I Think I'll Just Sit Here and Think

...that the world is a better place because Merle Haggard was in it.

I have several favorite Hag songs, but this is probably the one I like best:



We are poorer for the passing of the man from Bakersfield.  And we don't seem to be headed in a good direction.

As Henley put it:

Well, it's a cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold

Post, postmodern world

No authenticity, no sign of soul

The radio won't play George and Merle.¹

And that's a darn shame.

¹ They're Not Here, They're Not Coming - Henley/Lynch

What's for Forever?

Friday week ago, I was fortunate to have been invited to see an artist, whose shows I've seen half a dozen times since 1978, at Oak Cliff's Kessler Theater.

Accordingly, I took with me my original 1975 vinyl LP of Blue Sky, Night Thunder, which the cosmic cowboy musician very graciously autographed.

And although he didn't introduce this next song as such, it seems apropos for the Easter season.

Tuesday's Tidbits

• Not really trying to make this a running feature, but some more global warmists are predicting dire consequences in coastal areas by the year 2100.  While there is evidence that warming may be occurring, the fact that it's been happening prior to the massive population explosion of the 20th century casts doubt on human activity being the definitive cause.  
• As I've noted previously, we should be good stewards of the planet's resources - though not at the point of government edicts, and not by having politicians pilfer our wallets.
• It irks me that the article, in an attempt to rationalize acceptance of poorly evidenced solutions, sensationalizes the issue by using inflated population figures based on projected growth rates through 2100.  This is extremely disingenuous for [at least] two reasons:  Predicting growth rates 84 years in the future is a wild guess, and secondly, if marked increases in the sea level are observed, populations would organically move away from coastal areas - it's not as though a three or six foot tidal wave will instantly appear January 1, 2100.
• I don't make any apologies for being an admirer of President & Nancy Reagan.  Not perfect - no President is - but possibly the best President of the 20th century (some might argue for FDR), and almost certainly the 2nd half of that century (with some preferring DDE).
• In any event, when the former First Lady passed away last week at age 94, it was appropriate - both because it was historically accurate, as well as befitting comments made at a funeral service - that HRC praised Mrs. Reagan's role in quietly advancing the cause of  AIDS/HIV awareness and research.  
• Nonetheless, petulant prima-donna LGBT activists were outraged with the Democratic front-runner, causing her to immediately retract her comments.  After all, it's apparently one of their central tenets that Ronald Reagan or Republicans in general either caused AIDS/HIV or somehow fanned its flames.  The truth, of course, is that, the syndrome was first clinically observed in 1981 and it took much of the 1980s - coinciding with RWR's terms in office - for sufficient data to be collected to intelligently seek either a cure or life-prolonging treatments.
• In those early days, it was entirely prudent to advise the public to avoid unsafe behaviors, including unprotected sexual contact and sharing of intravenous needles.  Naturally, the last thing that the agitator classes - any of them - want to hear about is responsibility/accountability.
• An Israeli hiker has found an ancient gold coin, said to be only the second known example of its kind, dating to 107 AD.
• Does this one have to go to the Primate Resources office?

A young Gary Hart

• The Republican front-runner has cancelled some appearances due to the threat of protesters.  Several groups have declared victory, believing their boorish hooliganism will derail the aspirant's candidacy.
• While I may share the desire for him to not be his party's candidate in November, I probably share little or no other issue with such people.
• If Trump is to be stopped, it should be by people with better ideas and résumés, and they're not all that hard to find. The protesters ought to understand that, in general, their bad behavior only helps a candidate, and specifically, pushes this candidate closer to a nomination.
• BTW, I feel the same about the activists who have disrupted HRC campaign speeches with filibusters about Benhazi.  You don't win the day, or elections, by shouting your opponents down.
• Not that Libya isn't a valid issue and an example of that candidate's failure, but her supporters should be able to hear her position on issues.  If she is the nominee after the convention, there'll be plenty of air time for ads reminding the public about what difference it makes.

Uncle Fester's Friday

Time to clean up, and update some recent posts and stories:

• About a recent study finding the Titanic iceberg to have been 100,000 years old, I - tongue in cheek - wrote that Democrats were were pondering legislation to ban icebergs, and was generally being a wiseacre about global warmism.
• The next day, I saw this article from 1922, when Albert Gore Sr. was still in high school, warning of climate change.  This, of course, long before the exponential increase in automobile ownership, LA freeway smog and gridlock, or the development of Freon-12 (in the 1930s):

• Of course, that's not to say that our climate isn't changing, just that it's been changing since, well, forever.  We can, and should, take reasonable care to develop clean energy sources and reduce harmful emissions and waste - it's about stewardship.  What shouldn't happen is for a$$hat politicians to use the issue as a pretext to pick our pockets to dole out American wealth to other countries, while lining their own pockets.

• The Startlegram this morning has an article - also referenced on the circus blog - that some controversial African elephants (17 to be exact) landed at Alliance overnight.  Presumably the controversy is about keeping pachyderms in captivity, although in the instant case it seems that these 17 are unlikely to be victims of poaching, which would've been a concern in their native land, so at least they've got that going for them.
• It could also mean that some of the elephants were Hutus and some Tutsi - thankfully there was no stampede aboard the flight.  Or maybe they were comparing trunk sizes?  Call HR.  Lastly, all airlines will be serving animal crackers for the next 6 months, as the global supply chain of airline peanuts has been decimated.
• For in-flight entertainment, the crew played an archived copy of Q-102 tracking Fleetwood Mac's 1979 double LP, Tusk, straight through, without commercials.   

• Wonder if any of the passengers joined the mile-high club?

Actual photo of final approach at AFW.

• You totally know I would've painted ears on the transport aircraft, no question.
• Activists are protesting Joe's Crab Shack for an image that's laminated on their tabletops in Minnesota restaurants that they claim represents a "lynching".  The only problem is that the photo in question is from 1895, and features a gallows in a very public place or town square.  That's a public hanging, not a lynching.
• News editors apparently don't know the difference between the two, and it's certainly not a distinction that the agitating greenmailers would want to acknowledge.  It's without question that certain advocacy groups ('gimmedats') will line up for large donations to their causes, in order for JCS to properly demonstrate contrition for the alleged slight.
• In the time I spent typing the last two bullet points, I missed scooping another blogger on the Manziel story.  And I don't care anything about organized sports. Oh, bother.
• A prior post mentioned that it hasn't been a good year for the Eagles or those formerly associated with them.  Although it was inevitable, I suppose you could include Nancy Reagan's passing in  that grouping, as daughter Patti Davis was the live-in GF of original member Bernie Leadon (who returned to perform with the band 2013-2016).
• Looking through some job listings the other day, there was a company seeking marketers for its 'Suicide Bunny' line of  'vaping' liquid.  I am not a present or former smoker, though the name struck me as extremely odd, but I figured it probably was an appeal to the warped sensibilities of millennials.
• I mentioned it to a co-worker, who is such a person, and he in fact enthusiasically endorsed the brand, telling those gathered that the Walter White flavor was really excellent.
• And this is the world my kids will inherit, where disgusting sounding companies market addictive sludge to kids, named after a fictional meth cooker.  
• Isn't that special?
• It's no longer Morning in America - more like Mourning America.
• I never watched that show (Breaking Bad), but there is a guy at work who looks like the character mentioned.

Tuesday Trivia

• Fox Business News reports that Tim Cook, Elon Musk, and GOP leaders attended an anti-Trump meeting.  I think it would be reasonable to assume that the former two would just as likely attend an anti-GOP meeting.
• Michael Bloomberg has announced that he will not seek the Presidency as an independent, citing the likelihood that he would not secure 270 electoral votes, and a desire not to siphon votes from the Democratic candidate.  I'm no admirer of Mr. Bloomberg politically, mostly on 2A issues, but I agree with his analysis of his viability, and for his call for "intelligent, specific and realistic ideas" to be the basis for Decision 2016.
• There's now a group called 'BoobsForBernie', which seems redundant,  but apparently their thing is for getting acceptance for public breastfeeding. Didn't know that was a front-burner issue, but hey, the wheels are already off in this campaign season.
• A lady on the video said "Hillary has turned out to be a big phony, and I don't respect her any longer."  Turned out to be phony?  Don't respect her any longer?  Lady, have you been asleep the last quarter century?
• I would speculate that it's better to wake up late than not at all, but seeing that the trajectory of her catharsis seems to have been to land in Sandersville, I'm thinking that voter is just evidence of Mr. Barnum's premise.
• A woman in Illinois failed a field sobriety test after another motorist reported her driving her Town Car with a 15' tree lodged in the front fascia. An area blogger would probably dismiss the infraction by saying the road beautification departments plant too many trees in the medians...
• And the Nekkid News:  A jury has decided that a lodging chain should pay the female sports reporter $55M for its negligence in allowing a pervert stalker to secretly record her.  Although the damage award seems - to me - wildly disproportionate, the decision was the correct one.  To be sure, the primary blame belongs to the creep who was following her, but shouldn't it be common sense that if you're hosting a hot celebrity who's been the target of prior stalkers, you'd think twice about some dude demanding a room next door?
• Scientists have determined that the iceberg that sank the Titanic was 100,000 years old.  Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers in Washington have blamed the accident on global warmism, insufficient regulation and inspection of aging glaciers, and have pledged 100,000 'snow shovel' ready jobs for out-of-work cross-country snowskiers to criss-cross Greenland and Newfoundland inspecting the aging glacial infrastructure.  
• In related news, Greenpeace has demanded reparations for the iceberg.
• Waiter, I'll have the sage and white wine braised spotted owl, with a snail darter amandine appetizer, please!  
• Hey, I'm on a roll here...

It has not been a Good Year in Eagleville

It's being reported that former Eagles bassist Randy Meisner's wife has been reported shot dead in their home.

Take me away Carefree Highway

To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian character; it is only fairness. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.

This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night ‘forgive our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.’ We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says.

-  Excerpted from C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

I would love to rent a Rans Airaile and traverse the U.S. from North Carolina to 

northern California, at about 200 feet AGL, watching the continent unfold. 

" A happy family is but an earlier heaven. "

- George Bernard Shaw