Sniffing out a solution

Money is like manure; it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around encouraging young things to grow.

Thornton Wilder

New Year’s Resolution…and favorite tip

Here’s my New Year’s Resolution: To reduce the time I think about the past and future and to be fully present and happy in the here and now.

And this is my favorite weight management tip for 2012: Leave behind one bite of everything. I found this tip on mLive.com. It was posted by Sue Thoms of The Grand Rapids Press. For more information, here’s the link. Seems pretty simple…and these days, I like simple. So I’m going to try it and see how it works for me.  If you also try it and like it, please let me know!

Ever get a call from (312) 423-7511?

Before I use the call-blocking service available on our phone, I wanted to shine some Internet light on an annoying call we’ve recently started receiving.  Our Caller ID says it’s from H&H LTD OFFICE and the number is (312) 423-7511.

For your entertainment, I took down the message word-for-word.   To get the full flavor of this message, imagine a woman’s voice sounding firm and urgent. However, when the message states the person’s name, it reverts to a fuzzy-sounding voice synthesizer. Here’s the transcribed spiel:

This is a message for (robo voice) Ma– Kihl–er.  If we have reached the wrong number for this person, please call us back at (312) 423-7484 to remove your phone number. If you are not (robo voice) Ma– Kihl–er, please hang up or disconnect. If you are (robo voice) Ma– Kihl–er, please continue to listen to this message. There will now be a three second pause in this message. (Pause is more like six seconds.) By continuing to listen to this message, you acknowledge that you are (robo voice) Ma– Kihl–er. You should not listen to this message so that other people can hear it, as it contains personal and private information. There will now be a three-second pause in this message to allow you to listen to this message in private. (No pause…just disconnect.)

Let the women talk!

I just watched a segment of Morning Joe in which Joe Scarborough continues to talk when it’s obvious that his cohost, Mika Brzezinski, is trying to “respectfully disagree” with him.  She’s the only woman at this table.  And then when Joe finally finishes, David Gregory cuts in and doesn’t let Mika get her word in edgewise.

Unfortunately, this is typical for the many times I’ve watched Morning Joe. It happens, as well, to Eleanor Clift, who is often interrupted by host John McLaughlin on his show on PBS.  Or if McLaughlin doesn’t interrupt her, then it’s Pat Buchanan.

Guys…let the women talk!

An historical view of “the common good”

“We’re not into big government…we’re into reflective government that meets the minimum needs of the people,” says the Rev. Robert J. Gregorio, of the diocese of Camden, New Jersey.  Quoted in an online article in Minyanville, titled: Does God Really Back Obama’s Jobs Plan?, Gregorio reminds readers of the historical view of the common good.

“In America,” says Fr. Gregorio, “we’ve got a heavily entrenched materialistic capitalism that glorifies wealth and doesn’t care about how you get it.  A lot of devotees of capitalism equate ‘the common good’ with Communism. However, there was a common good for 1,800 years before Karl Marx was born.”

Ever heard of this?

I’m talking about the Corporation of London.  Evidently, those occupying the area around St. Paul’s Cathedral in London have indirectly led to more sunlight shining onto this square-mile enclave.

“Oh, that’s different. Nevermind.”

So…anyone remember the character of Emily Litella on Saturday Night Live?  She’d go off on a tangent about some topic in the news.  Then when she was told that she had misinterpreted the topic completely, her response would be:  “Oh, that’s different.  Nevermind.”

The character of Emily Litella was the first thing that came to mind when I learned that our government has based 30 years of economic policy on a lie.

According to The Huffington Post, former President Ronald Reagan’s economic adviser, Bruce Bartlett, now admits that there’s no truth to the claim that reducing regulations helps economic growth.  Unfortunately, since the Reagan era, deregulation has grown into an unquestioned article of faith for some politicians.

In discussing the economic value of deregulation, Bartlett replied: “It’s just nonsense.  It’s just made up.”

Too bad we can’t just hit the rewind button on the last 30 years and, like Emily Litella, excuse away the economic damage caused by deregulation by saying: “Oh, I’m sorry. Nevermind.”

Only Love is Real

One of my favorite songs from one of favorite musical artists:

Something is different this year

Michiganders might be the most loyal sports fans in America.   But this year, we are ecstatic with stats from our local teams…especially when the baseball and football and hockey seasons collide to create a wonderful electricity in the air.

First, let’s talk football.   The most important thing for you to know is that the Wayne State University Warrior football team is 5 and 0.  Now let’s talk about another college team some of you might know: the University of Michigan Wolverines. They also happen to be undefeated at 6 and 0.

And then there are the Detroit Lions!  What can I say?  The last time the Lions won five games in a row was 1956.  1956!   For as long as I can remember, every year we Michiganders would feel hopeful at the beginning of a new Lions football season.  “Maybe this will be the year…” we’d hear ourselves say. And then we’d see our hopes dashed.  It was a ritual for Detroiters.  Hope…dashed.  Hope…dashed.

But not this time!

Right now, the Detroit Red Wings are also undefeated at 3 and 0.

What is going on here?

And then our wonderful Detroit Tigers are still hanging in there, battling for the ALCS against the Texas Rangers.  With yesterday’s win and Justin Verlander on the pitcher’s mound, Detroit must just pull this off and move on to the World Series.

It is so unbelievably fun to be a sports fan in Michigan today!   The air is thick with excitement!

(P.S. Found this wonderful photo on Facebook.  If anyone knows who produced it, I’ll post a credit.)

The result is the same

If a public bridge crumbles because someone bombed it, but if we allow another public bridge to crumble because we won’t raise taxes to pay for the work needed, what is the functional difference?

If someone bombs us because that person hates our freedoms, but we react to that threat by curtailing our own freedoms in order to win, then who has won?