Government
Pondering the Impact of Individuals on History
There are two broad categories of historical interpretation. Generally they are narrative history and chaos theory. Narrative history comes into focus with biography. Often a biography of a historical character, usually a leader during times of strife, will suggest that that person was responsible for navigating through the crisis. Chaos theory says that the conditions […]
20Jan2024 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Slavery Was Not About Race!
From my Father’s line I have a 5th Great Grandfather John Cooke. He along with Nellie (his future wife) were kidnapped from London, as young teens. Both were promised a fun day aboard a ship sailing down and back again on the Thames River. They never saw London or their families ever again. They were […]
25Jul2021 | Nancy Belle | 2 comments | Continued
Rescue Dogs and Christians
A friend said, “My favorite breed of dog is Rescue”. I have had a couple of rescue dogs; they are like Christians, you never know what you are going to get. Our first rescue dog was in 1971. We called her Pal. She was a pal, snuggling and warm and loving. She had black curly […]
11Jul2021 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
Chronic Maladies Get Brushed Off as Just Aging
I have a condition called peripheral neuropathy – in both legs and some in my right arm. I have to wear braces to walk. This condition ‘came on’ in my late sixties. I am not diabetic. I was an outpatient at St. Luke’s Neurology in KC all summer (2019). After extensive testing from everything from […]
16Feb2020 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Born White
I have lived going on 71 years. Life has been tough with most accomplishments, good or bad, having been a hard row to hoe. I can say, I never thought I would see the day that so many things that people do or claim to be, is because ‘They were born that way’. I’ve always […]
3Aug2019 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
Fifty Years Ago July 20, 1969
July 20 1969… I was not yet 21 years old, married, to my Husband David who was not yet 23, with a Son Thomas who was 9 months old. We lived in North St. Louis County, Normandy, MO in a rented house ($100 monthly rent) we shared with my Father in Law Thomas, 61 years […]
20Jul2019 | Nancy Belle | 2 comments | Continued
The American Ideal of Meritocracy
My father was a working man. He taught us through osmosis that loyalty to an employer was a good character trait. He also, as an unintended consequence of his success, taught us that work-over-time pays off. I have seen this in some of my friends too. Is this an example of meritocracy? The title of […]
18Mar2019 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Formal vs Self Education
Not many days ago… I was engaged in political debate with a person, who was quick to point out their higher learning and acquisition of a Bachelors and Masters, in something or other fields. I’m next to sure this was done to show their opinion was better formed and backed up because of same. I […]
27Jan2019 | Nancy Belle | 5 comments | Continued
Illegal Immigrants and How to Not To Do Anything About It
I am a hoarder of information, documents, letters, email, etc. Today I was forced to dig into the my archives for information someone wants, someone who had it, but didn’t take care of it. Any who I digress. While digging into the ramparts of my OLD emails, I found this little gem, from May of […]
28Jun2018 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
Depression is
Kate Spade, now Anthony Bourdain….the numbers continue to rise. But the only time anyone talks about suicide is when a celebrity is struck down by THIS AWEFUL DISEASE CALLED DEPRESSION!!! They say we (society) need to TALK about IT. Yet, those who suffer from IT feel so ASHAMED they often keep IT to themselves. They […]
8Jun2018 | Peg | 2 comments | Continued
Trump’s Fox Rant
Trump is a horrible embarrassment to our nation. dfgdfgdsfdfd
27Apr2018 | Gary Clark | 3 comments | Continued
Well Dang, I Have Foot Drop
I have a diagnosed medical condition that I did not know existed a month ago. I am using the proper noun “I” often because this is all about me. I believe this problem has existed for some time because I wrote about it in 2012. Humor is often my escape from the cruelty of reality. […]
9Apr2018 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Scapegoat Politics…
Just some things rattling in my head this morning…. Today I see headlines about Marco Rubio being booed at a gathering to discuss the recent school shooting. Booed and pinned down to say yay or nay to the NRA, pinned down to say guns were responsible for the recent and past shootings. This is disturbing. […]
22Feb2018 | Nancy Belle | 10 comments | Continued
Why? It’s More Than Guns
I don’t mean to disparage the intent of the Florida survivors who are now passionately pounding the anti-gun message. Yet, immediately after the shooting, I saw and heard several young people who claimed to know the shooter. They, with disdain in their voices, described a person who was off, didn’t fit in, was a juvenile […]
21Feb2018 | Nancy Belle | 5 comments | Continued
I Wrote My Own Story
This whole series of essays has explored the nurture and nature of my life. Some attempt to sort out nature and nurture necessarily meant writing less than favorable events in my family. All has been true. Which brings us to a sticking point, a conflict of philosophy – that of individual accountability and responsibility. There […]
20Feb2018 | Thomas Franklin | 2 comments | Continued
Letting Go
Anyone following this trail of essays on mental health might find themselves feeling sorry for this old fool. That is not my intention. About ninety-eight percent of my troubles have been the consequences of my own decisions. Does that make them less painful? No. Becoming aware of consequences directly related to one’s own decisions relieves […]
17Feb2018 | Thomas Franklin | 2 comments | Continued
Kelly Ann Conway on Domestic Violence
Kelly Ann Conway, some sort of advisor to the President of the United States, was on CNN this morning. She was present on the set of State of The Union with Jake Tapper. A little back story – A Presidential aid, Rob Porter, has been accused by two ex-wives of domestic violence. He denied the […]
11Feb2018 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Immature, or Mentally Ill?
Anyone following this string of articles about my mental health might be growing weary. I struggle to find the correct words. I am generally fond of words and know how to use them, but exploring mental health is difficult terrain to cross. It finally comes down to this: I am a senior citizen – what […]
8Feb2018 | Thomas Franklin | 2 comments | Continued
The Individual, Mental Health, and Maturity
Previous posts have explored my personal mental health from both nature and nurture. Clearly it is difficult to sort out cause and effect. How might we look at any adult and determine cause of poor behavior? Individual humans throw a curve ball at stereotypes. We do not know why two soldiers experiencing the same trauma […]
7Feb2018 | Thomas Franklin | 1 comment | Continued
Family As A Barometer – The Highs and Lows of Life
Most of us do not like to talk publicly about our families. When we do we are praising someone for a public accomplishment, like being on the honor role at school or getting a promotion at work. The underbelly of family life generally is taboo. And why not? It is nobody’s business what our family […]
1Feb2018 | Thomas Franklin | 1 comment | Continued
Chemical Changes To Behavior
Mental health is a concern to many. In our modern world we see acts of unstable mental wellness often. These episodes come in the form of mass shootings, the killing of innocent children, tent cities of homeless people along river banks, road rage, and other acts of humanity that are less than humane. Even so, […]
14Jan2018 | Thomas Franklin | 1 comment | Continued
Aggravated With Medicare And The Health System
Right off let me be clear, I am a senior. That is somewhere between middle age and elderly. My health insurance is Medicare with a United Health Care supplement. As I have aged I have experienced more aches and pains resulting from the active utilization of my body parts. Did I mention that I have […]
1Jan2018 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
When We Are Filled With Hate And Fear
What are the common denominators with people who are filled with hate and fear? What are the symptoms? What are their political views? What is wrong with them??? They were abused as children. That is the one common feature of the hateful and fearful. Their parents tried to beat them into respectful adults. Or the […]
27Dec2017 | Thomas Franklin | 2 comments | Continued
Feelings! Legitimate Or Not
In cognitive behavioral treatment we learn to think, then feel, then act. Some folks get into trouble when they feel, act, then think. My personal notion is that we always think first; the question is why do we think such negative thoughts that result in hurt feelings and thus bad behavior? I did four years […]
15Dec2017 | Thomas Franklin | 2 comments | Continued
Postcards From the RNC, Robo Calls That Is!
I keep getting robo calls from the RNC…. They desperately need $75 from me to fight the biased media and drain the swamp. What?? That is roughly 1/12th of my total monthly income. I have no problem telling them I am living on Social Security and not much of that, but I’m talking to deaf […]
21Nov2017 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
Who Pulled Your Chain
Pardon my OCD a moment please. Sometimes I get intrigued (my chain gets pulled) by words and/or phrases I hear or read. The phrase in question “Shut your mouth your mind is hanging out” was spoken by one cowboy to another in a movie my husband was watching yesterday evening and I, by consequence, was […]
25Oct2017 | Nancy Belle | 0 comments | Continued
In Defense of the St. Joseph, Missouri, School Tax Levy 2017
Larry Koch is a member of the St. Joseph, Missouri, School District Board of Directors. There is a levy on the ballot and the following was a facebook post by Mr. Koch. I thought it was well thought out and well written. There are two issues: 1) Does the school district need more money? and […]
22Oct2017 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
When The Emotionally Unbalanced Vote, They Always Vote For The Extreme
Lookout Friday! Here they come! The emotionally unbalanced have found their candidate. Donald Trump is someone who should never have happened in America – but he has – and it is because one political party began catering to the emotionally unbalanced about forty years ago, and the fall of economic prosperity by American citizens fed […]
20Oct2017 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Stand For Defense of Constitution
From a post by Nancy: Well… Can’t speak for all Americans, but sometimes I get peeved and as an American that loves my freedoms and ability to choose my actions and beliefs… Demanding and legislating that everyone must stand for the Anthem is the WRONG way to go. Should proud citizens of the USA show […]
20Oct2017 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
NFL, NASCAR and America
So the Divisionaries continue to divide… It’s true that NASCAR has only had 4 black drivers in its history, notably one being a black woman. Yet, the popularity of the sport fades in the light of Football. Where 64% of Americans claim to be fans. Break that down to 73% of men and 55% of […]
26Sep2017 | Nancy Belle | 5 comments | Continued
TRUMP – Despicable Me in Orange Hues
From a friend: Why does Trump always go after women by attacking their looks?? What mirror is he looking in to??? He is a vile, ugly, fat slob that looks like a cartoon character in Batman , except he does not need any makeup. He has goggle marks around his eyes from his fake spray […]
1Jul2017 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
A Visit To The ER
I cut my finger. Or perhaps I should say my finger was in the way when the door was closing. I thought for a moment the finger was broken but it turned out to be only a bone deep cut. My deductible for an ER visit is seventy-five dollars – what to do? After a […]
12Jun2017 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
A Few Thoughts On Tiger Woods Recent DUI
From a friend: A few thoughts on Tiger Woods. Regardless of whether you like him or not and for whatever reason you like him or not, I think the police dodged a bullet on this one. We’ve all seen the videos, some of you may see a drunk, some may see a drug addict, some […]
4Jun2017 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
A Facebook discussion on Drug Addiction
Ron Taylor shared Jordan Rice‘s post. May 5 at 11:09pm · Jordan Rice April 23 at 12:21pm · Thank you. Edit: I didn’t explain why I agree with this or any experiences I have which left people opinion to make a bunch of dumb ass opinions about my logic. I don’t have the time to […]
8May2017 | Ohg Rea Tone | 0 comments | Continued
A facebook Discussion On Single Payer Insurance
Robert Stuber Yesterday at 9:24am · AN EXPANDED MEDICARE 1. Of course, start with Medicare for all 2. Cover medicines, thus eliminating Part D expense to Americans 3. Give Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies 4. Expand Medicare so that there would be no need for expensive tie- in supplemental private […]
21Apr2017 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
AARP Is A Communist Plot To Destroy America!
Allow me to first reveal my bias. I am a member of AARP. I am over sixty years old. I am a male. I am educated. I know how to type. There! Now you know my background. AARP is very obviously a communist plot to destroy America. We need only look at the AARP Bulletin, […]
16Mar2017 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
Single Payer – What Is It and How Is It Better Than What We Have?
The health care debate rages on. Our system has been flawed from the beginning. Powerful Unions negotiated with employers to provide health insurance. Good for the Unions and unionized workers, not good for everybody. Insurance companies liked the deal because they could negotiate big lucrative packages. Actuaries ruled the day. It is actually simple math […]
10Mar2017 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
Trump – Nostalgia Is Not What It Used to Be
Donald Trump, the so-called President of the United States, is fundamentally ignorant of history, literature, philosophy, and the humanities in general. Trump epitomizes the romantic ideal, completely unaware of his failure to understand reality. This is a common trait of people who are intellectually lazy, and particularly the intellectually lazy who are born with the […]
5Mar2017 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
The Homosexual Paradigm – Personal Experience
(Originally posted May 1, 2012. Re-posted out of a sense of need for the current discussion). There is no universal homosexual paradigm – but there are strong paradigms that drive our society. Previous generations of Americans often ignored the Gay community – you stay in your closet, I’ll stay in mine. Today we find the […]
1Mar2017 | Ohg Rea Tone | 8 comments | Continued
The Pain of Awareness
Awareness is generally thought to be a good thing. Certainly we advocate being aware of one’s personal budget, of politics, of education, of science (Climate Change), of job opportunities, of our health, and even an awareness of our ignorance on various topics. I think it is useful to be aware of proper use of the […]
24Feb2017 | Gary Clark | 6 comments | Continued
Fireside Issues | Gun Violence
We have to protect our society. It is a moral imperative. We have to stop arguing about which guns you can own and which guns I can own. That has mostly been settled. The real culprit here is an industry unchecked, riding the wave of public opinion to profits beyond your imagination.
22Feb2017 | bryan | 3 comments | Continued
Electronic Medical Record – Great Idea, Problematic With Lazy Docs
Get out the cheese and crackers because I am getting ready to whine. It was long, long ago, about 2005, that my primary care physician was an accomplished in Internal Medicine. I had switched to his practice when I was fifty years old, reasoning that as I aged I would need someone with a more […]
16Jan2017 | Ohg Rea Tone | 1 comment | Continued
Truth Versus Faith
Truth, belief, and faith – three legs on the stool of human endeavor. We seem to require all three but only truth can be measured and verified. Some people will get all up in arms about at that statement. They will say that I am challenging their faith. I am not. I am only saying […]
2Jan2017 | Gary Clark | 3 comments | Continued
Big Stick Diplomacy
President T.R. Roosevelt is quoted as having said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”. Don’t you just love those easy clever witticisms? Bumper sticker diplomacy at its finest. Wit is not the same as wisdom. Clever is not the same as wisdom. Wisdom speaks softly and carries a big stick – and carries the […]
10Dec2016 | Gary Clark | 0 comments | Continued
Artistic Interpretation of Trump Victory
Ben Franklin was a Founding Father who used political cartoons as a means of persuasion. With biting with he would cause a person to reflect and reconsider. And that was not his day job. Some people are just naturally gifted at imagery and symbolism used a tools for thoughtful discourse. I am no expert on […]
13Nov2016 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Artistic Interpretation of Trump Victory | Continued
USA 2016 is Analogous to Iran 1979
This is a bold commentary by someone with limited actual knowledge. My recall of history says that the invention of the internal combustion engine, followed by Henry Ford’s assembly line and mass production – put the oil rich countries of the Middle East on the map. My memory says the Saudi family took charge about […]
9Nov2016 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on USA 2016 is Analogous to Iran 1979 | Continued
Post Cards In The Eighth Ward
On this election day in 2016 I have been reflecting back over past elections. Elections that were personal. Elections that had real consequences. Elections that shaped the education of my children. Elections that shaped the quality of life for my neighbors. Elections mattered then and they matter now. This post is not a diatribe of […]
8Nov2016 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Post Cards In The Eighth Ward | Continued
Donald Trump Late Night jokes
“Yesterday, Donald Trump said, ‘If I lose, I don’t think you’ll ever see me again.’ So finally, a Trump campaign slogan we can all get behind.” –Conan O’Brien
24Oct2016 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Donald Trump Late Night jokes | Continued
More Donald Trump Jokes
“Over the weekend, three pages of Donald Trump’s 1995 tax return were leaked, revealing that he declared a $916 million loss from his three Atlantic City casinos. That’s right. Donald Trump lost money on casinos. You know what they say, ‘The house always loses.’” –Stephen Colbert “You started your campaign by accusing Mexicans of being […]
24Oct2016 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on More Donald Trump Jokes | Continued
Trump The Democrat? Runs As Republican?
Donald Trump actually does have New York values. What does that mean? Generally, when people congregate in large urban areas they become more liberal. Why? Donald Trump has held liberal political views all of his adult life. He ran for President ass a Republican because he knew the Democratic Party would not accept his lack […]
19Oct2016 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Trump The Democrat? Runs As Republican? | Continued