The Father I Didn’t Know

by | Jan 15, 2011 | 0 comments

My father died on the day my first grandchild was born.  His death and her birth are all of a piece. He had always been in my life, but I didn’t know him well, at least not as a son should know a father.  Throughout most of my adult life I more or less ignored him.  Of course, I did the obligatory things that one does, but with little interest or feeling.  His gentle nature and lack of apparent drive or ambition had caused me to conclude that he was, at his core, a weak person.  I, on the other hand, had already achieved things that he could never understand (or so I thought).  We had no basis to relate, except that biology and my mother had conspired to...

Dream On

by | Dec 23, 2010 | 0 comments

Sadly for our country, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was defeated in the Senate last week.  No, it actually wasn’t defeated, because it never came up for a vote.  There were fifty two senators who wanted to pass this important piece of legislation but couldn’t because of the intransigence of a few who refused to allow debate to be ended and a vote taken.  There’s that nasty Senate Rule 22 again. For those of you who haven’t followed closely, this is all about defining a process to deal with the children of illegal immigrants who were brought into this country by their parents.  I know, I know… some of you (and many...

It’s Gotta Get Better Than This

by | Dec 18, 2010 | 0 comments

Most of you know that I am of the progressive persuasion politically.  It would even be fair to use the L(iberal) word about me, but this is not about partisan politics or political ideology.  This is about chaos in our political institutions.  It is chaos that is devolving to the level of a jejune food fight, and I’m disgusted.  I’m talking about the United States Senate, of course.  I know there are substantial differences in the agendas of the respective parties, and yes, I get it that getting and staying in power is a critical objective of all political animals….but what about the business of the people, what about the needs of the country, and what...

I’m Mad as Hell….

by | Nov 15, 2010 | 0 comments

Eddie Chiles, the now deceased iconic Texas oil man and onetime owner of the Texas Rangers, didn’t say it first, but he excited public attention by a series of radio ads that were introduced by his signature line, “I’m Eddie Chiles. and I’m mad as hell”.  Ultimately there arose a public response from some of the great unwashed in the form of bumper stickers that read, “I’m mad too, Eddie”.  It was never clear to me exactly what everyone was mad about, but I got a pretty good idea from other of his rhetoric which complained of “wild government spending”, “runaway regulation”, and even “tyrannical bureaucracy”.  Sound familiar?  He even threw in that his...

Beware the Tourist

by | Oct 28, 2010 | 0 comments

After having spent almost three weeks traveling in China, and having visited spots frequented by that unusual species, Touristicus Americanus, I feel compelled to offer some rules of the road to my enlightened and inquisitive readership. My motives are pure.  I simply do not want you to ever run the risk of being mistaken for one of the herd when you are abroad, Asia or else where.  Some of the rules are for your safety and some are for you well being, but all are important if you care to strive for that exalted status of Enlightened American Traveler.  I suggest you commit these rules to memory or at least put them on a small laminated card that you can carry...