You mean to tell me this blog has been in a coma since 2014?

It's not so much that I have not had anything to say, but rather, like so many others, social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, TicTok, Vine (RIP Vine 2013-2017), Periscope, Kiwi, WhatsApp, etc. have become the places to offer opinion and healthy debate and discourse.
I kid.
They are largely cesspools of trollery and bigotry, with the occasional cute baby or cat video to sooth the mind.
Further, bloggers have largely gone the audio/video route rather than this old-fashioned typing of words upon a screen.
Anyway, let us get to the point of this post.  This semester among other courses, I'm teaching New Media Production at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.
This is a setup for a bonus question on the course final exam.
Let us have a discussion of social media and blogging in general (whether written, spoken, or shared visually).  For any of my students in the New Media Production class, commenting here will result in some bonus points on your final.

That New Yorker cover

There's been much written about the kerfuffle over the cover art of this week's New Yorker magazine. Among the best is this from the Libertarian Lawyer, E.M. Zanotti, a/k/a The American Princess. Here's an excerpt:

Obama, who is pretentious enough for ten subscriptions to the New Yorker, seems incredibly desperate to condemn the magazine, though. No one reads it. I guarantee no one outside of Manhattan, most major cities and other regions already thoroughly converted to Obamamania will ever purchase it, and a week from now the New Yorker will be back to putting cubist renderings of national landmarks on its cover. So why care so much? Why shoot a publication willing to lick Obama's loafers until they shine right in the knee?

Although it is the MSM that has placed BO on the messianic pedestal, they will be unable to resist the temptation to pull him back down, because they can. This is going to be an election campaign to remember.

Are you a Democrat, a Republican, or a Redneck?

I think this one has been making the rounds for awhile, but since my sister-in-law was kind enough to share it with me, I figure, what the hell, it's good for a chuckle:

Here is a little test that will help you decide

You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, an Islamic terrorist with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, praises Allah, raises the knife, and charges at you.

You are carrying a Glock cal 40, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family.

What do you do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Democrat's Answer

Well, that's not enough information to answer the question!

Does the man look poor! Or oppressed?

Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?

Could we run away?

What does my wife think? What about the kids?

Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand?

What does the law say about this situation?

Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it?

Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children?

Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me?

Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?

If I were to grab his knees and hold on , could my family get away while he was stabbing me?

Should I call 9-1-1 ?

Why is this street so deserted?

We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behavior.

This is all so confusing!

I need to discuss with some friends over a latte and try to come to a consensus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Republican's Answer:

BANG!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Redneck's Answer:

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Click....

(sounds of reloading)

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click

Daughter: 'Nice grouping, Daddy! Were those the Winchester Silver Tips or Hollow Points?'

Son: 'You got him, Pop! Can I shoot the next one?'

Wife: 'You are not taking that to the taxidermist

Giving Thanks

Michael Yon brings us a tale of thanksgiving.
Nothing I can write would match his visual and literal eloquence.
Enjoy the holiday.

Common Nonsense

Where to begin.
Yet another article making the rounds of the 'Net about the utter lack of good sense by school administrators, this time in Chandler, Arizona. A 13-year-old boy draws a picture of a laser gun and earns a five day suspension because the sketch is deemed a "threat." Quoting from the article, "Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the sketch was "absolutely considered a threat," and threatening words or pictures are punishable." Read the entire news article here.
It is examples such as this that help explain why the general public's confidence in the public school system hovers in the same neighborhood as the polling numbers of President Bush and Congress.

[The image accompanying this post was whipped together in PhotoShop and is not necessarily representative of the fear-inducing visage created by Ben and Paula Mosteller's "evil genius" son.]