I once told a friend of mine that 50 percent of all Americans will never read a book after their formal education comes to an end. He chuckled and said, “Ha! Make that 51 percent!”
So, not only did he not read, he also sucked at math. I thought of that the other day when I was contemplating setting up a website on which to comment on the exciting developments to come this election year. I’ve always enjoyed Nate Silver’s 538 website (named for the number of electoral votes in a presidential election). I was thinking of calling mine 539 so that people might stumble upon it by accident. Nate Silver might get mad at that, which initially wouldn’t bother me because Nate Silver looks like what would happen if Woody Allen had a love child with a smaller, weaker version of Woody Allen. But Nate Silver probably knows some big, strong people and some lawyers, as well, so I thought better of it. Plus, I really like Nate Silver.
While I’m trying to come up with a name for the website (and, you know, the website itself), I’ll offer these bold predictions for the upcoming year.
God help me, but I have KNST on one of the buttons on my car radio. If I’m driving around on a weekday, I’ll listen to drug addict Blowhard No. 1 in the morning or fake-ass Catholic Blowhard No. 2 in the afternoon. On the weekends, if it’s near the top of the hour, I tune in to hear the Fox-slanted national news. When that gets over, I keep expecting to hear the out-of-place funky music that introduces the local news segments on weekdays. (The music is out of place because the average listener of right-wing talk radio these days gets pretty darned uneasy when they hear stuff that has that dreadful Negro rhythm.)
Since they don’t have local news on the weekend, they play these one-minute spots featuring the local morning drive-time guy. For the past several—oh, I don’t know, FOREVER—they’ve been running this one where he wonders how the national media are going to plotz over the ascension of Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson.
Carly Fiorina rode that completely made-up abortion story to the adult table for a few weeks, but has now been permanently kicked to the curb. As for Ben Carson…dude, really?! When this guy goes through that scanner at an airport, it doesn’t register green or red, but rather just a question mark. The TSA employee probably wonders, “What was that? Did a barely perceptible light breeze just pass through the building?”
My first bold prediction is that KNST will take that spot down sometime before November. (And really, nobody cares that she’s a woman and he’s black. They’re just both bad candidates, each one worse than the other.)
I predict that Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is going to crap all over Arizona’s public schools, teachers, and students … again, and then try to paint himself as a savior of some sort. The fact that he was stunningly vague about numbers in his State of the State Address tells me that his masters at Koch Industries don’t want all of that excess money that the state has to go to kids whose parents didn’t have the common sense to be born rich.
He already took credit for a crappy plan that takes some money from Arizona’s future schoolchildren, switches it from one hand to the other, and hands it over to today’s schoolchildren. In doing so, he fails to mention the fact that the courts were about to take the money from the state’s surplus (instead of from the land trust) and also dodges the part about how the money that’s going to the schools is only a fraction of what the schools are owed by the tax cut-worshipping losers in the State Legislature.
I’m afraid that his anti-public school actions (including proposed unconstitutional government loans to charter schools) this year will be even Douche-ier than what he did last year.
I predict that Martha McSally will be re-elected in Congressional District 2. Her campaign slogan will be “Martha McSally: She’s Not Horrible.” That should be enough to carry her to victory over whichever dispirited Democrat emerges from the primary process to face her.
I predict that if those we-want-something-for-nothing squatters are allowed to stay in that government facility in Oregon for an extended period of time, they might actually learn the difference between Constitution and constipation.
I’m not in total agreement with the Black Lives Matter movement (some of the people say some really stupid things), but I do agree with the guy who said that if the people occupying a government facility were all black, they would have been forcibly removed before the sun came up the next day.
A couple weeks ago, I drove from Page, Arizona to Cedar City, Utah. I was overwhelmed by the Big Nothing that’s out there. I (and a vast majority of Americans) want it to remain in federal hands and protected for all time. I want my great-grandkids to make that same trip in their solar-powered hovercrafts and feel the same exhilaration that I did.
Could somebody please tell Jive-Ass Bundy that he and his redneck homies are on the wrong side of history and the law?
This article appears in Jan 21-27, 2016.
Anger management issues?
Yeah, Teachers are the most under appreciated and lowest paid of America’s working professionals. I have a girl friend, who is a Teacher, and she works all week, and, then, works on her week-ends-which she is not paid, for all her overtime, she basically, donates to the State.
The Bundy’s think the land they want to over graze on, is their land. Just because you’re squater’s, doesn’t mean you own it. The public land is owned by the Citizen’s. The various National Public Land Agencies, monitor the pasture’s, so the pasture’s aren’t overgrazed. Government Land is the cheapest amount charged for grazing fees in the country. These guy’s don’t want to pay the fees, on Public Land, then, over graze the land… And, then, make the bald-ass statement, that they own the land. Huh?
Nice to have you back so you can once again show the world what a phony moron you are. Drug addiction is a disease. It is NOT funny and should not be used as fodder by a gutless, no cajones idiot like you. You also need to look in the mirror. Fake -ass Catholic? Really? This coming from St. Stooge, who preaches the wonderful work of Planned Parenthood. At least both those guys have wives that don’t have to work because the useless loser they’re married to can’t hold down a real job.
Greetings, CW13!
I admire your passionate posts. I even sometimes look forward to reading them.
But could you possibly ease off from making so many personal attacks against folks whose life experiences differs from yours?
Being angry isn’t necessarily an issue. Besides, venting one’s anger through writing seems a pretty healthy management strategy, considering the more destructive options being utilized out there in our society.
Now, CW13 on the other hand, could probably stand to develop some more effective anger management strategies. Compulsively trolling a professional opinion columnist isn’t healthy. A more creative, constructive outlet would be a good idea. Create something of your own, instead of, you know, vomiting all over someone else’s work.
Does anyone have any suggestions for Tom as to a new topics for his articles? I think this one is the 9th one slamming Ducey and his total mutilation of our education system, and how he hates republican morons. We get it Tom, you’re wrong about everything, but we already know your positions. Move on please.
It is his 11th one Mark, but who’s counting? I have to agree that making fun of someone with an addiction is real mean spirited. These bloggers all seem to be one issue only. Can we get some variety?
Question for you guys. Suppose you knew of someone who you never met personally, but was still friendly with. This, despite the fact that you agree on nothing. A few years back some moron made a vulgar comment about this persons wife. You E-mailed him right away and he had it taken down. Last year when his kids went to N.Y. city he asked me to suggest places to eat or visit as I’m from there.. A few months ago the powers that be at the Weekly felt I said something improper. Don’t ask me what as I was never told, but I was banned for a month. I turned to this person to look into it for me. He kept me up to date for a week or so. Then suddenly, out of nowhere he stopped responding to my E-mails. Just like that. If he is pissed at me and no longer wants to have anything to do with me, I think the least he could do is tell me why. I’m sure by now you figured out that the person in question is Good ‘OL Tom. That’s why I’ve been piling on him lately. If it were you, I bet you’d be pissed, too. As far as anger issues go, I’m the most happy go lucky person you ever met. Looking for anger? Read Tommy’s column. There’s enough there for all of us. I hope this clears things up for you gentlemen.
Answer for CW13: I might not speak for everyone, but in the scenario you laid out, I’d probably move on with my life instead of obsessively commenting anonymously on a website.
And I don’t think Tom’s “making fun” of Limbaugh’s addiction, I think he’s indirectly (and harshly) pointing out the hipocrisy of that sort of conservative thinker: that there is absolutely no empathy or compassion or even a desire to understand the other side until an issue directly affects the conservative person. Remember how quickly Cheney became pro-LGBT once his daughter came out? But did he give a crap about YOUR gay kid’s rights before that? NOPE.
Your lead about 50% of us will never read a book after college brought a bittersweet smile to my face. A Yankee friend who graduated in the top of his engineering class at California Institute of Technology came to mind. He was the son of a scientist creating the atomic bomb Manhattan Project at U. of Chicago.
My friend held several patents for constructing energy plants for cities, malls, and assorted huge properties. In his late 40s, he had $35 mil. in personal assets.
He once told me he never read a book in his life except on engineering. “Never, I asked?” Then he admitted that when he was a kid he did open National Geographic magazine frequently to look at the naked female aborigines. I believe he did read books other than engineering once in a while, but they were not high on his list of priorities.
At age 50, he owned several private planes he flew alone. He did not add sophisticated navigation systems for flying in bad weather. I asked if he didn’t want to pay the price. He said it was because he didn’t want to have to read the instruction booklet. In his 50s he crashed his plane and died on the tarmac at Charlie Brown Airport in Atlanta. Did he die in terrible weather because he would not read instructions? I don’t know.
The moral here is READ! Read quality books and all instruction books.
RioRican…Thank you for the constructive criticism. Point taken.
Mr. Morgan. In my world calling Rush a ” blow hard drug addict’ is the same as making fun of his condition. Hipocrisy? Time to invest in spell check, my boy. How the Hell did Cheney get involved in this. T.k. Morgan, JAIL ( Just Another Idiot Liberal)
Mr. Nintz. I was going to toss a few verbal shots at you. However I just learned of your father’s passing. I don’t play that way. My condolences.
CW13 – I’m sure Mr. Nintzel has thick enough skin to weather a few “verbal shots” from such a master. I’m curious, though, what would warrant such shots? You asked a question. A “what would you do?,” if you will. Mr. Nintzel just answered. Pretty unassailable.
I love it. I really do. I offer my condolences to Mr. Nintizel and what does it get me? 24 dislikes which I love and some stooge “sad” Brad who crawls out from under a rock to offer his 2 cents on something he’s clueless about. Nintz ( what the Hell kind of name is that?) claims I comment anonymously to Mr. Thomas ( no cajones) Danehy. Wrong. Tommy knows me, my full name and my E-mail address. So much for anonymous. And yes, I am a master. If I wasn’t, idiots like you would ignore me.
Unassailable. Very impressive.
Clueless? What is there to be clueless about concerning your exchange with Mr. Nintzel? It was there to read. You asked a question, he answered it. Pretty simple. And yet you admitted your inclination to take some shots. I guess my intention was to ascertain what excuse you would have to “toss a few verbal shots” at Mr. Nintzel since the majority of this thread was you justifying your perpetual shots at Mr. Danehy. To be honest, my initial guess was that you really don’t need a reason. “Stooge.” “crawls out from under a rock,” “clueless,” and “idiots” seems to prove that.
Lastly, master or not, why would anyone ignore you? Spewing well-deserved hateful Danehick retribution that no one reads or responds to…how fun would that be?
It wouldn’t. I’ve been telling you people for years to just ignore me and I’d go away. You’re not a regular around here so you probably missed it. How many times have I written about how much I like it when I get dislikes as it proves I’m annoying. The next day there will be 10 more. Too easy. Too easy.
I’ve read this column every week online for probably five years now and probably darn near every comment you’ve made in that time. I’ve even commented a time or two. I’ve heard you say many times that if people would ignore you, you would go away, and I’ve heard your explanation for your current dissatisfaction with Tom more than once. I’m up to speed. My interest was just piqued this time when you admitted being prepared to take shots at Mr. Nintzel, who did little more than answer a question you asked. It just seemed odd to me that you would go to all that trouble to explain your “utterly justified” insults to Tom, when you seem so willing to take shots whether they’re justified or not.
And the whole “just ignore me and I’ll go away.” Most people don’t put the onus of their behavior on others. Go away or don’t. Take shots or don’t. Be vile or don’t. That’s not on Tom. That’s not on anyone incapable of ignoring you, “feeding the beast” so to speak by hitting the dislike button. The reasons cheapen your rage. Own it. I think you’re selling yourself short.
You sure have taken an interest in me. I don’t know if I quite understand what you said, but I think I like it. I’m just trying to lure Tom out so maybe he’ll at least have the decency to tell me why all of a sudden he blew me off with no explanation. Maybe I’m wrong, I just think it would just be the right thing to do. Call it curiosity more than anything.