2.13.2025 – we are doing this

we are doing this
for people that cannot speak
show up, support us

Adapted from the paragraph:

“We are doing this for the people that cannot speak, … we’re carrying the torch for people that feel like their rights are being violated,” said Bucardo, who ideally hopes the event “would stay peaceful and respectful, and our whole community, not just Hispanics, people from different backgrounds, places, show up and support us.”

In the article, Immigration reform protest planed for Feb. 17, by Mike McCombs in The Island News on Feb 12, 2025.

Remember those days when this, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door” used to mean something?

Something that made us proud.

I read the other day that one of the most maddening aspects of those who embrace Trumpism is that those folks, deep down, know better.

What do these folks think when they read, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What do these folks think at night?

As Mr. F.S. Fitzgerald said, “In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o’clock in the morning, day after day.”

What do they think?

Where is their treasure?

Where is their heart?

What are they doing for those who cannot speak?

2.12.2025 – to acquire Greenland

to acquire Greenland
and to rename Greenland as
Red, White, and Blueland

119TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. ll
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. CARTER of Georgia introduced the following bill;

To authorize the President to enter into negotiations to acquire Greenland and to rename Greenland as ‘‘Red, White, and Blueland’’.

Today is Mr. Lincoln’s birthday.

The 16th President of the United States.

The man who said in his 2nd Inaugural Address:

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Today, bills are introduced in the House of Representatives that would authorize the President of the United States to buy Greenland and rename it, Red, White and Blueland.

As Mr. Twain said, “Suppose I was crazy and suppose I ran for Congress. Wait, I repeat myself.“

Where did these people come from?

Who elected them?

As Mr. Mencken said or close to it, American’s get the government they deserve.

2.11.2025 – sixty four meanings

sixty four meanings
for noun, set, seventeen are
labelled obsolete

According to the Online Oxford English Dictionary.

Sometimes, we would go upstairs to the room where he worked, just the two of us, and go through his O.E.D. together. He was proud of that handsome set . . . ‘set’ — that word has one of the longest entries in the O.E.D., fifty four columns of nouns, verbs, adjectives, I think. That was what fascinated Thurber. I would read him the ‘set’ definitions for hours on end.

From Thurber : a biography by Burton Bernstein (Dodd, Mead, New York, 1975).

2.10.2025 – want to know what the

want to know what the
secret to good coaching is?
get good players …. hmmmmmmmmmmm

Adapted from the article, Super Bowl 59 winners and losers: Eagles come together as Chiefs fall apart, by Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY where Mr. Middlehurst-Schwartz writes:

“You want to know what the secret to good coaching is?” Sirianni asked on NFL Network’s postgame show. “Get good players.” Roseman [Philadelphia Eagles GM] has unquestionably done that and then some. After Philadelphia flamed out in spectacular fashion to end last season, the architect of the roster embarked on what will be remembered as one of the most aggressive and transformative offseasons in league history. He netted massive returns on free-agent contracts both big (2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley) and small (NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalist Zack Baun), and a draft class highlighted by Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean took the secondary from a weak point to a source of strength. Recall what A.J. Brown said on Opening Night: “I think Howie Roseman is the reason we are here tonight.”

I am reminded of a college game years ago when a feller named Keith Jackson was the play caller for ABC Sports and after some stellar play, Mr. Jackson quietly said … “It’s the players … not the plays.”

On the other hand, the line, ‘… get good players” reminds me of comedian Steve Martin’s bit, “You can make a Million Dollars … and not pay any income tax.”

Made it sound so easy.

Especially as the instructions started, “First … Make a million dollars .. then … “

Secret to good coaching?

Just get good players.

(Haiku question – how many syllables in hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm)

2.9.2025 – charting disruption

charting disruption
what’s in your morning, your day
watching and waiting

For the most part my day starts in three different ways.

It depends on if I am working that day and if working, am I working from home or am I going into the office.

I have two days off, two days working from home and three days in the office.

Regardless of where I am working, at some point in my morning I am sitting in my rocking chair with a cup of coffee.

That is how my day starts.

I am reminded of a kid I knew back at Grand Rapids Junior College.

One term, to get to my first class, I would take a short cut through the cafeteria.

Every morning there was a kid I knew slightly from high school, sitting alone at a table with a Styrofoam cup of coffee in front of him.

He had what might be called, ‘The 2000 Yard Stare,’ looking down at his coffee.

He never looked up and never saw me, but I saw him everyday, sitting there, staring, with a steaming cup of coffee.

I always want to skip class and sit at another table and watch to see what happened as he came out of his stare.

I often thought about sitting down and greeting him with a loud ‘Good Morning,’ just to see what would happen.

But I didn’t.

I respected his routine.

Who wanted to be a disrupter especially at that hour of day?

Today life as we know it, from less than 1 month ago, is in almost complete distruption.

Some folks applaud it.

Some folks fear it and what it MIGHT all mean.

I am watching it.

I hate it and I can’t stop it and I worry about it.

And I wonder, when will it impact me.

Prices of eggs are impacting me right now but more than that, when will this pattern of moron, idiotic, petulant, whiney, willful and destructive disruption impact my day.

When, due to all this, will my day NOT start with a cup of coffee and my rocking chair?

That has become my barometer.

My canary in a bird cage.

That is what I watch.

Kind of a personal, ‘I know what is going on, but so long as … it doesn’t affect me’ stance.

That is when I will know it is affecting me.

When I am no longer able to start my day with a cup of coffee.

What would it take?

The price of coffee?

My job goes away?

My home goes away?

I go away as I don’t agree with the reasons for all this disruption?

I am lucky that my barometer is as minor as a cup of coffee and not what country I wake up in tomorrow.

I know its coming.

I know it will happen and probably sooner than I am ready for it to happen.

Not much we can do to stop it.

Watching.

Waiting.

Asking, ‘What will change in your morning?’

In your day?