Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 122

On Politics
Cheers to the GOP candidates refusing to attend the Donald Trump debate.

Herman Cain and Donald Trump dropping out of the race does not mean the business people cannot run for president, but it does mean that one anyone runs for president, the need to have a grasp on the issues.

Polls show that the Newt Gingrich is gaining support from Tea Party members. I find the following points interesting:

• The group opposing Washington insiders is supporting one. The group claiming representation of the people is supporting a former lobbyist.
• The group claiming to be against giving money to influence decisions is supporting the one who took money to influence decisions.
• The group claiming that Mitt Romney has flip-flopped too much in terms of health care, abortion, and climate change is racing to the one who has flip-flopped on the same issues and even more.

I listened to portions of several speeches GOP candidates made to a Republican-Jewish organization. I winced on many occasions.

A question to staunch GOP supporters: How can the race for the GOP nomination be weirder?

On Headlines from The Onion (it was a good week)

• Renewable Energy Source Encoded in Charlie Sheen’s Rants
• In Major Gaffe, Obama Forgets to Dumb It Down
• Nation’s Moms Demand Christmas List
• Half-Asleep Man Pauses 20 Minutes between Socks
• Rumors of Extramarital Affair End Campaign of Presidential Candidate Who Didn’t Know China has Nuclear Weapons
• Chinese Paint Tops List of This Year’s Must-Have Holiday Gifts
• Court Rules Meryl Streep Unable to be Tried by Jury as She has No Peers

On Interesting Reads
I didn’t read as much this week for a number of reasons, so here are some from bloggers.

• An interesting post about generations and changing technologies
• A good post about a meaning of Christmas for everyone
• This Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide’s post is worth the look for the pictures alone.
• Need a laugh, see the worst nativity sets

On Potpourri
2011 became the wettest year in Cincinnati history in October – and then we had the wettest November on record; and, we started this week with 4 inches of rain. The countdown to 2X the annual average is in single digits.

I’m a Bowling Green State University grad, thus this legit headline caught my eye: Bowling Green Travels to Bowling Green. If you find this intriguing, see this past post.

Announcement: Next week I return to a full-time project. Yes, there is the professional aspect of my brain and the lure of additional money to stash for full retirement, yet there is a sadness that I will not be able to keep up with reading, writing, visiting, commenting, and whatever else bloggers do. I will probably reduce to three posts per week soon, and visit where I can and when I can.As the last time, I will visit those visiting here first.

As for this blog goes, the timing is not good because the hits here are increasing. Thursday is one of the busiest days ever! Oh well, I will brace myself for the probable slide to come.

Our friend’s brother said this to attendees at the funeral: Twenty dies before she died, two people went to the hospital for what they thought would be a routine X-ray. What are you doing twenty days from now?

Once discovering that our hospitalized friend was about to leave us, I cried at least once a day for seven days – but I’m getting better. This pic is a closer look at our handbell tribute to her at the funeral, which I said more about earlier this week. For those who enjoy handbell music, a Japanese choir performs Beside Still Waters (arr Howard Starks), which is the beautiful song we played at the funeral. Please click here to watch if the video below doesn’t work.

Meanwhile, in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.