In the political climate we live in today we desperately need a good word about America and Americans. I don't know about you, but one of the most discouraging parts of our political system is the constant tearing down.
Men and women running for office make an effort to tell us how bad everything is in order to get us to vote for them so they can make it right. When the truth is, most of us have it pretty good.
The UN just announced that the best country to live in is Iceland. The 12th best country to live in is the United States of America. You can go ahead and migrate but as for me, and 6 million illegal aliens, we think we will stick here.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071127/ts_nm/un_development_index_dc
If with all the bad news about America you would like a little refreshment I have just the prescription for you. It is a book compiled by Herbert W. Warden III entitled, American Courage
American Courage is a collection of short stories recounting the courage of Americans from the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation to the Heroes aboard United flight 93 that crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside on September 11, 2001. I read this last story with tears in my eyes as the men and women aboard called their families, and realizing what was happening, made the fatal decision to keep Flight 93 from crashing into a building full of people.
I don't doubt that a book about Icelanders, Norweigans, Swedes, Canadians, French, could be published. The courage of these peoples may equal that of the American stories published, but they can never surpass them.
With each political hack from Hillary to Mitt to Fred to John I have to listen to, I am going to remember the stories of American Courage and remind myself, "Hey, things aren't all together that bad."
God Bless.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
To Tie or Not toTie
What a depressing feature. For over a millennium a properly dressed gentleman wore a neck tie. The tie serves no purpose except to hide the top button on a shirt. Perhaps it gives your girl a handle to grab you and pull you down to her face for a kiss, but that has never happened to me. Nor has a bad guy every grabbed my tie to direct me like the reigns on a horse, though that would certainly be a possibility.
We have been fighting the tyranny of the necktie for years now and we have made some progress. While here in Utah a trip to the ward meeting finds a bevy of white shirts and ties, a worship experience in most other venues finds very few ties. Many times no one is wearing a tie except the pastor and maybe one or two old timers who still believe it the dress code for the Lord’s house. At our church not even the preacher wears a tie. Usually he is wearing Jeans and sandals. We are making progress. Down with tyranny of the necktie!!
Just as this progress begins to register I see a feature this morning on CBS about the comeback of the tie. Once again the 20 somethings in our culture are rejecting the progress we have made toward liberty. Sales of neckties are up to that age group. It is becoming fashionable to wear a necktie again.
Some of the reasons given are,
It gives me a feeling of empowerment.
It gives me an air of respectability.
It makes me feel like I have one up on everyone else.
I feel more dependable with a tie.
I feel so stylish.
I feel like a good businessman.
Excuse me while I barf. A neck tie makes me feel non of those things. It makes my neck hurt. Wearing one too long chafes my neck. I feel trapped and totally a victim of the tyrant called culture whenever I am wearing one.
The interviewer on the news cast talked with a clothing salesman. The salesman in trying to make the case for wearing ties said “a tie ups the look a little.” I would say, “it ties up the neck a little.”
He said, that it “even dresses up Jeans. It is an interesting piece that makes one stand out more.”
Excuse me again. Ok, I am back. The documentary concluded with on the street interviews with one saying it makes me feel “clean, smooth, and proper.”
One last time, please excuse me.
I am old enough now that I can forget wearing ties. I don’t plan to wear one very often, only when not wearing one would be rude. But the 20 somethings are messing up their own lives, as well as the lives of those who follow. If they want to chafe their necks and wear a bridle, it is up to them. Go for it.
One last question. Why would a “postmodern” want to sell out to the “modern” culture of men’s wear and tie a noose around their own necks?
We have been fighting the tyranny of the necktie for years now and we have made some progress. While here in Utah a trip to the ward meeting finds a bevy of white shirts and ties, a worship experience in most other venues finds very few ties. Many times no one is wearing a tie except the pastor and maybe one or two old timers who still believe it the dress code for the Lord’s house. At our church not even the preacher wears a tie. Usually he is wearing Jeans and sandals. We are making progress. Down with tyranny of the necktie!!
Just as this progress begins to register I see a feature this morning on CBS about the comeback of the tie. Once again the 20 somethings in our culture are rejecting the progress we have made toward liberty. Sales of neckties are up to that age group. It is becoming fashionable to wear a necktie again.
Some of the reasons given are,
It gives me a feeling of empowerment.
It gives me an air of respectability.
It makes me feel like I have one up on everyone else.
I feel more dependable with a tie.
I feel so stylish.
I feel like a good businessman.
Excuse me while I barf. A neck tie makes me feel non of those things. It makes my neck hurt. Wearing one too long chafes my neck. I feel trapped and totally a victim of the tyrant called culture whenever I am wearing one.
The interviewer on the news cast talked with a clothing salesman. The salesman in trying to make the case for wearing ties said “a tie ups the look a little.” I would say, “it ties up the neck a little.”
He said, that it “even dresses up Jeans. It is an interesting piece that makes one stand out more.”
Excuse me again. Ok, I am back. The documentary concluded with on the street interviews with one saying it makes me feel “clean, smooth, and proper.”
One last time, please excuse me.
I am old enough now that I can forget wearing ties. I don’t plan to wear one very often, only when not wearing one would be rude. But the 20 somethings are messing up their own lives, as well as the lives of those who follow. If they want to chafe their necks and wear a bridle, it is up to them. Go for it.
One last question. Why would a “postmodern” want to sell out to the “modern” culture of men’s wear and tie a noose around their own necks?
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Lost Leisure, or Writers where are you?
Oh no! TV writers are on strike. Whatever will we do. I won’t be able to watch my favorite TV shows like, well like, uh like. . . Gee I don’t guess I watch any TV shows. Actually that is not true. I sometimes remember to watch Jay Leno on Monday nights when he shows headlines. But that is it. Last year I watched 24, but 24 episodes of Jack Bauer stretches even professional writers to the limit.
So what can we do for leisure? I got an email from Amazon telling me that since I had bought a movie on DVD they were sending me the names of some other movies I might like to see. I am scratching my head for sure. What is it about watching The Bourne Supremacy that would make Amazon think I would be interested in two musicals, Hairspray and High School Musical 2?
I don’t think I will order them. Although I did watch a musical the other night. Some friends invited us to dinner and then offered to show us the musical 1776. Trying to be gracious guests we agreed and surprisingly I enjoyed the show. Like my dad said, “It was pretty good except for the musical part.” It is the story of the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were pretty good signers, but fell short as singers.
My favorite leisurely pastime is not affected by the TV writers strike. I just finished a biography of Johnny Unitas, called Johnny U. Subtitled The Life and Times of John Unitas it is as much about professional football in the 50’s and 60’s as it is about Johnny. It is a great read. Caution: the author, Tom Callahan doesn’t pull any punches when recording the locker room language.
How are you going to make it through a TV writers strike. The good news is there won’t be any new shows assaulting our senses with bad language, sexual escapades, and poor plots. The bad news is they will probably just show reruns with bad language, sexual escapades, and poor plots.
Turn the TV off and try a good book. Johnny U is a good one and you won’t miss the language you are used to on TV. The Worst Hard Time is a good history of the dust bowl days of the depression. You will be depressed too about the conditions in the great plains during the 30's. Next for me is a John Grisham book about football, Playing for Pizza.
So what can we do for leisure? I got an email from Amazon telling me that since I had bought a movie on DVD they were sending me the names of some other movies I might like to see. I am scratching my head for sure. What is it about watching The Bourne Supremacy that would make Amazon think I would be interested in two musicals, Hairspray and High School Musical 2?
I don’t think I will order them. Although I did watch a musical the other night. Some friends invited us to dinner and then offered to show us the musical 1776. Trying to be gracious guests we agreed and surprisingly I enjoyed the show. Like my dad said, “It was pretty good except for the musical part.” It is the story of the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were pretty good signers, but fell short as singers.
My favorite leisurely pastime is not affected by the TV writers strike. I just finished a biography of Johnny Unitas, called Johnny U. Subtitled The Life and Times of John Unitas it is as much about professional football in the 50’s and 60’s as it is about Johnny. It is a great read. Caution: the author, Tom Callahan doesn’t pull any punches when recording the locker room language.
How are you going to make it through a TV writers strike. The good news is there won’t be any new shows assaulting our senses with bad language, sexual escapades, and poor plots. The bad news is they will probably just show reruns with bad language, sexual escapades, and poor plots.
Turn the TV off and try a good book. Johnny U is a good one and you won’t miss the language you are used to on TV. The Worst Hard Time is a good history of the dust bowl days of the depression. You will be depressed too about the conditions in the great plains during the 30's. Next for me is a John Grisham book about football, Playing for Pizza.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
De Ja Vue
De Ja Vue. Does that mean, it happened again. Well anyway, it happened again.
I was playing golf with my friend Mark, also known as Golden Bear, though not because of his golfing prowess. As a matter of fact, not braggadocio, I had trounced him on the front nine. We were now on the fourth hole of the back nine and we were tied. We were keeping track of strokes and holes, and we were even on the back.
On the fourth hole we were both on the green in three. He had a 10 foot point to win the hole and he not only missed it, he hit it so far by the hole he didn’t lose his turn. I put my hands to my throat and taunted, just like A-Rod. Can’t do it when the chips are down.
Neil, the duffer we were playing with, kind of laughed, then he looked right at me and said, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Joe Torre?” Mark and I almost fainted with laughter and poor Neil didn’t understand what he had said. Mark explained it as I lined up my putt to win the hole.
I don’t know if you are aware of the dilemma of this situation. You see, I don’t mind being the look-a-like of the manager of the Yankees. However, it is looking more and more like Torre will make a deal to manage the Dreaded LA Dodgers.
LA is one of the teams most mentioned to be in the running to take on the mega contract of the home run hitting, clutch time choking, A Rodriquez.
Just to make it clear. I don’t root for the Dodgers, period. Even if one is my alter ego, look-a-like, and the other the player most likely to erase Barry Bonds from the record list. Bronco fans don’t root for the Raiders, Jazz fans don’t root for the Bulls, and Yankee fans don’t root for the Dodgers. This Yankee fan would even root for the Red Sox if they were playing the Dodgers in the world series.
So my dilemma becomes obvious. Of course, since I won’t be wearing an LA hat, maybe people won’t be so quick to recognize the similarities as when Joe and I were both wearing the hat of Baseballs all time greatest franchise.
Joe, Joe, have you no standards?
I was playing golf with my friend Mark, also known as Golden Bear, though not because of his golfing prowess. As a matter of fact, not braggadocio, I had trounced him on the front nine. We were now on the fourth hole of the back nine and we were tied. We were keeping track of strokes and holes, and we were even on the back.
On the fourth hole we were both on the green in three. He had a 10 foot point to win the hole and he not only missed it, he hit it so far by the hole he didn’t lose his turn. I put my hands to my throat and taunted, just like A-Rod. Can’t do it when the chips are down.
Neil, the duffer we were playing with, kind of laughed, then he looked right at me and said, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Joe Torre?” Mark and I almost fainted with laughter and poor Neil didn’t understand what he had said. Mark explained it as I lined up my putt to win the hole.
I don’t know if you are aware of the dilemma of this situation. You see, I don’t mind being the look-a-like of the manager of the Yankees. However, it is looking more and more like Torre will make a deal to manage the Dreaded LA Dodgers.
LA is one of the teams most mentioned to be in the running to take on the mega contract of the home run hitting, clutch time choking, A Rodriquez.
Just to make it clear. I don’t root for the Dodgers, period. Even if one is my alter ego, look-a-like, and the other the player most likely to erase Barry Bonds from the record list. Bronco fans don’t root for the Raiders, Jazz fans don’t root for the Bulls, and Yankee fans don’t root for the Dodgers. This Yankee fan would even root for the Red Sox if they were playing the Dodgers in the world series.
So my dilemma becomes obvious. Of course, since I won’t be wearing an LA hat, maybe people won’t be so quick to recognize the similarities as when Joe and I were both wearing the hat of Baseballs all time greatest franchise.
Joe, Joe, have you no standards?
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