Wednesday, October 14, 2009

A fool and his beer

I have had little to write about. And little time to do it in. My company has experienced financial downturns of late ( which is news? ha!) but to date I have managed to keep a position in a sea of drowning sailors. But it is stressful. So it has become increasingly difficult to ignore a swath of emails from some of my friends, one in particular, who emerged with me from the primordial soup of college to become much more fiscally successful than moi and feel very threatened than they may have to share their wealth with the less fortunate in terms of possible increased taxes to fund a government health care plan. These guys are Doctors, Stockbrokers, Engineers.... but in the past the merging for social occasions was all a matter of fun, music and camaraderie and not a matter of politics or money. The times they are a changing! For the last couple of months I have been besieged by one.... who cannot come to grips with the Obama Administration. He has been crying "Ruination" since last December.

... And I told him to knock off the emails. Leave it alone. We can talk football and beer. Our politics do not mix. He didn't. Friday last there was one that got rather personal... sent in a group email... disparaging my 'lack' of political acumen in that I do not believe Obama has destroyed our nation in seven months. I pointedly told him to knock it off.... again.

So today.. I get this thread....

In a message dated 10/14/2009 7:20:26 A.M. Central Daylight Time, ******* writes:
Yah gotta send this to ****........things will spontaneously combust in Oshkosh when you do.

I'm in big enuf trouble with him already.....


----- Original Message -----
From: ******
To: **********
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 7:26 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Breaking News - yet another prestigious award

What's his E-mail?


what the fuck!<>??

So I replied.

Combusted, indeed. Of course, if we need to consider the source of combustion, and then determine that it was not a large fire, we should also then consider whether there was a need to burn at all. Recent studies in our National Parks have confirmed that controlled burns are a great source of rejuvenation of a natural state. Yet a fire caused for simply the urge to watch things burn is vandalism. However, giving a match to someone who does not have the sense to delete a thread is just obtuse.

But rather than dwell on such mundane subjects as minds that are not simply content to watch fires burn, or for that matter, watch a Nation burn or watch friendships burn, but feel compelled to fuel those fires to greater intensity , I would pose a challenge.... engage your mind in an expansive way rather than trying to peer up ones own asshole to determine how wide the orifice is and whether there is room to insert a thought of an analytical nature rather than another weak puerile attempt at humor.

So, hence I will tender my own attempt to amuse.... name that quote! One beer for each one correctly attributed without need of google. Those who resort to using hard copy(or own hard copy) where the answers can be found will be congradulated, but will be denied libation.


1
It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen.
2
A lie does not consist in the indirect position of words, but in the desire and intention, by false speaking, to deceive and injure your neighbour.
3
Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.
4
The want of belief is a defect that ought to be concealed when it cannot be overcome.
5
It is a mistake that there is no bath that will cure people's manners, but drowning would help
6
If one must drink with fools... it is best to drink alone.


I guess I found my reason for tonight's beer... the company to drink it with.... and I am sad for all of it.

5 comments:

Randal Graves said...

I hope if that dude's house ever catches on fire, he's got a mighty powerful garden hose because I'm sure he'll turn down the taxpayer-funded firefighters and shut up wingnuts about that being a strawman argument for your throat is choking with straw how do you think you make such ridiculous noises have a beer for me, one bourbon, one scotch and one beer, ba da ba da riff riff riff.

Laura said...

So sorry Jimm. :(
Very sad that your friend feels that his being "right" is more important than your friendship.
((BIGHUGS))
Laura

Life As I Know It Now said...

They are all like that. Mean, stingy, and stupid. You deserve better.

okjimm said...

Thanks...Libs, Sunshine, Randal...
thing of it is.... The "New" Beck-Limbaugh-O'Reilly-Savage ethos involves no manners. Snide,sarcasm, belittling rhetoric is now acceptable.

I am really grieving...I have known the dude for 35 years and it is a lotta history. I guess the difference is I am scraping to get my car fixed/keep my job... and he is worried about the insurance on his Porsche going up. Fuck this world!

susan said...

It's sad but true that many upper middle class, middle aged white males are freaking out big time. I'm sorry it's caused a rift between you and an old friend.

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