Motley Moose – Archive

My last name is of Jewish origin and I am of Lebanese descent on my father’s side.  I grew up with both a Star of David and a Christian cross hanging over the fireplace mantle in our house.  And although we never made it to the alter, my first fiancée was Jewish.  As I naively look backwards in time through my rose colored glasses, I like to think that my life reflects the state of affairs among many Jews and Arabs before WWII. We come from the same genetic stock and have been intermingling for thousands of years.

To diminish and demonize the other side, is to diminish and demonize ourselves.  

As I have passed from my thirties into my early and middle forties, it has become easy to accept the damage to my body from many years in the Navy.  Maybe this is just a consequence of growing older and accepting these limitations.  Or maybe I’ve just grown accustomed to the symphony of pains and creaks that my body plays every morning. (Motrin has been an able Conductor).

Either way, the small monthly checks that I receive from the VA every month for these problems means that the US Government and I have been on the same page for many years.  My military medical record is very thick and is littered with injuries, and the surgeries that resulted from them.  It’s there in black and white.  None of these physical issues has ever been in dispute.

Note:  This was originally posted at Daily Kos very early this morning after drinking a few beers.  I apologize for the long hiatus.

-Stipes

I haven’t been posting much here recently.  Probably because I’ve been trying to crank out that novel that I’ve been planning to inflict on the world for the last 20 years.

Either way, I’ve found that my participation here has been somewhat pointless.  It doesn’t make any difference in the real world and has mostly been a waste of my time as a long time Democrat.  The oxygen in this space gets sucked up by those who have the time and energy to advocate for their beliefs, which oddly enough, don’t seem to resonate with my particular circumstances.

So why did I decide to post a diary now after such a long hiatus?

Probably because I’ve had a few beers and wanted to share my thoughts on something topical.

Okay okay okay…check this out, (this one is for you spacey!)

I am a man of few words and they say a picture is worth of thousand of them.

When my daughter was younger, I’d sometimes tell her to use her ‘words’…and occasionally she’d draw me a picture instead.

I like pictures.

Here’s a random sample of some of my favorites from the last 18 months.  Please feel free to add your own.

Lobbying for unsavory causes is a time honored tradition in Washington DC, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that even pernicious little bed critters can get into the act:

CPAC Infested With Bedbugs, and Also Actual Blood-Sucking Insects

The three-legged stool of conservatism is strong and united at CPAC! Yes, as intelligent and alive as a small piece of furniture. However, the stool may not last long, as the hotel they chose, the Marriott Wardham Park, seems to currently be infested with bedbugs.

Here is a size 5 font

This text is red

This text is white

In other news today, Michael Steele’s fascination with moving money around may be catching up with him.

From this morning’s Washington Post:

Michael S. Steele, the newly elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, arranged for his 2006 Senate campaign to pay a defunct company run by his sister for services that were never performed, his finance chairman from that campaign has told federal prosecutors.

Sounds rather pedestrian, right?

It get’s better after the fold…