message from SPARTY

Foreward from SPARTY from Washington Spectator:

"THE GOP OBSESSION"

from DASHMANN, a Goodbye

Earl Scruggs, creator of the 3 finger banjo picking style which gives bluegrass music its modern sound, passed away at 88 years old today. As Bill Monroe is the father of Bluegrass music, Earl Scruggs, this legend, pioneer and personal hero, was certainly the archetect of what that genre has become. For those who do not recognize him, he played the banjo in the "Beverly Hillbillies" TV series and "Bonnie and Clyde " movie.

Hard Hearted

I see that on her blog, Wonkette is spreading the story that Dick Cheney's new heart is also his first one.

I'm quite certain that it took no heart at all to start the Iraq War and no heart at all to get filthy rich in the oil business he was supposed to be regulating. This is not a person I admire, to put it pleasantly.

Trayvon Martin

Considering the murder of Trayvon Martin, I make this claim. If the assailant had stabbed Trayvon to death, or had beaten him to death, or had hanged him, that man would even now be in a prison cell awaiting justice.

This is the work of the gun lobby.

from DASHMANN's point of view.

My friend John called me up to chide me about University of Michigan's recent losses in two sports, to MAC teams. One of course, was his alma mother. The Western Michigan hockey team beat Michigan in the CCHA Championship game, and Ohio University beat Michigan in the NCAA basketball tournament.

For the first one, Congratulations! to the Broncos. For the second one, I have no comment.

Whoo-ee, whoo-ee baby
Whoo-ee, whoo-ee baby
Whoo-ee, whoo-ee baby
Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise?

=======

Yes, my wife took me on a sea cruise to Nassau, but I'm home.

humorists footnote

I came across this list of the ALGONQUIN Round Table members. (Although there never was an official membership.)

Franklin Pierce Adams (1881-1960),

Robert Benchley (1889-1945)

Heywood Broun (1888-1939),

Marc Connelly (1890-1980),

Edna Ferber (1885-1968),

Margalo Gillmore (1897-1986),

Jane Grant (1892-1972),

Ruth Hale (1887-1934),

Beatrice Kaufman (1894-1945),

George S. Kaufman (1889-1961),

Peggy Leach (1894-1974),

Neysa McMein (1888-1949),

Herman J. Mankiewicz (1897-1953),

Harpo Marx (1888-1964),

William B. Murray,

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)

Brock Pemberton (1885-1950),

Murdock Pemberton (1888-1982),

Harold Ross (1892-1951),

Art Samuels (1889-1938),

Laurence Stallings (1895-1968),

Donald Ogden Stewart (1894-1980),

Taylor Deems (1886-1966),

John Peter Toohey (1880-1946),

David Wallace (1889-1955),

John V.A. Weaver (1893-1938),

Peggy Wood (1892-1978),

Alexander Woollcott (1887-1943)

humorists?

SPARTY has sent the following challenge:

This morning a host on Michigan Public Radio posed this question: Who are the three greatest American literary humorists?

He hasn't yet offered any choices of his own, but I'll start this off. When I was a much younger person, I read everything I could find in the library by Robert Benchley. I haven't read anything of his in years, now, so for allI know, I might go back and find his stuff silly or not funny at all.

So, feel free to contribute, any of you.

question

As nearly as I can interpret the criticisms of the current US Middle East policy, there are a number of politicians who believe that the U.S. should attack two more Middle East countries, Iran and Syria.

Is this the opinion of any of my friends out there? Anyone among you looking forward to two more wars?

reading

What I read last.

what I'm reading now:

From JERRY

With the outburst yesterday from Limbaugh, which frankly, is even more crass and cowardly than I had come to expect from him, it does seem to me that Jerry's posting here is appropriate.

The Republican Party is going though a gut-wrenching experience, wrenching for them and for the whole country. It seems to me to be the last hoo-rah from a cultural dungeon.

off line

I have been essentially off-line for two weeks.

Maybe I can do better now.