Tuesday Tidbits

I gave to United for Puerto Rico last week.  I think we view Puerto Ricans as something perhaps less than full-fledged Americans because they are neither a state or an independent nation.  They are a territory and the US government has focused its resources more toward Texas and Florida.  The fact is that they are Americans and gave generously on relief efforts to the states recently hit by hurricanes and we need to help all of our citizens.  If you have a buck or two to give please consider this cause.

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Daughter Kenzie took this picture last week.  Somehow the whole "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow" at Wal-Mart has me scratching my head.

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"Taking offense has become America’s national pastime; being theatrically offended supposedly signifies the exquisitely refined moral delicacy of people who feel entitled to pass through life without encountering ideas or practices that annoy them." 
  
— George Will (1941-) American political commentator

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My high school buddy, Eddie, has a son named Michael.  Coincidence, I think not.  Michael is a first year head coach of the first year Wesley Chapel, Florida Cypress Creek Coyotes varsity football coach.  Besides being just as nice as his dad, he knows his football stuff, too.  Best of luck for the season.

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Don and Kim - the Thelma and Louise of nuclear codes.

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Alfred and I took in the park last week.  All those swings and slides and things to thrill a kid, she was more intent on exploring and chasing birds.  

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The next day we did something we could both enjoy.

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While browsing a strange little home restoration store you know things that have a thousand windows and doors and stuff, and came across this military decoration for some campaign.  It looks like the medallion itself is gone but the ribbons are there.  It struck me as kind of sad that an emblem of sacrifice ended up in some shabby dusty store shelf.    

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Norah was quite proud of losing her first front tooth.

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In a budgetary move I bought 4 rolls of toilet paper at Aldi's for a dollar.  Don't make my mistake.

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I love little historical nuggets.  There's the one where Julius Caesar upon just arriving in Africa tripped on the ramp leading to shore and fell face first on land.  Since this would have been a bad sign to his troops he quickly yelled, "Africa, I hold and embrace you."  

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Our president has been using John McCain as a punching bag because of his health care vote.  McCain has more strength, patriotism, and concern for the country in his little toe than Trump has in his hugely inflated ego.  Be very careful denigrating a true living American hero.  It really exposes your true character. 

I heard this as many of you did.  I liked it.  If you don't know what freedom in this country means then you are doing yourself and your fellow citizens a disservice.  

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What I saw on my latest trip to Wal-Mart.

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Poor Ginger, Kenzie's Shar-Pei mix, being hassled by Norah's kitten, Pippy.  I hate cats, felines, kittens, pussycats, whatever, equally.

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I took this early morning picture of a ditch whilst back in Northlandia.  No, I wasn't just waking up from a long night at the bar.  The morning dew covered all the little spider nests.  You'll never see that in Kitschland.  

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Instead of algebra as a course in high school, maybe we should have CPR and First Aid.  Nowadays the likelihood of having to use it while in a mass shooting incident are far higher than using algebra.  The NRA has lobbied and successfully passed 99 bills in the past 7 years making it easier to have a weapon.  In fact, buying a gun is easier than buying a beer.

Someone said on TV last night that it was an ageless battle between good and evil.  I take exception with that - no where else on earth except Yemen has the number of gun fatalities than those of us in the US.  It isn't because of a theological or metaphorical war, it's because we are an angry society with too free access to killing machines.