Pensees

PENSEE #9 I watched the entire debate so you wouldn’t have to. It was a noble effort on my part.  I would have turned it off after 10 minutes.  There’s so much good analysis available on the web that I don’t need pile on. I’m taking anti nausea medications, so I’ve avoided vomiting.  Rehashing it today could be harmful to my health.  ****************************************************************************** I'm not naive.  I know I can't change the world, but I'm trying to change my little part of that world.  So here's something I care about. We need to reform policing in this country.   There have been small changes , like more body cams, since black teen Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson MO on August 9, 2014. But those changes are not of the size or type needed to address the problem. It seems many blame police unions for the lack of accountability for police officers.  There's some validity to the argument.  The 14th Amendment to t...

PENSEE #8  Nobody is going to mistake Eric Trump for a "stable genius."  His reaction to the New York Times report on Donald's tax issues is a good example of why he should just shut up.   “They’ve been writing that article for three months and they wanted it to drop the morning before the debate!” he said. “These are disgusting people!” So here's the problem, Eric.  If you don't like focusing on taxes just before the debate, Donald had a 100% opportunity to pick a better time for the bad news.  At any point in the last 4 years, he could have disclosed this information himself.  But no.   I noticed that in his self righteous disgust, he didn't say that the NYT got it wrong.  So let's focus on the real issues here: 1.  Who does Donald owe more than $400M to? 2.  These loans are not for the Trump businesses.  They're personal loans to DJT.  How does he plan to repay them? 3.  Are any of these loans from foreign sources? ...

  PENSEE #7  Trump's worst nightmare has arrived.  The New York Times brings Trump's tax scam to the party . It's a late September surprise that could tip some voters into Biden's camp. Of course, the White House is squealing about more "fake news."  That's a pretty lame response if you ask me.  If it's fake news, he needs to back up that claim with proof that the Times has either made up a story (unlikely) or has made a huge journalist blunder (possible but not likely). So here's my beef with Trump today: 1.  Don't tell me it's fake news unless you can prove it . 2.  It's a privilege to be an American.  Taxes are how we support that privilege.  Pay your fair share.  You're lucky to be an American.  Tax cheaters are nothing but free loaders who want the benefits of being an American without paying for those benefits. 3.  I paid more tax than the President.  You probably did too.  So did the majority of his base. ...

 PENSEE #6 STRAIGHT TALK.  It's really happening.  Ms. Coney Barrett has been nominated.  Her nomination will be confirmed.  She will be part of the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) for 3-5 decades.  Democrats need to recognize reality and avoid embarassing themselves. STRAIGHT TALK.  Ms. Coney Barrett is fully qualified to serve on the Supreme Court.  While President Trump has made numerous dubious nominations to the federal courts, this is not one of those.  I may (will) disagree with many of her decisions, but she's a quality pick who will serve with distinction. STRAIGHT TALK .  I have a bias when it comes to Catholicism.  I was raised Catholic, but have not practiced religion since approximately 1970.  Any religion that when forced to choose between protecting children or protecting priests consistently makes the wrong choice has no moral authority.  I recognize my bias, and it will not affect my views of Ms. Coney Barrett. ST...

PENSEE #5 I  don't know if I'm typical of most progressive Americans, but I hope so.  There's some tendency for the opposition to blame progressives for the current riots and destruction in some cities.  That blame is misplaced, and I'm drawing the line between protests and riots.  They are not the same thing, and as a general principle, they are not carried out by the same people. Protests are legitimate citizen efforts to change policy through non-violent means.  The right to protest is included in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Riots are mayhem created by anarchists who seek change by burning down the institutions of government.  These riots are NOT protected by the Constitution, but are prohibited by applicable criminal laws.  Arson is a criminal offense, as is assault.  Those engaging in such acts should expect to suffer the full weight of criminal law. I support protests.   I do NOT support riots and all the associated damages...

PENSEE #4.  The weekend starts now.Pandemic.  Riots.  RBG is gone.  Trump says "we'll see" if he will leave office if he loses the election.  200,000 victims of covid 19 are no longer with us.  These are extremely challenging times.So, let the weekend start now.  Here's a cheery 4 minutes and 20 seconds to lift your spirits. To get to the video, click on READ MORE below.

PENSEE #3.  "Safer at home." So...the coronavirus is still with us after 6 months of varying restrictions to prevent spreading it.  "Safer at Home" is not just a factually provable slogan.  It's got some unexpected benefits, at least for me. The last 6 months of isolation have been pretty easy for me.  I rarely leave the house, except for doctor appointments and treatment.  When I do leave the house, I'm confronted with an array of non-maskers are everywhere I go.  Emotionally, I invariably have an unspoken anger that so many people care so little about their fellow citizens.  Every time I hear the term "we're all in this together," I wince.  Nothing could be farther from the truth. So staying home has the benefit of avoiding the risk of coronavirus and the people who just don't give a damn.  I've found that the less I have to interact with people, the happier I am.  That may seem cynical, because it is.  We're not "all in this...

The "safer at home" quarantine has made us much more engaged with our TV.  I've told friends that we're watching a LOT of British TV.  The reactions vary from eye rolls to sneers.  So I'm putting a couple of shows out there for those who need convincing.  British TV is strong stuff, with adult content that cannot be done on American broadcast TV. These two shows are free on Amazon Prime , and they are, as the Brits say, "brilliant." Adults only, based on the sex, the violence, and the crude language.  Tip.  Turn on the subtitles...otherwise you will miss a lot of the best lines. Coupling is a half hour comedy series, with the emphasis on "coupling," if you know what I mean.  I had an ingrained bias; I saw British humor as an oxymoron.  That was before we saw Coupling .  I laughed out loud, and I think you will too. The Fall is NOT a comedy.  It's a searing but endearing look at a sociopath tracked down by the an obsessed member of the ...

  PENSEE #1.  Mitt's Lost Balls So today we learned that Mitt Romney can't find his balls.  He's going to vote to confirm the yet unnamed replacement for RGB on the Supreme Court.  That ghost nominee will be confirmed by the Senate.  Mitt Romney will look in the mirror tonight and ask himself what are his REAL values?  He doesn't seem to know.  I hope he recovers those lost testicles some day, but today is definitely not that day. I'm depressed about losing RGB and gaining God knows who.  All we know for sure is that the Supreme Court will be conservative at least for a generation.   I need a margarita.

                    PENSEES Blaise Pascal's "Pensees" is a collection of his thoughts.  If it's good enough for Pascal, it's good enough for me. I'm borrowing his format here to sprinkle some random thoughts to anyone who's interested.  Some are political, some are personal, and all are open to discussion in the comments. I'll try to post a short read daily.  No long reads here, just thoughts that are timely and thought provoking.