Tuesday Tidbits

Decline In America

Look around and it is easy to see an almost imperceptible decline in America.  Student test scores, governmental leadership and legislating, manufacturing and industry, diminished middle class, and the list goes on.  In other parts of the world mass transit is the future on rails.  We no longer lead.  We now, simply, do nothing at all. 

The late Samuel Huntington, Harvard political professor believed:

Huntington, like Trump, wanted America to be great, and came to long for a restoration of values and identity that he believed made the country not just great but a nation apart. However, if that path involves closing ourselves off, demonizing newcomers and demanding cultural fealty, then how different are we, really, from anywhere else? The central agony of the Trump era is that rather than becoming great, America is becoming unexceptional.

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Adventures in Babysitting

Here at the Daycare Center we have only 2 rules:  

1.  No Naps, No Snaks

2.  What happens at Papa's Daycare, stays at Papa's Daycare, to coin a tired phrase, but "Don't ever squeal on Papa" seemed a bit pedo, if you know what I mean. 

That is why we will not mention names or level of supervision during the following misadventures in babysitting.  

Poor Alfred trying her best to apply a little mascara.  

The above red glob 24 hours before was a B12 supplement.  24 hours before Alfred inserted it in her left nostril.  There it remained overnight until a good morning sneeze brought it back to daylight.   

On a more positive note, Wednesday was Elmer's glue slime day.  Three batches.  Three different colors.  Laughter and smiles all around.

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Overused words used on 24-hour news talk shows:

writ-large, robust, look, listen, at the end of the day, existential, substantive, American people, lawyer-up, we'll talk on the other side (referring to showing video clip), have to leave it there

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Unfortunately I had my camera's setting on some kind of blur except for center sharpness.  Drat.  But you get the picture.  Super fast, super expensive Lotus Evora.  Looked up the starting price and found if you want one of these you'll have to divvy up at least $89,000.  This was parked at Sam's Club.  Wonder if there is a cause and effect between the two?

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Oops.  Another skeleton and symbol of urban life.

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I hate commercials.  All commercials.  Not that I watch a lot of TV these days, but we do during the day (Square Bob Spongepants, and Paw Patrol).  There is one that plays to the moms at home that seems rather objectionable to me.  It is a Downy ad with some black guy in a virtual clown suit talking all femmy and lack of relationships between his pitch for softer clothes.   What boardroom and ad agency thought this was a great pitch.  It is, sadly, all too Stepin Fetchit.    

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Washington Post editorial by Eugene Robinson:  America deserves better than this, referring to our President.  Well, yes, and no.  I seldom argue with Pulitzer prize winners, but I think Mr. Robinson is right and wrong.  He is right that this country deserves better, but wrong in that we get the government we deserve.

I think there is a certain laziness to us.  We live in America, chant "We're #1"*, display the flag and think we have done our duty.  The greatness comes naturally.  But we would be wrong in that assumption.  It takes work on our part to be informed and educated citizens.  One only need look at history to see how countries go off the rails with a citizenry that is blind.  

I have tried not to dwell on politics and certainly not to burden you readers with it, but Plato has been whispering in my ear.  I'm sure you all recall what he had to say in his little book called The Republic.  And I suppose most of you have your copies handy so, if you'll grab them I'll finish my point and we can proceed to more fun stuff.  I'll wait..................  

.......................I'm waiting...................................

 Couldn't find your copy, huh.  Maybe you lent it to a neighbor.  Anyway, it espouses (that can also be used to fill out forms when your wife is named "E") that there is a kind of social contract we have with the state:  in return for "wise leaders" we will be "moderate" citizens".  "Wise" being anyone who may or not be residing in the White House and "moderate" is most of us who obey the rules and don't generally go running naked through the streets banging pots and pans.  When the state has no wise leader it calls on the citizenry to raise a fuss, and when the people go running naked through the streets it calls for a leadership to deal with it.  General stuff like that.  pretty general stuff, right?  Now keep in mind that was written in 380 Before Christ.  Imagine that!  

My fault and my shame is that I for all to often have been uninvolved in the shaping of our country.  It has been more entertainment while I relax in an easy chair.  I won't, it would be rude, mention such things in company when I run into you guys in Northlandia, a gentleman would never do that, unless the subject is raised by others or am asked.   But I do have this blog and a forum to express to readers my thoughts and concerns.  If readers want only the light hearted portions of this forum then let me know and I will cheerfully refund your pro-rated subscription.  I'll hate to see you go, but I heartily understand.  It can be lonely to take a stand.  

Otherwise, for those of you who decide to stay, you will be rewarded with glimpses from BFE:  pictures, musings from Kitschland, glimpses of things I think and yes, the occasional political commentary.  I will try to keep it at a minimum, however.

I swear, this mess is bringing out the old hippie in me.

(Of course, if any of my thoughts jeopardizes my rides to and from Northlandia airports I will gladly change them to suit those of the driver, whoever that may be.)

*Someone please show tell me what we are verifiably number 1 in that doesn't have to do with years at war, guns or prisons.  

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I have spoken often of my addiction and weakness with ice cream.  Any flavor, any consistency.  I do draw the line at sherbet (I mean, what the fuck is that shit?) but in a complete void it'll do, too.

Imagine what my EKG was when I stepped into ICEburg in downtown St. Pete and witnessed the majesty that is rolled ice cream.  Watch, savor, and die of envy.

That plate must be cooled by some kind of super-coolant because it is really hard by the time it makes it to your cup and your quivering hand.  It's not cheap - nothing in downtown St. Pete is, and will cost you about 7 dollars or 15 pesos.  You can get 2 containers of Breyers Natural Vanilla for $6 bucks at Wal-mart so "no", its not worth it, but I can't wait to go back.

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If you have been reading for long, you know that I have written of the homeless brigade that is somewhat pervasive here.  If I were homeless this is where I'd want to be, too.  Much nicer than the cold winters of Minneapolis.  They sleep and spend their days in nearby bust stop stands and use fast food joints as their rest stops and clean-up areas  They can get a coffee cheap, use the john, splash some water on their faces and hang out awhile.

Last Saturday I went to McDonalds for lunch and this homeless guy was having his coffee and watching a FOX business infomercial on buying gold.  He couldn't keep his eyes off it and I wondered about the ironic juxtaposition (a new sexual position recently discovered by a Fort Wayne, Indiana honeymooning couple in Juxta, Mexico.  Both are recovering nicely in the local hospital and should be home soon).  Three items gave him away as one of the unwashed masses:  his look, his order, and the fact a woman who sat in a booth next to me gave him 4 dollars when she left.

But, boy, what the hell was going through his mind during that gold-buying presentation on TV?

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Things I think about when there is nothing else to think about:

We like to anthropomorphize our pets (turn them into people).  I wonder if they are trying to turn us into dogs?

Just think of what happens everyday in most hospitals.  The best day of your life - the worst day of your life.  The first day of your life, the last day of your life.  And everything in between.

If I have to use my teeth to get the coffee creamer seal off, how is 78 year old Martha doing it who hasn't had a tooth in 25 years?

When I was a young philosophy student I used to think that a well lived life should end the first day you couldn't do something you could the day before.  I have revised that errant thought.  

When I was a young philosophy student I used to think a starving man could die happy.  I have not revised that thought.

 How easily I would survive if there were no felis catus in the world.  I didn't even like Felix.

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Finally, one of my clients had a birthday this week.  Alfred, aka, Ayla celebrated her second birthday.  And proving, once again, the reality of the Stockholm Syndrome, the little thing is crazy about me.