative with age? Winston Churchill was misquoted (though only slightly) as noting If you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not conservative when you're older, you have no brain. The premise is anecdotally if not demonstrably true. The rationale should be unsettling for liberals.
#####
Geezers take lots of prescription medicines, and we are always warned against using heavy machinery, and thus I am constrained to ask: how heavy? A blender but not a bobcat? Electric tooth brush but not electric lawnmower? And two of the more popular drugs on the market, neither of which I’ve tried, caution me in the first instance against thoughts of suicide and in the latter to be on the lookout for erections lasting more than 4 hours. I wonder if taken together they cancel each other?
#####
I have taken to observing children at play, from a distance so as not to incur the suspicion of the ever vigilant guardians of morality, a practice as unfortunate as it is necessary in our troubled times.
Scarlet Ribbons was written in 1949 and performed by over 20 artists, from Doris Day and the Kingston Trio, to something called the Bonzo Dog Band. It’s a tender song about a child who prays for scarlet ribbons, for which her father searches the town in vain, yet they mysteriously adorn her bed at the morn. It used to bring me soothing images of the supernatural, but lately when I hear it I think of Elizabeth Smart, snatched from her bed in Salt Lake City.
Were the song written today, the ending might go something like this:
Through the night my heart was aching
Just before the dawn was breaking
I looked in and on her bed in gay profusion lying there
I saw ribbons, scarlet ribbons, scarlet ribbons for her hair
Called the cops and they came screaming
Convinced them that I wasn’t dreaming
Red lights whirling, sirens blasting
What a nightmare everlasting
Searched hi and lo for perps a’lurking
Insured my Glock properly working
Changed the locks; installed alarm
All to shield my child from harm
If I live to be one hundred
I’ll never forget that scare
Pervert leaving scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for her hair
…the adventure appears stalled for the moment, but should soon continue…
Sunday, October 5, 2008
VIRGINIA 002
Loudoun County, VA is touted as the fastest growing political jurisdiction in the United States. Several California counties dispute this assertion, although it has been alleged that they include in their population count species not certifiably human.
Some months ago in the Loudoun edition of the Washington Post there appeared an article lamenting the woes of a local Hispanic couple, he a trash collector (oops, Sanitary Engineer) –- a worthy but not notoriously highly compensated profession -- she a housecleaner. They had bought a $750,000 single family home and were now unable to make the required payments.
Several thoughts here. I consider myself upper middle class from a 2-wage earner household, kids out of college and relatively debt-free except for those pesky tuition obligations. I would no more think of buying a ¾ million dollar home than I would take a cruise around the world. Though I could afford both, I would simply consider it fiscally irresponsible.
Second, I can hear aloud the anguished cries proclaiming these poor folk must surely have been inveigled into an inappropriate purchase by a Simon Lagreesque lender whose sole intent was to swoop in and reclaim the property when disaster hit. Possibly so, but I am also aware of studies that show many students nowadays have no interest in learning basic math, including those annoying items like percentages and decimal points, integral to the calculation of interest rates and required monthly payments. It seems that while we have a failure to communicate, there is also an unwillingness to learn.
#####
Conservatives, the few of us left hanging about, are understandably anguished over whether to pour water on the smoldering flames of economic greed. There was a time when free market economics and private enterprise were tied to a social contract mandating responsible commerce with substantial penalties for ignoring the common good. Apparently such laws have been repealed.
But the best argument for action has come from Barack Obama who suggested that one should not ignore the blaze in a neighbor’s home simply because he was irresponsible and left food on the stove or smoked in bed. True enough, but must there not be some punishment for those acting irresponsibly, irrespective of their social status, and why must the poor schlub who plays by the rules always end up sharing disproportionately in the pain?
Reminds me of the frustration of Gulf Coast residents who did the right thing and bought insurance on their real and tangible property. Neighbors who did not received bright, new, pastel-colored double-wide FEMA-supplied manufactured homes rent free for at least two years, while the properly insured were left to fight with insurance companies denying claims left and right on the theory that Katrina was a “flood” and not “wind” event.
#####
I’m struck by the disparity between elocution and execution. To be well spoken has value certain, but true leadership requires more than rhetoric. Liberals are fond of demanding their government “walk the walk” rather than simply “talk the talk.” That cry has been strangely silent these past months, yet has been resurrected to question the qualifications of a lowly Governor to assume the mantle of highest office. To some, being the CEO of America’s richest state is inadequate preparation for leadership, while voting “present” in the Senate is a sure qualifier.
#####
And yet amidst the rhetoric swirling about the current economic mess, Senator Obama has been saying things reminiscent of Clintonomics. Where I able to believe these thoughts sincere and not simply campaign oratory, I could easily embrace such a domestic policy.
#####
There is a significant push in the American media to expose the “human side” of the current Iranian President. And there is much discussion over whether American leaders should have a chatty sit-down, perhaps to elicit some clarification of what was really on Ahmadinejad’s mind when he called Israel a “stinking corpse that we will wipe from the face of the earth.”
Such talk was relatively common in the months leading up to the fifth decade of the twentieth century. It was largely ignored with tragic consequences, so much so that a half-century later we build shrines and museums to honor the victims, and scholars opine as to how the world could have been so unfeeling and insensitive.
Yet Ahmadinejad rises to celebrity status in certain quarters and is treated to cute interviews with the likes of Larry King where he’s asked about his children. I can hear a young Larry now, “Tell me, Dolph, do you and Eva contemplate the patter of little feet around the compound once you sort out this Ayran world domination thing?”
#####
I have long felt it improbable that there could emerge serious competition to the distasteful gaggle personified by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage. As a conservative I cringe on those rare occasions, usually while driving, when I catch the foul snippets of these raving cretins. I know the Air America crowd and the Daily Kos bloggers regularly try their best, but they just never seem to rise to the level of hate and vitriol that so effortlessly emanates from the right wing radio waves.
But there is a new and formidable challenge on the left from MSNBC, led by Keith Olbermann and his Air America spawn Rachel Maddow. While the despised O‘Rreilly has dissenting views on virtually every program (who, granted, he does not always welcome with grace), I don’t believe I have ever seen on either Olbermann’s Countdown or Maddow’s new Show (which MSNBC runs back-to-back in prime time, and then, just to be sure no one misses the point, re-runs the same two hours immediately following). The “usual suspects” from liberal media are trotted out 5 nights a week, while Olbermann makes unrelenting charges against all things conservative, Republican, and Fox, and his guests nod vigorous approval, like the bobble-heads they so clearly are.
Perhaps the good news is that no one watches, as MSNBC in prime time is dead (long dead) last. But yes, I do watch, clicking on (and then off when the pain becomes unbearable). I am otherwise unable to know what is being hatched on the far far left, unlike the legions who despise all things Fox but never tune in, gaining their knowledge, I gather, through a mystical form of radical accretion available only to sophisticates.
And it might be noted that Olbermann & Co., are simply a response to the ludicrous Limbaughs, but the latter is heard on a rag-tag conglomeration of (mostly) rural radio stations, while MSNBC is a cable entity tied to one of the 3 national networks, whose parent is General Electric, a Fortune 500 giant whose stock has mysteriously been sliced in half over a time period roughly parallel to its hard left turn. Funny the way these things go.
#####
It has become fashionable in some circles to proclaim “I will never lie to the American people.” (Why do I hear someone in the background saying “I am not a crook?”) A short half century ago the liberal icon FDR proudly acknowledged his penchant for lying to the American people, claiming that in times of peril it was essential to obfuscate in order to confuse and confound the enemy. I don’t hear many Democrats condemning their hero, on the contrary loudly proclaiming that they will never be caught inflagrenti descepto.
…the adventure limps along…
Some months ago in the Loudoun edition of the Washington Post there appeared an article lamenting the woes of a local Hispanic couple, he a trash collector (oops, Sanitary Engineer) –- a worthy but not notoriously highly compensated profession -- she a housecleaner. They had bought a $750,000 single family home and were now unable to make the required payments.
Several thoughts here. I consider myself upper middle class from a 2-wage earner household, kids out of college and relatively debt-free except for those pesky tuition obligations. I would no more think of buying a ¾ million dollar home than I would take a cruise around the world. Though I could afford both, I would simply consider it fiscally irresponsible.
Second, I can hear aloud the anguished cries proclaiming these poor folk must surely have been inveigled into an inappropriate purchase by a Simon Lagreesque lender whose sole intent was to swoop in and reclaim the property when disaster hit. Possibly so, but I am also aware of studies that show many students nowadays have no interest in learning basic math, including those annoying items like percentages and decimal points, integral to the calculation of interest rates and required monthly payments. It seems that while we have a failure to communicate, there is also an unwillingness to learn.
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Conservatives, the few of us left hanging about, are understandably anguished over whether to pour water on the smoldering flames of economic greed. There was a time when free market economics and private enterprise were tied to a social contract mandating responsible commerce with substantial penalties for ignoring the common good. Apparently such laws have been repealed.
But the best argument for action has come from Barack Obama who suggested that one should not ignore the blaze in a neighbor’s home simply because he was irresponsible and left food on the stove or smoked in bed. True enough, but must there not be some punishment for those acting irresponsibly, irrespective of their social status, and why must the poor schlub who plays by the rules always end up sharing disproportionately in the pain?
Reminds me of the frustration of Gulf Coast residents who did the right thing and bought insurance on their real and tangible property. Neighbors who did not received bright, new, pastel-colored double-wide FEMA-supplied manufactured homes rent free for at least two years, while the properly insured were left to fight with insurance companies denying claims left and right on the theory that Katrina was a “flood” and not “wind” event.
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I’m struck by the disparity between elocution and execution. To be well spoken has value certain, but true leadership requires more than rhetoric. Liberals are fond of demanding their government “walk the walk” rather than simply “talk the talk.” That cry has been strangely silent these past months, yet has been resurrected to question the qualifications of a lowly Governor to assume the mantle of highest office. To some, being the CEO of America’s richest state is inadequate preparation for leadership, while voting “present” in the Senate is a sure qualifier.
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And yet amidst the rhetoric swirling about the current economic mess, Senator Obama has been saying things reminiscent of Clintonomics. Where I able to believe these thoughts sincere and not simply campaign oratory, I could easily embrace such a domestic policy.
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There is a significant push in the American media to expose the “human side” of the current Iranian President. And there is much discussion over whether American leaders should have a chatty sit-down, perhaps to elicit some clarification of what was really on Ahmadinejad’s mind when he called Israel a “stinking corpse that we will wipe from the face of the earth.”
Such talk was relatively common in the months leading up to the fifth decade of the twentieth century. It was largely ignored with tragic consequences, so much so that a half-century later we build shrines and museums to honor the victims, and scholars opine as to how the world could have been so unfeeling and insensitive.
Yet Ahmadinejad rises to celebrity status in certain quarters and is treated to cute interviews with the likes of Larry King where he’s asked about his children. I can hear a young Larry now, “Tell me, Dolph, do you and Eva contemplate the patter of little feet around the compound once you sort out this Ayran world domination thing?”
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I have long felt it improbable that there could emerge serious competition to the distasteful gaggle personified by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage. As a conservative I cringe on those rare occasions, usually while driving, when I catch the foul snippets of these raving cretins. I know the Air America crowd and the Daily Kos bloggers regularly try their best, but they just never seem to rise to the level of hate and vitriol that so effortlessly emanates from the right wing radio waves.
But there is a new and formidable challenge on the left from MSNBC, led by Keith Olbermann and his Air America spawn Rachel Maddow. While the despised O‘Rreilly has dissenting views on virtually every program (who, granted, he does not always welcome with grace), I don’t believe I have ever seen on either Olbermann’s Countdown or Maddow’s new Show (which MSNBC runs back-to-back in prime time, and then, just to be sure no one misses the point, re-runs the same two hours immediately following). The “usual suspects” from liberal media are trotted out 5 nights a week, while Olbermann makes unrelenting charges against all things conservative, Republican, and Fox, and his guests nod vigorous approval, like the bobble-heads they so clearly are.
Perhaps the good news is that no one watches, as MSNBC in prime time is dead (long dead) last. But yes, I do watch, clicking on (and then off when the pain becomes unbearable). I am otherwise unable to know what is being hatched on the far far left, unlike the legions who despise all things Fox but never tune in, gaining their knowledge, I gather, through a mystical form of radical accretion available only to sophisticates.
And it might be noted that Olbermann & Co., are simply a response to the ludicrous Limbaughs, but the latter is heard on a rag-tag conglomeration of (mostly) rural radio stations, while MSNBC is a cable entity tied to one of the 3 national networks, whose parent is General Electric, a Fortune 500 giant whose stock has mysteriously been sliced in half over a time period roughly parallel to its hard left turn. Funny the way these things go.
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It has become fashionable in some circles to proclaim “I will never lie to the American people.” (Why do I hear someone in the background saying “I am not a crook?”) A short half century ago the liberal icon FDR proudly acknowledged his penchant for lying to the American people, claiming that in times of peril it was essential to obfuscate in order to confuse and confound the enemy. I don’t hear many Democrats condemning their hero, on the contrary loudly proclaiming that they will never be caught inflagrenti descepto.
…the adventure limps along…
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