Happy Birthday, Yogi!

Yes sir and ma'am! Wishing a very happy birthday, however posthumously, to the one and only Yogi Berra!

New York Yankees player, manager and coach Yogi Berra was born on this day in 1925 in our own St. Louis, Mo., and died at age 90 in 2015 in New Jersey, 69 years to the day after his MLB debut. The son of Italian immigrants, Pietro and Paulina Berra, he dropped out of school after the eighth grade and began working to help his family.

Christened Lawrence Peter Berra, he received the nickname "Yogi" from a friend who thought he resembled a yogi from India when he sat, arms and legs crossed, while waiting to bat.

Berra-isms, some of which he never uttered, live on. Or as he put it, “I never said some of the things I said.”

They’re too good to check, so here are 10 reminders from Berra to start the day (USA Today).

"Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical."

"The future ain’t what it used to be."

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

"You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you."

"You can observe a lot by just watching."

"It ain’t over till it’s over."

""We have deep depth."

"It’s like déjà vu all over again."

"A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore."

"All pitchers are liars or crybabies."

Most all of the above from "The Hill" today.

Link to yet more of those fantastic Yogi Berra-isms:

Yogi Berra quotes: The 50 greatest sayings from Yankees legend

Happy Birthday, Karl Marx!

Born this day, May 5, 1818.

 

Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.

Religion is the opium of the masses.

There must be something rotten in the very core of a social system which increases its wealth without diminishing its misery

Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.

When the sufferers learn to think, then the thinkers will learn to suffer.

The last capitalist we hang shall be the one who sold us the rope.

Quotes of the Day -- Sunday Edition

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
― Epicurus

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
― Voltaire, Questions sur les Miracles à M. Claparede, Professeur de Théologie à Genève, par un Proposant: Ou Extrait de Diverses Lettres de M. de Voltaire

“Is man merely a mistake of God's? Or God merely a mistake of man?”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

“All thinking men are atheists.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

“Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.”
― Kurt Vonnegut

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
― Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens

“For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.”
― Charles Bukowski

“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

“Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time!

But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money!”
― George Carlin

“To you, I'm an atheist.
To God, I'm the loyal opposition.”
― Woody Allen

"There is a tremendous enjoyment in having shaken off the silly, absurdly subjective rules, laws, "commandments" of religion, organized religion. It frees you to enjoy the world and life and people and to learn and love and live and grow."

--Me

Christianity and Capitalism

People, in this nation, who consider themselves to be both Capitalists and Christians are only Capitalists.

Mark 10:21-22   Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Luke 12:16-21   Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."

And my personal favorite:

Matthew 19:24    Jesus said "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

Think happy thoughts.

And enjoy your Sunday.

Link:  9 Jesus Quotes About The Poor

Timely Quotes On This Martin Luther King Day

Yes, with Donald Trump about to be sworn in President, it seems especially important to keep some of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr's quotes in mind, now and for the next four years. Or as long as Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence remain in their offices.

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Enjoy the holiday.

And good luck and God help us, in time to come.

Quotes of the Day -- Sunday Edition

"Religion. A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable."

"Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel."

"Sabbath - a weekly festival having its origin in the fact that God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh."

"Impiety. Your irreverence toward my deity."

--Ambrose Bierce

Links:  Ambrose Bierce Quotes 

Ambrose Bierce - Biography and Works. Search Texts

Quote of the Day -- Sunday Edition

“Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity.

If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism."

--Albert Einstein

On That Huge Powerball Jackpot Tonight

Once again, I am reminded of my two favorite quotes on millionaires.

"I am opposed to millionaires, but it would be dangerous to offer me the position." 

 --Mark Twain, US humorist, novelist, short story author, & wit (1835 - 1910)

and 

"I've never been a millionaire but I just know I'd be darling at it."

--Dorothy Parker US author, humorist, poet, & wit (1893 - 1967)

Good luck, y'all.  Have a great weekend. Regardless.

Link:  $900 Million Prize, 1 In 292 Million Odds — And A Few More Lottery Numbers

Labor Day, Labor and Labor Unions

Happy Labor Day

Right Wing Crazy From Last Weekend

The following things were spewed just this last weekend from these 6 Right Wing crazies.

Do me a favor.  Don't tell me the 2 political parties are the same.

Crazy Things Donald Trump Has Actually Said

At first, months ago, when Donald Trump was said to be running for president in the upcoming 2016 election, I thought it was merely funny, an amusement, for me and a lot of us out here in the nation. But the longer this goes on and the longer period of time Mr. Trump is in first place in popularity for Republicans and the Right Wing, frankly, the scarier and more ominous the situation and he become.

Here, then, to clear the air, are actual statements and quotes from The Donald, things he has actually said and believes. Because people need to know this clown:

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems...they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists."

“Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

"He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured." –On Senator and Veteran John McCain

"When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time." –Donald Trump, on his diplomacy skills

"Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people."

“All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me—consciously or unconsciously. That’s to be expected.”

"We need a leader that wrote The Art of the Deal." –Plugging his book in his presidential campaign announcement

"I have people that have been studying [Obama's birth certificate] and they cannot believe what they're finding... I would like to have him show his birth certificate, and can I be honest with you, I hope he can. Because if he can't, if he can't, if he wasn't born in this country, which is a real possibility…then he has pulled one of the great cons in the history of politics." –Three weeks before Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011

"I have a great relationship with the blacks."

"When it comes time to default, they’re not going to remember any of the Republicans’ names. They are going to remember in history books one name, and that's Obama." –Urging Republicans to force a default on America's debt so that Obama wouldn't be reelected

"I don't like the crying." –On House Speaker John Boehner

"These are stupid people that say, `Oh didn't Trump declare bankruptcy? Didn't he go bankrupt?' I didn't go bankrupt." –On filing for bankruptcy on parts of his various businesses (And yes, yes he did: 

Donald Trump goes bankrupt. Four times)

"The man that wrote the second book ... didn't write the first book. The difference was like chicken salad and chicken s**t." -On President Obama's books

"I will build you ... one of the great ballrooms of the world." –On building a $100 million ballroom at the White House (because that's important)

“I think the only difference between me and the other candidates is that I’m more honest and my women are more beautiful.” –While teasing a presidential run in 2000

"In life you have to rely on the past, and that's called history." –On Celebrity Apprentice (I'm glad he cleared that up)

“You know, it doesn’t really matter what [the media] write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”

"I don't think Ivanka would do that, although she does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." –When asked how he would react if Ivanka posed for Playboy

"She really has become a monster ... I mean monster in the most positive way." –On his pregnant wife Melania

"You know the funny thing, I don't get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better than I get along with the rich people." 

“.@ariannahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man- he made a good decision.”

"My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well been documented, are various other parts of my body."

"I'm not a schmuck. Even if the world goes to hell in a handbasket, I won't lose a penny." 

"You were born stupid."  --To very Right Wing columnist Michelle Malkin who, if she liked him could be a possible help to Mr. Trump and his campaign

"The beauty of me is that I'm very rich."

"Our leaders are stupid, our politicians are stupid, and the Mexican government is much sharper, much more cunning. [So] they send the bad ones over because they don’t want to pay for them, they don’t want to take care of them.” —GOP debate, August 2015

“Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest—and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure. It’s not your fault.” —Twitter, 2013

“It’s like in golf. A lot of people — I don’t want this to sound trivial — but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can’t sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist.” —explaining his stance on, of all things, gay marriage in a New York Times profile in May 2011

Finally, at least today, because I'm sure there will be more, my personal favorite:

"Let me tell you, I'm a really smart guy."

More Americans Need to Read--and Follow--the Words of Robert E. Lee

More people in this nation need to read and apply and live Robert E. Lee's own words.

These, on our nation and fellow countrymen:

"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union."

"Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character."

"Madam, don't bring up your sons to detest the United States government. Recollect that we form one country now. Abandon all these local animosities, and make your sons Americans."

And this, on war itself:

"It is well that war is so terrible -- lest we should grow too fond of it."

Happy Father's Day

To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter.

--Euripides

It is a wise father that knows his own child.

--William Shakespeare

Two of the best scenes from TV, possibly ever

First from now gone "West Wing":



And then, more recently, from HBO's "Newsroom":

Why America isn't the greatest country in the world anymore from nrcbtnue on Vimeo.

Both written, rather no surprise, by Aaron Sorkin.

Quote of the Day -- on a World Balance

On the anniversary of Helen Keller's birth

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui."  --Helen Keller



Links:  Helen Keller Quotes

Helen Keller Quotes

Helen Keller Quotes

Quotes by Helen Keller on Life, Achievements and Adversity

Quote of the day -- on war

Happy birthday, Bill

William Shakespeare, born 450 years ago today.

Quote of the day -- for a Sunday

“This life is for loving, sharing, learning, smiling, caring, forgiving, laughing, hugging, helping, dancing, wondering, healing, and even more loving. I choose to live life this way. I want to live my life in such a way that when I get out of bed in the morning, the devil says, 'aw shit, he's up!” 

― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

Enjoy your Sunday, y'all.

Quote of the day -- on money in politics

It goes WAY back