Nobody 841

Sunday, November 21, 2010
Nobody # 841

Nobody Asked Me But:

A few weeks ago, I voted for the legalization of marijuana. But by doing so, I did not endorse its widespread use, especially among the young and young adults. I believe in the studies that show that regular use of pot has a negative influence on incentive, ambition and performance.<<<

The growing revolution against increased security at airports, body scans and pat-downs, is so typical of modern Americans. We want something for nothing. Keep us safe, but don’t embarrass or inconvenience us.<<<

WONDERING AND WISHING

Why is it that men are the leaders of the anti-abortion crowd, when they rarely, if ever, have abortions?

I wish Obama were as good a president as he was a candidate. Don’t believe me? Name one speech he has given as President as good as the ones he gave as a candidate.

Sometimes I am tempted to wish for a (very) short stay in Hell to see if my grandmother was telling me the truth when she said “Hell is paved with good intentions.”

But then I remember that I will be there soon enough if the Republicans are able to put their plan for America into effect. And the answer will be NO.<<<

OVERHEARD MISSION STATEMENTS

“I am a Republican. I hate Medicare. And the Democrats damn well better not do anything to hurt it.”

“I am a Republican. I believe that the country cannot afford to extend both unemployment benefits and tax cuts for the rich. So down with the unemployed.<<<

HOW QUICKLY THEY FORGET

And did you read that Michael Vick is one of the leading candidates for the NFL Player of The Year? I somehow doubt that any dogs will vote for him.<<<

THE SLEEPWALKERS

I chanced upon this first novel by Paul Grossman on a recent trip to Borders. It looked interesting enough to buy. It is about a Jewish police detektiv. Its setting is Berlin, 1932-33. Unrest is everywhere in a city clinging to its leading edge life style and its decadence. The Nazis are on the march, but the “good” Germans think they are, at best, “commie” killers or, at worst, a nuisance to be dealt with tomorrow. Einstein and a few other Jews don’t agree. They think it is time to leave the country.

In this city of tension, people are sleepwalking into nowhere. Beautiful women, dwarfs, twins. Gone. It is up to Inspktor-Detektiv Willi Kraus to find the who and the where. The who is simple. When there is evil in early 30s Berlin, you can bet the Nazis are behind it. The where is a horror story that previews the monstrosity that was to become the Third Reich.

The Sleepwalker is fascinating, both for its story and for its historical glimpses of Berlin. Its conclusion satisfies history and the story. Although The Sleepwalker has a few of the flaws common to a first novel, I highly recommend it. But a word of caution to Grossman – never, NEVER write out the sound of a gun firing. Bang, bang is verboten.<<<

History’s “little” mistakes – I know history shows that during Hitler’s early aggression towards Austria, he ordered his generals to turn around and come home if they encountered any opposition, which means that a simple act of will by England or France could have stopped Hitler before he started. But I did not realize how easily Hitler’s enemies within Germany could have crushed the Nazis before they took power. Instead they either tried to use him against the communists, thinking that they would crush him later, or they blinded themselves to the menace, believing (or hoping) it would go away without decisive action.<<<

A TALE OF TWO “HEROES”

Jesse James got his start as a Rebel guerrilla looting a Union train and killing 22 unarmed soldiers, scalping several.

Billy the Kid’s first arrest was for stealing a basket of laundry.<<<

The LA Times has an occasional series in which it asks authors about their memorable reading experiences, good or bad, in their pre-college school days. Last week Karen Joy Fowler (an award winning science-fiction writer) chose “The Hobbit,” read to the class by her sixth grade teacher at Addison Elementary in Palo Alto, CA, and quickly reread by her. I loved her answer to the question, “What did you learn from it?”

“I learned how to comport myself among trolls, elves, hobbits or goblins. I learned that a friend can be lost to greed and avarice. I learned that solving riddles may be as important a survival skill as bowmanship. I know how to talk to a dragon and that it is best not to.”

TRANSLATION PLEASE Can any of you make sense out of this? “We may have broken rules, but we didn’t cheat.” Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun

Scholastic has a great new website called “You Are what You Read.” It is operated in a sort of Facebook style. On it famous people from all professions and occupations, as well as the non-famous, list the five books that have most influenced them. Imagine my surprise when, while doing an initial browse, I discovered that one of Kathy Bates five favorites was Robert Louis Stevenson’s collection of children’s poems, “A Child Garden of Verses.” This may or may not make my top five, but if not, it will be damned close. Although I read and reread these delights more years ago then I prefer to remember, I can still recite many.

http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.com/adults/

And, while on the subject, as most of you know, my favorite novel of all time is “To Kill A Mockingbird.” What about number two, you ask? Actually, you didn’t ask, but I will tell you anyway. It is John Steinbeck’s “East Of Eden.”<<<

Make me King of baseball – and I would set the maximum length of any contract to 3 years. Then I would apply the NBA’s right of first refusal after a player’s first three-year contract with any team. This means that his team has the one-time right to match any offer he might receive. After a second three-year contract he becomes an unrestricted free agent.<<<

I’m with Chris Erskine of the LA Times when he writes that he looks forward to the day when a doctor says to a patient: "You have cancer. Let me write you a prescription."<<<

SOMETHING FOR NOTHING – CALIFORNIA STYLE

In a poll taken last week, Californians were anxious to close the state’s budget deficit. They rejected raising taxes to do it, opting instead for budget cuts. But then they rejected cutting from programs that make up 85% of the budget. They even wanted to increase spending on some of them.