We Shall Not See Their Like Again

Another of those has passed who struggled in the giant conflagration of World War II, in which I was born too young to remember, but which has marked us all. Charles Lindberg, a Marine who was part of the group to raise the original flag on Mt. Suribachi, died June 24th in a hospital near Minneapolis.
Since it seems like a good time to thank the Marines for all they've done for this country, and it may be better to be specific, I'll use the closest Marine to me. Thanks, Dad:

1st Lt. John Avelis (1918-1979), USMCR, pilot, Marine bomber squadron VMB-413. Flew 44 missions against Rabaul and Munda in the Solomons, 1943-44. Awarded Air Medal w/six clusters and Distinguished Flying Cross.

My Choice

People love to write about the end of the world and its causes: fire, ice, bangs, whimpers.....and it looks like we have another contender.

Anybody You Know?

Here's this week's "Neanderthal Dad at Little League Game." You've probably never seen this....unless you've had any kids go through the array of kiddie sports, and then it's got to happen some time. Ours went through Tee-Ball, which is OK, too early to bring out the cave dweller, but Little League'll do it, every time. Makes a fellow proud to be swimming in the same gene pool. Wait! Maybe not....you've had enough time to look at him. Closest relative? I'll go with Jabba the Hutt.

A Show of Hands.......

.....to indicate how many people are really surprised by this: only 24% of those Americans polled indicated any interest in public or alternative transportation if gas prices continue to rise. Also, half of all drivers are driving vehicles that get less than 20 mpg. Ditto, and so much for fuel efficiency.

Hughes the prophet

Here's another contemporary example of how Robert Hughes' Culture of Complaint has become institutionalized, to the point where we accept the constant background whining over trivia as the obbligato to our faltering society. Can anyone give a reason why the U.S. Supreme Court should be ruling on high school sports recruiting? I didnt' think so; res ipse loquitur.

Wooo....I'm shakin!

Harry Fuller says media is in an uproar, as "tectonic shifts" (his phrase) are eclipsing the media establishment. Well, to use another phrase from his article, "Yeah, so what's new?"
Furthermore, if what I encounter as examples of the newspaper art, and what I view on TV are indicative of media quality, mightn't an earthquake or two be a good thing?

Take That, Prius....

A 63mpg Honda Accord in 3 years? That's what I'm talkin' about.