Political Cartoons

Over the years, political cartoonists have emerged who have changed the course of history. Occasionally, an artist would draw a cartoon that would be particularly embarrassing to a politician or perhaps a businessman.

One cartoon can do more damage than thousands of the most well-structured words. The damage can be far more sudden and difficult to parry than even the most well-crafted words.

For this and other reasons, I really wish I were good at political cartooning. One particular cartoon I would love to draw is a likeness of Obama reaching and picking my back pocket.

He did, you know, figuratively of course. Then too, the figurative type can cause far more damage. Over the period of three years, in effect, he picked my pocket of thirty thousand dollars. He did this with the aid of the AARC and insurance companies. He did this with the aid of all his cohorts who called themselves Democrats.

This is a classic example of the majority enforcing itself on the minority. This is why we used to have senators selected by state assemblies. The idea of the republic is to protect the minority from bullying by the majority.

In this case, the majority effectively robbed the minority of their savings. Moreover, they did it quickly and very effectively. They also did it very coldly under the pretense of doing good.

Every now and then, I receive advertisements in the mail from AARC, which go straight from the mailbox to the trash. We might save some trees if they stop sending that junk mail to me and others like me.

Incidentally, you might remember that AARC receives far more money from special interests than from its members. When making decisions, whose interests are they most likely to consider? Maybe there is a good cartoon there too, though I don’t have a clue how or what one would draw to depict such greed and evil.

The Problem With Pseudo-Buttons

My cell phone rings. I pick it up before it rings the second time. It’s easy. I carry it in my shirt pocket. However, I slip up and touch some part of the face of it. SUDDENLY, the pseudo-button I need to use to answer the phone is gone. For some reason, I am looking at some internet screen advertising something I have less than any interest in, and I start searching frantically for those elusive buttons.

I find it and I start to press it as I hear the last ring and the button disappears. It brings to mind another one of my pet complaints, the CEO affect. That’s the one I wrote about a long time ago. You remember it. It is when the CEO of the company never uses his product so he never knows the problems with the things he makes.

I can’t swear to it, but I’d guess the CEO of the company that makes my not so smart phone, does not use the phone he sells. Now I ask you, does that make sense?

I ask you, what is the problem with making the phone so as I can answer it any time it is ringing. Am I asking too much?

As an aside, I really don’t use my phone to surf the web. I have a computer and a pad for that. I have large hands and fingers. I do find it difficult to push those small buttons. Moreover, I am old. I have to wear glasses to read the screen. Some of the stuff on the screen is too small to see even with my magnifiers.

Hint for CEOs: Lock the screen on the phone while it is ringing, please. I don’t need to see some shoe ad while I am answering the phone. Actually, I don’t need to see shoe ads on my phone at all.

One more little thing on my wish list. Can we actually disable the screen while I am not using my phone. The batteries would last longer, you know.

One Word

I should have been a comedian. With just one word, I can make them laugh, well sometimes two. Let me explain, please. The wife and I walked into the restaurant and the young lady behind the counter, asked, “How are you?” I know. For the most part it was rhetorical. It’s a greeting. Most of the time people say, “Fine,” or nothing at all. Some will reply to the question with another, “Fine, how are you?”

I like to do things a little different. I like to reply as if she means the question. I said, “Hungry.”

Not only did the girl behind the counter burst into laughter but also the three other folks behind me. As usual, my wife got angry with me and chastised me verbally and loudly. That got another laugh. That’s right. we’re a good team.

Actually, I guess my wife is right. One of these days, some one is going to hit me. To be truthful, not everyone likes my humor. Some have scowled at me. One or two have actually yelled at me. I guess, one day someone will actually hit me. I don’t know.

From time to time I get a little brave. The man says, “Excuse me.” I reply, “I’ll try.” Usually, he laughs and we go our separate ways. Then, of course, my wife yells at me. “One of these days, someone who is a little unbalanced is going to haul off and hit you.”

Well, in the meantime, I will bring smiles to many. Sometimes, I will get a little laugh or two. I can’t help it. It’s in my nature. I just like to see people smile, even when it’s because they are laughing at me rather than with me. I especially consider myself successful when it takes just one word.

On the other hand there are those who like to use one word… to make people cry. It makes me wonder why people want to do that.

We aren’t all sixth-graders

Honest, I don’t remember exactly when it was, but it seems it was before I went into the Marines that I heard on the TV that commercials are designed for six-graders. Most people don’t like more complex things explained to them. So, if you hope to sell your product, you make sure the commercials are simple and don’t require a PhD to understand, even if your target sales is for PhDs.

I guess, in a way, we as commercial watchers are lazy. We really don’t want our minds taxed after working hard all day. On the other hand, maybe the PhDs are too smart too buy products they don’t need, especially the overpriced ones.

I suppose it does have one other side effect. It might actually make it so the commercials aren’t as expensive. After all, isn’t it all about that important bottom line?

I have taken writing tests before. I don’t know if they still have them, but according to the tests, I write at about sixth grade level. Now isn’t that convenient. My readers do not need to strain their brains in order to understand what I have to say. I guess I could say that it is convenient to be less intelligent.

Thing is, (Shouldn’t use those words so much. I’ve been trying to break myself of that.) I was considering what I heard way back then and associated it with something I heard yesterday. If it works better to write commercials for 6th graders, maybe it is good to write political ads for 6th graders.

I got to thinking, is this a good thing. Do we really want the politicians to talk to us as if we are all sixth graders? Yet it would appear It’s common practice. Reagan was known as the great communicator. Maybe it was because his ads didn’t require so much thought. As the guy said, “Keep it simple stupid.”

Just so there are no misunderstandings. it’s not my words. I did not mean to imply that my readers are stupid. However, the saying has been altered to a short abbreviation, KISS.

It is something of a disadvantage for Republicans. The dems make a simple statement that sounds good and it takes hours for us Republicans to explain why the statement isn’t true. For instance, the dems say how nice it is to tax the rich and provide for the poor. Sounds good. Doesn’t work. Never did. And yet we spend hours and hours explaining why and the general public still can’t understand it.

The same thing can be said of many things the dems try to tell us is good, open borders, weak military, and de-funding the police. (Hint: Since de-funding police, crime has sky rocketed. Since the border was opened, fentanyl has gone from about 50 thousand deaths a year to about 150 thousand a year. Tell me how that worked out, but it sounded good didn’t it. In a way, that is perhaps one of the most expensive decisions Old Joe made. It cost us more lives than Vietnam, both sides. It is why I don’t call him president. He will answer to God for all those deaths.)

It is why I don’t like what the dems are doing. It is especially why I don’t like the methods and the means of Old Joe.

At one time, Democrats and Republicans tried to maintained a closed border, a strong defense and strong law enforcement. Since Obama, not so much. Since Old Joe, even worse.

Then again, if they can successfully treat their followers as 6th graders, what can we expect.

Replaced Electric Mower Blade

I can’t remember for sure but I bought my 60 volt Greenworks mower about 4 or 5 years ago. I have been putting off replacing the blade because I just knew it would be beyond my abilities. I even considered having it done.

Besides all this, I didn’t have a wrench the right size. (see Wrenches, Wrenches and Wrenches in which I explained that, regardless of my dozens of wrenches, I never have the right size.) I spent a few hours checking the internet in hopes of getting some help.

First, much of the info was contradictory. Second, it was not specific to my mower. Finally, it seemed to suggest a confirmation that it would be too much for an old man.

As for the wrench thing, I resolved that problem by buying a large Cresent adjustable wrench for $8. I’m sure it would be better to use the right size wrench, but the adjustable wrench worked well.

The procedure took right about 15 minutes. If I did it again today, it would take 4, maybe 5 minutes. Indeed, I was surprised how easy it was.

I must truly give Greenworks acalaides for this mower. Other than the blade, it has performed as well as day 1 for me. Even the blade, which has had a lot of abuse was not bad for a 4 year old blade. It still cut, just a little unevenly.

Now that I know how, I will replace the blade every year and I suggest others do the same. If nothing else, it is likely better to cut the grass rather than tear it.

As my aside, I do find it odd that many mower repair shops are too busy to repair mowers, especially in the spring. I guess in a strange way it does make sense. It is why we should get our mowers fixed in the autumn.

Humorus Things, Usually

When I was in Marine boot camp, I laughed at the confession I was in. The man next to me warned me that if the D.I. saw me I’d be in trouble. I replied, “If I don’t laugh I’d have to cry.” He looked at me as if I were nuts, which of course, I was. No one, but no one wanted to be caught laughing without permission.

Of course there are many other things that prompt me to laugh. Children are my favorite. Unfortunately, I am not around them all that much anymore. It’s one of the disadvantages of getting old.

Dogs, cats and occasionally birds make me laugh. My border collie loved to chase remote control cars, big bouncy balls and bubbles. He would chase them until he could hardly stand. Others watched him too and laughed. I have already said how I love to watch the cats chase lasers.

I like a good comedy movie. As I’ve said, I’ve seen Kelly’s Heroes at least a dozen times and just thinking of some parts make me laugh. Then there is Paleface with Bob Hope and Support Your Local Sheriff with James Garner.

A good joke will cause me to laugh while the dirty ones just turn my stomach. Sometimes, the right phrase will cause me and others to laugh. Today, I noticed some people in a restaurant slightly laughing. I looked over at the the total strangers and cautioned them that they were having entirely too much fun. We all laughed, especially them. Obviously I am not very good at quelling an outbreak of laughter.

I guess the little heading that was in Readers Digest is valid. Laughter is the Best Medicine. I always feel better after a good laugh. I think most of us do.

Daily writing prompt
What makes you laugh?