A Tad Confused

Too many folks are excited by what should disgust and disgusted by what should excite.

Killed the Messenger

The newspaper business is somewhat dear to me. My grandfather published a daily newspaper in Covington, Virginia. He is in some ways the inspiration for this blog. I was heartbroken when I heard of the massacre at the newspaper office in Maryland. There is never a justification for murdering innocent people. To the folks blaming our President for this newspaper attack- BACK OFF. President Trump suffers under the weight of an abundance of fake news, but the lies being told against Trump were not what inspired the murderer. A personal grudge against the newspaper motivated the killings. Maybe if those exercising their First Amendment rights by running the newspaper had been exercising their Second Amendment right by carrying a loaded gun, the massacre could have been stopped with less loss of innocent life.

Need More Security

GOP officials from Washington to Florida have been harassed or worse. They need to have bodyguards provided at public expense until the threats against them abate.

Resolve with Words

American conservatives are content to talk over differences because they know they will win the arguments against liberals and progressives. The Left in America know logic prevails over their arguments, so they shift to emotion. It looks like now that their emotional appeals are failing, the American Left is ready to become violent.

A "Civil" Society

The international left has always agitated for violence on the streets. They do fairly well at this until they stir up the right enough to respond. Then, the left usually loses the clashes that follow. I want to keep America civil because I do not want to witness another American civil war.

Absolutely No Civility

Maxine Waters is calling for the harassment of Trump administration members and those trying to enforce our borders. What Waters is demanding is the height of incivility and borders on criminal incitement.

The Democrat Zealots

When a Virginia restaurant throws out President Trump's spokesperson and her family, they are wittingly or unwittingly telling about half the country that they do not want their business. What sort of moron would do this?

Not Even One

There used to be some conservative Democrats. JFK was for a strong defense and was fervently anti-Communist, with an emphasis on using Special Forces for counter-insurgency. He was also a tax cutter. Henry "Scoop" Jackson was strong on national defense and determined to end Soviet tyranny. Sam Nunn was a defense hawk. There is no Democrat in the House or Senate today who carries conservative beliefs like these great Democrats of old held.

Only a Handful

There are just a few true conservatives representing the people in Washington. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are down the line with the right in the Senate. Tennessee's Marsha Blackburn is a real conservative in the US House. I would characterize President Trump as a populist who embraces less intrusion into business by government. If there were more conservatives in DC, we could make America even greater.

Republicans Betray Voters

An amnesty for illegal aliens is the quickest way to destroy the GOP and our country as it was founded. That is why I am fairly certain that is exactly what Republicans in the House and Senate are going to force down the throats of the people who voted them in with the main expectation that those they voted in would protect our border.

Air Conditioning Miracle

Some parts of the United States would be virtually uninhabitable were it not for air conditioning. Thank goodness, we in Nashville are mostly comfortable because of the innovative minds that gave the world air conditioning.

Free But Fair

Donald Trump is a free trader who has reluctantly had to impose tariffs because of unfair trade practices and currency manipulation. When the world economy is once again a level playing field, President Trump will happily give up tariffs. Our President is simply tired of seeing the US lose in trade deals because of lousy negotiators and lose in trade itself because of foreign cheating.

David Whips Goliath

In the soccer world, Mexico is considered an average team. Germany was thought to be a powerhouse. Somehow, Mexico defeated Germany in this weekend's World Cup action. This is a real stunner. Bravo Mexico!

Futbol Versus Football

Soccer is a game I played a bit of in middle school. It demands skill and rigorous conditioning. It goes without saying that every player in the World Cup is a great athlete. To the sensibility of many Americans, soccer is still a boring game. Americans, who love a 38 to 35 football game decided on a last second field goal, just can't see the beauty of a 1-nil soccer match,where the winners kick the ball around their own side of the pitch most of the game. Football players are undeniably powerful but very few could be in constant motion, often running at full speed for ninety-plus minutes. Soccer is called by its enthusiasts "the beautiful game". I think there is room in the world for more than one beautiful game.

Russia's Possible Terror

A driver plowed into spectators at the World Cup in Russia. The driver claims it was an accident, which might be true, as those committing jihad often proclaim it proudly if they survive the event.

More Terror Thwarted

Israel has reported that they have recently prevented more than two hundred attempts to launch major terror attacks. If Israel's intelligence agencies were not so successful, hundreds if not thousands of innocent people would have been murdered. Israel also shares intelligence with other countries that has enabled them to stop terror attacks. The irony is that this plucky little nation that is under siege from constant attempts at terrorism is widely regarded as a pariah and singled out for opprobrium at the United Nations. Israel is the front line but make no mistake that the whole civilized world is a target.

More Terror Attempted

A so-called "refugee" has just been arrested for manufacturing the deadly poison ricin in Germany. Most of the nations of Europe have welcomed "refugees" with open arms. Germany has demonstrated great humanitarian efforts and the reward they receive for extending the hand of help is street crime, rape, murder, and attempted mass murder now with a deadly toxin. I am glad German authorities stopped this mass poisoning, but the more people admitted to your country and continent who are from disintegrating countries where no vetting is possible, the more certain it becomes that terrorists will succeed in killing innocent Europeans.

The America Haters

A leader was elected in Barack Hussein Obama who wanted to knock his own country off its pedestal of leadership in the world. Obama succeeded,but President Trump has already reversed Obama's "managed decline". Donald Trump has already kept his pledge to "make America great again". It is such a relief to be led by someone who does not go around the world grovelling and apologizing to foreign leaders for America. We now have a President that loves our country and will never apologize for it.

To the Naysayers

I am amazed that people who would be calling for Barack Obama to receive a second Nobel Peace Prize if he had a summit with the leader of North Korea are condemning President Trump for sitting down to talk. These fools, many of whom have advocated unilateral US disarmament, are now saying Trump has demeaned America by talking to Kim. These are people who rarely don the uniform of our country to go defend it, and are almost universally anti-war except in this one instance when Trump is defusing a crisis because they despise our President so much they hope he fails at everything, up to and including preserving the peace. Trump may have just staved off a shooting war, possibly a nuclear war and all credit should go to him for that.

Peace and Opportunity

If North Korea gives up its nuclear capacity, it will be just as prosperous as South Korea in a few short years. If North Korea does not, the North Korean people will continue to starve.

Believing Own Poverty

So long as a person is not trapped in a poverty of the mind, they can rise above their current circumstance. Starting poor does not mean ending that way. Hope for a better future can kindle the effort it takes to make it so.

Seeing Real Poverty

America's poor are somewhat luckier than those who are impoverished in other parts of the world. In the US, there is a safety net of government aid that literally feeds people. We are not like Venezuela, where thousands are on the brink of starvation because of mismanagement by a socialist government. We are not like North Korea where a government finds it easier to murder people than allow them any liberty, including the economic freedom it takes to prosper. We are not like the continent of Africa where drought and famine still claim lives. We are truly blessed that freedom and a social safety net mean even our poor usually enjoy a decent lifestyle (unless they have immense substance abuse or mental issues that keep them from accessing what is available).

Money and Happiness

We were very close to a developer who made hundreds of millions. The funny thing is that even with all that money, he was not particularly happy. There were people living near our liquor store who never had a hundred dollar bill in their hand who were always joyful. I can tell you money does not necessarily make you happy, but will also tell you that a lack of money can certainly make you miserable.

Who You Wearing

I understand a very well-known and wealthy designer offed herself in middle age this week. Suicide is nothing funny. If you are considering it, get help (not help in killing yourself, but in dissuading yourself from the permanent solution to the temporary problem). I heard this designer hanged herself with an Hermes scarf. Hermes certainly would never endorse suicide, even if the person that kills themself is a competing designer.

Hickory Versus Mesquite

I like barbeque. I was raised on hickory-smoked meats, which is typical around my hometown of Nashville. Tennessee-style bbq is still mighty enjoyable, but as a teen, I was introduced to Texas-style bbq smoked with mesquite at a place near the former Hickory Hollow mall called Texana Grill. I found mesquite to be just as enjoyable as hickory. I would say that mesquite holds its own with hickory, although it is relatively rare around Nashville to find a restaurant using mesquite. I imagine out West that it is rare to find a restaurant using Tennessee Hickory. As much as I like bbq, I would never say no to either.

Mixed Bag Decision

In America, religious liberty still trumps hurt feelings, at least for the moment. So-called "gay marriage" is the law of the land, but people can not be compelled to participate in it (yet). Two justices voted to force compliance to whatever homosexual activists demand. Freedom is in peril on many fronts, and the Supreme Court is not the defender of liberty it once was.

Markets Moving Monday

Some years back, I made a call that the markets would rise sharply at the start of a particular week. Instead, they took a tumble. A bit later, I was certain the markets were going to sink on a particular Monday. They actually rose over a hundred points. I figured the only thing I could pretty much count on was that the markets would move. I could not predict up or down- but the markets were certainly going to go one way or the other on a particular Monday. That day the market actually closed unchanged.

Captain D's Sunday

Our family's Sunday tradition was fried fish from the West End Avenue Captain D's. I was the kid that dug malt vinegar on everything. I not only poured it on the fish, but on the fries and hushpuppies as well. I don't know if I loved the food, but I sure did like that malt vinegar! What I loved most of all was four generations of my family being together. I sure miss those Sundays.

Saturday at Greer

I remember those lazy Saturdays taking in two at Greer Stadium. Maybe it wasn't Major League baseball, but it was baseball and that was mighty fine. It was great if the Sounds won, but even if they didn't, it was still baseball. If Nashville won both, you left walking on sunshine. If Nashville split, that was better than nothing. If Nashville, dropped both, there was always the next game to buoy our hopes. The only thing that dampened our joy literally was a rainout.

Best Tasting Products

Stouffer's lasagna and macaroni and cheese are about as good as I have ever tasted without having to expend the effort to make them from scratch. I used to buy the huge family-size lasagna from the freezer case and eat it by myself in two settings. Remarkably, I kept my weight between 140 and 169 pounds back then on a 7000 calorie a day diet, but I guess I had a much faster metabolism back then. Now, I walk past the freezer case in the store and gain a pound without eating a bite, but that is another story. I don't think there is such a thing as bad mac and cheese, but if it isn't really great, I add Worcestershire and hot sauce and that makes the macaroni delicious. With Stouffer's, I never have to add anything to savor the mac and cheese. It stands on its own as a great tasting product.