Swearing as Pain Relief

This was on Palin’s Travels. To read the article, click on Scientific American.

This is what I posted though.

If you swear all the damn time, the words lose their #(%)## impact!

Cathleen Palumbo

An artist I met on Palin’s Travels.

Check out Cathleen’s website and from there, her blog about her art and poetry.

The Iranian Election.

People power may win out in the end there.  Not nice to cook the results of the election.  President Obama will need to wait to see who is left standing.

Like Life of Brian with the competing terrorist groups.  Me, no ME!

The Presidential Candidates Dealing with Putin.

     I’ll start with the Democrats.  Putin will just write Biden off as a bore and send him packing.  Senator Obama will open with, “Let’s talk.”  Putin will agree with the smile like the wolf in bed instead of Granny greeting Little Red Riding Hood.  The Russia will be rude, crude and run roughshod.

     Senator McCain and Governor Palin will go in there as bad cop and worse cop.  Senator McCain will pound his fist on the table after matching Putin vodka shot for vodka shot.  “Listen, you Russki son of a bitch.  I fought and was a victim of your surrogates in Vietnam.  You wil do as you are told.”

    “Boss, you want me to shoot him”, Governor Palin smiles, brandishing the 30.06.     Putin uses his martial arts, disarms her, has McCain as his prisoner.

     Now what?  Anyone who wants can play with this.  I am silly, still having my coffee.  I am also grumpy etc.

Magic Bus Post, Kingman Arizona

I posted this on Jon Kelly’s blog on BBC.  He met some motorcycle riders in Kingman, Arizona.

Jon, that is true.  One of the great joys of living in Arizona IS the open space, whether hiking, on a motorcycle or just driving with the windows down.  I have been in England and yes much of it is crowded.
Obamasmama’s you are right about living in New York.  Brooklyn is where I grew up.  I now have a completely different world view from my mother and two sisters.  New Yorkers are internationalist and provincial in the same breath (ask me how that is possible).  On the other hand, my mother’s cousin in San Antonio is married to someone who is a friend of Senator McCain.  I am closer to my cousins in some ways.  You know who they are supporting.
To understand WHY Senator McCain chose Governor Palin (no, not Michael LOL, and you should see the comments on Palin’s Travels), read Deerhunting with Jesus by Joe Bageant.  Easy fun quick read.  You will get a real understanding.  For those of you who saw Governor Palin’s interview with Charlie Gibson, no question he did not like her and was looking down on her.  If the mainstream media is smart strategically, they will NOT interview her.  Why?  Because much of Middle America will just see it as the “Elite Media” coming down on one of their own.  You notice, ever since Senator McCain chose Governor Palin, she is the one being paid attention to.  The Obama camp attacks the Senator, but not her.
I was reading a New Europe article about the choice of Governor Palin.  Like them, at first, I thought Senator McCain had lost his mind.  (Friends of mine who are lifelong Arizonans say he is slipping).  Now, it is proving to be a clever if flippant move in some ways.
OldSouth, I like the way those guys protected the funeral home.  I work with bikers.  I like the bikers I work with.
Abiquiu, my Canadian Toastmasters friends are telling me about the mess you guys are having.
Ninjalinz, I remember Hells Angels HQ and CBGB well.
Buckeyeman, it is true, buying the motorcycle is not cheap, but you certainly save on gas.  And yes, I like Governor Janet.
Some Republicans in Arizona may cross over to Senator Obama or vote for the Libertarian Party.  Why?  A South Carolina and an Arizona Republican have issues they do not agree on.  Arizona Republicans fall into two types (as a very general rule).
1.  Economic Conservatives in Maricopa County.
2.  People who are really Libertarians.  They will not want Governor Palin telling them how to live.
I was supporting Senator McCain until he chose Governor Palin.  Now I am not so sure.
If you live in Arizona, Washington is VERY removed.  Geographically, we are closer to Mexico City, just to give you an idea.
Having said that, much of the land here is owned by some level of government.
I know what I want for me.  Bluntly, I am not happy with either candidate and I am a little afraid for the future.
Newsweek had an article about  Senator Obama making a stop at a diner in the Ozarks.  Some of these people will vote for the Democrats if they feel they are not being “talked down to.”  You have to read Deerhunting for Jesus for more detail.;-)
Much of what people in Europe do not understand about why our elections are going a certain way need to read some more detailed American History.  Guys like Andrew Jackson.  The people whose ancestors originated in Jon’s region, Southern Scotland and the Borders.  Read the Border Reviers by the late George MacDonald Fraser and you will get some idea.
Aw shucks, Rainlawrence, you didn’t think I would leave YOU out, did you?
To paraphrase Monty Python, are you a Chartered Accountant, planning to become a Lion Tamer?;-)  Do some more reading about us.  Much of our history is great, much is not.  I am not going to defend everything about us.  Don’t you want to know about your friends the Americans?  I like learning things about MY friends, the Brits.
This election is the most important in eighty years (because for that long, it is the first time with no incumbent).  Also we have a lot to overcome.   There are others I wanted to be President, but my opinion was not asked for.:-)  BBC actually has a story about what it takes to be President.  You tell me who is up to the way the job has evolved.
The Libertarian streak in me is growing, but we are going to need some government interference in the near future.

Jon, I have been putting comments about the bus trip on my blog and also lampooning the campaign.

http://www.tucsonmike.wordpress.com

Thank you for letting me share.

I am Afraid for My Country.

I originally posted this on Palin’s Travels.  We have a thread called Palin for President.  For a (welcome) change, I am not being silly and tongue in cheek.

It is especially poingnant I am writing this on September 11th. 

 

 Look, in past years, I might vote for the lesser of two evils. This year, I am voting for who will HARM me the least.

In the past, we may not have been happy with who won, but the country moved on.

This time, no matter who wins, we are going into uncharted waters. I’ll start with the Republicans, since I have been having the most fun with Sarah Palin on my blog.

Like my mother and sisters, I was leaning toward McCain (I was more grudging than the three mentioned ladies). I’ve said this before, John McCain is my Senator and I have always supported him. As President though, he really does not understand the economy, and on Foreign Policy, on the one hand, I would feel safer, because the schoolyard bullies of the world would be less likely to mess with him. (Like with Reagan, they may think McCain too crazy to cross LOL)! On the other hand, his Foreign Policy experience is Cold War, and that is what got us into Iraq. Sarah Palin is the only executive of the four, but I don’t want religion forced down my throat and I have read disturbing things about her bigotry.

Now the Democrats. My hope is Joe Biden can keep Obama grounded. Again, I am voting Democratic out of nowhere else to go, like my sisters. I think my mother is going to stay home. My favorite cousin is still voting for McCain as is a close friend.
Obama is good with groups and listening on a grassroots level. I do not think he has a real grasp of our problems. I think the Intl schoolyard bullies will see Obama as an easy mark.

I am genuinely afraid of the future for the first time. This election is splitting families and friends and raising all sorts of rancor. I really do fear for my country.

What Drives Politicians?

This would be true all over the world.  So HOW in the world did John Cleese and Monty Python find their ways into this.     Like much of what I do, even when it is serious, there is some silliness to it.

John Cleese wrote two books with his therapist Dr. Robin Skynner called Families and How to Survive Them.

and the other is called Life and How to Survive It.

Click on Politics and Paranoia.  This is from Google Books and you can click on that chapter.  This will give you a better understanding about what I am writing here.  The chapter is between pages 131-142.

It is important to remember that politics IS the art of the possible.  You have to have SOME reaching across the aisle to get things done.  Not everyone is gong to agree with you 100%.

The chapter on the U.S. in Life and How to Survive It, begins on page 180.    It was from that my “Pioneer Party” ideas came from.   I’ll cover that more later.

OK, what drives politicians?  We call it a fire in the belly.  There is normally something that got them completely riled up.  An example.  If you remember Sonny Bono as in Sonny and Cher, how did he get into politics?  Annoyance.  Annoyance that he could not get a restaurant license fast enough.  He ran for Palm Springs (California) City Council and won then he ran successfully for Mayor and finally Congressional Representative.

I’ll start with what I see.

John McCain: For Senator McCain it is service to his country.  It started of course as military service.  Then it became general service.  He is certainly in favor of protecting his 100m wealth, but until he married Cindy, he was not wealthy.  He is rambunctious, that is for sure.  He is a fighter.

Joe Biden:  He is a professional politician.  He was a Political Science Major in college and I think what drives him is the “game” itself.

Sarah Palin:  She has immense drive in everything she does.  From her high school basketball team to her hunting and to politics, she has fire in the belly in many areas. The Republicans may complain about Senator Obama’s celebrity, but Sarah Palin has become a celebrity.  Which leads us too…

Barack Obama:  Sponsored Bills.  I wanted to get that one out of the way immediately.

Cultural and Political Image of Barack Obama from Wikipedia.

I think what really drives Senator Obama is himself.  He IS the issue.  Especially with the celebrity treatment.  Even as the Republicans are picking on this, Americans like celebrities.    Celebrities for us as a nation fit the person from all walks of life who “made it.”  This will help him in many areas.

Sarah Palin Dealing with Osama bin Laden

It is time for a little silliness about the campaign in the same vein as my silly stories.

She wont be ailin’ but bin Laden will be. She wont be bailin’ but he might be.  She won’t be failin’, but he might be.  We may be hailin’ her but not him, possibly mailin’ and jailin’ him or nailin’ him by Palin.  He might be sailin’ with her tailin’ and she will leave him wailin’.

She will get up, get to Afghanistan, shoot bin Laden and be home in time for milk and cookies for the kids.

I warned you Monty Python ruined my life.  As Graham Chapman would say, Silly just silly!  And a bit suspect too.

Sarah Palin’s Speech

     I got  home from Toastmasters to see Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle first.  Then Rudy Giuliani.  I grew up in New York.  I never saw Rudy that passionate.  He certainly won the delegates over. 

     One friend on Michael Palin’s website complained about the “wealthy, self satisfied Republican delegates.”  I would not have said wealthy.  You are not seeing the “country club habitues” at this convention.  This is small town America.  It would not shock me if the Massachusetts delegation were like the people my wife grew up with in Southie.  (The Boston neighborhood of South Boston).  These are flag waving, God fearing, small town folks.  You may look down on them etc. but there you have it.

     I have this week’s Newsweek and there is an article by Jacob Weisberg of Slate.com called What Will the Neighbors Think?  I will cover that separately, but his theme is if we do not elect Barack Obama, we (white America) are ALL racists.  Some but not all are.  Sadly, there are some who will not vote for Obama because of skin tone, but don’t use the broad brush.

     Then came Sarah Palin’s speech.  (I know, about time, since that is the title of this post).  She was funny.  “What’s the difference between a hockey Mom and a pit bull?  Lipstick!”  She went too far alluding she will be the next Harry Truman.  The ticket has to be elected first, sadly, Senator McCain would have to die in office, and as they say in Missouri, she would have to “Show Me.”

     Still it was entertaining.  Jim Lehrer of PBS said he never saw the Republicans that animated.  More and more Governor Palin’s choice makes sense.  Without her, I hate to say it, but Senator McCain’s campaign would be stranded in our Arizona deserts.

John McCain and Miranda Lambert (2)

     Don’t u go accusing me of starting something LOL!  This is just Python style silly, although, maybe Miranda Lambert and Governor Palin could end up a heck of a pair.

This blog has info about her and Blake Shelton and concerts.

http://dailytrends.net/id-miranda%20lambert%20blake%20shelton.html