Nation
Rubio, Paul, and Cruz Show the Best of Debate: Amanda Carpenter
Cruz shines on immigration in GOP economics debate: NUSA
The Bust Out: The Z Man
The Politics Of Atrocity, The Atrocities of Politics: Caleb Howe
The Climate Change Inquisition Begins: Robert Tracinski
The First Amendment Is Dying: David Harsanyi
Missouri’s Lesson: the Campus Wars Are about Power, Not Justice: David French
Crying Wolfe Exposes Real Problem: Jason Whitlock
Why Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are on the rise: Michael Barone
Lawmakers from 30 states meet to discuss Article V convention: Michelle L. Price
Bush plans major, pointless D.C. fundraiser for failed campaign: Alex Isenstadt
Economy
Oct. Jobs: Immigrants Gain Jobs At 2.5 Times Americans’ Rate: Edwin S. RubensteinHalf of California's undocumented immigrants could qualify for Medi-Cal: Tracy Seipel
Moody's warns: City's unfunded pension liabilities to grow for at least 10 years: Sun-Times
Scandal Central
Justice officials fear nation's biggest wiretap operation may not be legal: USA TodayJade Helm 15 Is Old and Busted. UWEX 16 Is Where's It's At.: Stephen Young
Mexican Cartel Leader: Obama armed us and allowed drugs to enter Chicago: CCC
Court blow for Clinton: Judge orders release of 700 new docs: Sarah Westwood
The Video That Will Rip Chicago Apart: John Kass
The Deep State: The Unelected Shadow Government Is Here to Stay: John W. Whitehead
Media
Debate Focus Group: The Best Moment Of The Night Goes To...: HannityTrump Cites Operation Wetback: MSM Freakout. Trump Cites Israel’s Fence Success: Dead Silence: VDARE
Mizzou Prof Melissa Click Wins Pea Brain Award: MB
The One Big Reason Hillary Is Telling Her Marine Corps Lie Again: RS
Clinton Doubles-Down On 'Fishy' Story That She Tried To Join Marines (Politico Silent): LidBlog
Who got the most airtime at the GOP debate?: Jason Russell
The Fiction of "Truth": Victor Davis Hanson
UVA Rape Hoax a Year Later: Innocents Smeared, Lawsuits, and a Missing Reporter: Kimberly Ross
Ben Carson’s Resume is Fair Game — But What of Democrats’ Resumes?: Larry Elder
World
Mexico Enacts Trump Plan: Deportations of Central American Illegals Up 70%: GWPIt's Not Just Campuses—Liberal Think Tank Employees Want Safe Space From Netanyahu: Mark Hemingway
Deputy emir of ‘moderate’ Taliban faction oversaw ‘massacre of thousands of Shiites’: Bill Roggio
Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)
Interactive Graphic: The NSA's Spy Catalog: SpiegelFacebook is working on Virtual Reality 'teleporter' with Oculus: Daily Mail
Microsoft’s Azure gets all emotional with machine learning: Sean Gallagher
Cornucopia
To America’s veterans: Thank You: Fellowship of the MindsOut100 2015 Cover Revealed: President Barack Obama: Out.com Editors
Suffer Not This King: American Digest
Image: The Climate Change Inquisition Begins
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: #RestoreOurConstitution: TED CRUZ FOR PRESIDENT
QOTD: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;Unless we’re talking about a white chocolate-paneled cake for a gay wedding or perpetual funding for ‘women’s health’ clinics, because it’s the ‘right thing to do.’
Or abridging the freedom of speech; unless that speech is used by boorish climate change denialists to peddle dirty fossil fuels and run capitalistic death machines that wreck the Earth; by anyone engaging in upsetting hate speech or other forms of ‘aggression;’ by a wealthy person supporting candidates who undermine ‘progress;’ by a pro-life protestor who makes people feel uncomfortable about their life decisions; by a cisnormative white male who displays insufficient appreciation for the “systematic oppression” that minorities experience in places of higher learning; or by anyone who has a desire to undermine the state-protected union monopolies that help fund political parties. And so on." --David Harsanyi
Doug, I hope you'll indulge me and allow me to post an off-topic post. I'm asking your forgiveness, but this is the only place I have good reason to believe it will be read by its intended audience. If you delete it, I'll understand. No hard feelings.
ReplyDeleteFor many years Joey was one of my closest friends. He was too macho for his own good and often came off as an ass to those outside his small circle of trusted fellow warriors with whom he felt he could let his guard down. He was as throughly AMERICAN as American could be. Almost a caricature. Most of the world would'va probably hated him. But the good guys would'va all loved him. He was hard as nails if you veered off the right path, but he was the best man in the world to have on your side. If you were in the right, he was ALWAYS on your side. To Hell with what the world thought, even if it was the two of you against the world. I hope some people might give the same eulogy for me, when the time comes. It explains why we were such tight friends. It probably explains why I've hit it off with Elmo the way I have.
Joey's dad made good money but died when he was young. His mom made enough to raise the 2 kids, not more. He didn't have access to higher education or local family to teach him a trade. For many years, Joey was a hard driving, hard drinking, truck drivin man. Long trips in short time meant good money. Joey always had money, beautiful girls, and something to wet your whistle. He was the perfect Country and Western song. And he would'va love hearing himself described that way. But speed of both kinds was a necessary evil back then to compete with the hardest working, toughest truckers and Joey was gonna be that no matter what it took. Speed turned into meth and the beginning of the end. He couldn't shake it and the alcohol both. Hell he couldn't even admit it cause “dopers are the damn scum of the earth”. He was too tough and proud to be a trouble or burden to anyone else, so he fought those demons alone. I understand he manged to kick meth's ass, alone, no program, but that alcohol demon had the fangs in too deep. He withdrew from all of us more and more as the years went by to spare us. At the end, he had been completely alone for years except for earning enough money to keep him and his demons going. I think he finally reached a point where he couldn't fight the demons without burdening someone else. The demons knew they had won. But Joey was tougher than they thought. He used the Samson option. He took them with him when he went.
I found out yesterday that Joey took his life rather than turning it over to the demons.
I found out today that Elmo is going silent.
I'm feeling awfully alone right now.
Godspeed Elmo. Godspeed Joey.
May God keep you close. May God keep you well.
Doug, thank you for the indulgence.
Old Ez
Sorry for your loss Ez. I'm still here. Just needed the freedom, to not have to mind the store. And take care of my future (personal) biz at hand [departing a failed Nation, because I cannot bear to further watch her die (and I will not)].
ReplyDelete(Speaking of death) yeah, addiction kills. It most surely does. Didn't get me though, lucky bastid (six years freebase/1990's). It's a strange world. I lost a number of friends and acquaintances, along the trail of the devil's dandruff. One day, they're here, the next, in disbelief ... over the railing of an exceptionally tall bridge. And the feeling is ugly and morbid. Dark and weighty, too heavy leaden feet. Unable to move. Stuck in a feeling too heavy for one's shoulders to carry. Only time, and the company of friends, can take the edge off [if Doug can be bothered (without my first asking), perhaps he could provide my email, to you].
I think of those, not with us. I remember the joy and light in their eyes. Never seeing, the terror in their soul. We help who we can, when we can, if we can. And that's what we do. And take comfort, in that knowledge. Life, don't come with an owner's manual per se (though certainly, one could in fact make the case for the Bible).
It's a learning game. And I'm still amazed. At how little I know.
Stopped by Doug's, merely to drop a snarc/link (as usual). But, it will most assuredly keep.
elmo
[Joey'd want you to not get beaten up too bad. No shame, or embarassment in further reaching out/bereavement support groups. You can honor him, and his memory. And his spirit. But you do not have to carry his burden. No Sir, you do not.]
I see I reached the intended audience. (sorry Doug)
ReplyDeleteAhhh Elmo, don't forget that "too macho for his own good" part. Its just another brick in the wall, so to speak. No danger of me needing or using a "support group". Just kinda felt Joey needed someone to tell it more or less like he saw it, not the way most might see it as taking a cowards way out. Yeah, I knew him that well. And no, I couldn't have stopped it, I don't think...
I ditched my alcohol demon the same way I got it. Figured it took several years for a body to incorporate alcohol as necessary and would take years to make it unnecessary. Haven't needed it for years and years now. Made me one of the very few people on earth Joe admired and since he was king of the hard-asses, that really meant something to me...
Funny you bring up freebase. Joe used it to kick "speed"(would never admit out-loud it was meth). Took him another couple years to kick freebase. Told him that he kicked the 2 of the worst and if I could kick alcohol, he could easily. Said he was too old and too used up but not to worry. He'd never be an old drunk that friends and family had to avoid. Obviously, he meant that...
THERE. My public grieving is done. Sorry for the spectacle. I'll spend the next few days hunting in the woods... Maybe I'll come out for a certain beautiful girl, in memory of Joey, of course... Then I'll be fine. I'm probably the last person you should feel you need to worry about. Joey would haunt me otherwise, LoL!
It wasn't just the timing that made me think of you Elmo. You, Joey, myself, remind me of each other in certain ways. Say what you think. Think what you say. Consequences and feelings be daimned. Truth is the best friend of all. Fight for what you believe in and don't worry if those who are wrong don't like it. Lick your wounds and strengthen your weaknesses on your own, don't let it hurt others. You to the desert, me to the woods, and Joey, well...
Maybe we all have a touch of super hero complex. TRUTH, JUSTICE, and THE AMERICAN WAY. I know you, Joey, and I all come off as abrasive sometimes(especially you, LoL!), but I know that you are fighting for truth, for what you believe in.
How many people can any of us say that about? Anyone who fights for truth and doing what is right, is family. There seem so few left these days... I hate to lose even one.
So I'll take you up on that offer and send Doug an email as soon as I come off my hunting/grieving trip. Enjoy your newfound freedom. Lick some wounds. Build some strength for the fight ahead. And I'll send you an email every now and again just to let you know you're not alone in this losing fight.
Later,
Ole Ez
(BTW, I'm one of THOSE, who would argue the Bible IS the owners manual for life)
(oh, and thx again for the indulgence Doug. I'll email u in a few days and hopefully I won't have to steal ur comments for personal stuff ever again. U know there are a few of u out there besides Elmo I don't wanna see off the net and ur at the top of that list. Thx again)
Ole Ez and Elmo, thanks -- really -- for the touching notes.
ReplyDeleteGreat insights into the frailties and courage of the human spirit.
Email any time for me to relay between points.
I haven't given up and I won't give up.
Ever.
All the best to you and yours.
Doug
The Deep State, more like the Borg State, reminds me of hearing Hillary say, "as long as people think they are free, it's all that matters".
ReplyDelete"Kill the Messenger" with Renner went there, America's too big to fail.