TRUMP’S “KILROY WAS HERE” ADDICTION & OTHER PECULIAR BEHAVIOR

TRUMP’S “KILROY WAS HERE” ADDICTION & OTHER PECULIAR BEHAVIOR

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Donald Trump has many upsetting quirks and idiosyncrasies. Two are particularly noticeable. One is his obsession with putting his name on anything that is available. The other is his habitual use of threats, intimidation, reward, or punishment to get his way. The most annoying one is, however, his obsession with self-aggrandizement. TRUMP’S “KILROY WAS HERE” OBSESSION His name obsession reminds me of the historical phenomenon “Kilroy Was Here.” That history is one of graffiti from World War II.   This simple…

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THIS PRESIDENT THINKS CRITITIZING HIM IS “TREASON” WHILE PUNISHING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH

THIS PRESIDENT THINKS CRITITIZING HIM IS “TREASON” WHILE PUNISHING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH

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The First Amendment prohibits the government from “abridging the freedom of speech.” It also prohibits retaliation against people for speaking out, even if the speech is critical of the government. The Constitution is meaningless when our Supreme Court is in President Trump’s hip pocket and ignores its mandates. It has issued frequent “shadow docket” rulings, critics informally label as “ghost decisions” because they carry legal effect but lack full, transparent reasoning for challenge. At the same time,  Congress has been…

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“WAR AND TAXES: THE PRICE OF UNRESTRAINED POWER

“WAR AND TAXES: THE PRICE OF UNRESTRAINED POWER

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The Scourge of Irresponsible Government Economics This state legislature is demonstrating another failure to apply economic common sense. The government is expected to spend only the money it has available and not go into economic debt. When the government spends more than it has, a budget deficit is the result. To cover that difference government doesn’t cut back, but instead raises more money through taxes. This Democratic state legislature has been an economic failure in the face of serious economic…

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MY GRANDFATHER PETER BABAROVICH 1861 – 1935

MY GRANDFATHER PETER BABAROVICH 1861 – 1935

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My maternal grandfather, Peter (Petar) babarovich died the year I was born – 1935. I was born on February 21st, 1935, and he died a month later on March 5th of that year. As a result, I never knew this unique man. Nonno babarovich was born on April 12, 1861, in the village of Splitska on the island of Brac in Croatia off the coast of Split, Yugoslavia in the Adriatic Sea. Peter was the second child of his father,…

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THE GROWING RUDENESS IN POLITICS – AND IN EVERYDAY LIFE

THE GROWING RUDENESS IN POLITICS – AND IN EVERYDAY LIFE

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Civility once served as the glue of a democratic society. Disagreement was often passionate, but it was restrained by the belief that all opponents were not enemies. Today, that restraint has become increasingly absent, both in politics and in daily life by the example and conduct of Donald Trump. President Trump has made insult-driven rhetoric acceptable by a frequent use of mocking nicknames and personal attacks toward opponents, journalists, judges, and even former allies. At the same time, he has…

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HAS ANYONE SEEN A MODERN DIOGENES?

HAS ANYONE SEEN A MODERN DIOGENES?

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Diogenes, a Greek philosopher (4th century), was said to have walked through Athens, in broad daylight, carrying a lit lantern, claiming he was “looking for an honest man.”  It’s clear he would have found few to meet his standard of truth and honesty. Politics has always had its share of not speaking the full truth. What feels newer, and far more corrosive, is the growing comfort some politicians now have with simply abandoning the facts altogether, particularly when courts or public…

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WILLIAM TAYLOR: COACH, MENTOR AND INSPIRATION FOR ANACORTES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

WILLIAM TAYLOR: COACH, MENTOR AND INSPIRATION FOR ANACORTES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

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On January 24, 2002, William “Bill” Taylor died in Anacortes. He was one of Anacortes’s most successful basketball coaches in the history of the school.  As a coach & teacher, he was also a positive influence in so many students’ lives, including mine. He was a great coach and mentor to me. I’ve published a full account of my high school relationship with this great coach and his profound influence in my life: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/01/william-taylor.html . In addition, I published a background…

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PHYLLIS MARIE LUVERA ENNES 1928 – 2013

PHYLLIS MARIE LUVERA ENNES 1928 – 2013

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My sister Phyllis died on January 7, 2013. She was the oldest of the three children, leaving Anita Mayer and me surviving. Phylllis was born to Paul and Mary Luvera in Anacortes on  January 29, 1928.   She graduated from Anacortes High School in 1946 with honors and attended the University of Washington, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English in 1950. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. In 1953, she earned the State of…

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ELIZABETH “BETTY” BARNETT  1910 -1985 AND FLIPPA LUVERA 1870 – 1946

ELIZABETH “BETTY” BARNETT  1910 -1985 AND FLIPPA LUVERA 1870 – 1946

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Lita’s mother and my paternal grandmother died on the same day, December 20th,  but thirty nine years apart. Lita’s mother, Elizabeth Catherine Barnett was an extraordinary woman. Very bright, wise and gifted in so many ways. I’ve written about this remarkable woman many times. See https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/12/my-mother-in-law-elizabeth-barnett-1910-1995.html  It was my privilege to have known her. She was very intelligent, wise and a great judge of people. I loved her like my own mother for her many qualities and her understanding. This…

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AESOP WROTE A FABLE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP

AESOP WROTE A FABLE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP

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With the possible exception of the New Testament, no works written in Greek are better known than Aesop’s Fables. For at least 2500 years, they have been teaching people of all ages and every social status lessons on how to choose correct actions and the likely consequences of choosing incorrect actions.  Aesop wrote a fable about vanity leading to self-destruction in his tale about a raven and a swan: “A Raven, which you know is black as coal, was envious of…

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