Sunday, February 19, 2006
'Just calm down a little'
One of my favorite movies is "Primary Colors." One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when former Gov. Fred Picker, played by Larry Hagman, is more or less drafted into the Democratic Primary when a friend withdraws after a heart attack. That scene is what I had in mind when I put up Friday's post about wishing things were toned down some. I think of it often, actually. Here is what Picker-Hagman said when he stepped in front of the big flag and before a crowd of screaming partisans:
Thank you.
Well , this is kind of overwhelming.
I didn't expect this.
And to all the folks giving blood in the back. ...
I want to thank them. I really do.
Would all of you do me a favor?
Don't shout quite so loud. Thanks.
I really mean it.
I wish everyone would just calm down a little.
When I say "everyone" , I mean ...
the press and the TV crews
and all my colleagues. ...
and all the people who advise my colleagues.
I think we need to calm down some.
You know ...
this is a terrific country.
But sometimes we go a little crazy.
Maybe that's part of ...
our greatness, part of our freedom.
But if we don't watch out and calm down,
it all may spin out of control.
The world is getting more and more complicated
Politicians have to explain things to you in simpler terms ...
so that they can get their little oversimplified explanations ...
on the evening news.
and eventually, instead of even trying to explain. ...
they give up and start slinging mud at each other.
And it's all to keep you excited, keep you watching. ...
like you watch a ... a car wreck or a ...
wrestling match.
That's just what it's like -- professional westling.
It's staged and it's fake
and it doesn't mean anything.
That goes for the debates. We don't hate our opponents.
Half the time we don't even know them.
But it seems it's the only way we know how
to keep you all riled up.
So what I want to do is quiet things down. ...
and start having a conversation. ...
about what sort of country we want this to be in the next century.
(Thanks to some crazy people at Drew's Script-O-Rama who typed in the whole script of "Primary Colors."
--ER
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Well, the good news is that today marks the beginning of the NASCAR Church Calendar, and that means there is mirth in the ER household. Dr. ER will be distracted from her pain some.
"The Home Depot Virtual Garage! I love it," she just said to no one in particular, in response to a new NBC feature.
Ah, I just heard GSYE.
Junior's year.
More anon.
"The Home Depot Virtual Garage! I love it," she just said to no one in particular, in response to a new NBC feature.
Ah, I just heard GSYE.
Junior's year.
More anon.
Rabble rouser!
(Just what is rabble? And who was the first person who decided it should be roused? And just how does one rouse?)
(Just what is rabble? And who was the first person who decided it should be roused? And just how does one rouse?)
One half cries foul when mud is slung in their direction while they busy themselves slinging it back.
Before long everyone's message is so mucked up with mud it becomes impossible to remember the original intent.
We should ALL be chanting this refrain: Hose off the mud! Hose off the mud!
Before long everyone's message is so mucked up with mud it becomes impossible to remember the original intent.
We should ALL be chanting this refrain: Hose off the mud! Hose off the mud!
I remember once when I was little, (probably six or seven) I waited in the truck as my daddy voted. When he came out I asked him who he voted for and he replied, it’s a secret, you’re not supposed to tell who you voted for in an election. That might not be such a bad idea. It would be a lot quieter for sure. Of course the world has changed since then, in that these days he’d be brought up on charges for leaving a six-year-old unattended in a vehicle. Ah the good ole days. He was one of those yeller dawg democrats too. He was also ER’s daddy, so now you know where he gets his dawg gone ways.
The Brudder
The Brudder
# posted by 
: 2:31 PM
: 2:31 PM
:-) The Brudder speaks seldom, but speaks well. :-)
(Mr. Reagan did a lot to awaken my inner my yeller dawg, though.)
(Mr. Reagan did a lot to awaken my inner my yeller dawg, though.)
MORE GOOD NEWS: Oklahoma State SPANKED Texas just now at Stillwater. by almost 20 points. The kids stormed the floor. Our Bird was there, IM'ing us. How cool!
Two or three things going on there: I think Eddie Sutton's pain and crankiness was wearing the team down; his son Sean, his understudy for years and years, is now in charge, adding his own touch to Eddie's basic game plan; AND the Pokes needed to win one for Eddie; oh, and I think Texas's star was out.
Great day in Stillwater, in any case, and in all of O-Sate Aggieland!
Two or three things going on there: I think Eddie Sutton's pain and crankiness was wearing the team down; his son Sean, his understudy for years and years, is now in charge, adding his own touch to Eddie's basic game plan; AND the Pokes needed to win one for Eddie; oh, and I think Texas's star was out.
Great day in Stillwater, in any case, and in all of O-Sate Aggieland!
Uh-oh. It's misting in Daytona.
I will never hear the end of it at owrk if they call the Daytona 500 for mist.
I will never hear the end of it at owrk if they call the Daytona 500 for mist.
Trixie said:
Rabble rouser!
(Just what is rabble? And who was the first person who decided it should be roused? And just how does one rouse?)
Rabo: Latin to rave,to rage, and the petty advocate that pleaded his cause with more temper than temperateness was a Rabula. Rabble in English. (Source: Horse-Feathers & Other Curious Words, by Charles E. Funk Jr.)
Recusare: Latin, to push back, to repel, to refuse; in English a Rouser
Rabula Recusare!
So a Rabble Rouser is one who pushes back, repels, and refuses those petty advocates intemperately pleading their cause.
Rabble rouser!
(Just what is rabble? And who was the first person who decided it should be roused? And just how does one rouse?)
Rabo: Latin to rave,to rage, and the petty advocate that pleaded his cause with more temper than temperateness was a Rabula. Rabble in English. (Source: Horse-Feathers & Other Curious Words, by Charles E. Funk Jr.)
Recusare: Latin, to push back, to repel, to refuse; in English a Rouser
Rabula Recusare!
So a Rabble Rouser is one who pushes back, repels, and refuses those petty advocates intemperately pleading their cause.
# posted by : 5:34 PM
: 5:34 PM
Leave it to the doc to come up with the answer to Trixie's question.
And ya'll thought I didn't pay attention! ;)
And ya'll thought I didn't pay attention! ;)
# posted by : 7:18 PM
: 7:18 PM
I didn't come up with:
"...And who was the first person who decided it should be roused? "
I'm a lttle suprised at the answer myself, I would have said without looking it up that it was the guy that incited a riot, or led the hanging mob or something of that ilk. Word are interesting, like the fact that most of us use the word epitome when we mean acme and don't use acme at all.
As for toneing it down. Not a chance in hell. Too much at stake and too many willing to lie and cheat and steal to get it. Nope ER, it is going to get much much worse before it gets better. Civility has been forfited, and we will bleed before it is restored. Any attempt to mediate or mitigate will be seen as a weakness and be used against those that try.
Three axioms for these times from these times:
1. Trust no-one
3. Deny everything
"...And who was the first person who decided it should be roused? "
I'm a lttle suprised at the answer myself, I would have said without looking it up that it was the guy that incited a riot, or led the hanging mob or something of that ilk. Word are interesting, like the fact that most of us use the word epitome when we mean acme and don't use acme at all.
As for toneing it down. Not a chance in hell. Too much at stake and too many willing to lie and cheat and steal to get it. Nope ER, it is going to get much much worse before it gets better. Civility has been forfited, and we will bleed before it is restored. Any attempt to mediate or mitigate will be seen as a weakness and be used against those that try.
Three axioms for these times from these times:
1. Trust no-one
3. Deny everything
# posted by : 10:12 PM
: 10:12 PM
Yer probably right. One can always hope, though, while one waits for the machetes to flash in the streets.
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