THERE IS A PRICE for everything. Including our inalienable rights, like freedom of speech.
In this country, you can speak your mind (or stay seated during the National Anthem). But that ‘free speech’ isn’t free. Spoken or silent. Your right to dissent is guaranteed, but it comes with a price.
I’m glad that a California credit union cancelled its paid promotional agreement with one of the San Francisco 49‘er pro football players who sanctimoniously sat or knelt during the pre-game playing of the National Anthem. That’s the price he pays for his freedom of speech.
If you don’t like what I’m writing, then feel free to cancel your subscription. It’s the price I pay.
I find that I despise the entitled overpaid jerks who disrespect our nation this way. And now little kids on peewee teams are emulating the pros. Well, I hope that peewee team loses its sponsors and the kids get to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.
I think of the men and women of every race and creed who have risked or lost their lives to guarantee our nation’s freedoms.
And I can only shake my head at the people who are too short-sighted to recognize those sacrifices and how good we all have it.
Therefore, I rejoice that there is a price for everything, and that these guys get to experience it.
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ANIMAL CRACKERS. I’m not the only one in the neighborhood who hears ‘our’ hoot owl. Ken Young says the owl lives in the woods somewhere behind his house, and it begins ‘hooing’ shortly after nightfall. Ken says the incessant hooing “Drives my dog crazy.”
I’m tempted to say, “No, Kenneth, it’s YOU that drives the dog crazy.” But I don’t want to stir things up.
Actually, according to ‘Live Science,’ not all owls are night owls. Some are up and hunting during the day when their fave prey is active. I hate to tell you that some owls like to eat songbirds.
If an owl is a night owl it is called nocturnal.
If it is a day owl it is called diurnal.
Some human night owls could be called urinal.
But that’s another story and I’m sure you wouldn’t be interested.
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THE GOOD EARTH. I debated about whether I should put this gem under ‘Animal Crackers’ or ‘The Good Earth’ because it involves both plants and animals. You’ll see.
One of the results of our wet summer has been an onslaught of houseflies.
Witness: My Venus Flytrap has died as the result of overeating.
The horticulturist had begged it several times to cut back on red meat.
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A VISIT. Just had a .45 rpm visit with the Oldie twins — Rock and Roll ( I apologize to those of you who do not ‘get’ 45 rpm. You wouldn’t have understood 33 rpm, either.)
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I KNOW I mentioned this before, but out of 113 million-plus Americans, are Hillary and Donald the best candidates the political parties can come up with? But I am beginning to appreciate Donald’s threat to stop Muslim immigration.
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CULTURE CORNER. You can stop feeling bad about yourself just because you’re an Arkie.
We’ve now got our own Arkansas Opera.
How’s THAT for culture!!!
The opera was written by an Arkie; and it will be staged in Arkansas by performers who are certifiably Arkansan. I guess we’ll know the singer/actors are real Arkies because of photo ID and DNA tests.
Also, the cast’s auditioning team carefully inspected the remaining teeth of hopeful performers to see if they represent our state properly.
The name of the opera is Billy Blythe, and it is about Bill Clinton.
They’ve been having dress rehearsals and — MAN — you ought to see the size of the orchestra’s banjo section.
They’ve even got a guy that plays the washtub bass (I know a lot of you won’t understand this jibe, either).
The leading lady plays a solo on the Juice Harp (this instrument used to be called Jew’s Harp, but the spelling has been changed at the request of Donald Trump supporters in order to be politically correct.)
I do not know if ‘Billy Blythe’ is a comic or dramatic production.
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WISDOM I WAS EXPOSED TO from opening email: He who starts many things finishes nothing.
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HE SAID: “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” Leonardo da Vinci, artist and inventor who never flew
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SHE SAID: “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Madame Marie Curie, Nobel winning physicist
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
