Some eight in ten Americans, Or so the pollsters said Believe that prayer saved Gabby’s life, Though many tears were shed; The bullet could have broken up But stayed one piece of lead, And so did far less damage As it passed through Gabby’s head; It missed the major arteries, And so although she bled …
Monthly Archive: January 2011
Jan 20 2011
Paul The Octopus, Honored
Octopuses come and go— So must, of course, we all— A final act, celebrity Does nothing to forestall; But there was one eight-legged sort Who held us in his thrall The octopus-cum-oracle We came to know as Paul. A bit of zoo publicity You probably recall: Presented with two choices, Toward the winner he would …
Jan 19 2011
On A Personal Note…
After a lingering illness that took his mind, his bodily functions, his personality, and his dignity, the husk that used to be my brother in law finally lost his life. Within a year, I have lost a brother suddenly, and a brother in law slowly. I’m feeling quite mortal these days. I had a friend …
Jan 17 2011
The Mediocrity Principle
I want a special planet,One created just for me;I want a perfect paradiseA garden, can’t you see?That waited through eternityFor my exalted birth—But Eden is a myth, so IWill settle for the Earth.It’s not so bad, as planets go,I’ll do just fine with Earth. I want a special statusWhere I’m more than just a beast;With …
Jan 17 2011
Google Poetry Translator!
Crack reporters at The Bugle, each notoriously frugal,Thought they’d stoop to using Google for a verse-translation chore;Past the ordinary deadline, hoping vainly for a headlineTo at least avoid the breadline, where they’d eaten oft beforeThey were poorly paid reporters, so they’d eaten there before,And had promised “never more” Google searches through for matches; when it …
Jan 15 2011
The Political Climate
Growingly, showingly, Ancient environmentsInfluenced trees, and theGrowth of their rings; Centuries later, theDendrochronologistsUse this to tell us whatClimate change brings. Verily, scarily,Climate-change scientistsWarn us our actions en-Danger us all: Climate effects can beGeopolitical,Sometimes portending anEmpire’s fall. Via the BBC, just published online in Science, a report on 2500 Years of European Climate Variability and Human …
Jan 14 2011
Thoughts On The Blame Game
At times like this, the nation pausesLong enough to look for causes.That’s not quite so. It’s true we pause,But only look for One True Cause;Multiple determinationOnly leads us to frustration.When something horrible is doneOur search for blame is all-or-none. The comment threads of major news outlets (you know how much I love to read those!) …
Jan 13 2011
Battle Hymn Of The Republican
I’m the voice of opposition in a fast-decaying landI can mobilize an army who will follow my commandI’m a master of the media; they’re puppets in my handI’m conservative, intelligent, and strong!I’m the future of the party; I’m the darling of the rightI can focus on the issues like a crimson laser sightWith opponents in …
Jan 12 2011
Individual Responsibility And Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin is wrong. Now, that will come as no surprise to a large percentage of my readers, who are predisposed to take that position based on her speaking history over the past years, but I’m referring to a particular point this time. In today’s New York Times, Ms. Palin (or her writers) waxes eloquent …
Jan 10 2011
Since You Already Believe *This*…
The evidence for ESPIs awfully thin, it seems to me.Some disagree (like Daryl Bem)But I cannot concur with them.I’ve heard it said “perhaps the oddsIt’s true are similar to God’s—That is, we may not have a clue, But still we know, it must be true.” And I agree—there is no clueSuggesting it, or God, is …
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