Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Another Passing

RIP, President Ford. The New York Times has a lengthy and very well-done obituary (they get some things right). If you’re too young to remember President Ford and the terrible times we went through under his leadership, brief as it was, then there’s no better place to start than this obit. Ford was pretty much the right guy at the right time. And Chevy Chase made a freakin’ career out of imitating him, to the great delight of most folks, Dems and Repubs alike.

The Financial Times (UK) has a good obit, as well. And it’s a lot shorter.

I used to think President Ford was the root of most evil, especially after he pardoned my own personal bugaboo-in-chief, Richard Nixon. But that was back in my moonbat days, when I was much younger and a lot more stupid (like Twain, I repeat myself). Captain Ed raises the subject of the pardon, as have many other folks on both sides of the ‘sphere. Ed makes some good points, but I disagree with his conclusion. Unlike Ed, I think Ford did the right thing. We’ll see and hear a lot about this subject in the coming days.

I haven’t been keeping up with James Taranto’s “Best of the Web” feature in the WSJ’s Opinion Journal of late. And I’ve missed some good stuff…like Taranto’s nine-part (as of yesterday) series Responding to Rangel. Taranto is printing letters from WSJ readers, mostly military folks, who beg to differ with Charlie Rangel’s meme about the military only containing the poor and the stupid. Some Hella good reading there.

The guys at Powerline post a reader-submitted picture of Jon Kary in Irak. What a lonely, lonely man. Deservedly so.

The WSJ has an excellent primer on the unfolding war in Somalia, if you’re interested. The situation is way beyond “Blackhawk Down,” and threatens to become a major regional conflict.

Today’s Pic: A collage of things Ol’ Kermie and I saw through the windshield of El Casa Móvil De Pennington in May, 2000. Mostly in and around northwest Wyoming. As always, click for larger.

6 comments:

  1. Just reading the Times obit... and come across this tidbit: "Gerald Rudolph Ford was born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha to Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer King." I'm like... .why is his name Ford? And it isn't until much later in the article that they explain that.... after I already looked it up somewhere else. LOL! Pretty unusual for a woman to leave her husband in 1913 with a newborn baby.

    What I remember of Gerald Ford was... of course, my dad swearing at the television set ;)

    Nice pics, as usual.

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  2. Laurie said: Pretty unusual for a woman to leave her husband in 1913 with a newborn baby.

    Good point. Unheard of, even, in those times. Still pretty rare these days, although not unknown.

    And I was swearing at the Tee Vee right along with your Dad, too, Laurie. :-)

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  3. Buck! You posted Teton pictures, Buck! Gorgeous ones, too! And you took them out the window! That's my old neighborhood, sigh.

    Jerry Ford was one of those old-fashioned Republicans: honest, plainspoken, humble and kind. He was so easy to make fun of. "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone" is the song that comes to mind.

    Okay, your photos inspired me so much that I posted a few on my blog, just for potential comments. A compromise of sorts. It's not showing up yet - tomorrow maybe...

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  4. I like the snow covered Teton pix. Something about seeing snow on mountain tops that brings a certain feeling of expectancy. Like, maybe, Dad, can we go visit the snow? It's not that far away...!

    President Ford had courage, that few politicians share, nowadays. No one ever doubted that he loved our country!

    Too bad people voted for the Peanut Subsidy receiving politician, cuz they were still mad at Nixon. Shows what happens when you act emotionally.

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  5. Bec said: That's my old neighborhood, sigh.

    I'm always amazed that folks actually live in places like this. Did you ever find yourself taking this magnificent scenery for granted, Bec?

    dc says: Shows what happens when you act emotionally.

    Truer words were never spoken, dc.

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  6. I'm always amazed that folks actually live in places like this. Did you ever find yourself taking this magnificent scenery for granted, Bec?

    NEVER. The day we had to leave, I stood outside on the porch and cried.
    On the bright side, my life led me to my wonderful husband and kids. And they love those mountains as much as I do. Maybe someday one of us will go back. :)
    (Got another round of photos up - NOW I'm going back to work...)

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