To quote that philosopher Forrest Gump: Stupid is as stupid does.
On the International Abject Stupidity Scale (IASS), with 10 being Stephen Hawkings and 1 being a statement by the late Bubba June McClintock, who used to live just south of Marshall, who once said, “Hold my beer and watch this!”, there are a lot of folks in the 1 to 2 range.
To wit:
To all those folks that voted Bristol Palin as the best dancer on the newest version of “Dancing With the Stars,” a rousing, romping 1.
To all those hapless folks who pick up urban legend information from the Internet and pass it along as gospel, a single, solitary digit.
I don’t even have to tell you the score of the man who called the cops to complain about the performance … of the prostitute he hired to come to his hotel room.
To all those Democrats who think/thought Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi did a good job … aw, you know the score to that one.
To all voters who think that changing the makeup of the House of Representatives is going to do one single bit of good or make any significant positive change in the responsiveness of government … see the scoring of the item above.
The Federal Aviation official(s) who decided to approve “re-entry” into the earth’s atmosphere for planned commercial flights to outer space get a 1 and a big ol’ “DUH!” for that earth-shaking decision.
To the Transportation Security Authority screener who decided to pat down former presidential contender Ron Paul, who is so right-wing he can fly only in circles, and “touched his junk,” as the kids used to like to say, an incredulous .5.
But, then, there are some folks who score high on the scale.
Like the female passenger who recently decided to bypass the chance of a hard pat-down at the Los Angeles airport and went through security clad only in a black bikini.
It’s hard not to applaud the free-thinkers who circulate through our world who make the rest of us smile.
Oh, what the heck: Clapclapclapclapclap.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Mayoral repeat is best alternative
Back in the day when I was writing a weekly column for the Cabot Star Herald, I gave then-Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh a lot of grief. And, even with years of hindsight, much of the criticism was richly deserved.
But, this time around, Stumbaugh, eagle tattoos and all, is the best alternative in the upcoming runoff election.
After losing a city council race, and getting his ears pinned back in a run for Congress, Stumbaugh has something to prove: He truly wants to make a name for himself in his hometown.
As most folks know who follow politics, power can be used for good or evil. Stumbaugh, who has been vilified for his bombastic nature and control-freak attitude, can change his image and do some good for Cabot.
There is no doubt he wants to be remembered for accomplishments which enhance Cabot.
With that attitude, and with the victory from a tight race as his foundation, he can be a positive change in our community.
But, this time around, Stumbaugh, eagle tattoos and all, is the best alternative in the upcoming runoff election.
After losing a city council race, and getting his ears pinned back in a run for Congress, Stumbaugh has something to prove: He truly wants to make a name for himself in his hometown.
As most folks know who follow politics, power can be used for good or evil. Stumbaugh, who has been vilified for his bombastic nature and control-freak attitude, can change his image and do some good for Cabot.
There is no doubt he wants to be remembered for accomplishments which enhance Cabot.
With that attitude, and with the victory from a tight race as his foundation, he can be a positive change in our community.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Elections ’10: A year to forget
Did you say you voted? I’m sorry. My condolences.
Those three short sentences are not a great way to win friends and influence people, for sure, but it’s the way a lot of voters felt after the elections.
This is not a lambasting of conservative whiners, er, winners, or political do-gooders, or liberal leaners; this is a eulogy for the benignly ignorant rat pack of folks who voted for the wrong people or stood on the wrong side of issues for the wrong reasons.
Be honest, now: Did you vote for a person you did not know, did not research his or her record and didn’t have a clue as to qualifications or stances on important issues that are pertinent to the office sought?
Did you cast a ballot for a candidate and the only thing you knew about him or her was what you read on a yard sign?
Did you vote for a person or issue based on the recommendation of a family member, friend or associate?
Did you cast a ballot based strictly on party affiliation?
If you answered yes to any of those questions … shame on you!
With an average of less than 50 percent of the eligible voters taking time to cast ballots in any election (except in the presidential election years), it is the saddest state of affairs that so few care about the future of the country that good, smart people won’t exercise their right to vote.
My son, 21 and very, very smart, didn’t vote because, as he put it, “What different does it make? They are all the same, regardless of party, regardless of promises. Politicians do what they want to do to enrich themselves. Nothing changes.”
Me: “All of them? They all are out to enrich themselves?”
Him: “Every single one. No exceptions.”
As have been observed by various people over the past few decades, I can argue with a stump and declare myself the winner, but it’s hard to argue with youthful logic of that caliber.
And, it’s hard to conjure up a single politician I have watched, studied and written about in the past 45-plus years that didn’t remove his or her nose out of the public trough until they were richer than when they were first elected.
As one political sage told me several decades ago: “Any politician that loses money being in public service is an idiot.”
While we can argue the degree of relative idiocy of politicians, it’s hard to imagine anyone believing that vast majority of politicos seek public favor without wanting money or power … and most want both.
Just as it’s hard to imagine that any vote just cast for any politician on any level will change a durn thing in the way governments operate.
Those three short sentences are not a great way to win friends and influence people, for sure, but it’s the way a lot of voters felt after the elections.
This is not a lambasting of conservative whiners, er, winners, or political do-gooders, or liberal leaners; this is a eulogy for the benignly ignorant rat pack of folks who voted for the wrong people or stood on the wrong side of issues for the wrong reasons.
Be honest, now: Did you vote for a person you did not know, did not research his or her record and didn’t have a clue as to qualifications or stances on important issues that are pertinent to the office sought?
Did you cast a ballot for a candidate and the only thing you knew about him or her was what you read on a yard sign?
Did you vote for a person or issue based on the recommendation of a family member, friend or associate?
Did you cast a ballot based strictly on party affiliation?
If you answered yes to any of those questions … shame on you!
With an average of less than 50 percent of the eligible voters taking time to cast ballots in any election (except in the presidential election years), it is the saddest state of affairs that so few care about the future of the country that good, smart people won’t exercise their right to vote.
My son, 21 and very, very smart, didn’t vote because, as he put it, “What different does it make? They are all the same, regardless of party, regardless of promises. Politicians do what they want to do to enrich themselves. Nothing changes.”
Me: “All of them? They all are out to enrich themselves?”
Him: “Every single one. No exceptions.”
As have been observed by various people over the past few decades, I can argue with a stump and declare myself the winner, but it’s hard to argue with youthful logic of that caliber.
And, it’s hard to conjure up a single politician I have watched, studied and written about in the past 45-plus years that didn’t remove his or her nose out of the public trough until they were richer than when they were first elected.
As one political sage told me several decades ago: “Any politician that loses money being in public service is an idiot.”
While we can argue the degree of relative idiocy of politicians, it’s hard to imagine anyone believing that vast majority of politicos seek public favor without wanting money or power … and most want both.
Just as it’s hard to imagine that any vote just cast for any politician on any level will change a durn thing in the way governments operate.
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