Wayward Landlubber

Many years ago, when I was more interested in Tonka trucks than in this new piece of furniture my parents purchased; an Admiral TV set with a record turntable in the top of the cabinet, as well as containing an AM FM radio. There was a weekly television drama that I suspect was watched by WWII veterans like my dad. It was called, The Man Without a Country. The historical and biographical information comes from Google and Wikipedia. Two places rightwingers avoid, lest their minds be poisoned  by George Soros. The short story was written for Altlantic magazine in 1863 by Edward Everett Hale, a greatnephew of Revolutionary War hero, Nathan Hale. The subject of the story was a young Army Lieutenant, Phillip Nolan, who  befriends Aaron Burr  on a visit. When Burr is charge with treason, after a duel where he proved the better shot than Alexander Hamilton, Nolan is charged as well. I do not know if Nolan was an active participant, or an innocent bystander, but he is convicted b...

Some of us are obsessive about words. Or obsessive compulsive. That's  fine, delusion is over-used by those who overuse words, why should we not be obsessive or compulsive  about words? The definition of any word is agreed to mean something. Some of us challenge those rules, as we should; it is how we strengthen the boring rules of lexicographers. And we can be criticized for the content of our words. Cynics and humorists need to stretch truths the same way they stretch credulity. Lawyers and politicians must hue closely to those boring lexicographers definition of words. They are either prosecuting, or defending people who have no respect for what those truths represent, or who were prosecuted by elected people who have no respect in those words. And then you know you're screwed. A sign of a healthy polity, is not having to concern yourself with how narrowly the controlling power interprets your words or actions. Or what you possibly might be capable of. Would you want any Re...