A Thanksgiving Limerick

Not that we need it at my house.  (Recipe Courtesy of/http://www.pinterest.com/tripn_dicular/)

I'm thankful for family and friends

And hoping this limerick sends

Good fortune your way

For Thanksgiving Day

(Or else a bartender who blends.)

Unsolicited Advice for Ferguson

(Cartoon/Courtesy of www.investors.com/cartoons)

Protestors were in the streets of Ferguson last night,

Angry at the failure of Grand Jurors to indite 

Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.

Some began to riot and set fire to the town.

Liquor stores were looted; there were rocks and bottles thrown

And, despite the pleas for peace, the anger's only grown.

Shots were fired, highways blocked, with multiple arrests.

Tear gas filled the streets patrolled by guys in Teflon vests.

Unlike this Grand Jury, I do not have all the facts.

I just know there are too many senseless, violent acts

Where a young, black man is killed for looking like a threat.

They don't get the benefit of doubt that white kids get.

"He looked like a demon," is what Darren Wilson said.

Now, because that's how he saw him, Michael Brown is dead.

Young, black men know they're perceived with deep mistrust and fear.

How we change those attitudes is not exactly clear.

One thing that I guarantee won't help is rioting.

Fueling racial prejudice will not fix anything.

Criminals demanding justice? That seems pretty strange.

Peaceful demonstrations are the only way things change.

Thou Shalt Not Gloat

(Credit/Cartoonstock.com)

As one more Division leader loses to the Pats

All our former critics rush to offer their "Congrats!"

"They just beat the Lions without fielding Jonas Gray."
 "Best team in the NFL," most analysts now say.

Sunday, with a final score of 34 to 9,

(Thanks to the improvement in the Pats' Offensive line

And a brilliant Defense that turned Golden into lead)

I'm afraid New England might let praise go to its head.

Let's not tempt the sports gods now by gloating at our win;

Gloating, just like taunting, is a major sports gods' sin.

We've still got tough games to play before we reach our goal;

One more chance for us to go and win the Super Bowl

Thumbs Up for the President

If only...  (Photo/compliancecampaign.wordpress.com)

If you were the Emperor of these United States

You could have opponents' heads served up to you on plates.

If you found the arguments they used against you dumb

You could silence critics with a downward twist of thumb.

You could make your Senators (or Congressmen) obey

If you really were the lord of all that you survey.

But, if you're a President who wants to fix a flaw

You must keep your actions in compliance with the law.

You may only act as other Presidents have done;

Setting your priorities so things are smoothly run.

Even though the lions say they'll fight you "tooth and nail"

Leaders do not let our immigration system fail.

Unsolicited Advice for Proponents of Keystone

(Photo/huffingtonpost.ca)

Keystone XL pipeline didn't get the needed votes.

Tar sand oil from Canada comes down, by train to boats

In the Gulf of Mexico, for shipment overseas

Which - they say - is dangerous...  The GOP agrees.

If, in fact, that is the case than we should fix the rails;

Update infrastructure now, before the system fails.

If we really want to slow our global climate change

Building something permanent for oil transport is strange.

It won't help when fossil fuel dependence's in our past.

Let's create some other kind of jobs; the kind that last:

High speed rail or better roads - a wind or solar farm.

Let's invest in jobs without environmental harm.

Sick AND Tired

(Cartoon/article.wn.com)

I'm so sick of Washington, D.C.; I'm not alone.

Congress is perceived as something corporations own.

Politicians advertise so voters know their name;

It takes lots of money for the "buy-in" to the game.

Those who have a stake in how a vote is gonna go

Know that politicians, for the right amount of dough,

Take the time to listen with a great amount of tact;

Granting them a say in laws that Congress will enact.

Lobbyists and politicians use revolving doors;

Picking which new bills get heard on House and Senate floors.

Leaving the majority, who cannot spare a buck,

Without any power and completely out of luck.

Welcome to 50

Triumphant! (Photo/Kate Corr Walsh)

 

Happy Birthday brother dearest...  Welcome to the group!

As you're new to 50, thought you'd like to know the scoop.

This, my love, is middle age; for it's official now

(Unless science finds a way to lengthen lives, somehow.)

This is when your body parts will all begin to ache;

When you cannot go too long without a bathroom break.

You'll start hearing "creaking" in your knees and hips and spine.

Do not let it bother you.  I promise, you'll be fine.

There are compensations for the pains of growing old;

You no longer have to do exactly as you're told.

You've got more authority than younger people do;

Who'd do very well by simply emulating you.

You're someone to be admired in so many ways...

I will not go on about it since you don't like praise.

But, you'll make a great addition to the Old Folks' team

As age gives you freedom to pursue the life you dream.