I WEPT TODAY - Cranky re-run Monday

 

The passing last week of Luigi, my favorite local barber,  a man I really did not know, and the anniversary of "Uncle" Sammy's passing prompted this re-run.  It is dedicated to all the quietly productive people who passed away this last year.  People whose life made the world a better place.  They were cumulatively a greater asset than all the politicians, entertainers, athletes, and leaders of industry that have been honored on the front pages of our papers and on the eleven o’clock TV news.

 

I WEPT TODAY 

 I wept today for a man I did not know. Mrs. Cranky’s Uncle died this week. He was 79. The funeral was today. I did not know Uncle Sammy. I met him one time two years ago for about two hours. You do not get to know a man in two hours.

Uncle Sammy was really not Mrs. C’s uncle. He was her mom’s cousin which made him her first cousin once removed, or her second cousin....it was one of those. Apparently he was like an uncle and until he moved to Pennsylvania she and her clan saw Uncle Sammy often. I did not know the man.

Uncle Sammy led a quiet life. He worked at the family bakery, he served in the Army as a clerk, and he worked at a bank. He loved to dance and married his dance partner the lovely Claudette. He had a daughter and two grandchildren. I did not know the man.

Uncle Sammy was small in stature, but he apparently had a huge heart. Whenever Mrs. C or her relatives spoke of Uncle Sammy it was with a tone of respect, fondness and love. I never heard a bad word about the man. I did not know the man.

The funeral was packed with people whose lives were touched by Uncle Sammy. There was much reminiscing. There was laughter. There were many tears. His daughter Giselle read an emotional tribute to her father which somehow covered his life and the people in his life all in about ten minutes. I did not know the man. I wept today.

Uncle Sammy led a quiet and unremarkable life. I did not know the man.

He must have been a very special person.

Why else would I weep for a man I did not know?

STUPID HEADLINES 042113

STUPID HEADLINES 042113

It is time once again for:

STUPID HEADLINE SUNDAY

This week’s stupid headlines and my stupider sophomoric and sometimes offensive comments

I hate when that happens!*

OK, I am a comment whore so I am adding a new wrinkle to Stupid Headlines:

“Guess the phony headline”

One headline is completely made up.  Anyone who correctly guesses the phony headline will get a mention in next Sunday’s post.

My Pet is Sneezing and Snorting. What's Going On? – First, check your stash of coke.

No Children for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi – After several months of trying, the lesbian couple decided to give up, “I don’t know” Ellen said, “something’s missing!”

Ants have Aunts…scientists confirm – So do monkeys have uncles?

Boat filled with protected species hits coral reef – If that’s not bad enough some of the sailors were smoking!

Michigan judge holds self in contempt, pays $25 fine after his smartphone disrupts hearing – Judge threw out his own sentence on appeal.

Can Evolution Beat Climate Change? – Vegas has it 2 to 1 in favor of Climate Change.

 Paris Jackson Calls Michael an 'Incredible Father' – Yes, and John Wayne Gacy was an incredible clown!

Elephant dung beer sells out almost immediately – Well, the elephants eat only the finest hops and barley  so…

Gold Crushed in Historic Rout – Tax Hikes beats Gold, is set to play the winner of Evolution vs. Climate Change.

Dead whale draws crowds to Puget Sound beach – Apparently there is not much entertainment on the Puget Sound beach.

The gourmet-cupcake market is crashing – I would have been rich, except my idiot broker sold “cupcake shortening” when I told him to sell “cupcakes short!”**

McDonald's Pushing Employees To Be Cheerier – Cheerier than what?

Customer pulls out gun after Walmart employee refuses coupon – Why would you need a coupon if you have a gun?

* Courtesy of Uncle Skip http://lionskip.blogspot.com/ 

Readers are encouraged to submit Stupid Headlines...Thx Uncle Skip

**Cranky Old Man apologizes for all bad puns…it’s the Tourette’s  

WHY CAN’T GAYS MARRY?

WHY CAN’T GAYS MARRY?

 

A Cranky Opinion Saturday Post

Opposing views are welcome, but no name calling please, and that means YOU, you big stupid head!

 

The Cranky Old Man is a lifelong conservative.  I believe that the government that governs least governs best.  Government should perform only those services that private industry cannot.  Government should provide protection for its citizens both externally and internally, maintain roads, and deliver the mail.  That’s about it.  Otherwise stay out of our lives.

Yes I am in favor of some form of gun regulation; that falls under protection of the citizens.  Trust me I am a conservative.  I do not think I have ever voted for a Democrat except maybe in an occasional local election.   So how do I stand on Gay Marriage?

When possible, government should stay out of our lives. 

Do I feel I need protection from Gay people?  No, I’m good, and if they are a threat, why would their being married change anything?

Would allowing Gays to marry ruin our roads?  I don’t think so. 

What about Gay marriage and mail delivery?  It couldn’t hurt.

If Gays could marry, how would it effect my life…? I don’t see how it would. Government should step away; Gay marriage should be legal and recognized.

I understand, “The Bible says Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”  That is very clever.  If you believe that, then you should worship at a church that does not recognize Gay Marriage.  It is your religious right to believe Gays should not marry.  It is not your right to force this religious point of view on others.

Some religions will not recognize second marriages.  Divorced people cannot marry in their church.  Government recognizes divorce and second marriages.  What is the difference? 

It is a simple matter of separation of Church and State in the exact way the founders meant it to be.  Government should not judge religion; religion should not force rules on government.

If you do not recognize Gay marriage (call it legal state recognized union of two individuals if it makes you happy, it is still marriage) you might as well pass a law making homosexual behavior illegal.  You can, it has been done, it does not change people’s behavior.  I am left handed.  Some religious teaching used to say that was a sign of the devil.  They tied children’s left hands and forced them to use their right hand.   This resulted in people with screwed up minds and horrible hand writing.

Let Gay people marry.  Let them have all the rights of heterosexuals.  Let them go through painful expensive divorces.  Let them live the way God apparently intended.  God made Gay people.  God doesn’t make mistakes; we just do not always understand his creations.

It’s funny that often the same people who want Government to get out of our lives when it comes to owning guns, want Government to regulate Gay people’s relationships.

As Adam says, “You can take Steve from me when you pry him from my cold dead fingers.”

I don’t understand homosexuality.  I also don’t understand calculus, but I know it exists, and neither threaten me.

The preceding has been the opinion of a Cranky Old Man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky