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Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 335

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Hard to believe, but the previous edition of OITS was on July 14th! I’m overdue!!!!

Fiona, Cincinnati’s favorite baby hippo, continues to do well. Besides being a media darling, Graeter’s (one of the best ice creams on the planet) made a limited-edition flavor in her (Fiona’s) honor: Chunky Chunky Hippo – a toffee ice cream base containing salted roasted peanuts and milk chocolate caramel truffles. YUM! Meanwhile, click here to see the Fiona updates from the zoo with some great pictures. It’s guaranteed to make you smile.

This summer was a tough golf season for me because I could establish any consistency – especially in the weekly golf league. Then again, how my opponent plays also influences the outcome. Somehow I qualified for the final 4. I didn’t play well in the semi-finals, but my opponent couldn’t close the deal – so I hung around to win on the last hole. Off to the finals I went where I cruised to victory!

September always brings a change in my routine. Volunteering and handbells get started and working into my schedule of ballroom dance, working part-time at the golf course, ushering at plays, and whatever else comes our way. One handbell piece we are working on may be the hardest yet for us – so it will be interesting to see we (the choir) can get it ready to perform.

There are many things to get riled up about in the world, and statues of Confederate soldiers of the US Civil War is not one of them for me.

Thumbs up to two totally different movies: Dunkirk and The Big Sick. Our first play of the season was a theater version of Shakespeare in Love. (Remember the movie?) … another thumbs up.

For those who enjoyed this post about doors earlier this week, do you remember similar posts involving many pictures of Italy?

Instead of displaying the Pause button, I probably won’t be posting for a week … but I did state probably.

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Put me in the group that doesn’t get my shorts in a knot over what First Lady Melania Trump is wearing.

Some partisans have described Donald Trump, Jr’s meeting with the Russians as treason. In true partisan fashion, many of the partisan ears latch onto the word. Is collusion a better description? Maybe – we don’t know enough yet. Is stupid a suitable descriptor? Unquestionably! .. but treason? Nope. See Article III, Section 3 of the US Constitution.

I’m all for the Russian Investigation around the Trump administration and campaign. Where I differ from many is that I want one thorough investigation – and then so be it. Therefore not a continual investigation because one didn’t find what they wanted (as the Republicans did with 7(?) investigations with Benghazi).

I love this line from a recent Kathleen Parker column: “…. the U.S.-North Korea stare-down is more accurately a battle of nitwits who seem to think threatening nuclear holocaust and mutual destruction is a contest to see who has bigger hands.”

As I continue to hear Hillary Clinton say various excuses for losing the election, she continues to focus on blaming others. It seems running a lousy campaign, failing to focus on the issues, and trying to be who she isn’t (just like McCain & Romney did in playing to the base) … all recipes for failure.

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To lead you into this week’s dose of satirical headlines, The Onion provides a short explanation how the brain responds to advertising.

Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)
Hellmann’s introduces new meat-on-the-bottom mayo cups
Mosquito confronts partner after testing positive for Zika
God falling under influence of powerful spiritual guru
Millions of policy proposals spill into the sea as think tank runs around
Aroma of cleaning product closest thing man’s had to fruit in weeks

Interesting Reads
Creationism and culture wars
Facts & information: How people deal with them
Churchill and Dunkirk
Religion’s reaction to alien contact
Art by a gay Chinese farmer
Blogger Debra’s visit to the city along the Adriatic of my birth
(Photos) Train graveyard

For your weekend entertainment, here’s a song from years ago that many will enjoy. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

43 thoughts on “Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 335”

  1. Good morning, Frank! Congratulations on your golf victory. I know nothing about golf, but my husband enjoys playing for free as a perk of working part-time at a golf course for his retirement job. I also don’t care what Melania Trump wears. I just wish her husband and his entire administration gone.

    I’ll have to come back to read the articles. I’m facing another book deadline and a chapter that I have to finish writing.

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  2. Happy weekend to you, Frank. “All you need is love” rings even truer today than in days gone by. Well done on your golf prowess. 🙂 Personally, I believe we have more than a few religious ‘aliens’ living amongst us on earth. 😯 I’m in full agreement with Merridsmith on the Trump administration and Melania’s outfits.

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  3. I loved The Big Sick. Didn’t feel the same about Dunkirk. Would’ve liked a little more backstory to get to know the characters.

    As for that ice cream–perfect except for the peanuts. I love ice cream and I love peanuts, just not together. (Boy, aren’t I a Negative Nelly today? 😄)

    And I’m with you on Melania’s shoes. Who cares what she wears?

    Have a great weekend, Frank!

    Liked by 2 people

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  4. Really glad to see Op. Shorts back! The underpinnings of my political views have been unsteady lately without your weekly Wall of Centrism to bounce off, or bow to.

    On your views today, I’m with you on not caring what First Lady Melania Trump is wearing and not wanting to see 7+ Benghazi-style investigations of Trump’s collusion with the Russians. I’m mostly with you on not getting riled up about Confederate statues, and also not wanting to hear the self-serving side of Hillary Clinton’s reasons for losing the 2016 election. However, what Hillary is speaking out about, and what she writes in her book “What Happened,” are valuable to learning how it was possible for 62,979,879 Americans to walk into a voting booth and elect a man like Donald Trump to the Presidency of The United States!

    Blogger Debra’s photos of Trieste make me want to include that the city of your birth in a future Italy tour.

    A splat from “Millions of policy proposals spill into the sea as think tank runs aground.”

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. As one who watched the global broadcast of “All We Need is Love” recording, I loved the video. I have to agree on having one end all investigation and be done. Hillary cannot accept that she blundered her way into being defeated by the Trumpeter. I would be ashamed if I were her. of course, Obama needs to step up to the fact that it is his fault. have a great weekend, Frank.

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  7. Hello Frank! Sounds like a good golf season for you.
    OMG! The Fiona link made me more than smile. It warmed my heart and reinforced many of my personal beliefs. (none of which are related to Melania’s outfits) What a precious situation, and the love is evident.
    No need for a pause button for a week or two! I’ve done pauses that short. 😀 😀
    Have a great weekend, week or… whatever. xx

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Yeah, I also don’t care what kind of heels the confederate generals’ statues have.
    I would like to see one comprehensive investigation of Trump/Russia affair, but I afraid that the chances that the Republican congress or justice department will start yet another Benghazi/emails investigation rather than Russia one are pretty high.

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  10. Hey Frank… well done on winning the golf! I don’t play (or even understand it myself! 😀 ), but winning anything is a fabulous achievement. I’m not bothered about what Melania is wearing either… Have a good Saturday!

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  11. Golf is the most frustrating sport ever invented. For sure.

    Wait . . . what? Trump’s still President?

    Dunkirk was amazing. I love Cristopher Nolan, and the man outdid himself with this one.

    Hilary’s track record in elections was not good. The only one she was able to win happened when Rudy dropped out after a cancer diagnosis. She might’ve still won, but we’ll never know. After that, it was a whole lot of forgettable. She couldn’t close out Obama, who got on a roll and never looked back. And then this past election. Ugh. Just ugh.

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  12. You pack so much into OITS! Don’t care what Melania wears or nor do I want to read Hillary’s recap of the election as it was painful enough the first time. Congrats on the golf victory. Will come back and read the Weekly Headlines and Interesting Reads.

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  13. If everyone, world over, sang the Beatles tune of “All We Need Is Love,” the world would be happier, nicer, and we wouldn’t have to talk about the dress (or undress) of politicians, their wives, and celebrities. Also, unloving politicians, their wives, and celebrities, would not be in the news, because they wouldn’t be newsworthy!!!!! ;-0

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    • Pam,
      Love, as well as respect, go a long way … and are unquestionable applicable to many (if not all) aspects of our lives … and we (as a whole) spend too much time focusing on the wrong things. Thanks for the reminder.

      Liked by 1 person

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  16. It’s good to hear how Fiona continues to thrive, and commemorating a special birth with ice cream is proof that she’s very special indeed. Your fall activities sound fulfilling and more than enough to keep very busy, Frank. I have yet to see Dunkirk, although it’s on our list, but we did see The Big Sick, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

    I read Hillary’s new book and didn’t conclude that she was blaming others. I suppose at this point we all have our interpretations and I’m not investing too heavily in defending anyone, but I believe the truth, perhaps years from now, will be part of the historical record, and we’ll see things more clearly–I tell myself and hope. We recently attended the Los Angeles production of “Hamilton” and although I was already familiar with the music, I was choked up throughout the entire performance, finding current relevance and application in every word. The song “History Has Its Eyes On You” made me wonder, for the zillionth time, if anyone in power ever really concerns themselves with that! Interesting times!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Debra,
      Hope you get a chance to see Dunkirk in the theater because I think the sound and images may carry more impact than at home. I haven’t seen Hamilton, but hope to. It’s coming to Cincinnati next season, but those tickets will be tough to get. It may be easier to plan a trip to Chicago!

      Thanks for tossing in your thoughts about Hillary’s book. Reading the entirety brings a different perspective than dealing with snippets.

      Liked by 1 person

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