Maine On The Patio . . . And In The Kitchen

During our most recent trip to the Pine Tree State, Kish decided to bring a little bit of Maine back home with her.

Actually, she decided to bring a lot of Maine back home with her.  She stopped at a store in Stonington that had an entire outside wall display of these colorful buoys, which are used to mark the location of lobster traps.  After taking a closer look she came out grinning ear to ear, with an armful of the buoys ready to ship back home.  Now we have them on the steps leading down to our patio and hanging from doors and shelves in our kitchen.

I like the bright colors of the buoys — and besides, I think everyone could use a bit more Maine in their lives.

Because It’s All About Him

Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin’s bizarre comments about rape a few days ago showed him to be ignorant.  His refusal to withdraw from the race despite being urged to do so by virtually every fellow Republican, from presidential candidate Mitt Romney on down, shows him to be an egotistical fool — in short, a hack politician.

Akin not only isn’t withdrawing, his campaign website seeks to raise $24,000 in 24 hours to “help Todd fight back against the party bosses.”   Huh?  This guy thinks he’s being unfairly railroaded by GOP leaders, as opposed to being asked to do the honorable thing and quit, so that the Missouri Senate campaign, or even the national campaign, won’t be sidetracked by continuing discussion of his idiotic comments?  (And who would possibly make a contribution in response to such an absurd appeal?)

Akin’s antics just reaffirm why so many of us instinctively despise and distrust career politicians.  We know that they will say and do just about anything to get elected, and the normal human reactions that spur many of our actions — reactions like shame, and embarrassment, for making absurd statements — don’t seem to affect them.  Like so many other politicians of both parties, Akin professes to stand for certain positions on the issues and depicts himself as a selfless public servant who just wanted to represent the people — but when those politicians say (or do) something so stupid that the only decent response is to withdraw or resign, the facade of public service is ripped away and the ugly, overwhelming narcissism and selfishness is exposed for all to see.

Todd Akin obviously could care less about his party, his positions on the issues, or his ability to be an effective legislator.  Instead, he cares only about himself.  If he doesn’t recognize reality and quit, I hope Missouri voters give him an historic drubbing come November.

Damn The Political Ads, Bring On The Season!

Yesterday morning, as I walked the dogs, through my sleep-addled brain I dimly sensed something — like a familiar smell you can’t quite identify, or a music that is just a bit too far out of earshot.  And then I realized:  it’s almost football season!

About time, too.  The Tribe has crashed and burned; there’s no point in watching their death throes.  Browns preseason games, featuring Bernie Kosar’s gravelly insider observations on “skinny post” routes and other minutiae, don’t quite fill the bill, either.  And in “Battleground Ohio,” we need some new broadcasting where the non-stop political attack ads can be run.  Anything that might distract us from the political ads would be welcome.

That means it’s time for the Ohio State Buckeyes to step up to the plate.  With a new coach in Urban Meyer and a largely new staff, a new offensive scheme and focus on speed, and a defense that should be rugged, the Buckeye Nation has high hopes that the Scarlet and Gray can bounce back from last year’s sorry, scandal-plagued season.  We yearn to see this team restore Ohio State to its rightful place atop the Big Ten and the national rankings, crushing all opposition and thrashing the upstart Wolverines in the last game of the season.

And The Game against That Team Up North will be the last game of the season, because Ohio State is banned from the Big Ten championship game or any post-season bowl this year.   That’s okay — we’ll just be focused on the season itself, and playing some good, solid football.

I’m going to be watching with interest, even if it means having to endure some more of those appalling political ads.  It’s just the price you pay to be a faithful member of Buckeye Nation.