Empty Shell

“I gotta be me” — Sammy Davis Jr.

If I were to compromise my core beliefs in order to make or placate friends, then I would be a empty shell of a man. — Fletcher

STAND UP FOR AMERICA!

In a Nutshell

Maybe this is a foolish errand ... but nonetheless allow me to try to summarize President Trump’s foreign policy ... in a nutshell.

Keep ‘em guessing. Get close to your enemies and call out your friends when appropriate ... and speak harshly ... at least initially ... and then use a big stick, when required, to show you are not spineless. But avoid war and nation-building at all costs. Practice pragmatism and, most importantly, always put American interests first.

Friend ...

From daily timewaster blog

Lend me your ear ...

Living Life

Amiable people make good friends ... but not necessarily good leaders. — Anon.

Thanks

For the sound of children laughing

For all the extra years that I never expected to be given

For all those teachers who led me by the hand to knowledge

To the doctors and medical experts who helped cure my many maladies

To my family and friends who have loved me despite my behavioral flaws

To all the tradespeople who helped keep my living spaces livable

For the bounty of the great country into which I luckily was born

To all those people who gave their lives to keep the rest of us free

To the merchants who endeavor to supply us with great products and services

For all those many pets which gave me unquestioned love and companionship

To all the animals and plants which give us sustenance ... including today's turkey

For still having enough mental faculties to realize all these bestowed benefits

Friends

Friends are an important validation of our existence. -- Anon.

Today's Quote

Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies away from your computer -- Anon.

The President Explains

This past evening President Trump went on television to explain why he has been reluctant to call out white supremacists and other alt-right hate groups for some of their demonstrations and the killing  of an opponent in Charlottesville this past Saturday.

Trump started off by saying that this is a "manufactured issue." He then went on, "there is no doubt and I've said repeatedly that alt-right organizations like the KKK and neo-Nazis -- They have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Nationalism for an excuse for basically barbarism and racial hate."

Next he added, "These are people who have used this as an excuse for red-lining, voter suppression, black church burning, and even lynchings, there's no patriotism that would justify in any way any of the things they do. But what I have been careful about when I describe these issues is that we do not lump them in with other patriots from around the country who are peaceful, who are responsible, who, in this country, are troops, police officers, fire fighters, teachers, neighbors and friends."

"If you had a globalist organization going around beating and lynching people and said, 'We're in the vanguard of nationalism, As a nationalist, I'm not going to let them claim my politics and say, 'You're doing this for world order.' I would say that's ridiculous."

"This is not what my politics allows. Call these folks haters and evil [but not the KKK or neo-Nazis]."

Trump emphasized that the real danger comes when "the president uses loose language."

To see this entire interview with Wolf Blitzer, go to:  CNN Video.

And so you might now noticed a few alterations that I made above in order to draw an important parallel about the reluctant use of certain terms by our president[s].

Thanksgiving

I have just watched the customary pre-Thanksgiving round of television personalities citing the things that they are most thankful for ... good health, family and friends. Of course, I am also very thankful for these gifts ... but, musing further on my life ... one thing that I am also appreciative of is that those peevish complainers who always seem to come out of the woodwork to destroy with sinister pleasure every tradition that gives our lives comfort ... have not yet sunk Thanksgiving with their nihilistic blitzkriegs.

Happy Easter

May your day be full of family, friends and fond memories ... but not too much sugar for the kiddies.  As for Jesus's legacy, I think there is now a ray of hope emanating from the Vatican ...  Be of good will and offer kindness to all.

Thank You

Coming up on the day called “Thanksgiving” the subject of this reflection manifests itself. This therefore is a paean to all that makes my life good. But first let me explain what I mean by the“you” in “thank you.” Being a secular humanist I don’t necessarily mean God … but then again I don’t really want closely to identify myself with secular humanists. Too many of these people unfortunately want to take away some of the things that help make my life good. What are really wrong with church bells on a Sunday morning anyway? Secular humanist are laden with babinzoes who are too full of bile to recognize that these bells are calling to assembly a bunch of neighbors who wish me no harm. Rather, by “you” I mean everyone who has preceded me who has contributed to the state of near grace in which I find myself.

I say “near grace” for I am not kidding myself into believing that I have lived a life of transcendental enlightenment. I am not so inclined. Rather I take what snippets of grace that come my way with a kind of innocent joy (like this morning at 3:30AM when our 3-year-old granddaughter climbed into bed with us). And I herein recognize that these moments of grace are often constructs of uncountable efforts of unnamed predecessors over innumerable eons. So exactly what are these constructions for which I am indebted?

- A country in which I fear not a barrage of rockets.

- A home that keeps out the rain and keeps in the warmth.

- A wife and family that allow me to contribute and return the favor.

- A society that provides for my needs and allows me some wants.

- Friends and neighbors who forgive me my quirkiness.

- Forefathers who constructed a form of government that often seems to work.

- The legions of defenders of our freedoms who have died or been maimed in the process.

- A medical system that has kept me alive long past my due.

- My remembered father, mother, sister, friends, mentors and educators.

- The joy of watching youth blossom into understanding.

- A leftover turkey sandwich with sage stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayonnaise.

Thank you.

The Grimacing Reaper

Upon the death of my friend, Sambo.

Death hangs onto my shoulder,
Like a younger sibling.
He has been with me forever.
I cannot shake him,
Although, so far, he has let me be.
He has scythed many family and friends,
But why has he not harvested me?
Perhaps he has a sense of humor …