TODAY'S NEWS: An Interpretation

Talking to the Kids

I don’t mind if the president gets on the TV and talks to the kids about trying to do a good job and staying in school. Heck, Mr. Bush was reading a story to some elementary school children when the 9/11 attacks occurred. Some of my fellow “Right-Wing Wackos” were all in a tizzy about today’s speech. They were worried that the president was going to try and warp all those little minds with a lot of socialist propaganda. My opinion is that the attention spans of about 85% of the kids listening didn’t allow them to pay attention for more than the first three or four sentences of the speech. The other 15% are the ones who will do well and stay in school anyway, and they would be able to discern whatever baloney the president would throw their way. I read the text of the speech. It was pretty much a little pep talk and most of our student bodies have already forgotten what was said. Next May or June attend the graduation ceremonies at a high school near you. Ask the graduates as they file by if they stayed in school because of the speech President Obama gave on September 8, 2009. If one in ten thousand replies with a yes then I’ll give the necessary apologies and kudos to the big guy. Until then, I’ll hold my applause.

Talking to the AFL-CIO

On Sunday, or was it Monday, Mr. Obama gave a speech at the big union picnic event of the AFL-CIO. He congratulated all those union folks, mostly union heads and officials, for all the fine work they have done throughout the years. He got them pumped up pretty good. They were a receptive crowd, some of the president’s most ardent supporters. Of course the unions have been doing all they can for many years to destroy American commerce. I know union members and former union members who actually hate the whole idea of being forced to join a union so that they can hold a job. I also know former union members who watched as their unions made it so expensive for the employers to do business in this country that the plants closed and their jobs just disappeared. About eighty or ninety years ago unions were working to improve safety and other conditions in the workplace. They helped to negotiate better wages and benefits for the working people. But like any bureaucracy, and believe me union management is exactly that, it becomes impressed with its own agenda. And the big unions like the Autoworkers, Steelworkers and Teamsters became greedy, unreasoning entities with no real regard for the people they supposedly represented. Not unlike the Congress of the United States. So I’m glad Mr. Obama had a nice time at the picnic. But I’d be willing to bet that if an election was to be held in November, and a viable opponent was available, he wouldn’t win. Too bad we can’t test my theory.

Popular Culture News Items

That couple with eighteen kids is expecting again. How about that? That other couple with a bunch of kids is split up, or maybe they’re not. The world is enthralled.

That poor athlete who had some confusion about gender is having a make-over. She runs track. The only time anyone pays attention to track is when the Olympics roll around or when there’s a drug or gender scandal. Can we say “who gives a hoot?”

There are a whole bunch of doomsday movies coming out this fall. Some of them might be entertaining. But I’d be willing to bet that most of them are pretentious and full of scenarios based on bad science and un-supported speculations. I’d also bet that they’ll make a ton of money.

Ramadan is ending. Lots of Muslims are celebrating and ending their fasts. I don’t recall too much media attention about Christians who strictly observe the Lenten season ending their fasts this past Easter. I must have missed it. The holy season of Ramadan didn’t stop the fanatics in some places from blowing up men, women and children. Hypocrisy is the same no matter who the practitioners are.

And finally, this important bit of news; Queen Victoria’s underwear, apparently a size 3x, have been added to a collection of royal apparel. Royalty, and all those who are enamored of it, are truly strange people. The idea that being born into a particular family adds some special quality to a person is really absurd. Unless, of course, your name is Kennedy. Then it’s okay.

Have a fine day.