My superior IQ + Evil Bathrooms + Exclusive Political Content

frightful Friday

G.O.M.E.R. *

* Grumpy Old Men & Their Elucidating Rants

Rant #1:  Global Climate Change . . . I am grateful for two things:

1. There is no such thing as "settled science" . . . Right? . . . Right?!
2. Those who are 100%, absolutely, positively confident in Global, Climate Change at least are reasonable human beings, willing to listen to the other side, not prone to hysterical over-reaction . . . Right? . . . Right?!

Tagline from Drudge Report (4/12): "Prof.: "Climate change deniers deserve punishment' . . . '" [Full disclosure: I didn't read the article. *]

* Who has time to read fol-de-rol ** like this?

** I'm not sure that this is an actual word, but I've used it before, & I like it, & . . . as I keep having to remind you . . . it's my blog!]

Rant #2:  Facebook "Quizzes" . . . Why Do I Let Myself Get Sucked Into Them?

This usually happens to me after Lois & I finish our evening devotions. This happens @ bedtime, & I used to fuss at her, because she immediately turns to an i-gadget for her reading source, while I have stuck to printed sources [which I say is scriptural . . . after all, the Bible is a printed resource, right?!]. I say "used to fuss at her," because I have read in many, many places that it is NOT conducive to good sleeping habits for someone to read off of any kind of e-screen before trying to go to sleep at night . . . yet now I've gotten into the habit of doing some FB browsing before I turn to my printed resources. 
      Anyway, here comes my rant, which is directed at myself as much as Facebook Quizzes. Lately, it seems like we've encountered a relatively new phenomena, which any of you are free to point out is NOT relatively new &, by implication, we're relatively old, that are totally, "unscientific analyses" posing as "quizzes." When you follow the links, you don't get a quiz. It generates an "answer" from who knows what source(s). Examples include:

• "Who Do I Love To The Moon & Back?" My answer? Not my spouse, whom I would have liked to have seen, but a close familial member, whom I do love, but . . . 
• "Who Is Your Strangest Friend?" My answer? A brother in law . . . My comment? I've never considered him to be strange, but his children? That's another comment for another time . . . 

      But I digress . . . What got me hooked was a "quiz" with the impossible-to-resist question:  "What Is Your IQ?" My answer? 146. Now, don't get me wrong. That's not an unimpressive score. However, as other people's scores started showing up, I was soon cast upon a heap of depression, because I was seeing Mensa-level results & being "left in the proverbial dust." When one of your own daughters outscores you . . . not to mention your spouse?! Not good for someone w/a diagnosed mood disorder.

      Then . . . total inspiration! I took the quiz again the next day. My result?  157. This score boosted me above many others. [I won't name names . . . You know who you are.] There could only be two possibilities.

• These "tests" were bogus.
• These "tests" had a higher foundation of empirical integrity than I had initially suspected.

      Once again, on a hunch, I took the quiz one more time the next day . . . Lo & behold, I scored a whopping 169. That cinched it! The analyses had an unshakable, empirical foundation that could not be discounted! The 3-day, deep depression that I had suffered? It was gone . . . No doubt at the expense of others, which caused me a pang, albeit brief, pang of regret . . . However, I had become hooked on these infernal "tests" . . . And I'm sure others have experienced the same grief.

Rant #3:  Bathrooms . . . I'm having a "little" * issue these days with laws & policies allowing boys & men to use restrooms that are/were intended for girls/women. Cirque de Soleil has announced that it will no longer perform in North Carolina. Don't believe me?  Here's the link. If you take the time to check out this link, you'll note that they still intend to perform at the Dubai World Trade Center. Dubai, of course, is a bastion of civil rights for the LGBT community. **
      And here's a post I "borrowed" from Facebook, coming from a friend. [Sorry, Friend . . . If I knew how to do a link, I'd do it.] It's a picture of Mr. Bean, scratching his head. The caption reads, "Let me get this straight:  A man being in the restroom with my li'l girl isn't wrong, but me having a problem with it, is wrong?" [Yes . . . he speaks for me.]
      Finally, here's my take on Target's recent announcement re:  their corporate policy on restrooms. Since I'm about "ranted out" ***, I'll let The Federalist do my carefully reasoned persuasion for me. Here's the link.

* Huge!
** If you think I'm sniffing out an air of hypocrisy . . . you think correctly.

*** Much to your relief, I'm sure.

Political Potpourri 

Re:  "She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named"

Here's a link that I found while browsing on National Review last SUN 4/24. The column is entitled "White Lies Matter." It's written by Matthew Continetti & was posted on 4/23. [Even though I don't need any convincing, I actually read this article.]

Re:  "He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named"

Seriously . . . since I have close friends whom I know are leaning toward this candidate, I truly hope I'm not offending you. I apologize IF I am. * I encourage you to check out this column entitled "'HWSNBN' Isn't Politically Incorrect, He's Just Wrong," written by David French via NRO, posted 4/22, discovered by yours truly while he was browsing NRO, also on SUN 4/24. Here's the link.
* Yes, I've said it before. Include the word "if" in an apology, & it becomes what is known as a "qualified" apology, i.e., a non-apology. **
** I apologize IF you are offended by this non-apology.

Re:  "He-Who-Does-Not-Yet-Have-A-Nickname" & "He-Who-Is-Both-Irrelevant-And-Clueless"

Once again I feel compelled to remind you that I have not endorsed "HWDNYHAN" for the Republican nomination [or anybody else for that matter]. Here's a Link to a column entitled "THE HILL: Maine governor: 'HWDNYHAN' campaign 'stabbed us in the back' @ state convention,' via Drudge, posted 4/23 [I found it on 4/24 . . . & for the sake of transparency, I did not read the column.] 

From OWH (4/25):  "In twist, HWDNYHAN & HWIBIAC team up to limit HWSNBN's delegate haul."

• [First, even if I WAS considering an endorsement of HWDNYHANICK . . . which I'm not saying that I am . . . this would not be a point in his favor. **
• How did this work out for him in the most recent primaries? Not well . . . ]

** This might. Check out this link . . . Please!

Re:  "He-Whom-I-Still-Say-Is-Irrelevant" & "She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named"

Never let it be said that my political musings are anything but "fair & balanced." * Here is a column I found re: "HWISSII," via the Washington Post via the Drudge Report on 4/24. The column is also dated 4/24. It's particularly amusing, since it's entitled "After 'HWISSIIs' ' supporter mentions Monica Lewinsky, 'SWSNBN' accuses his campaign of encouraging vitriol." [HWISSII . . . SWSNBN . . . Lewsinsky . . . vitriol . . . I'm laughing a little bit out loud . . .  mostly to myself . . . And I did skim through the article.]
* Did you just say it anyway? Stop reading NOW! **
** Yes, I know I'm just flattering myself.

Re:  "He-Who-Is-Both-Irrelevant-And-Clueless"

From OWH, Breaking Brad column (4/21): "HWIBIAC was photographed eating pizza w/a fork. I'm pretty sure he just lost 99% of the blue-collar vote."

Finally . . . I Promise! *

As I've shared before, I'm not above some shameless joke "borrowing. The following excerpts are from the Norfolk Daily News TV Week, late laughs feature (4/8):

• The Tonight Show w/Jimmy Fallon:  "Sarah Palin just signed a deal to act as a judge on a new reality court TV show. Sarah said she just wants to get a little legal experience  before Trump nominates her to the Supreme Court."
• Jimmy Kimmel Live:  "I know it's been said a million times, but this election is bananas. Attacking each other's wives, bragging about their private parts. Remember when John Kerry's campaign ended  because people saw a picture of him windsurfing? It was a simpler time."
• Late Night w/Seth Meyers:  "DNC head Debbie Wasserman Schultz today denied accusations that she is taking sides in the primary election season, and said, quote: 'There is no shred of evidence to suggest that I'm favoring Hillary Clinton over Bernie Socialist--I mean Bernie Sanders.'"

* DISCLAIMER:  No, I'm not being inconsistent by including names, not acronyms. First, this feature is included purely for its humorous & not political value. Second . . . & I'm getting a little tired of having to remind you . . . it's my blog.