Crazy Times & Crazy People

Glen Beck tells his audience he has not written a detailed talk for his Washington appearance on the Mall because he wishes to leave room for "The Spirit" to speak should he/she/it want to speak through him. This guy's head is going to explode any day now. Sinclair Lewis nailed Beck and all other charlatans in Elmer Gantry many decades ago. So did P.T. Barnum when he said there is a sucker born every minute, one hundred thousand of them came to Beck's tent meeting this weekend.

A new poll in Newsweek shows that over half of Republicans today believe, or think it plausible, that President Obama is a Muslim and desires sharia law to be imposed world-wide. If a fire has a small, contained start it can be beaten out easily with a good broom, but if it is ignored it can destroy the forest and everything in it. The Democrats and however many sane Republicans are left need to grab their brooms now because real madness is on the march in our town.

On Needing To Be Held

Books, like dogs, get lonely and need to be picked up, held and read. That book you see every day as you pass by--read it. And speaking of lonely, President Obama turned 49 years-old today and his family were all out of town--older daughter at camp, wife and younger daughter in Spain. That's summer for you.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President!

Tony Bennett, Newsweek, Two-buck Chuck

Today is Tony Bennett's 84th birthday. A few weeks ago he sang for 10,000 people in Istanbul, Turkey, of all places, and has a gig coming up in Philadelphia. His own favorite recording of his work is of a beautiful song by Richard Rodgers and Martin Charnin called "I Do Not Know A Day I Did Not Love You." It takes you to a different and lovely place for a few minutes. You must return but can go again as often as you wish. Happy Birthday, Maestro!

Newsweek has been sold for $1.00 to the billionaire husband of Congresswoman Jane Harman, a Dem from LA. That's one dollar and assumption of all debts which are considerable. I hope this is a change for the better, for the past few months Newsweek hasn't been worth a minute of your time. Mr. Sidney Harman is 91 years old and apparently wanted a new challenge. Go for it, Sid!

I have lately taken a shine to Charles Shaw Merlot, popularly called "Two-buck Chuck" because it sells for about two dollars a bottle. It's more than okay and has been a big hit in Southern Cal for for the past few years. Trader Joe's is the place to go for it.