“I think the same fellow who started that self-made man gag started that other asinine expression, ‘100 per cent American.’” – Will Rogers, 28 October 1923 Will was just not one to parse his words. He spoke what he thought. I like to think I am like him in that regard. I also like to think that I also, like him, do it in a respectable manner without rants and personal attacks. At least I try to do that. Will was turned off by certain phrases and these two above were on that list. To him there is no such … Continue reading 100% American…

“A nation is just like an individual. If a man’s neighbors all hate him and he is continually in trouble, and all his fights and troubles are always over in the other fellow’s yard, he must be wrong.” – Will Rogers, 30 March 1927 Why we continue to always be fighting in the other fellow’s yard is beyond me. I am very thankful that for the most part our fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are over. We will likely on leave a couple hundred thousand of our soldiers there but that is considered a withdrawal by modern standards. . ;) … Continue reading In The Other Fellow’s Yard….

“And that’s what makes us a great nation. We take the little things serious, and the big ones as a joke.” – Will Rogers, 15 September 1933 I must admit that getting away from the politics of our nation the above quote rings pretty true of these times.  But, in these times everything is a joke in politics.  I bet when Will originally penned these words in 1933 many people weren’t taking the serious things to do with the Great Depression as a joke!  But that was just Will Rogers for you; he tried to put some jovial spin on … Continue reading Taking Things Serious……

“No nation ever had two better friends than we have. You know who they are. They are the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.” – Will Rogers, 9 April 1933 You know Will you are on to something here.  I know you were around when all the saber-rattling was going on in Europe in the early 1930s. I know you had at least a preliminary taste of what Hitler would bring onto that region but you missed out on the second war to end all wars. We tried to stay out of that one but our now Japanese friends insisted on … Continue reading No Better Friends…

On 15 August 1935, Will Rogers and Wiley Post were on their way from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Barrow, Alaska, when they encountered some heavy fog. Post knew they were near Barrow, but due to the conditions, was having difficulty spotting any landmarks. After spotting a small native camp near Walakpa Lagoon, Wiley Post landed the plane to ask for directions to Barrow. After Will and Wiley got out and stretched their legs, Clair Okpeaha, one of the natives, directed them towards Barrow. Upon take off from lagoon, the plane began a steep accent, and banked sharply to the right. At … Continue reading Here’s To You Will…

“Plans get you into things but you got to work your way out.” – Will Rogers, 25 June 1931 Be careful you might just get what you plan for. I seem to have to learn that lesson over and over again through my life. I am a planner to my soul. When I was six years old you could often find me out on the dewy grass on a summer night staring at the stars and wondering/planning what my future would look like.  And for the next sixty years I have continued to the same thing. In my very early … Continue reading Planning…

When some nation wants us to help ’em out they use the same old “gag”, that we should exert our “Moral Leadership” and, like a yap, we believe it, when as a matter of truth, no nation wants any other nation exerting a “Moral leadership” over ’em even if they had one.  — Will Rogers Will it amazes me how eighty plus years ago you can tell us so much that we think is somehow new today. Moral leadership, yeah that is a good one.  I remember President Bush using those words over and over again to get us into … Continue reading “Moral Leadership”…

  Nobody wants to be called Common People, especially common people.” – Will Rogers, 21 June 1925 Let’s face it, no one likes to think that they are common. We all like to see ourselves as different from everyone else. As teenagers we spend an inordinate amount to time to make ourselves different. So much so that teenagers all end up being pretty common. :) About the worst insult you can give anyone is to call them common.  Many of us refuse to believe in statistical analysis that can show in advance what we think or who we will vote … Continue reading Common People….

  “This country is a thousand times bigger than any two men in it, or any two parties in it.” – Will Rogers, 2 November 1932 I seem to often get ground down by the politics of the day. Especially with all the gridlock and bickering that is always there. Thanks Will for reminding me that the country is a thousand times bigger than all those ornery folks in Washington or the two parties that now occupy space there. Outside the Washington beltway and several State houses there is still a lot of good going on in this country and … Continue reading Bigger Than….

“There is nothing that sets a nation back as far in civilization as prosperity.” – Will Rogers, 2 April 1933 Yeah Will, prosperity does seem to bring out the animal in many of us. Just look at the Robber Barons of the early 20th century for evidence of that.  Heck, you don’t even have to look that far back, just look at the 1%ers now who will do just about anything to maintain their wealth.  Prosperity brings out the best in a few but the worst in others. Continue reading Prosperity…

“…elections are a good deal like marriages, there is just no accounting for anyone’s taste.” – Will Rogers, 10 May 1926 You got that right Will. Of course when you made this quote Calvin Coolidge was president Hoover was just around the corner to replace him. I guess you were a pretty good predictor of the future.  I had the very same thoughts in November 2004 when Mr. Bush was given a second term.  I couldn’t understand the taste of the electorate that year. Continue reading No Accounting For Taste…