The first presidential debate of Donald Trump and Joe Biden ended up in a near tie.  Both lost.  However, it was an unmitigated disaster for Biden, who just might be too old to win this re-election. For Trump, it was a reinforcement of what he does all the the time, lie.   There will be significant calls for the Democratic Party to work out "something" to replace Biden as their presidential candidate.  Suddenly, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom and Michelle Obama are added to the spotlight.  But what can "legally" occur at the August Democratic Convention? The situation is different on the Republican side, as Trump is the Republican Party, and no matter if he gets 4 years at his felony sentencing on July 9, or even if the Supreme Court determines he is not immune next week or later, he will be the presidential candidate. Trump is a damned boastful liar and convicted felon, but that is the only option for Republicans.  His vice-presidential choice now become...

  This is one of those Mondays when I couldn't figure out what to say.  Some of you went to work, and found out you had this President's Day off.  Sure,  President Joe Biden made an unprecedented visit to Kyiv , and that was noteworthy.  Our 98-year former president,  Jimmy Carter , is resting reasonably well. What else?  The weather is fine in much of the world, especially the USA.  This is also  World Day of Social Justice , and  Carnival Monday .  Think Mardi Gras.   13 years ago I walked out of my hotel into downtown Munich and experienced an incredible celebration, called  Fasching , which in most of southwest Germany is a kind of a one-day Mardi Gras celebrated today.  People are walking around drinking from full bottles of wine, and many are gaudily dressed.  Everything is tolerated by officials.  I also had one of my  Best Lunches  that day. In the U.S. this is  National Cherry Pi...

It was 1958 and popular that year was   To Know Him Is to Love Him , by the Teddy Bears.  I bring this subject on this Sunday because my freshman college roommate said:  This is all about God. While that option was only a remote possibility to me at that time, I re-thought this potential when I woke up to view on Music Choice this song.  So what are the alternatives? Your father. A pet. God. A dog. Someone you like. So I went to  Wikipedia , and saw that the song was written by Phil Spector... THE infamous Phil Spector   ( left, also bottom left in above photo and playing guitar in the You Tube song ), who I'll delve into a bit later.  He said the words were on his father's tombstone:   To have known him was to have loved him .  Well, I guess that answers the question.  Then again, maybe not.   Spector further said that, for the music, he slowed-down the 1926  When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bobbin' Along) , first...