Nobody 812

Sunday, March 28, 2010
Nobody # 812

Nobody Asked Me But:

Action: Republicans refuse to totally condemn the hatred, violence and threats of violence coming from their Far Right and aimed at Democrats who supported the health care bill.

Reaction: It seems that many Republican leaders are emulating that famous “young lady from Niger.”<<<

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We read about this new Pasadena place, Slaw Dogs, in the LA Times and being a dog lover, I had to try it. My # 1 was excellent. It was a nicely textured dog covered with beer chili, (slightly sweet but good) mustard, onions and slaw.

Barbara, who rarely eats hot dogs out, except in Manchester Village, Vermont, and never for breakfast, settled for her favorite hamburger for lunch at Pie N Burger.<<<

And while on the subject of food, did you know that: Cranberries, blueberries and Concord grapes are the only fruits indigenous to North America?<<<

FOODS I LEARNED TO LOVE YESTERDAY (WHEN I WAS YOUNG):

Dreamsicles (orange Popsicle with ice cream center)
Fudgesicles
Popsicles - but not as much
Pineapple upside-down cakes
Wheaties and cornflakes - with real cream off the top of home-delivered milk
Grapenuts
Mars Bars
Banana splits
Navy beans on bread with butter - also later pinto beans
Chip beef on rusks
Cherry pie
Pecan pie
Dressing but no giblets
Smothered pork chops cooked with scalloped potatoes
Swiss steak
Grits
Scrambled eggs with canned salmon
Chili
Homemade doughnuts
Homemade bread
Peanut butter on bread with mayonnaise
Pineapple and cottage cheese salad
Stuffed baked pork chops
Escalloped oysters
Lima beans
Lamb

Pictures above: My slaw dog, a sign in our revamped kitchen and a Tea party gathering.

“And the seasons they go round and round”

In my 91st Nobody, dated April 4, 1997, while picking my All-time baseball team, I wrote the following:

Right Field - Al Kaline - very many candidates, probably some more deserving, but he meets my qualifications plus I loved him.

So imagine my surprise and pleasure last week when I read the following:

There is familiar name at the Detroit Tiger spring training camp, Colin Kaline. His grandfather, the great Tiger right fielder and Hall Of Famer, Al Kaline, was one of my favorites.<<<

SPORTS FACTS THAT YOU PROBABLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT

Forbes Magazine ranks UCLA’s basketball program as the 9th most valuable at $16.8 M, just edging out # 10 Arizona at $16.6M. North Carolina was ranked # 1 at $29.2M.<<<

QUOTE OF THE WEEK – on college basketball

“Sportsmanship is like pizza: There is more bad than good.” Chris Erskine, LA Times.

Action: Fox announced that this will be “24’s” last day.

Reaction: For me it ended a month ago. Too much of the same ole, same ole.<<<

"Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, / Where wealth accumulates, and men decay." "The Deserted Village" by Oliver Goldsmith.

Is there any doubt that today’s United States, where anger is the coin of the realm, has become if not a broken society, at the very least a badly bent one?

It seems to me that this is primarily a result of the two great revolutions that occurred in the second half of the Twentieth Century. The first, from the left, was the cultural revolution of the 1960s and early 1970s. The second, from the right, was the market revolution of the 1980s and into the 1990s. These two shared two common themes – I’M RIGHT and ME FIRST. The left claimed their right to be free from cultural restraints so as to maximize their human potential. For the Right it was all about being freed from regulations so as to maximize their economic potential. Both replaced “I think” with “I KNOW,” and “you are wrong” with “YOU ARE BAD.” Both said “freedom trumps responsibility.”

We have become a society of selfish enemies.<<<

Nobody 811

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Nobody # 811

Nobody Asked Me But:

I don’t know how the historic vote will go today, but I do know how horrified I am about the anger and violence that run rampart in “my” America. I called it during the campaign when Republican mobs tried made a mockery out of free speech and civil debate. I wondered why Republican candidates did little or nothing to defend these two values?

I watched it again on last night’s news. Mobs were abusing Democratic congressmen, using the N word and the Q word, and even that wasn’t enough for one cowardly bastard. He actually spit on Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO). If you know me, you know I am not, by nature, violent. But I would have cheered if a policeman’s baton had separated this vile person from as many teeth as one blow could manage.<<<

I watched the first episode of HBO’s “Pacific” last Sunday, and I felt both horrified and sad to be reminded once more of the evil that happens in war. We do the unthinkable to each another in the name of religion or race or power or a piece of land. I believe the only justifiable war is one fought because it is the absolute only way to save others or ourselves from tyranny and/or destruction.

Alexander wasn’t great. Nor was Caesar or Patton or any of the others who loved to play God by sending troops off to be killed. Patton gets a bye because he was fighting a just war but loses most of it because he enjoyed himself too much.

Even worse were the presidents who waged unjust wars, who ordered death from behind a desk, Polk and McKinley, LBJ, Nixon and Bush. And the worst was Lyndon Baines. His was a total and complete ego war that caused the death of 58,000 Americans and over 1,000,000 Vietnamese and the maiming of 350,000 Americans and countless Vietnamese.<<<

DEEP THOUGHTS

1. How does a person with a weak chin ever get pillowcases on pillows?<<<

2. Men take a lot of blame, deservedly, for lagging behind women in the evolutionary road, so it is only right that they get credit for one of the few places they are ahead. I am talking about house cleaning where pretty good is clearly more evolved than spotless.<<<

The new film, “The Runaways,” the story of the rise and fall of Joan Jett’s first band, opened Friday. There is an interesting side story to go with it. Barbara’s brother, Tom, worked for the band for almost two years. He did publicity shots and the cover photography for one of their albums. (See pictures above.)

Is that not cool?<<<

Given the hypocrisy record of so many moral judges, I wonder if all those who criticize Tiger’s comeback should be required to take a lie detector test about their past?

Come to think about it, didn’t Jesus have something to say on this subject? Something like: “He that is without sin among you…..”<<<

LIKE TEA FOR ELEPHANTS

Democratic Representative Jason Almire, a former hospital executive recently hosted a gathering of “tea party” activists from his district. At one point, he asked them: “Shouldn't the government help low-income people afford basic health insurance?”

Their collective shouted out answer was “NO!”

I wonder if the question had been: Shouldn’t the government euthanize low-income people, would their collective answer have been YES?

ACTION: There is a bill circulating in Arizona’s Republican- dominated legislature that would allow college faculty members to carry guns on campus.

Reaction: Why am I not surprised?

Reaction # 2: This would give extra meaning to when a college teacher says “This is your final grade.”

Reaction # 3: You are sick, Arizona, sick!<<<

Action: Arizona on Thursday became the first state to eliminate its Children's Health Insurance Program, leaving nearly 47,000 low-income children without coverage.

Reaction: You are sick, Arizona, sick!<<<

Book recommendation: “Ordinary Thunderstorms” by William Boyd (No, not that William Boyd, not “Hoppy”)

I was drawn to the last two books I read by reviews in the LA Times. (“The Information Officer” and this one.) Both turned out to be winners. Adam Kindred, a cloud scientist, has come home. He is returning to London from the United States for a job interview. Afterwards he stops off for a drink and strikes up a conversation with another man who leaves his briefcase behind. When Adam returns it, he finds the man murdered. Yes, as you might suspect, he is falsely charged with the crime and goes on the run. No, he does not, as you might have expected, spend most of his time seeking out the real killer. Instead, Boyd has him seeking and finding a new life among London’s lost. My first reaction was disappointment. I wanted him to do the expected. My second was fascination with Kindred’s success. My third was elation as Boyd completes the circle game in this excellent novel.<<<

Words to inspire from our president:

"I don't know how this plays politically. Nobody really does. I don't know whether my poll numbers go down or they go up. I do know that this bill, this legislation, is going to be enormously important for America's future."<<<

BRUINS VS. WILDCATS

There was a time, deep in the recesses of history, when the University of Arizona, sporting a 25-4 record, turned down an invitation to the NIT. One would have thought that their record would have won them an NCAA Tournament invitation except that one of their wins was against the Los Angeles School for the Deaf and another against Chihuahua University.<<<

And while on the subject of the Wildcats, isn’t it about time they stopped calling themselves “point guard U”? The last time I looked, one starting point guard in the NBA played for the Cats, (Mike Bibby), one (Jason Terry) came off the bench to play shooting guard for Dallas and one was just plain shooting (Gilbert Arenas) for Washington.

Meanwhile, five graduates of UCLA start at point for NBA teams – Russell Westbrook, Baron Davis, Earl Watson, Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison – and one, Jordan Farmar, backs up at point for the Lakers.<<<

However, on three-point shooting, Arizona has the edge. Steve Kerr’s .4540 is NBA’s all-time best for making threes. Ex-Bruin Jason Kapono is #2 at .4421.<<<

"I know one thing: If I was a coach, I'd let someone else shoot a layup before I let him beat me. I'd have everyone guarding him." Jerry West on Kobe<<<

Former Louisville head coach and Bruin assistant, Denny Crum, on the person he would love to trade places with for a day: “John Wooden, the best human being I have ever known.”

And did you know that Crum’s first job was selling Look Magazine door to door for $.05 when he was 13?<<<

And here is the moment you have been waiting for. My Final Four – picked last Tuesday. (I swear!)

Syracuse over Ohio State. West Virginia over Baylor.

And the National champion will be……..Syracuse.

Nobody 810

Sunday, March 14, 2009
Nobody # 810

Nobody Asked Me But:

“I have just wasted an hour of your time."

Do you believe in redemption? I do. Especially after what happened last week. I was ready to give ex-Congressman Eric Massa, aka “the groper," a bad time for his ever-changing explanations for why he resigned his House seat. But then Massa went on Glen Beck's show and forced the Peter Pan of darkness to come clean, to finally admit the truth. When Beck confessed, “I have just wasted an hour of your time," he not only struck a blow for truth, he also gave himself, as Jon Stewart pointed out, the perfect closing line for every show he will ever do.<<<

IN MY UTOPIA

Weather people will have to do a better job. They will be required to get their heads out of the clouds and reach an accurate consensus in their weather forecasts. Anyone who misses his forecast by more than 4 degrees will have to do penance by working as a television weather person for one month, with slicked-down hair and garish clothing.

Since I am tired of cheering for recovering “whatevers,” fiction writers will undergo a 12-step program to free themselves from creating heroes with substance abuse problems.

College basketball coaches will not be allowed to call time outs while the ball is in play.

Cars will emit some kind of force field barrier that will prevent other cars from following too closely.

Sara Palin will no longer confuse herself with God, as in: “God also wrote crib notes on his palm, and if it's good enough for him…”<<<

IMPORTANT THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT LIFE

If you can, marry someone who gets her/his hair cut in Laguna Beach. (See picture above – no, not the beignets, but they were great too.)<<<

As of today, I am making it official. The Lakers made a mistake by letting Trevor Ariza get away and signing Ron Artest to replace him. Trevor brought as much defense, although a different kind, more offense and much more energy and speed to the lineup.<<<

Laker add on: Lamar Odem should start for the Lakers and Artest should come off the bench.<<<

AT THE MOVIES

The early scenes in “Up,” which trace the evolution of Carl and Ellie’s great love, were among the finest and most touching in any film that I have ever seen, live or cartoon.<<< As much as I like Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, I thought they were terrible as hosts at the Academy Awards.<<<

Question: HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

Answer: Pretty damn low if you are Liz Cheney Her group, Keep America Safe, earned the distain of even many fellow conservatives by labeling the lawyers who defended terrorism suspects “the al-Queda seven.” A group of Federalist Society lawyers, calling themselves “conservatives with integrity,” wondered if Keep America Safe would have questioned John Adams’ patriotism after he defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre?

Lesson learned: Like the proverbial apple not falling far from the tree, a zealot doesn’t fall far from her father.<<<

TOTO – I DON’T THINK WE ARE IN KANSAS ANYMORE (this seems more like TexOZ.)

Last week the conservative majority on the Texas Board of Education ruled that history courses must teach that real America is white, Republican, God-fearing, profit driven and was created in six days.<<<

Action: The Israeli government spits at Biden and the U.S. by announcing new settlement building while he is there.

Reaction: When will we have the guts to say to them – stop building or we stop all $$$?<<<

If you are a sports fan, let me send you the link to the greatest bargain on the Internet - The Sporting News Today. I have mentioned it before, but it is worth repeating. Waiting for me every morning when I wake up is a great summary of news and opinions about the previous day in sports. It has become my daily must read, and it is FREE! Now, please excuse me while I read it.<<<

News item: While in college, Karl Rove flunked out of his logic class but received an A+ in Autocratic Presidents 1A. Think I am making things up? Then check out this exercise in illogic from Rove’s just-published book:

1. President Bush never authorized torture.
2. President Bush authorized waterboarding.
3. Therefore: Waterboarding is not torture.<<<

And is it true that, as a 10-year-old, Rove took his hard right turn after being beaten up by a little girl down the street because he had a Nixon sticker on his bike? (She was, of course, a Kennedy fan.)

It must be, because he writes about it in his book<<<

As a kid, I wasn’t a huge hockey fan, but I followed the Red Wings because they were from Michigan. My favorite player was Gordie Howe who is one of the NFL’s all-time top 5. Did you know that Howe played until he was 51?<<<

ASK A REPUBLICAN

If state governments are, as they claim, so much more trustworthy, then why are so many states, some controlled by Democrats, some by Republicans, in as much financial trouble as the federal government?<<<

Did you ever wonder how much the clergy really believe in all the ceremony and the sacraments vs. how much they see it as smoke and mirrors designed to, at best, comfort people or at worst persuade them to surrender wealth and power?<<<

THE ANSWER MAN

Q: What is a rhetorical question?

A: A question for which the answer is already known. Example: Does Glen Beck have no shame?<<<

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN BILLY BOY, BILLY BOY- OR A SIMPLE DISH TOO LONG NEGLECTED.

I usually go for berry or coconut cream or pecan but lately I have been craving a slice of cherry pie a la mode. Actually, make that two slices.<<<

Nobody 809

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Nobody 809

Nobody Asked Me But:

Question of the week: If I’m an optimist, why do I look like I am carrying such a heavy burden?

Answer of the week: Because it is not easy being an optimist in today’s America?<<<

One of the reasons I read is to remind myself of who I am. This happened again last week. As I was reading the very excellent “The Information Officer,” by Mark Mills, I came upon this quote: "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men." Although I make no claims to excessive wisdom, I have always known instinctively that authority likes it easy, and if too seldom challenged, becomes authoritarianism.

In my life I have bent or broken many rules that deserved such treatment and a few that didn’t.<<<

Incidentally, Sir Douglas Bader, the man whose quote this is, was England’s greatest RAF hero in WWII, despite the fact that he lost both legs in a pre-war plane crash.<<<

“Theirs not to make reply/Theirs not to wonder why/Theirs but to do and die.” The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson

I suppose that Tennyson’s presentation above of the opposite philosophy is as good as anyone’s. It is stirring, yes, but a little too authoritarian for me.<<<

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Democrats ignoring the polls that show a majority of Americans opposing the health care bill: "They think they are smarter than the American people."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Republicans ignoring the polls that show a majority of Americans favoring a public option in the health care bill: "We are smarter than the American people."<<<

THE SINS OF OUR FATHERS

In Friday’s excellent column, linked below, David Brooks compares the New Left of the 1960’s and the Tea Party movement. He finds both to be “imprudent, self-righteous, naïve, and radical.” He says that populist groups like these two are forever present and lingering on the fringe of American politics.

This comment especially interested me: “Conservatism is built on the idea of original sin.” Does this mean conservatism has to be religion-based or can our sin simply be the tie that binds us to our animal heritage?<<<

http://www.nytimes.com//2010/03/05/opinion/05brooks.html?hp

If you don’t live in Southern California, or for some, even if you do you may not have heard about Sandy Koufax and Joe Torre being interviewed last week by LA Times columnist T. J. Simers at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The event was to raise funds for Torre’s special charity, the Safe Home Foundation. Unlike when Vin Scully and Coach Wooden were together on the same stage two years ago, we didn’t go this year, which was a mistake, but we watched it on Fox Sports West. Hearing these two great athletes and good men made for a warm and fascinating evening.

The highlight for me was when Koufax talked about the person he most admires, his grandfather, who told him: "Don't waste your time, don't be frivolous with your time.”

Then Sandy added: “As I get older, I've developed an attitude, spend your money foolishly and your time wisely. It's a lot easier to know what's in the bank than the time you have left."

That is Sandy Koufax, ladies and gentlemen, a great pitcher and a very wise man.<<<

And is there ANY excuse for Dodger owner Frank McCourt not showing up for this event? I don’t think so.<<<

STILL ON BASEBALL

In a NY Times review of the new Willie Mays biography: This account of Willie Mays’s career concentrates on the baseball brilliance, reminding us of a time when the only performance-enhancing drug was joy.<<<

THOUGHTS ON COLLEGE BASKETBALL

My choice for College Player Of The Year: Ohio State’s Evan Turner. (No relation.)

My pick as most overrated soon-to-be All American: Kyle Aldrich of Kansas.

ACTION/REACTION

Action: The Sporting News on Tim Tebow: “He is faster than most all current NFL quarterbacks.”

Reaction: Faster than most? Faster than all? So is it most or all? Make up your mind already.<<<

Action: Starbucks will continue to allow customers to carry legal firearms.

Reaction: Among the “advanced” nations of the world, are any more immature than we?

Reaction#2: Stopping by my local for a shot has taken on a whole new meaning.

Action: The terrible earthquake in Chile caused a permanent change in the length of an Earth day. Each day will be 1.26 microseconds shorter.

Reaction: No wonder I am not getting things done on time.

Action: Senator Kent Conrad, Democrat of North Dakota and chairman of the Budget Committee, said it might be possible to use the reconciliation procedure for “a set of relatively minor matters that have a budget impact.”

Reaction: Why are so many Democrats so gutless?

Action: One of CNN’s recent poll questions was: How religious are you compared with your parents?

53% answered less,

30% answered the same,

17% answered more.

Reaction: There is hope after all.<<<

Did you ever wonder how much the clergy really believe in all the ceremony and the sacraments vs. how much they see it as smoke and mirrors designed to, at best, comfort people or at worst persuade them to surrender wealth and power?<<<

ACADEMY AWARDS

I saw four of the ten movies nominated for this year’s Oscar – “Up,” “Up In The Air,” “Avatar” and “An Education.” All of them were excellent and worthy of their nomination. Only one, however, has a chance of winning, and that, of course, is “Avatar,” which, I suspect will be edged out by “The Hurt Locker.” But do not be surprised if “Inglourious Bastards” pulls off the upset.

Also, watch for Sandra Bullock to edge Meryl Streep for Best Actress in a “we love you both but it is about time we rewarded Sandra” vote.<<<

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Three things I ate as a kid that I wouldn’t eat now - rabbit, horse, pig’s feet.

Three things I wouldn’t eat as a kid that I still won’t eat – liver, beets, cauliflower.

Three things I wouldn’t eat as a kid that I gobble up now – spinach, carrots, peas.<<<