Our grandfather used to say he had a “no brainer” when he was dealt a hand in gin rummy where he could lay down his hand after drawing one card off the deck. Webster’s dictionary defines a no brainer as something that requires minimum thought. I can’t for the life of me understand why reforming [...]
Archive for September, 2009
Healthcare Reform a No Brainer ?
Posted in Uncategorized on September 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Another View From Abroad
Posted in America, World, tagged America, foreign policy, President Obama, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, World on September 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Here’s an interesting perspective from Australia on the international perception of President Obama — complete with an entertaining reference to the “Fonzie” codicil to foreign policy. Regardless of whether this writer is correct or not in his assessment, it should be concerning that people overseas are writing openly about our President as weak or out [...]
A Fan Of Fog
Posted in Travel, tagged Fog, San Francisco, San Francisco Fog, Travel on September 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve been to San Francisco quite a bit lately, and one of the things I’ve enjoyed about my visits is the fog. Typically, it seems to be very foggy in the morning, and then as the day progresses the fog burns off and rolls back. By afternoon, it is clear over the city, but as [...]
Hotel Soap
Posted in Humor, Travel, tagged Hotels, Humor, Soap, Travel on September 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
At some point in the not-too-distant past — I’m not sure exactly when — every hotel in the United States decided that it needed to stock guest room bathrooms with soap that is an apparently random combination of fruit, plant, and flower fragrances. In my latest hotel stay, the soap, as well as the shampoo, [...]
A Different Perspective
Posted in World, tagged Assisted Suicide, Ethics, Great Britain, World on September 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
An interesting debate is occurring in Great Britain about assisted suicide and right to die laws. Previously, much of the coverage has been about a woman named Debbie Purdy, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and who has led a fight to clarify Britain’s assisted suicide laws. Now, a prominent scientist who, like Ms. Purdy, has [...]
H1N1 In The Air
Posted in America, Travel, tagged air travel, America, H1N1, Public Health, Swine flu on September 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I had to fly yesterday on business, and the dire warnings about a new, more virulent outbreak of H1N1 certainly make air travel more exciting. Any time you are in an enclosed area with a bunch of people you are bound to hear a certain number of coughs, sneezes, and sniffles, and if you are [...]
Leaking Like A Sieve
Posted in Politics, World, tagged Afghanistan, foreign policy, Military, Politics, President Obama, Washington Post, World on September 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It is appalling that General McChrystal’s confidential report on conditions in Afghanistan for President Obama was immediately leaked to the Washington Post. Who was the leaker? Someone in the White House who thinks the war in Afghanistan is wrong and wants to exert pressure on the President to stop the fighting? Someone in the military [...]
Another Putrid Exhibition
Posted in sports, tagged Art Modell, Brady Quinn, Cleveland, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos, sports, sports fans on September 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I read UJ’s post on the woeful Browns, and I am forced to agree with him that they stink, big time. I realize that the NFL season is 16 games long and only two games are in the record books, but I am seeing nothing that indicates that the Browns will be anything other than [...]
Letter To My Brother Bob
Posted in sports on September 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Dearest Brother Bob, You are one of the smartest people I know and I rarely feel that I need to give you advice, but I think that time has come. STOP watching the Browns because they are going nowhere this year and they STINK ! With Cincinnati much improved, a review of their schedule shows [...]
Sweet September
Posted in Ohio, weather, tagged Ohio, September, weather on September 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I think September is the finest month, weather-wise, in Ohio. The mornings are cool and perfect for walking. The days are crisp and dry. Daytime skies are blue and virtually cloudless and nighttime skies offer clear views of the constellations. You can sleep with the windows open, enjoy the night air and gentle breezes, and [...]
Too Much On His Plate?
Posted in Politics, tagged David Paterson, New York, Politics, President Obama on September 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
According to this story, President Obama has sent a messenger to New York Governor David Paterson, advising him that the President does not want him to run for election in 2010. Apparently the President prefers that Andrew Cuomo be the Democratic standard-bearer in the Empire State and is afraid that a run by Paterson — [...]
Foreign Policy Blues
Posted in America, Politics, World, tagged America, Czech Republic, foreign policy, missile defense system, NATO, Poland, President Obama, Russia, World on September 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
There has been a lot of criticism from the right, and some other quarters, of President Obama’s recent decision to scrap elements of a missile defense system for Eastern Europe. The move has bitterly disappointed our allies in Poland and the Czech Republic, who were to host elements of the system and viewed it as [...]
Independents’ Day On Gay
Posted in Art, Columbus, Music, tagged Andy Shaw Band, Art, Art Squatters, Burglar, Bush League All Stars, Columbus, Gay Street, Independents' Day, Music, Ohio Roller Girls on September 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I had to work today and I’m glad I did, because today was “Independents’ Day” on Gay Street, where the firm has its offices. As I was working this morning I heard Independents’ Day organizers setting up the Gay Street sound stage and tents right outside my window. They blocked off the street and had [...]
Organic Odyssey
Posted in Food, Politics, The Economy, tagged economy, Food, Michelle Obama, organic food, Politics, vegetables on September 19, 2009 | 2 Comments »
First Lady Michelle Obama apparently is a big fan of vegetable gardens, organic food, and healthy eating. She encouraged a group that runs farmers markets in the D.C. metropolitan area to set up a market near the White House, and on Thursday she decided to visit the market to buy some “organic Tuscan kale.” This [...]
A Distant Ancestor
Posted in Science, tagged dinosaurs, Science, Tyrannosaurus Rex on September 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
They’ve discovered a fossil in China of what appears to be an ancestor of the Tyrannosaurus Rex — except this creature lived 60 million years earlier and was 90 times smaller. It features the same massive, dagger-toothed skull, the same small “arms,” and the same apparently acute sense of smell. Even though it was smaller [...]
