In the TV series Newsroom Jeff Daniels stars as Will McAvoy, a veteran news anchor. It's brilliant writing is by Aaron Sorkin, his first television show in six years. In one scene, McAvoy is part of a panel at a college and "snaps" when a young woman student asks the panel what makes the United States "the greatest country in the world?" and unloads his contrary view to the college audience. Here's an excerpt of what he tells them: "Hey– – And with a straight face you're…
A GUIDE ON HOW YOU SHOULD VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
Chis Lay is a electronics designer who created this graph on how to decide who to vote for in the primaries. The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) reprinted it and I thought it was amusing enough it was all you need to know to make your decision on how to vote in the primaries so here it is, but with a full disclaimer: this isn't how I see it but I do think it amusing. NOTE: CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLAGE
HOLLIS BARNETT 1907 – 1990
My father in law, Hollis Barnett died on March 22nd 1990. He was a unique and wonderful man. You can read about his extraordinary wife Betty Barnett and more about this couple whoI grew to love. https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/03/i-write-this-in-memory-of-my-wifes-father-hollis-hall-barnett-whodied-in-puyallup-washington-on-march-22-1990-at-the-a.html Hollis Hall Barnett died in Puyallup, Washington at the age of 83. Hollis was born in Buckley, Washington on May 3, 1907 and spent his younger years at Mt. Rainier National Park where his father, Herman "Herm" Burke Barnett, was a National Park Ranger….
WHATEVER YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS YOU SHOULD AGREE WITH BERNIE ON THIS ISSUE
The reason there is gridlock in Congress, the reason politicians are totally failing in carrying out their constitutional duties and the reason the balance of power provided in the Constitution is no long working is because of big money in politics and government. Until there is campaign funding reform and control over the flow of money into politics and government we will continue to experience this dysfunctional excuse of governing. Whatever you think of Bernie Sanders, on this particular issue he…
SWEET JOSEPHINE JULY 5, 2003 – MARCH 9, 2016
Our loving, sweet, little dog, Josephine, unexpectedly died last night. After thirteen years of being entertained and greatly loved by her it was a gut wrenching experience for Lita and I. It was especially hard and painful for our friend Julie Albers and her husband Randy. Josephine died in Julie's arms with Randy trying to do CPR to save her, but it wasn't to be. Lita and I were in Seattle for the night and Julie and Randy were taking care of her when she became ill. Calls to the…
IF YOU LIKE THE THREE STODGES YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED LAST NIGHT’S REPUBLICAN DEBATE
You probably remember the Three Stooges, not from their 1920s vaudeville comedy act, but from their movies which are still being shown. Well, last night Larry, Moe and Curley gave us another comedy act only it was Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump who enacted their slap stick craziness on the debate stage. Yes, these are the same men who want to be president of the United States of America. It was a virtual circus with everything but the three main…
ENJOYING OUR STAY IN BEAUTIFUL HAWAII & OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
On Sunday, February 21, I "endured" my birthday. At age 81 you don't "enjoy" birthdays except perhaps from a feeling of gratitude at being alive. As I have said to others, it's a little like waking up that morning and discovering you have been trapped in the body of an 81-year-old. You don't fully get used to the idea that you are aging in your mind until physical ailments remind you. The next day, on Monday, we flew to Kona on…
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CONTINUES TO BE DEDICATED TO INTERNAL FIGHTING & OBSTRUCTIONIST POSITIONS TO AMERICA’S HARM
When Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R – KY) within hours of Justice Scalia's death declared that the Senate would not even hold hearings on any replacement proposed by the president no matter what the Constitution provides, it wasn't all that surprising. This party has deteriorated from the days when it put public good before political self-interest to the point of chaos and internal dissension we find it in today. When the party, for political self-interest, took under its wing tea party…
MY GRANDFATHER PETER BABAROVICH 1861 – 1935
My maternal grandfather Peter (Petar) Babarovich was born April 12, 1861 in the village of Splitska on the island of Brac in the Adriatic Sea. He died in Anacortes, Washington March 5, 1935. I was born 12 days after he died. It must have have been a very difficult time for my mother, to lose her father and then give birth to me. He and my grandmother had seven children all of whom, except my mother, Mary, who was born in Anacortes,…
JUSTICE SCALIA’S DEATH IS A FAMILY TRAGEDY BUT A GIFT TO IMPROVED JUDICIAL JURISPRUDENCE
Famous trial lawyer Clarence Darrow once said: "I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure." I confess that was my first thought when I learned of the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia. Or, as the comedian George Jessel once said about the people attending the funeral of a celebrity he didn't like: "you see, give the people what they want and they will come." From my perspective here…