Tired Friday Thoughts

Ugh!  I must be getting old.  The legs were tough to crank up for my run this AM; dead, just dead they were.  But once I started rolling, it ended up a nice jaunt--in the rain.  I had fun with Bopper as he headed to school, asking for "a big hug for Grandpa."  Grandpa was still wearing his sweat- and rain-soaked clothes.  No, Bopper didn't give Grandpa "a big hug."  Instead he ran giggling all the way to Grandma's car.  He did think, from the car, that Grandpa should give Grandma "a big hug" good-bye.  Grandma didn't agree.

Sometimes I wonder what to believe.  Some of the stuff I read is almost beyond credence.  There was an article in the newspaper several days ago about how some school districts (I have forgotten which) "wasted" federal food intended for student lunches.  But, then, over the next couple of days something else emerged.  Apparently, to save money, the school districts purchase surplus government food.  That's OK.  My mom used to buy the surplus stuff when I was a kid and we survived just fine.  But then the schools find they can't serve the surplus government food because it doesn't meet government nutrition guidelines.  Huh?  Is this yet another instance of government being far too big?  Yet again one hand doesn't know what the other is doing?  It's hard to blame the schools in this.  It's a legitimate question to ask why the federal government is selling to schools surplus food that doesn't meet nutrition standards for serving in schools.  It reminds me of the story of the doo-gooder (and I do mean doo) who saw a man drowning.  The doo-gooder rushed to throw the drowning guy a life ring,  holding on to the attached line.  Once the flailing swimmer grabbed the life ring, the doo-gooder let go of the line and moved on to do another good deed.

I read a defense of a woman's right to an abortion based on a majority of voters approving the current state law (some state out east) protecting "a woman's right to do with her body...."  (Now, remember, I find that argument specious at best.)  But this line of reasoning resonates with my recollections of Ante-Bellum slavery in the South and the principle of popular sovereignty that was prominent then.  Yes, voters approved of slavery, but it seems nobody asked the slaves what they thought.  With abortions, the fetuses aren't asked what they think of being killed.

There's a lot to this Benghazi scandal.  Where were Obama and Clinton on this?  Who gave the orders to "stand down?"  Was it Obama?  If so, why?  If not, why did he abdicate his duty?  Why was Clinton in absentia for so long afterward?  Why were deliberate lies told?  (If they weren't, Susan Rice is an incredible simpleton!)  And there's more.  But I don't think Benghazi is going anywhere.  Can anyone imagine, 40 years ago, the LameStream Media ignoring Nixon's role in Watergate?  Nope.  The question(s) asked then is (are) the same question(s) that should be asked now.  "What did the President know and when did he know it?"  I guess I have forgotten how many Americans died because of the Watergate scandal; I know how many died in Benghazi, not to mention the beatings and torture.  I forgot who said it, but it goes something like this.  It's not necessary to lie to the people; they just have to be distracted.  Yep..."breaking news" in Cleveland, in Phoenix....  They are compelling stories (although I admit the other day K had to explain the one trial in Phoenix; I had no knowledge of it), but one might well ask why them and not Benghazi.  I don't think we really have to ask that of our LameStreams, do we?

One of my favorite pleasures is listening to the rich baritone notes of Levi Stubbs, the late lead singer of the Four Tops.  I never put the Tops in the same category as the Temptations or Smokey, although my mother did.  Their music/songs just didn't quite seem to be pure Motown.  That might just be my tastes.  But as far as a voice, Levi (esp on several selected tunes) ranks right there with Smokey and the Temptations Paul Williams (how smokey was his voice!) and David Ruffin.  He can really evoke emotions.

I often wonder if crossword puzzle creators collaborate--or its the same person masquerading as several.  That's because it seems uncanny that unusual clues/answers show up in different crosswords at about the same time, say, a weekend.  That's OK with me; I just wonder.  Now, why I wonder such things is a different matter, one I don't think I want to explore!