Uplifting Div (Social Distancing subsection)

Since my gym is closed, went today for a walk (it's 60 degrees here, but supposed to snow tomorrow).
Came across this written in chalk on a sidewalk in my neighborhood.

Here's the part in the photo:

Sometimes the little things
Start closing in on me
When I'm feeling down
I wanna lose that frown
I stick my head out the window
And I look around

Those clouds don't scare me
They can't disguise
This magic that's happening
Right before my eyes

Soon Mr. Moon will be shining bright
So the best day ever can last all night
Yeah, the best day ever's gonna last all night now

Complete lyrics here 

Kind of a nice thought for our current situation.
Stay safe and healthy.

Moral Clarity Div (Musical interlude subsection)

John Mellencamp doing his song Walk Tall at the Farm Aid Concert in 2004. The words are wonderful instruction for every one of us and are as true today as they were then. Share this with your friends and family and tell them to pass it on.



Lyrics here.

Geography Div (howdoyaspelthat subsection)

Seems that the folks at Google have figured out the most misspelled word in each state,  Go figure.

Geography Div

"To be or not to be? That is the question ..........

The Picture on the Wall Div

We brought a new picture to our home and hung it on the wall. It was a split decision within the family; more than half the members really didn't like it and said it was scary. The others remarked that the young girls talking together represented a new beginning and a coming together for a brighter future.

The longer we looked at it (and it's only been on the wall a short time) the more some of us noticed other things around the house; an unidentifiable whiff of something that seemed to have gone bad, or maybe was rotten all along; the feeling of something scuttling across the floor just touching the corner of our vision; finding scraps of cloth and paper, a chewed slipper and small pellets in the corner of a cluttered back closet. When we shine a beam of light in the night, we're confronted with the specter of small, red, feral eyes staring back hungrily, at us.

What do we do? Surely, we think, there must be a way to evict this pervading menace in our home ... or has the rot gone much deeper? Is that cloying smell the corruption of something decomposing within the very walls of our domicile? Do we learn to live with the odor and discomfort, call an exterminator, burn down the house? That will certainly solve the problem, but then, what will we have left?

It's a huge decision. It won't be easy to make since many in the family refuse to acknowledge that we even have a problem.

They still see the pretty girls, but more and more lately, they no longer smile.

Geography Div (Stereotypes Subsection)

However, I'll bet everyone can come up with a map of their own (maybe even down to the county/city level), eh ?

Read 'em and Weep Div (book recommendation subsection)

This morning's WaPo had an excellent review of Andrew Bacevich's new book, Breach of Trust, written by Jonathan Yardley.

I've written about the fact that our military has become divorced from the people it serves, and vice versa. Many other military leaders have also commented and deplored the fact.
One thing Yardley doesn't include in his review's statement of Professor Bacevich's credentials is the fact that his son, 1st Lt. Andrew John Bacevich, was killed in Iraq in 2007.

Reading the review brought to mind a line from the lyrics from Eric Bogle's And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda:

"But the band played Waltzing Matilda, as they carried us down the gangway.
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared, then they turned all their faces away"
It's much too easy to cheer when the boys go off to fight or cheer when they come home; it's all too easy to ignore the danger faced or the price paid when it costs us nothing.
Those of us that have worn the uniform know. Those whose sons or daughters wear or have worn the uniform know. Those that haven't don't, and they never will.

It's time for a change.

Geography div (Sin subsection)

Finally after all that, when you add it all up this is what ya get:

 Pride is the aggregate of all data from the six other sins, averaged into an overview of all evil. 

Geography div (Sin subsection)

After all the satisfactions of the past two installments, time for this:

Sloth was calculated by comparing expenditures on arts, entertainment and recreation with the rate of employment. 

Geography div (Sin subsection)

Last week we looked at one kind of "hunger."  Here's another (you were waiting for this weren't ya ??

 Lust was calculated by compiling the number of sexually transmitted diseases — HIV, AIDS, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea — reported per capita. 

(not really what ya had in mind, eh ??)

Geography div (Sin subsection)

Ah, summertime. Go to the beach and eat and eat and eat, etc:

Gluttony was calculated by counting the number of fast food restaurants per capita. 

Geography div (Sin subsection)

Three weeks in and you might be getting mad, eh ??

Wrath was calculated by comparing the total number of violent crimes — murder, assault and rape — reported to the FBI per capita. 

Geography div (Sin subsection)

Here's this week's installment; if you're sorry or mad you didn't think of it,  don't blame the Bear:

Envy was calculated using the total number of thefts — robbery, burglary, larceny and stolen cars. 

Geography div ( Sin subsection )

Starting off a series for the summer (well, seven weeks of it anyway).
We'll start off with one of everyone's favorites:

Greed was calculated by comparing average incomes with the total number of inhabitants living beneath the poverty line. 

FEAR div (Elmer Fudd* subsection)

Two posts from out there on the intertubes about being afraid:

Jim Wright at Stonekettle Station sez:

They’re afraid of the government. They’re afraid of the president, they’re afraid of congress, they’re afraid of the judges. They’re afraid of socialism. They’re afraid of Nazis and communists. They’re afraid of liberals and progressives and RINOs and feminists and Prius-driving vegetarians. They’re afraid of their neighbors. They’re afraid of the North and afraid of the South and afraid of people from Chicago, and New York and Washington D.C. and California. They’re afraid of gangs and crime and terrorism.  They’re afraid of know-it-all college educated long hairs. They’re afraid of political correctness and affirmative action. They’re afraid of minorities and they’re afraid of immigrants and they’re afraid of uppity blacks and strong-willed women and smart Asians and dirty Latinos and murderous Muslims. They fear their own supposedly loving God and they’re afraid of everybody else’s deity too. They’re afraid of the Rapture and the Anti-Christ and the End Times. They’re afraid of Sharia Law and they’re afraid of the Pope and afraid of the Jews – and yet they’re afraid of atheists too. They’re afraid of immorality and pornography and the internet and cable TV and that Rock&Roll music. They’re afraid of social media, they’re afraid of Twitter and Facebook and the bloggers and the Goddamned lamestream media. They’re afraid the military might just take over and they’re afraid that the military isn’t powerful enough. They’re afraid of death and afraid of taxes. They’re afraid of science, of evolution and climate models and plate tectonics and carbon dating and sex education. They’re afraid of abortion and birth control and the morning after pill, but at the same time they’re also afraid people might be having sex and they’re afraid “those” people might be having a whole bunch of welfare babies that they’re afraid they’ll have to pay for. They’re afraid of North Korea and China and the long defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. They’re afraid that somebody might be coming to take all their guns and they’re afraid of all the crazy people with guns and they’re afraid that the government has too many guns.  They’re afraid of being poor but they’re afraid of the rich too. They’re afraid of the Bilderbergs and the Illuminati and the New World Order. They’re afraid of the the banksters and yet they’re deathly afraid of any laws that might restrict those self same power brokers. They’re afraid of losing their entitlements and they’re afraid the undeserving want entitlements too and more than anything they’re afraid that somebody somewhere might be getting something for nothing on the taxpayer dime, but they’re afraid of making those same “takers” pay for their own healthcare.  They’re afraid of chemicals in their food and genetically engineered crops, but they’re afraid of laws requiring that those same ingredients be fully disclosed by food producers because they’re afraid that might be bad for business. They’re afraid of obesity and heart disease and that our kids are a generation of blubbery little couch potatoes, but they’re afraid of Mayor Bloomberg and Michelle Obama.  They’re afraid of Hollywood violence and yet they’re also afraid that Sesame Street might be making their kids into prancing pacifist pisswillies. They’re afraid we’ll run out of oil or that some America hating dictator somewhere will cut the oil off – and yet at the same time they’re afraid of solar panels and wind towers and electric cars.

And Gordon at Alternate Brain forwards a post for all those who have forgotten what " America" is all about ( I know I get the e-mails from folks every day).

* "Be afwaid.  Be verwy afwaid."

Almost Time For It To Start Div (2014 subsection)

Time to start thinking of who to let do the damage again, eh ??

Nuff said .............

Patriotism div (mandatory participation subsection)

                                             
More years ago than I care to remember, when I attended elementary school, we assembled outside at 8am every morning to raise the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I still remember having to re-learn it, and recall several "stumbles," when the words "under God" were added in 1954 (since school had ended for the year at the start of June, we didn't begin including the phrase until September).

Each year (in the spring as I recall) in addition to the Pledge, the eighth graders would also recite the Preamble to the Constitution (we had to learn it as part of our "Civics" program). I and another student were appointed (because we were Boy Scouts) to additionally leave class 15 minutes early every day to strike the colors, fold them and place them in the custodian's office for storage.

I took and administered oaths many times during my tenure in the Armed Forces, and never got over the feelings of pride and accomplishment for myself or the person I was addressing during this voluntary act.  Arizona's proposed new "Loyalty Oath" for high school graduation smacks to me of other, less savory, places and times when and where such oaths were required. Though the words are similar, the circumstances aren't ................ and I guess that's what rankles.

Added thought: All the oaths I took or administered occurred PRIOR to the commencement or assumption of an activity or office or obligation. The thought of requiring an oath to receive something that one has earned is also objectionable.

A Special Place in Hell Div (Abuse subsection)

Every time I read something like this, it makes me think that there are some people that "just need killin'."

Merry Christmas div

I first heard John Henry Faulk's "Christmas Story" four years ago while sitting at the airport waiting for passengers. When it finished, I needed a kleenex.
I listen to this every year to remind me what the Christmas Spirit is all about.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Another's Experience .... Div ( place in hell subsection)

My heart goes out to this lady who has her own portion of hell to deal with. May she and her son find peace.
There but for fortune ............

(h/t Crooks and Liars )