A string of warm weather has finally arrived in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, I lost the color I gained from 6-weeks in Alabama (mid-January through February).
Golf league season is underway. Fortunately, the weather was great … and given my 1-day preparation, I did OK.
The new season of Dancing With the Stars has started. Having all athletes competing is interesting, but a big thumbs down on the 4-week format.
Last weekend we saw Treasure Island as a play. Very enjoyable.
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A friend ask this question: Why to Trump supporters blindly accept what he says and does? To me, the answer is obvious – His supporters are willing to accept anything and everything about Donald Trump because he is not Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama … and this also explains why Republicans continue to campaign against Clinton and Obama.
Politics and citizens are spending too much time pointing fingers at the opposition – as opposed to taking ownership of their role in the problem and the solution.
Comedian Michelle Wolf headlined the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner. In my opinion, she had some good jokes, but also crossed the line.
Regardless of the person holding the office, I can’t imagine everything that a US President has to do. Journalist John Dickerson offers an interesting look at the duties and expectations of the one occupying the Oval Office.
Pew Research released an interesting study about what Americans see as ideals and their perception of reality around those ideals.
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To lead you into this week’s dose of satirical headlines, The Onion offers tips for travelling solo.
Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)
Nutritionists reveals human with proper diet should not be defecating
Stressed lab rat breaking out in human ears (Image explains)
3-year old pretending stuffed animals having big fight about accidental pregnancy
Tornado creeped out by man who keeps following it in truck and filming it
E. coli ready to treat itself to some beef after weeks of nothing but salad
Interesting Reads
A unique language
Shifting sands
A view of biodefense
The last man who knew everything
Early cosmos activity
A look at the Heller decision regarding guns
(Photos) A visit to Socotra
To send you into the weekend, enjoy one of my favorites by Harry Chapin. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
A Frank Angle 
You nailed it right there. Both sides need to take ownership. Politics and citizens are spending too much time pointing fingers at the opposition – as opposed to taking ownership of their role in the problem and the solution.
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Drew,
Glad you appreciated that comment. As an independent mind, I feel free to take a swat at either side – and sometimes both sides!
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Understand and agree. I do the same all the time.
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Cheers to that!
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Well you know if I start to write, I must start to read again as well. Let me just say I am glad I stopped here first. Let me just say, hammer meet nail, “Politics and citizens are spending too much time pointing fingers at the opposition – as opposed to taking ownership of their role in the problem and the solution.”
As to your reading choices, always interesting but two caught me immediately and kept me all the way through to the end. One because it was up my alley and the other because it was fascinating and needful as I begin again. Can you guess?
Loved the music!
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Val,
As I mentioned on your end, glad to see you posting again … and I know a byproduct of that is you visiting again. If you like, I will go back into my archives to pick a handful of posts that I think you will enjoy.
The Heller article is my first guess, but the second selection is harder. Knowing that you are a thinker, I’ll go with the last man who knew everything.
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I’m so mad I missed the opening night of DWTS. I didn’t even realize it was starting. It’s only going to be four nights total? That’s a short season.
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Carrie,
Bummer … And two eliminated the first night!
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I always love watching the athletes. I bet I can catch it on demand this weekend. I don’t know who got eliminated, so it’ll be like watching it on its original airing.
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Enjoy!
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Unfortunately, finger-pointing is pretty much the only option available when you aren’t even in a position to take the ownership of the problem.
Besides, even finger-pointing is harder than it looks, since people keep identifying the wrong culprits of various problems.
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X,
I refuse to let the minority party off the hook. After all, they are doing a pathetic job selling a different position. As politicians finger point, they seem to forget that 3 fingers are point back at them.
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I’m excited about DWTS! As for politics I try to avoid that discussion. the mere mention of Trump and our cowardly congress sickens me.
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Holly,
No problem not discussing politics. After ll, this series purposefully includes multiple topics. Cheers to another DWTS fan. Who are your favorite pros?
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I just watch in awe, I don’t really know the pros. Just that they are anazing and so kind. 😊
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I always enjoy the group dance the pros do at the beginning of the show. Their precision is incredible!
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They are awesome. Love that show, it’s invigorating!
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Oh yay for another season of DWTS – but whats this? Only four episodes?
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Pauline,
Yep – 4 episodes – 2 competitors eliminated at the end of the first show. I’m anticipating 2 more this Monday. Why only 4? I don’t know.
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There ought to be protest marches!
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Definitely a surprise … But we’ll see how it works. Will miss watching the long-term development.
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Yes, that is what I shall miss the most – and getting to know the contestants too.
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Happy weekend Frank! It’s perfect weather here…no humidity, 70s and sunny. May and October, my favorite months. I watch the Voice instead of DWT, but I did watch it once. I’d love to go through that rigorous training they do but I think I’d have to get famous first. Cheers!
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Brigitte,
Cheers to good weather! The DWTS cast dances about 8 hours a day – so glad has to be a great workout. It is interesting to watch bodies physically change over time. Because they are doing athletes, maybe they should have a blogger’s edition!
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I’m glad you’re finally getting some nice weather. It’s actually summer-like here–and the humidity is going to set in today, too. Crazy!
You are right that there is too much finger-pointing from both sides. However, one side is currently in power, and it is wrong to normalize the behavior of the current White House occupant and his administration. One of my local NPR station’s shows is doing a summary of just the recent legal news this morning.
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Merrill,
We sent the humidity your way – then it returned, so another batch is coming for you. Meanwhile, I will not justify any person’s or group’s behavior based on current White House buffoonery.
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Frank,
As per that Pew Research poll, the fact that almost sixty percent of those surveyed are dubious as to the wisdom of the average American is a tad bit disconcerting. Notice I didn’t say surprising. . .
And Michelle Wolf is a very funny lady but time and place, yanno? The irony of her close to twenty minute monologue/skit/rant was that the evening was supposed to be about inclusion, seeing as how the man in charge had ditched the event again. A positive note went sour when Wolf got rolling. That said, I don’t believe an apology is necessary or would count for much. I’m done with the ‘brand apology’ that dominates our current landscape. Saying you’re sorry in order to protect your brand is not the same thing as actually being sorry. And we know Wolf isn’t sorry about it, and that’s fine with me.
As far as Trump loyalists are concerned, I think that goes back to the whole wisdom thing with American voters. What they fail to realize is that when you ‘win’ the moment, it means little as far as progress is concerned. If you rework the system to fit you in the now, the other side will simply use it against you in the future. Compromise, as antiquated a notion as it has become, works.
Sorry for the ramble. Hope you have a great Friday!
Peace
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Marc,
No apology necessary on your ramble. I like your reaction to Pew Research info – disconcerting vs. surprising. Agree – Michelle Wolf doesn’t need to apologize, I foresee the organization becoming more selective with future decisions.
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My whole thing is, Wolf is clever and smart. She could have needled the heck out of He Who Shall Not Be Named in a much more subtle way, and can you imagine his Twitter replies?
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My answer to your friend’s question about why Trump’s followers blindly accept whatever he says and does, is that Trump is the first President in U.S. history to give them not SOME of the goodies, but ALL of the goodies.
I am pondering from the read: “A look at the Heller decision regarding guns”
(1) “The rationale for the decision rests not merely on the Second Amendment, but on English common law.”
(2) “It has always been widely understood that the Second Amendment, like the First and Fourth Amendments, codified a pre-existing right.”
(3) “Under this rationale, American citizens have a common law right to gun ownership regardless of whether the Second Amendment exists. As well, long-established restrictions, such as outright prohibitions against dangerous or unusual weapons, can be understood under this common law standard. Through this nuance, one can reconcile the apparent discrepancy between an individual gun right and significant government restrictions on that right.”
No splats.
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Tim,
Good that the Heller article stimulating your thoughts. Thanks for sharing them. In terms of the Trump voters rational, we agree to disagree.
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I wish there was a way to recall everyone in Washington and get a new set. As far as the Trump question is concerned I think the vacuum of leadership in Washington is filled with hot air. Trump has no end of hot air.
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John,
Washington is long overdue to not only a new set, but a reset. Unfortunately, I don’t see the end of the current pattern ending soon.
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Me either, Frank. 😦
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The WHCD has become a paradoxical joke in and of itself and risks jeopardizing its original intent. There is a difference between press and media but it seems gross/crass behavior is used to help erode the lines separating journalists from the people they are meant to hold to account.
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Monika,
I always enjoyed the WHCD when presidents attended, participated, and made fun of themselves.
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Agreed. Tribalism has gone crazy which contributes to the crass/gross display of late. Well that and the current occupant in the WH.
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Thanks, Frank, for the link to John Dickerson’s essay on “The Hardest Job in the World.” It is the best I have ever read on the subject. That said, I must note that the many conflicting demands on the President’s job can only apply to a person whose purpose in attaining the job is to serve the nation and which reflects a sincere moral core. Think Abraham Lincoln.
The narcissist psychopath we currently have governs by impulse and demagoguery and thus doesn’t have many of the problems. He simply blows them off, blaming subordinates for the failures and taking credit for the rest. Clearly he worries and is stressed in the job, but that’s for himself and not for the nation. That’s my only criticism for Dickerson, that he can even compare Trump with past presidents. This presidency, so far, is on track to show whether the government can survive an incompetent executive.
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Jim,
Glad you enjoyed the Dickerson article. I was hoping someone would read it!!!! The tasks facing a president are monumental … no wonder they show so much aging during their tenure … the responsibilities must be grueling! Meanwhile, I wonder how much commenting about President Trump is worth my time and effort.
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Oh, I like DWTS! Glad it’s back.
Canadian politics is as bad as yours. Okay, our PM is absolutely young and gorgeous and kind. Unfortunately the “kind” part is costing us a fortune. LOL! Whenever i tune in the CSPAN here, it’s a bunch of people pounding their hands on their desks yelling “Here, Here”!
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Resa,
Hooray for DWTS … and I imagine two more will go off Monday night. Meaning, comparing the politics of our countries, I want face to face meeting with the two First Ladies.
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OMG! Me too!!
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I agree with you about Michelle Wolf. Some of what I heard was clever and funny, to my taste, and then there were the barbs that just felt mean, and I don’t like that ever. The whole idea of having comedians at this event is probably a huge risk no matter who is in front of the crowd. Thanks again for offering such good reading options. I always look forward to choosing a few titles and checking them out. 🙂 Maybe some golfing this week?
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You nailed it, Frank, ownership, or lack there of, is a major problem on both sides. I heard a statement this weekend, can’t remember exactly what the quote was, but basically who we elect to office is a mirror. and unfortunately we can’t replace those in office with different people until we change.
Your point about being in leadership is quite true, and we don’t seem to put on other people’s shoes to stroll around for awhile. If we did, we’d know compassion, humility and patience.
Uh oh, my foot is slipping off my soapbox, better get down before I fall completely. lol. Always appreciate your truth doses and reading recommendations.
Hope you get a chance to grab your golf clubs and head out for a quick round!
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Aahhh … the new season of Dancin’ witht he Stars. It’s not as exciting as in previous shows.
Perhaps, knowing that the athletes can withstand much more dancing torture changes it all.
I think the shorter episodes is a plus but … please, please … bring back a real comptetive group of lay dancers instead of over-the-hill athletes.
Isadora 😎
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Isadora,
Be careful … the Olympians who just competed in South Korea are far from over the hill … as well with the football player.
I don’t care for the short season because it isn’t enough time to watch them improve and get to know them. Oh well … better the short season than none at all!
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Yes, you’re right. I forgot about those competitors from Korea.
I was surprised the petite little skater went home last night.
I guess I enjoyed having others with less dance experience.
Seeing them turn into dancers and their stories seemed much more exciting.
One never knows … do one??!!!
Have a Super week …
Isadora 😎
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