Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 225

On Politics
The Republican response to this week’s news about the capture of the alleged mastermind of the Benghazi attack is a perfect example of the question I asked several week’s ago: If Republicans asked President Obama to fart, and he did, would they complain?

Glenn Beck has said his share of stupid things, but I this may be his best: He warned the American people that President Obama is about to snap, thus react by sending conservatives to internment camps … .and sorry to say, yes, people actually listen to this man.

In the NRA Lobby

Seeing this inscribed at the National Rifle Association (NRA) headquarters is not surprising. Because the Second Amendment is not lengthy, it is interesting to discover that they left off the beginning: A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,

Earlier this week the US Supreme Court set the stage for overturning Ohio’s Truth in Campaign Ads law – something that President Obama agrees with doing. What a shame on both counts!

I appreciated this quote by a local resident in his published editorial: The moneyed interests (from outside the state) have no interest in Ohio as a state, or the people, thus just want that voting seat to further their agenda, even if it is harmful to the people of Ohio. (John Apanites, Cincinnati Enquirer, June 15, 2014)

I like this statement from conservative columnist George Will. Here is a question for Republican presidential aspirants: Given the absence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and given that we now know how little we know about “nation-building” and about the promotion of democracy in nations that need to be “built,” and given that Saddam Hussein’s horrific tyranny at least controlled Iraq’s sectarian furies, and given that Iraq under him was Iran’s adversary, and given that 10-year wars make Americans indiscriminately averse to military undertakings — given all this, if you could rewind history to March 2003, would you favor invading Iraq?

To House Republicans. You continually point the finger at the Senate for not acting on all the legislation you sent them. A word of caution – Purposely sending legislation that won’t get acted upon is at least just as pathetic – and maybe more so.

This image is appropriate in many ways.

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To lead you into The Onion’s headlines of the week, this one is fitting: Resigning House Leader Reflects on All the Accomplishments He Thwarted

On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion
New PS4 feature allows user to close eye and imagine really fun game
Study: More men opting to be in room when wife conceives baby
Employee executes daring 3:30 pm escape from the office
Aunt enters ninth year of raving about Wicked
More corporations using tag-and-release programs to study American consumers

Bonus Onions Regarding the World Cup
Teams to Watch
Players to Watch

Interesting Reads
Columnist David Ignatius look at the Middle East through a historical lens 
10 to-knows-about Brazil while watching the World Cup
An immigration infographic
SR-71: The Blackbird spy plane
The mystery of hiccups
The Bird-Poop Spider

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On Potpourri
The recent 20th anniversary of OJ and the white Ford Bronco brought forth many “where are they now” reports. But the most compelling question NBC answers: What happened to the white Ford Bronco? 

Two tidbits about next week: 1) The next Satire Bits will be the 100th in the series, and 2) the next act of Life: The Musical may be next week (thus announced Monday).

My less-than-a-year old phone suddenly died, thus I cringe of losing all the dance videos of steps.

My beloved Graeter’s ice cream will be advertising on Food Network and the Cooking Channel.

I’m getting closer to the return of Saturday Morning Cartoons – but not yet.

Your weekend celebrations

• (Fri) Flip-Flop Day, Vanilla Milkshake Day, Midsummer (in Finland & Sweden), American Eagle Day, Take Your Dog to Work Day. Productivity Day, Refugee Day, Ugliest Dog Day, Flitch of Bacon Day
• (Sat) Peaches & Cream Day, Hollerin’ Contest Day (contest at Spivey’s Corner, North Carolina), Go Skateboarding Day, Daylight Appreciation Day, Polar Bear Swim Day, Handshake Day, Global Orgasm Day for World Peace (Southern Hemisphere), Cuckoo Warning Day, Pet Fire Safety Day
• (Sun) Chocolate Eclair Day, Smurfs Day, Stupid Guy Thing Day

To send you into the weekend, here’s a hit from 1970 – and one with a distinct bass line. Enjoy Green-Eyed Lady by Sugarloaf. Have a safe weekend and in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.