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McNAMARA’S MORONS? WE’RE ALL MORONS WITH GUN LAWS

McNamara’s Morons was a government program for filling the enlisted ranks during the Vietnam War. But, that wasn’t the official name of the program. In 1967, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara lowered military recruiting standards as part of a program called Project 100,000. Doesn’t Project 100,000 sound better than McNamara’s Morons.

MOVING FORWARD SLOWLY, BUT MOVING

If the plan is moving forward, it’s fair to ask, “Moving forward from what?” I was in traffic and saw a 1964 Ford Galaxy. That’s it in the image. Spoiler: It was yesterday, not 1964, though I was a robust ten year old back then. By the time I was in high school the same […]

OREGON PRIMARY LISTENING FOR MILLENNIAL ROAR

Tuesday is election day for the Oregon Primary. But you already knew that. No? Now you do. Out here in the real west, not some landlocked desert version of ‘out west’ in states like Idaho, or Utah, or Arizona, we drag ourselves to the table, pick up a black or blue ink pen, open the […]

ADULT LEARNING NEVER GROWS OLD, YOU DO

Adult learning is when you say, “I was today years old when I learned _____.? For example, just last year I manned up and asked the Coach of Coaches the question that has haunted me for decades: How do referees know where to put the football after a player is tackled to the ground? Sure, […]

LIFETIME AWARDS? WHY NOT START EARLY

When do lifetime awards start pouring in? Angry Boomers say Millennials got too many awards already, trophy after trophy for signing up on soccer, indoor soccer, basketball, baseball, and football teams. And they are right. So what? Who has a problem with a kid trophy? It might be the only one they’ll get if they […]

STILL LIFE CONVERSATION FROM A NOW LATE AFTERNOON

A still life painting is every painting, but not according to the Tate Museum. One of the principal genres (subject types) of Western art – essentially, the subject matter of a still life painting or sculpture is anything that does not move or is dead. A painting may depict action, but when’s the last time […]

DESPERADO DAYS, AN OLD SONG FOR CURRENT TIMES

Desperado days come into focus when you ask a millennial if they’ve heard the song before. Maybe it depends on how you ask? “This is my anthem song, my guide in the ’70’s, the song that rang true then and now. Ever hear of Desperado?” I’ll be honest here, if someone asked me like that […]

FEELING BAD? THINK OF OTHERS WHILE YOU SUFFER

Feeling bad, as if it’s not enough, comes with extras, like those trying to help you feel better. Think of them while you’re in the throes of misery. Whether you know it or not, your suffering is their suffering. They feel better when you feel better. This came up at a recent gathering of some […]

BREAKING DOWN THE STEPS FOR AN EMBRACEABLE FUTURE TO SNUGGLE

Breaking down anything to its basics is harder if you’ve never done it before. No matter how careful and cautious you are to include everything important, there’s always something missing. It’s like younger people breaking down the aging process. The only thing missing there is the age part, but that doesn’t stop anyone. I read […]

PARTY PEOPLE WHO BRING THE EXTRA EXCITEMENT

Party people come to life at the right time. They also make things come to life. Pictures of food and dessert are one thing, but seeing it put together in real time is a whole ‘nother thing. Wherever the flag idea came from, it looked good yesterday. A lot of things looked good yesterday.