Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Does anyone seriously believe that Jeffrey Epstein would have been arrested if Hillary won the 2016 election? Seriously?... After the Civil War Robert E. Lee asked Congress for a pardon. It was never given... The future of grocery stores?... I agree that the US men's and women's soccer teams should be paid the same. I know the men's World Cup generates billions in revenues while the women's World Cup's revenue is measured in millions but that's worldwide. In the US the interest in the two teams is about equal and so should be the pay... But while we're at it - the Women's World Cup Finals generated an overnight TV rating of 10.0. How about we pay the winning team of any college football bowl game that generates a 10.0 rating or better the same as the US women's team just got paid? Where's the social justice activism for something like that?... OK if we're being honest the reason the Boston Bruins made the Stanley Cup Final this season is because the Tampa Bay Lightning shit the bed in the playoffs. Doubt that will happen two years in a row... Rest in peace Ross Perot. Running as an Independent may have cost George H.W. Bush a second term and gave the world Bill Clinton but Perot did a lot for veterans and much of his charitable work was done anonymously...

George HW Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush has passed away at age 94. He was a true gentleman of great character who spent much of his life in service to his country whether it be in uniform as a Navy combat pilot during World War II or in various government or elected positions culminating with his service as the 41st President of the United States.

His passing comes just 8 months after the death of his beloved wife of 73 years Barbara Bush. The photo to the left is of George and Barbara on their wedding day.

As a simple example of how great a person George HW Bush was - five years ago he shaved his head in support of the son of a secret service agent battling cancer. It should be noted that George and Barbara lost their first daughter Robin to childhood leukemia.

Many of the articles you will read today will speak about 41 as a one term President. If those articles do not mention H. Ross Perot you can be sure that you are reading an article from an outlet that is biased or incompetent. Perot's entry into the 1992 election as a third-party candidate is what cost Bush re-election.

Perot won almost 19% of the popular vote that year (the most ever by a modern third-party candidate). So any eulogies that ignore that piece of history should make you think twice about ever trusting that media outlet again.

His feelings about Perot aside, Bush was gracious and classy in defeat as this note to Bill Clinton shows.

HBO has an excellent documentary on the life of George HW Bush named simply 41. The documentary is completely narrated by 41 and goes through every aspect of his life - from childhood to the Presidency. When Perot is mentioned you can hear that hatred still for the man who Bush blames for not having a second term as President. Perhaps the only person Bush had those feelings about.

George HW Bush and George W Bush, of course, were just the second father-son to hold the office of President. They joined John and John Quincy Adams in that rare accomplishment.

I think history will look very favorably on George HW Bush and on his Presidency.

One of my favorite what-ifs in history is the fact that before picking Dan Quayle as his Vice President, Bush briefly considered giving that slot to Clint Eastwood instead. That's 100% true. Can you imagine how history would have been different if that happened?

Rest in peace you great and honorable man. Barbara is waiting for you.

Update on President H. W. Bush

Glad that President Bush and his lovely wife Barbara are both doing better. However, in my head as I read the press release I hear Dana Carvey's impersonation of Bush saying, "I'll be God-damned if I die before that little prick H. Ross Perot kicks the bucket! Not gonna do it!"