Lunch with the President, and the President, and the President

Just heard a report on today's luncheon in the White House where the Obamas will be hosting both former Presidents Bush and their spouses.  "It is closed to the press," said the commentator, "but wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall?"

Well, no, actually not.  I've seen President Obama's hand-swipe.

The Summer Abroad

Bob:  The granddaughter is flying to Paris today.

Mrs. W:  By herself?

Bob:  Of course.  It'll be great for a 22-year old girl to get away from her helicopter parents.

Mrs. W:  Good Lord.  I'd be scared to death.  I didn't even know how to get on a plane when I was twenty-two.

Bob:  They didn't have planes when you were twenty-two.

And so's the tack hammer.

Where's the tape-measure?
Right in the drawer where it always is.
Which drawer?
The utility drawer in the kitchen.
Oh.

Raise kids to be wealthy.

• Intelligence is overrated.

Teaser on Yahoo! News.

I watched enough of the video to hear that the billionaire woman-person was bragging about being a straight "D" student in high school and college.  Seems good looks and "open eyes" trump brains.  And we didn't already know that?

Fair

An "economic fairness" agenda has emerged as the single, most unifying Democratic idea of the election season. --WaPo 5-15-12

It is not fair for someone to have whatever someone else doesn't have?  I am aftaid I am about to get started.  I can feel my blood simmering, coming to a boil.

Fair, and I repeat myself, is where 4-H kids go to show their pigs and goats.

Oh, you can be so relieved that I restrained myself.

"If you're not on President Obama's enemies list, I don't know what you are doing wrong."

 --Chris Plante

From a Favorite Author

She collected and polished resentments as if it were some sort of hobby.

--AnneTyler in Noah's Compass

Women had this element of treachery... They entered your life under false pretenses and then they changed the rules.

--Anne Tyler, op.cit.

I am concerned

much less that I come down on the right side of history than I am that I come down on the right side of right or wrong.

Mothers Rock!

and I don't mean just the cradle.

Sunset in America

and the lights in The City on the Hill have gone out.

It Never Ends

More Global Warming Evidence

Record ice cover blankets Bering Sea

Bucking a downward trend since 1979, ice not only covered more area, but stuck around longer this year. --Yahoo News headline

Handicapping the Horses

The first Saturday in May.  The horses go to the post at Churchill Downs this afternoon.  For those of you who care, it looks as though Baffert may have another winner on his hands.  So I am told.  I rather favor a horse named "Hansen" and not because I know a thing about the horse, the trainer, the rider, or horse-racing in general, for that matter.

I choose Hansen because I once knew a girl whose surname was Hansen, with an "e" and the last time (the only time) I bet on a horse it's name was "Wendy," also the name of a one-time acquaintance.  Won, too.

Also, I am partial to greys.  Hmm.  Perhaps I should...

Have you heard?

Pay attention.  I don't repeat gossip.

Decor

Herk:  There I've got the toilet seat replaced.

Tildy:  You put a white seat on a cream-colored bowl.

Herk:  Yeah?

Tildy:  That'll have to be changed.

Herk:  You'll get used to it.

Tildy: No.

Herk: Then you'll have to learn to live with it.