Random Thoughts....

 I feel the urge to blog, but I can't get my thoughts straight on any one of the topics I'm considering, so here goes:

--  I'm probably more conservative than I am liberal.  Certainly, when it comes to defense and spending, I'm conservative.  But when it comes to social things, I'm more tolerant, I guess.  So on the issue of gay rights, I split:  I have no truck with gays having the same rights as straights when it comes to most things, but my Christian beliefs won't allow me to consent to gay marriage.  I can, however, accept civil unions.  Gays adopting children are no more likely to screw them up than straight couples.  But don't expect me to accept transgender rights on the same footing.

--  Pets are wonderful to have.  They bring great joy and laughter most times.  They also bring a lot of responsibility and, as may have been noticed on this blog, sorrow.  With our bulldog puppy Fergus, our Bengal cat Mayhem and our old Manx cat Bupkes, we're kept busy.  Sadly, yesterday our neighbor had to bury his last labrador dog, Pepper.  I had to help him do it.  It was very sad.

--  The disparity in temperament among judges is as wide as it is among attorneys, which is to be expected.  The difference is the judges have the power to control the courtroom, whereas we attorneys can only try to influence the outcome.  When the judge thinks he's the Second Coming, it's rough.

--  Why must celebrities air their dirty laundry under the guise of wanting to help other people?  Are their sorrows and tragedies any worse than any other person's?  And what platforms does the ordinary citizen have to air their troubles?

--  For anyone who would like a more centrist viewpoint on the media and how it manipulates the news, read any of Sharyl Atkisson's fantastic books:  Stonewalled, Smeared and Slanted.  I've read the first two and am in the middle of the third.  They're excellent for exposing the ugly underbelly of what used to be called journalism.

--  When it comes to anything outside basketball, LeBron James is a Hall of Fame hypocrite.

-- Karen and I are probably done traveling internationally, save perhaps Canada (does that really count as international travel?).  Mexico has never interested me and what with the cartels controlling the country, there is no way I'd go there now.

--  Political commercials are annoying, but at least they only appear every two years.  The two year between the onslaught used to be relaxing, but now we're subjected to endless gambling ads.  I don't gamble unless the lottery gets above $50M, and even then, I only spend $2.  So these are a monumental waste of time.

--  I'm still stymied how young people can claim not to know about things from the past when those things occurred before they were born.  I once was discussing the concept of Borking with a fellow, but much younger, attorney, during the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.  I had to explain not only what Borking was, but how it came to be and even who Judge Robert Bork was.

--  When will Europe start to act like the confederation it strives to be and not some bloated welfare state that acts on feelings?

--  I love chopping firewood.  I can see the outcome when I'm done, something that eludes me when I practice law.

--  My favorite beers are Guinness, Samuel Adams, Mahau and Yuengling.  In a pinch I'll drink Miller Genuine Draft.  All the rest are donkey urine.

--  I wish I could find people who play Axis and Allies and could teach me how to play.  I love games of strategy.  Sadly, my wife's family only plays card games which, with the exception of Uno, I loathe.

--  I miss my Mom.

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles