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Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 409

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Last weekend concert featuring the solo careers of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young went better than I anticipated. Doobie Brothers take this stage this weekend Concert time is Saturday at 1:00 AM (Eastern US).

Because of an approaching blog break, this will be the last concert until further notice.

What does a professional football player with a degrees in mathematical economics and religion and a minor in business who is working on an MBA in finance do in this spare time? Click here to discover the answer.

The recent baseball brawl between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates was interesting. The umpire had the chance to diffuse the incident when the Pirates’ pitcher threw at the head of the Reds’ batter. Oh no – not even a warning. Interestingly, the league gave the longest suspension to the pitcher. There is no place in the game for intentionally throwing at a batter’s head.

People who use hot weather days in the summer to justify climate change are just as clueless as those who use cold days to deny climate change.

Is there any difference between Big Pharma, Big Food, and Big Heach Care?

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Of course I did NOT watch either of this week’s Democratic debates. I didn’t because I couldn’t answer this important question for me … Why? Nonetheless, from reports, I can say that the odds of me voting for Elizabeth Warren is the same as me voting for Donald Trump – Zero.

No – I did not attend the recent Trump rally in Cincinnati. For the record, I would go to hear him speak even if he spoke just to the residents in my neighborhood’s clubhouse.

Another shooting of a large crowd is another opportunity for Congress to do nothing – and that’s something I’m confident they can achieve.

Certain liberal groups want to expand the Supreme Court from 9 to 11 justices. Oh please, please start focusing on important issues. Please!

Who would have thunk that House Democrats would lead the Committee to Re-Elect the President.

A Director of National Intelligence who is a political hack without intelligence experience would seem to be the best two reasons for the Senate to approve Rep. John Radcliffe (R-TX).

President Trump can’t seem to politicize an event. At the recent signing ceremony of the 9-11 responders health benefits bill, instead of recognizing responders advocating for the bill, the responders benefitting from the bill, and the families this bill is designed to help – he threw accolades to his chief apologist – Rudy Guiliani. President Trump is a pathetic person, and even worse leader, and he brings the majority of his problems on himself..

Jeers to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) for being the only two senators to vote against the 9-11 responders bill. Thank you voters of Oregon and Kentucky for sending us clueless, partisan hacks who are loaded with double standards.

To lead you into this week’s satirical headlines, The Onion captured this unique debate moment.

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Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)

Guy on bus really good at whatever phone game that is
Sincere email to coworker drafted, reconsidered, deleted
Four-year-old convinced father is a moron after 45th consecutive hide-and-seek victory
Insecure infant worried he’s unworthy of animatronic toy rabbit’s love
Exhilarated woman discovers last person who used jigsaw puzzle left lots of pieces stuck together

Interesting Reads

A ship’s flag
Humanity’s greatest threat?
Trust and distrust in political America
The moon landing – Fake News!
Need for humanity to know how to get better
Remembering an architect
(Graphic) World’s oldest democracies
(Photos) Wildlife

To send you into the weekend, here’s a Heat song by one who will be a Kennedy Center honoree this December. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

36 thoughts on “Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 409”

  2. Good luck with your concert this weekend. Even if we don’t agree on everything, we can agree that dt is the worst. I would never go to hear him speak–because I’ve learned that he never has anything to say–it’s always lies, insults, and how wonderful he is.

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  3. The reads in OITS 409 won the day for me, although I did rank your political comments high for covering a lot of ground and providing a valuable heads-up on where (as of today) the center stands.

    Among the reads, I noted that: (1) According to sociologist Elise Boulding, modern society is suffering from ‘temporal exhaustion,’ – “If one is mentally out of breath all the time from dealing with the present, there is no energy left for imagining the future,” (2) I need to stay in touch with MIT’s “We Need a New Science of Progress” project, (3) In the future I’ll be on the lookout for skyscrapers designed by César Pelli, and (4) A framed “Mapped: The World’s Oldest Democracies” deserves a place on my family room wall.

    Splats from the first and last Onions because of their unabashed celebration of the human spirit!

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    • Tim,
      Thanks for your thoughts. Regarding the center, I heard one interview (over the weekend) state that they have more confidence in President Trump capturing the center than any of the top 3 lefties (Warren, Sanders, Harris). Also glad to know a splat – and two in a set is quite the accomplishment! Thanks for your feedback.

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  4. Ok, Calvin Johnson is just showing off! A.m.a.z.i.n.g! I can’t do it looking at it. While the debates have been more than slightly disappointing, but that tends to be one of the shortcomings with the primary process. After the bias shown toward Clinton in the last primary, the party bigwigs swung too far in the opposite direction and opened up a free-for-all. Republicans had their clown car, Democrats have the crazy bus. There need to be more qualifications rather than “everyone is invited” process. Give most uninformed voters too many options and you will guarantee a second term for the worst president in modern history. While most voters say they are looking for a change, the chance of it happening are slim, especially with any of this batch.

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  5. As one who loves politicians, I enjoyed the shark fest that was the Democratic debates. Now we have a group asking the voter to choose the more progressive socialist agenda as a viable 180 degree choice to the Trump minion fascists. Talk about misguided. Ah well. this subject gives me heartburn so I’ll turn to wishing you a nice break.

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  6. If nothing else, Garrett will engender a top spot in his locker room forever for doing what he did. And what is it about the Reds and Pirates that gets their blood boiling so? I thought the Puig sendoff was interesting, but the Reds pitcher took it to a whole nother level.

    I believe the world will be run by a few major corporations one day. But they’ll be saved the challenges that come with regulation, competition, etc by suiting up in amalgamations. Oh wait, yeah . . we’re there already.

    The Dems are giving Trump talking points fodder is all that’s happening. I cannot see anyone defeating him in 2020. Ugh!

    Boo and hiss to Paul and Lee, who I was remiss in not mentioning in my post this week. Damn.

    I used to have SUCH a crush on Linda Ronstadt back in the day.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Marc,

      Reds and Pirates have been edgy past few years. The other day I saw this interesting stats about the two … In 2019, 12 games, 15 erections, and 9 hit-by-pitcher. Regarding Garrett, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone charge the other dugout.

      About corporations ruling the world … search around for this old movie … Rollerball …. Staring John Husman & James Cahn. … let me know what you think.

      There’s not much doubt about Ronstadt being a looker back in the day.

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      • I find it refreshing, to be honest. Too many clubs- including the Yankees and Sox there for a while- are country club pals. I dig heated rivalries.

        Garrett was going in all by his lonesome. Who WOULDN’T want to play behind that guy?

        I’ve seen it. And YES!

        I just blew right through a series on Amazon Prime called The Boys. It’s a satire of the superhero genre. Sort of like, what would it look like if superheroes were like athletes- branding, divas, etc. I found it fascinating. And it delves into corporations and the military industrial complex.

        That she was. Hoo boy . . .

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  7. Argh! I’m behind and the show’s about to start.
    I’ve nothing intelligent to add to this post so I shall say, the concert last week was fabulous.
    Looking forward to this one,starting in about 4 minutes…
    I can add that the politics in the States baffles me. How that fool at the top is still standing is beyond me.

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. During my month “away” with personal issues I really stayed away from the political news, and I haven’t really found my way back at this point. I haven’t missed it at all! I know how I will vote and whenever I have to make decisions that I consider “the better in two bad choices” I don’t need to overthink it. Meanwhile, I was really sorry to have missed some of your summer concerts. I love CSN&Y and would have had some cool obscure ones to add. Maybe another time! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Debra,
      You were missed her, but your absence was understandable. Being away from politics is a good thing. After all, when one returns they discover not much as changed. CSN&Y are classics – and very worthy of concerts. Hey – go back one post from here for a rare dose of my fiction.

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  9. I agree with Tim that the “interesting reads” this time are, well, interesting. The article on fake news takes on special urgency because of the explosion of deepfake technology, something I hadn’t thought much about until last week. The one on the science of progress is tantalizing, but at the same time rather arrogant, considering that most technological progress by our species has taken place in its most-recent one-tenth of one percent of existence. (200 years divided by 200,000 years.) That perspective, I submit, makes it rather fruitless, albeit interesting, to speculate on humanity’s future in a million or billion years when we cannot even convince 40% of the population that climate change is an issue deserving serious funding.

    I’m curious, Frank. Do you absorb these all these “reads” yourself in the process of posting them, or mostly just select most based on their subject matter? I only ask because you have such a busy life, not to imply any lack of capacity! As for myself, I often feel taxed just to keep up with all the interesting matter available from reads like this plus the news. (I confess, I am a news-junkie.)

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Jim,
      It’s always good to see you around my little corner of the world and get your feedback – especially on the Interesting Reads.

      First of all, I try to get a variety with hopes something catches one’s interest. I know most readers probably only glace at the titles – if that – so I’m thrilled when I receive comments about any article.

      I terms of my role in the process, recommendations come from a variety of sources. You are correct that I don’t take a deep dive into all the articles.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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  11. I would say that there’s a lot of difference between Big Food and Big Pharma. Big Food doesn’t tell you – through your doctor – that, say, Captain Crunch cereal is the only thing that can prevent your imminent and very painful death, and charge you $50 for each flake because no substitute is available.

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