Loose Canon

• Sangha

  The Democratic Party has finally settled on the youthful, articulate, idealistic, and inspirational candidate for the presidency, bringing to mind, among us older folk, another such candidate when we also were youthful and idealistic.  However, it’s doubtful, in my opinion, that these qualities are preferable to experience.   JFK did some [...]
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  Posted: June 17, 2008, 11:29am EDT
  

• Yes, Raise the Tax

  Included recently in the quotidian litany of bad news on National Public Radio was an observation that the Federal Highway Trust Fund, supported to a large extent by the federal 18.4 cents/gallon gas tax, is facing a huge shortfall in revenue.  This is occasioned (surprise!) by people’s driving less; possibly [...]
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  Posted: June 09, 2008, 10:26am EDT
  

• Flat Tax, Flat Tax

  Allow me to recount some of the miseries I’ve encountered trying to be fair with the Internal Revenue Service.  Immediately following is a letter I wrote to return a federal refund check. (That’s correct: return). [...]
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  Posted: June 05, 2008, 8:49am EDT
  

• Pages From a Passerine Diary

  Day 6:  Just where the hell am I?  I was beating against a headwind all night, and when dawn broke all I seen is ocean below me. ?Damn,? I thought, ?Have I got twisted about and headed back across the Caribbean??  I knew it wasn?t that because the ocean was [...]
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  Posted: May 29, 2008, 11:15am EDT
  

• Pages From a Passerine Diary

  Day 6:  Just where the hell am I?  I was beating against a headwind all night, and when dawn broke all I seen is ocean below me. ?Damn,? I thought, ?Have I got twisted about and headed back across the Caribbean??  I knew it wasn?t that because the ocean was [...]
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  Posted: May 29, 2008, 11:15am EDT
  

• The Sun Also Sets

  Unless you are very old indeed, you can?t recall a time when the United States was not the big guy on the block.  Our military was the finest, our economy the strongest, our educational system among the best.  What the hell has happened?   Everything seems to be falling apart, and [...]
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  Posted: May 20, 2008, 4:11pm EDT
  

• To Mom

  ccording to IBISWorld, a publisher of business research, we were expected to spend about $3.5 billion dining out on this Mother’s day.  That seems like a very large number.  One could fight a war for, say, about three days for such a sum.  And that’s not all.  “Americans will spend [...]
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  Posted: May 12, 2008, 8:22am EDT
  

• Out of the Paddock

  The New York Times recently ran an article on War Emblem, the stallion who won the 2001 Kentucky Derby and Preakness.  It seems that he has a problem getting it on with mares proffered in the hope of breeding another speedy horse.  Could he be gay?  Not that this is [...]
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  Posted: April 30, 2008, 11:54am EDT
  

• Play Ball!

  Last week I fulfilled a long-held dream, to see a baseball game at Yankee Stadium.  I’ve been a Yankee fan for a very long time, going back to the days of Joltin’ Joe, listening through the static to WINS and the mellifluous Mel Allen’s, “How about that!”   This might seem [...]
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  Posted: April 24, 2008, 12:43pm EDT
  

• Water, Water...

  Although it’s a given that the news is generally bad, it seems that recently it has been unusually bad.  Polls show that the citizenry is extremely pessimistic about both present and future.  What I find a little surprising amid all the gloom is that so little attention is directed to [...]
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  Posted: April 18, 2008, 11:21am EDT
  

• Bailout!

  There are few things more odious than the prospect of taking an airplane in order to get to Point B.  As you older folk recall, it used to be fun; relaxing, good food and drink, quick trip.  All that is past; it is now a horrible nightmare, and not just [...]
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  Posted: April 10, 2008, 1:56pm EDT
  

• Theirs

  We said the leader was a naughty man And sanctions laid against him. But not to harm the innocent We bargained oil for food.  That evil guy has now gone bye-bye; Yet oil flows not, and food is ever dearer. Something must have gone amiss. [...]
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  Posted: April 09, 2008, 1:57pm EDT
  

• In My End Is my Beginning

  The title’s the line with which T.S. Eliot ends the quartet “East Coker.”  The same quartet begins with “In my beginning is my end.”  Eliot expands on this apparent paradox in another quartet (Little Gidding) with:  “What we call the beginning is often the end, and to make an end [...]
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  Posted: April 02, 2008, 2:15pm EDT
  

• Pay Up and Shut Up

  Every year around this time I turn reluctantly to the task of filing my income tax returns.  As always, I received early in this year, from our beneficent federal government, a thick, heavy (3/8 in thick and 10.5 oz this year) package containing the forms and instructions they anticipated I [...]
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  Posted: March 26, 2008, 1:09pm EDT
  

• A Health Insurance Solution

  According to the media, a major policy difference between Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton is their approach to the medical insurance crisis.  In fact this trumpeted difference is pretty minimal.  They both want everyone covered, but the former would not make it mandatory, he would only encourage it, presumably with [...]
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  Posted: March 19, 2008, 4:09pm EDT
  

• Wilbur Winner

  Although it is early in the year, I am delighted to announce the Wilbur Award for 2008. What makes this year’s recipient especially significant is that he is a governor, and the Wilbur is usually reserved for holders of higher office.  So, congratulations to Eliot Spitzer.  I am happy to [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2008, 9:00am EDT
  

• Hasta La Vista, Fidel

  It was probably 1958 or 1959 when Fidel came to the university to address our hungry young minds.  He had a receptive audience, since this was the threshold of the sixties when pot-smoking slogan-chanting Woodstock Wackos had their brief voice in the U.S. political cacophony.  The Great Satan had not [...]
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  Posted: March 05, 2008, 11:11am EST
  

• Hasta La Vista, Fidel

  It was probably 1958 or 1959 when Fidel came to the university to address our hungry young minds.  He had a receptive audience, since this was the threshold of the sixties when pot-smoking slogan-chanting Woodstock Wackos had their brief voice in the U.S. political cacophony.  The Great Satan had not [...]
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  Posted: March 05, 2008, 11:11am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• Carbon Stool

  The definition of carbon footprint given by Wikopedia is the "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide."  Carbon footprint:  one of the new-age buzz words that excites us.   I think “stool” might [...]
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  Posted: February 27, 2008, 11:17am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
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  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
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  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
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  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
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  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• M. F.

  Washington’s Birthday has traditionally been a time to pick up those sluggish mid-winter car sales.  Advertisements this season show that this year is no different except that, of course we have become expansive and spread the celebration to all our principals; to the extent that I was surprised to hear [...]
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  Posted: February 20, 2008, 11:43am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Save the World

  Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Natural History, and World Wildlife are the environmental organizations, apart from local ones, that I ponnied up for last year.  I’m quite sure that this is less than half the number of environmental solicitations I [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 10:56am EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Sound Investment

  Sound Investment, now there’s an oxymoron; kind of like “good government.”  I’ve been chasing that will ‘o the wisp ever since I took “the road less traveled by” some fifty-odd years ago and bought a few shares of a mutual fund in order to save for the future.  Isn’t that [...]
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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 1:47pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
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  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
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  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
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  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
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  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
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  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Reality

  I spent the long weekend on an island in Mooselookmaguntic lake with a couple I have been lucky enough to come to know through the friend I was visiting with.  These good people have always had the alternative outlook.  In the last few years they have built a house on [...]
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  Posted: January 23, 2008, 2:36pm EST
  

• Eins, Zwei, G'suffa!

  As the wily sheiks and dictators manipulate the price of crude we hear a great deal of chatter about bio-fuel, and especially ethanol.  The aim, obviously, is to develop an alternative to petrol, so that we may continue to use our cars to pick up the mail from the box [...]
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  Posted: January 16, 2008, 12:02pm EST
  

• Eins, Zwei, G'suffa!

  As the wily sheiks and dictators manipulate the price of crude we hear a great deal of chatter about bio-fuel, and especially ethanol.  The aim, obviously, is to develop an alternative to petrol, so that we may continue to use our cars to pick up the mail from the box [...]
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  Posted: January 16, 2008, 12:02pm EST