Category: M. POLITICS

The Big Alligator

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICSLeave a comment

Last spring small alligators appeared in a few of our community’s 10 ponds.

The Wildlife’s Alligator Man spoke to our group. For an hour he tried to sell two points: 1. The small ones we had spotted can’t hurt us and 2. When they grow to a dangerous size Wildlife would relocate them.

The problem was earlier he had extolled the amazing ability of grown Gators to remember, and often return to, their origins.

Say What?

Trump snuck igconito on to plane 2. He sent J. D. and Mario and the others on the “safe one.”

Say What ?

VOTE FOR RON

On By ethomasparhamIn HUMOR/ ODDS AND ENDS, M. POLITICSLeave a comment

FROM NYT

Insults, Expletives and Fat-Shaming: Vance Trolls Critics on the Right and Left.

CLIPS

It was hardly the first time that someone on social media called someone else fat. But it may have been the first time that a vice president of the United States did so.

Mr. Vance also appears to have a natural appetite for conflict, the product of a generation that grew up with gladiatorial political instincts. It is not enough that someone else may be wrong about policy or politics; they must be stupid, mendacious, vile or, yes, even overweight.

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Comedian Ron White, who said “F— you ! “, to his debate opponent, concluded : I THOUGHT I’D WON !

PRO VS CON

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICSLeave a comment

Back when people could talk to each other, I heard this rationale frequently : ” I voted for Trump because he is a business man!”

Now, summer 2026, that has mitigated to: ” I don’t like some of his behavior, but he has done a lot of good things!”

Here is a new game to break up a marriage, or family, or friendship, etc:

Flip a coin, winner chooses first or second go.

(Pro wins, selects first )

Round 1–PRO names a GOOD thing he has done. CON names a bad thing he has done.

Round 2 and thereafter who goes first alternates. Con first in round 2.

Winner is player who can keep naming new support for PRO or CON

Book Review

On By ethomasparhamIn K. PHILOSOPHY, M. POLITICSLeave a comment

 The GreatestSentence Ever Written

Walter Isaacson

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written

Walter Isaacson

Premise

“The author argues that these early edits reveal the Founders balancing the roles of reason and faith in defining American rights. The final sentence declares that all men are created equal and possess unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Isaacson presents this sentence as one of the defining statements of the American founding.”

Obama vs Trump

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICSLeave a comment

Boxing was a big deal in 1955.

Televsion was new. A lot of disagreements ended in fist fights. Knives and Glocks now.

Written in 2019 :

” Wednesday night was a big night later at the Ritters. Gillette’s Cavalcade of Sports (Boxing on TV). Remember the big parrot carrying the round numbers?
Walt, the old man was a big burly, funny guy. And sober he was a treat. Sober didn’t happen with a lot of mill workers, but on Wednesday night we watched the fights. Walt pulled for whoever the white guy was. For me, Kid Gavilan, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis, and Rocky Marciano, were gods.

No duels, but certain words had meaning : ” Say that to my face” .

Did Obama just call Trump OUT?

Have they crated that death cage off the front lawn?

Pay for View bonaza !!!!!

I’d still pull for the black guy.

AMERICAN STRUGGLE

On By ethomasparhamIn K. PHILOSOPHY, L. RACE, M. POLITICSLeave a comment

NEW BOOK RECOMMENDED !

AMERICAN STRUGGLE- Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union

( by Jon Meacham ) 2026.

This is great American history, quite thorough.  I must say the last commentary (“THE PATH TO AMERICAN AUTHORITARIANISM:  WHAT COMES AFTER DEMOCRATIC BREAKDOWN” ) BY Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way ) is quite frightening 1.  In its summary of the present and 2.  In its vision of the looming future.

LOW LIFE

On By ethomasparhamIn K. PHILOSOPHY, M. POLITICSLeave a comment

At one point, a fighter took the mic and made a nasty joke about Michelle Obama while standing in front of the house she once lived in with her husband, daughters and mother.

Even for a president with a lifelong penchant for P.T. Barnum-esque gambits, this one was in a league of its own. (NEW YORK TIMES )

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Raylan Givens: Sometimes, we have to make deals with lowlifes because we have our sights set on life forms even somehow lower on the ladder of lowlife than they.
(JUSTIFIED )

“GRAVEN IMAGES?”

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICS, N. RELIGION, WARLeave a comment


2) “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” This command is against making an idol, a visible representation of God. There is no image we can create that can accurately portray God. To make an idol to represent God is to worship a false god.