by

Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 190

On Politics
I was surprised to learn that 15 states allowing voting for a straight (one party) ticket with one vote. Personally, that’s pathetic!

Conservatives loving Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) as a potential Republican presidential candidate just goes to show they do not understanding winning.

Oh my my … a Stop Hillary PAC has been formed, so expect to see ads.

As House Speaker Boehner (R-OH) explains votes will not come to the House floor for vote without Republican majority, I say that is a prime example of the House Speaker’s position should be an impartial, nonmember of Congress, which would be Constitutional.

On more than one occasion, and for some time, I have proclaimed repealing various banking laws in favor of returning to the pre-deregulation days of the Glass-Steagall. Finally, I am not alone.

Anthony Weiner (D-NY) is an ass with a problem, which unquestionably qualifies him for political office. However, in the end, it is up to the NYC voters (not me or anyone else outside the city) to decide his fate. On a related note, The Onion offers tips for making a political comeback.

On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion

  • Man at salad bar must say every item aloud as he ads it to salad
  • Royal baby already crawling
  • Man making $1000 per month has nerve to complain about minimum wage laws
  • Frustrated novelist no good at describing hands
  • Area man sobbing after Phil Mickelson’s win
  • Royal baby speaks first words

Interesting Reads
Columnist Thomas Friedman’s look at Egypt
A view of the city of Detroit’s bankruptcy
Tony Bennett about Duke Ellington
Gettysburg and Pickett’s Other Charge – the family secrets
Voyager 1 is still going
Infographic: Comparing 1940 & 2010 in the U.S.
Cute graphic about history
Texting on the toilet

On Potpourri
My wife (the avid reader of fiction in this house) purchased The Seneca Scourge by Carrie Rubin, a blogger who visits here …. In addition, the book received a big thumbs up!

In my personal quest to find good ginger ales, I requested tasted two that are new to me. If you like a little (but not a lot) zing, try Red Rock Ginger Ale. Cock N’ Bull Ginger Beer was a solid choice for my taste, so it may make it to my taste-off event.

Are you kidding me? Lance Armstrong’s legal defensive against his then sponsor (USPS) is that they should have known that he was doping (thus lying).

Time is running out on National Doghouse Repairs Month and Sandwich Generation Month. Meanwhile, this weekend is the World Lumberjack Championships and someone I imagine one of my California readers have attended – Garlic Days in Gilroy. Single day celebrations include (Fri) National Talk on the Elevator Day (say Eleven); (Sat) National Dance Day, National Creme Brulee Day, Take Your Houseplant for a Day, Walk on Stilts Day (Go Guap), and Barbie in a Blender Day; (Sun) National Milk Chocolate Day, Auntie’s Day, and Parent’s Day.

Next Tuesday is the scheduled curtain rising of the next act of Time: The Musical. The theme for Act 5 will be “Day” – so get your song title that include Day, Days, or Monday through Friday.

Interesting that we get to live at a rare time with three living heirs to the throne. All the royal baby hoopla reminds me of this comedy bit from Tim Wilson.

I’ve planned a cartoon post for Saturday

To send you into the weekend, here’s some classic rock by someone who should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but isn’t. Have a good weekend. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

64 thoughts on “Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 190”

  2. Your wife is right on the thumbs up, I read it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

    I am with you, Elyse and Elisabeth Warren on Glass-Steagle, time to reign it in, past time actually.

    I am off to read articles now, I always love your picks and it seems you have some interesting ones this time. Thank you as always.

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    • What Drives History is the best cartoon I have seen in months!
      Texting on the Toliet, I have nothing to say but ICK
      Bankruptcy of Detroit, interesting
      Infographic of Census, fascinating
      Tony on Duke, loved this one

      Thank you as always for finding great reads

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    • Val,
      Oh no … Right Angle’s ego is growing! Hooray, returning to Glass-Steagle is even gaining momentum here. OH well, it won’t happen because the banking industry won’t let it happen and members of Congress lack the guts to do it.

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  4. Amen, about the Moody Blues, Frank! My husband, Peter was at the concert at Red Rocks (just outside Denver) where this video was recorded in 1992. We had just met a few months prior, and I was still living in Miami. I was so jealous that I didn’t get to go!

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  6. E. Warren makes a strong case whenever she speaks about G-S and regulation. The President made a strong case about the economy in his speech in Galesburg, IL. No BIG pronouncements, just a strong case that things are BAD for most people in terms of growth and future and retirement.

    It is so tiring to hear the G-eneral OP-osition party drone on about the same negative things. Put up or shut up.

    Speaking of books…a good friend gave me ‘This Explains Everything’ edited by John Brockman. Dozens of authors, scientists, engineers, etc, wrote short essays to answer the question ‘What is your favorite deep, elegant, or beautiful explanation.’ It will be good.

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    • Jim,
      The banking industry definitely made a mess of things. Meanwhile, Congress has also done a good job of holding back the economy. They are pathetic! Thanks for the book tip.

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  7. “Conservatives loving Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) as a potential Republican presidential candidate just goes to show they do not understanding winning.” I loved this statement, Frank. A lot of “good reads” here, too. I’ll look forward to the next act on the “Time Series” you have going and I have the Moody Blues Live @Red Rocks CD and play it often. A favorite. 🙂

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  12. Good morning Frank! On politics, again – ya get what ya vote for! As for Anthony Weiner, I couldn’t care less what he does in his private time, but a vote for him equals a vote for a known liar with a highly questionable sense of judgement.

    This morning finds me preparing for a visit to St. Francisville, Louisiana. I’ll be in transit back to Texas on Tuesday, Frank. So here’s my (early) contribution to Time: The Musical….

    Have a great weekend!

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      • Guapo,
        If it wasn’t for Weiner, we probably wouldn’t here the polls, but I have heard about his slide – however, I don’t know anything about the others. Keep us posted!

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      • Thanks for the update Guapo. I truly think if he’s the best person for the position he should have the job. And I truly don’t care who he texts nor the subject matter. I can even almost (almost!) understand the lies, but it’s his very questionable sense of good judgement which I find difficult to dismiss. Of course, it’s up to you guys in New York.

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        • Absolutely. And because of it, I couldn’t vote for him. Not because of some morality that what he did was wrong. But that I don’t trust his priorities, or judgement.

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        • Yeah, that sums it up. Sadly, the candidate I like is probably not going to win.
          Our former gov, resigned because he was seeing a prostitute the same age as his daughter (?!?) is running for comptroller. We have a great slate in the city this year!

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        • I never let someone’s chance of winning determine my vote. In that booth the only opinion that counts is my own. I’ll even write-in if I don’t like the given options. The only certainty is that I WILL vote. Again, I don’t care how many prostitutes someone sees, besides I think it should be legalized, the question is whether this activity is placed in priority of his/her ability to do the job.

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        • I have no problem with him seeing a pro. It was the way he handled it when the whole thing blew up in his face. Again, character.
          And I’m with you on the voting.

          Because if you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the idiots everyone else picked! 😉

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        • I like the way the two of you have refined character in this string. I have written in votes, but I’ve also left a race blank. I believe (in Ohio) write-in votes don’t count unless the candidate is an official write-in candidate.

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        • I was so disgusted with one race here, that I actually wrote in Big Bird for one of the local offices.
          Seriously, it was an awful slate of awful candidates for that office.

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        • I think that depends on the caliber/performance of the candidate running.
          But generally, some sort of competition is good, if only to bring out things that might not show otherwise.

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    • Alex,
      Good point about Weiner. Of course I think the best job for him is driving the Weinermobile.

      Thanks for the early musical note .. and of course I’ll add it so it’s one of the first comments!

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  13. Before diving into your Opinions in the Shorts, “Interesting Reads,” here’s a big THUMBS UP for Elizabeth Warren and John McCain for getting together to support bringing back Glass-Steagall.

    Also wondering where Vernor’s falls on your ginger ale preference list? I’m guessing it’s a little too zingy.

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    • Tim,
      As a long-time reader, I’m sure you recall that I was way out in front of Elizabeth Warren with my call!

      Meanwhile, I had to laugh at your Vernor’s comment. Of the big commercial producers, it’s one of the better ginger ales, but it has no zing … none … nada … zilch. Besides, comparing Vernon’s to these that I promote is like comparing Bud Light to a good beer made at a microbrew.

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  16. Boehner is referencing the Hastert rule, where the speaker doesn’t bring legisltation to the floor without a majority of the majority.
    I don’t think there are enough pols who listen to Boehner now to say he has a majority of anything,
    So, more gridlock, I guess.

    I’d like to see Weiner and Spitzer on the same talk shows after they both lose.

    Have a great weekend!

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    • Guapo,
      Yep … that’s it. I look at that statement which flies against his “we are here to serve the people” line as the tears flow.

      You mentioned Spitzer … how is he doing in the polls?

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    • Kimberly,
      The whole situation has a bit of a bizarre chord …. the faithful wife standing who happens to be very close to Hillary Clinton … now factor in the Clinton-Lewinsky escapade … and seemingly not going away.

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  19. I’ve attended 5 Moody Blues concerts, and saw Red Rocks broadcast on PBS. I’m late here, and I’m late getting my copy of Carrie’s book. I downloaded Pouringmyartout’s, but still haven’t read it. 😦

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      • All at various venues in/near Toronto over twenty years, when I could still afford to go. The only group I’ve attended more, Might be Jethro Tull, five Tull concerts and one, promo-ing Ian Anderson’s solo album. An hour of religious based songs, then an hour of Tull work. The Moody’s concert I took the wife to, at Canada’s Wonderland, the tour photographer appeared to be Geddy Lee, from Rush, and she found that she was Allergic to marijuana. 👿

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