Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 232

On Politics
The nation is watching the Senate race in Kentucky. Although I’m in Ohio, I get a ringside view because Cincinnati TV stations air campaign ads for the northern Kentucky viewers. One thing for sure, each side is pointing out the outside money of the opposition.

As some Republicans are quick to say I told you so regarding the predictable chaos in Iraq after the primary withdrawal of the US military, I ask, Would ISIS be a factor if Saddam Hussein was still in power?

If the Arabs aren’t willing to fight ISIS on the ground, I say, Get out of there!

Congress continues its mantra of preferring second guessing and criticizing over taking responsibility and decision making.

I know Congressional Republicans have been a continual roadblock for President Obama, however, I wonder how often the White House (and possibly Congressional Democrats) have been equally obstinate.

On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion
Absentminded nation catches itself turning to its leaders again
More cities using text-based alerts to warn Americans if they are in range of NFL players
Majority of Americans back Obama’s ISIS plan, but doubt it will work
Study: Liberals, Conservatives smell different
Report: Laura’s divorce threatens razor-thin Democratic majority in family
Reclusive deity hasn’t written a new book in 2,000 years

Interesting Reads
For Democrats fearing loss of controlling the Senate
California’s 100-year drought
A pro sports team helps a last wish
Unhappy medical doctors
Guten-free: Fact vs. Fad
The Crackpot Test & Index

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On Potpourri
I find it interesting that the state of Kentucky is getting some push-back about public funding of Ark Encounters, a theme park run by Answers in Genesis (AIG), the head organization of the Creation Museum. I said this was a no-no over a year ago, and stand by that today. After all, AIG prospective employees must “have read and can support the AIG Statement of Faith.”

Another season of Dancing with the Stars (DTWS) is under way. Several immediately seem to be a cut above the rest, but time will tell who develops. OK, DTWS fans, which of the pros do you think is my favorite?

My golf league goes longer than most, thus able to enjoy playing in late-summer weather. Two weeks to go and my team is in the hunt.

Because I used this week to ease back into blogging, no Saturday Morning Cartoons this weekend.

Thanks for another great collection of tunes for Life: The Musical. As always, I get the pleasure to listening to all the songs – although the omission of this one surprised me … and I dedicate this song to my friend at Lame Adventures who would never embrace this song.

Your weekend celebrations

• (Weekend) Clean Up the World Weekend, Hummingbird Celebration Weekend, Octoberfest Zinzinnati
• (Fri) Talk Like a Pirate Day, POW/MIA Recognition Day, Trademen Day, Citizenship Day, Brothers Day, Butterscotch Pudding Day, Slimey the Worm Day
• (Sat) Big Whooper Liar Day, Eat an Apple Day, Coastal Cleanup Day, Puppy Mill Awareness Day, Red Panda Day, Gymnastics Day, Idaho Spud Potato Day, National Rum Punch Day, Farm Safety Day
• (Sun) International Day of Peace, Worldwide Day of Play, Alzheimer’s Day, Miniature Golf Day, Pause the World Day, Gratitude Day, Pecan Cookie Day

To send you into the weekend, here’s one more work song – the 1982 hit Workin’ for a Liven by Huey Lewis and the News. Have a safe weekend and in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

On the First Monday Back

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Greetings! This is the 223rd edition of Monday Morning Entertainment, yet the 222nd edition was for the first Monday in August. Whew … it’s been a while!!!

Being away for some time means there is much to share, but I’ll start with a traditional question – How was your weekend?

We returned from our road-trip vacation last Sunday, but this past week was filled with dance lessons, the final weeks of golf league, and a baseball game (the Reds won, but it has been a horrible season), which propelled us into a weekend roadtrip. After attending a college football game Friday night in downtown Cincinnati, we started our 200-mile (320-km) drive northward to attend another college football game (and about 14 hours separating the end of one game and the beginning of the next) … and then the 3-hour drive home after the game. We saw a lot of offense and two wins (58-34 and 45-42) … and it was good to be back on the campus where my wife and I meet. Both singing the alma mater and a win in the final seconds choked me up a bit. Sunday morning was a bit different as I watched, listened, and enjoyed to the handbell choir from the audience, but I don’t think anyone noticed I wasn’t playing (which is fine with me).

Although I probably won’t post everyday this week, Life: The Musical returns with Act 9 featuring a significant part of everyone’s life – Work … so song titles must include Work, Working, Worker, Worked, or any occupation – the latter widens the opportunities. However, an occupation can only be used once.  Get your songs ready because curtain goes up Wednesday, 9:30 pm (Eastern USA).

The previous post had a few pics from our vacation of undisclosed destination. Cheers to those picking out some of the locations. The stops on our trip were Kentuck Knob (a Frank Lloyd Write gem), Gettysburg PA (Civil War batttlefield), Cooperstown NY (Baseball Hall of Fame), Cornell University, Taughannock Falls, Finger Lakes Region (especially for wine & cheese), Grand Prix Festival (Watkins Glen NY), the Corning (NY) Museum of Glass, and Fallingwater (the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece). Note: The links are to sites or Google Images.

Celebrations for the week

• (Week) Dog Week, Flower Week, Deaf Awareness Week, Childcare Week, Farm Safety Week, School Internet Safety Week, Women in Construction Week, Farm Animals Awareness Week, Constitution Week, Child Passenger Safety Week, Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week, Farm Animals Awareness Week, Truck Drive Appreciation Week, Pollution Prevention Week, Balance Awareness Week, Health Information and Technology week, Love Your Files Week, Postdoc Appreciation Week
• (Mon) Felt Hat Day, Dot Day, Thank-You Day, Care Givers Day, Sing-Out Day, POW/MIA Recognition Day, International Day of Democracy, 8-Track Tape Day, LGBT Center Awareness Day, Creme de Menthe Day
• (Tues) Guacamole Day, Play Doh Day, Collect Rocks Day, Wrinkled Raincoat Day, Eat an Apple Day, Coastal Cleanup Day, Mayflower Day, Step-family Day, Trail of Tears Commemoration Day, Ozone Layer Preservation Day, Wife Appreciation Day, Working Parents Day
• (Wed)Country Music Day, Citizenship Day, Rehabilitation Day, Time’s Up Day, School Backpack Awareness Day, Student Day, Responsible Dog Owners Day, Apple Dumpling Day
• (Thurs) Hug a Greeting Card Writer Day, Cheeseburger Day, Respect Day, HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day, Water Monitoring Day, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Day

To send you into the week, here a good one courtesy of Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show. Enjoy … and have a good week!