Luck

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."

--Thomas Jefferson

Oceans 13 (2007)

The only of the third-in-a-trilogies I've seen this summer, Oceans 13, is a light comedy caper that's fun to watch and quickly forgettable. Honestly, I can't remember a single line from the film, but I left the theater feeling happy. So, I guess that's something.

The film revolves Danny Ocean (Clooney) who gathers his con artist cohorts together to help their financier Ruben overcome health issues caused by a scheming, fellow casino owner (Pacino). Previous women love interests, Roberts and Zeta-Jones, do not appear in the film as this is "not their fight" or something like that. Ocean and his charming team of misfits face the daunting, conceive the improbable and achieve the impossible with a consistent Robin Hood rich-giving-to-the-poor mentality.

Oceans 13 is a lot like ice-milk. It's satisfying while you're eating it, but once you're done you can't even remember the taste.

More "Unwanted" Babies Since Roe v. Wade

From the Wall Street Journal, it appears that since the ruling on Roe v. Wade, illegitimacy has risen dramatically.

Here's a section from the article titled "It's Not Enough to be 'Wanted'" by John R. Lott, Jr.:

...One often misunderstood fact: Legal abortions just didn't start with Roe, or even with the five states that liberalized abortion laws in 1969 and 1970. Prior to Roe, women could have abortions when their lives or health were endangered. Doctors in some states, such as Kansas, had very liberal interpretations of what constituted danger to health. Nevertheless, Roe did substantially increase abortions, more than doubling the rate per live birth in the five years from 1972 to 1977. But many other changes occurred at the same time:

• A sharp increase in pre-marital sex.

• A sharp rise in out-of-wedlock births.

• A drop in the number of children placed for adoption.

• A decline in marriages that occur after the woman is pregnant.

You can read the rest of the article HERE...

Award-Winning Ass

My brother Paul reminded me last night of a funny college story I had long forgotten.

In theater, there are serious performance competitions called the Irene Ryan Competition. At the end of the school year, our theater department would hold a spoof award ceremony called the Eileen Lyons, where the entire department would attend and share in the fun festivities.

My senior year in college I was in a performance of The Tempest. One of the set pieces was this very large chess set, so for the statues at the Eileen Lyon awards, they used the chess pieces from the show.

Well, one of the categories was "The most common phrase heard in the Theater Department." The nominees were various phrases our acting teachers would often state, such as "Act better, be loud" etc. The winning phrase was not one of the nominees. The winning phrase most heard in the Theater Department in 1988 was:

"Pete, you're an ass!"

I went onto the stage to find the entire theater department offering me a standing ovation for being an ass. I believe it was the only standing ovation given that night. It was so funny that I immediately went backstage and called my mother.

"Mom!" I said on the phone, "I just won an award in the theater department!"

"Really?" Mom said excitedly.

"Yeah," I responded, "I'm the 1988 Fine Arts Assh_le of the year!"

The phone went silent for about 10 seconds.

"No," I continued, "it's a good thing!"

"Oh... okay," my Mom finally muttered.

What a funny night. So, whenever people would call me an ass, I would tell them "Not only am I an ass, but I'm an award-winning ass! That doesn't come without serious dedication and practice!"

And I still have that over-sized chess piece in my box of collectibles. After all, an award is an award!

House Rejects Security Fence at the Border

Why?

Just who are the politicians representing?

I have not met a single U.S. citizen who does not want our border secured. Polls show over 85% want it. But, somehow, the politicians can't figure out a way to fund it?

According to the The Business Journal of Phoenix, the House rejected a plan for an 854 mile double-bordered fence between Mexico and the U.S. The fence plan failed by 272 to 149 votes. Most Democrats (including Arizona congressional members Harry Mitchell, Gabrielle Giffords , Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva) voted against the border fence plan. Most Republicans (including Franks and fellow Arizona Reps. Rick Renzi and John Shadegg) voted for the comprehensive fence plan.

What the hell is going on?

The East Germans perfected a way to build a wall that is almost impossible to scale or cross. It is within our ability to build such a wall.

The citizens of the U.S. want it.

But the politicians, who are supposed to be our voice, do not.

Why?

When you answer that question, you'll come to realize just how little of a voice we actually have.

Sad. Very sad.

And extremely dangerous.