What Do You Need to Know?

All lives have triumphs and tragedies, laughter and tears, and mine has been no different.

Thelma Catherine Ryan “Pat” Nixon, First Lady of the United States from January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974, was born on this day in 1912 (died 1993)

Today is National Freedom of Information Day, recognized annually during Sunshine Week. It is also the birthday of our fourth U.S. President James Madison (1751-1836).

I deal with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) stuff in my day job. I am not allowed to say “do y’all really need that?”

And that’s all I’m saying about that.

I’ve had great success being a total idiot.

American actor and comedian, Jerry Lewis, was born on this day in 1926 (died 2017)

Look no further than Washington and you’ll be reminded that Lewis wasn’t the only one to have success as an idiot.

And that’s a bipartisan statement.

I lived and worked in the DC area for almost eight years. I commuted to Capitol Hill every day.

I know whereof I speak.

Being a young conservative in DC in the latter years of the Reagan Administration was a pretty special thing.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t total idiots in town.

Your partisan assessment may vary.

No seriously, I don’t really think there are more idiots in DC today. I just think social media makes them more accessible.

The last thing I will say is, you get what you vote for.

Maybe all the idiots aren’t in DC after all.

I’m sorry, did I type that outloud?

THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

Speculation mounts over ID of ‘new’ Biden family member who got cut of $3M wire
New York Post
It’s Washington’s newest guessing game: Who is the unnamed Biden family member who got proceeds from a $3 million wire to Hunter Biden associate John “Rob” Walker weeks after Joe Biden left the vice presidency in 2017?

Leadership: Biden Calls On Banks To Stop Collapsing
The Babylon Bee
“Hey there, banks! Yeah, you! Stop it! I mean it! Not a joke!” said the President to a smiley face written on his thumb in Sharpie he mistook for one of his nieces. “You’ve collapsed long enough! I say, no more! That’s enough, banks! Cut it out right now, or so help me I’ll count to ten!”

Chip Roy: ‘It’s Time for Ron DeSantis to Be President’
National Review
“The next President of the United States must be a vibrant and energetic leader with the faith, vision and courage to chart a new course,” Roy said in a statement. “America needs a leader who will truly defend her and empower the people against the destructive force of unrestrained government and corporate excess, profligate spending, and woke cultural indoctrination. That leader is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.”

WHAT I’M READING


BORN ON THIS DAY

American singer-songwriter and guitarist, Jerry Jeff Walker, was born on this day in 1942 (died 2020).


 

Michael R. Fletcher on Amazon

Beware, there are Two More Days After the Ides

But, for mine own part, it was a Greek salad to me.
(Casca, Act 1 Scene 2)
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
(slightly paraphrased)

Julius Caesar was assassinated on this day in 44 BC.

We’re not yet at the end of the week. Beware.

I’ve never been cast in a production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, as Caesar or anyone else.

In fact, I’ve only been in two actual Shakespeare productions. Well, if you don’t count the scene I did for a friend’s directing class.

I’ve seen Caesar on stage, including my son’s college production that was set in pre-revolutionary Cuba…or somewhere similar. An interesting take that included ketchup packets that didn’t always explode at the right time.

Ah…live theater…

Some days I miss it more than others. Just ten years ago around this time, I was in my first professional production at CAT Theatre. I had a bit part in And Then There Were None, but I also worked as part of the running crew and, if you know the story, helped the soldiers disappear.

I have no pending theater projects for the remainder of the year. Trust me, that’s okay. I have enough to do. I spent some time yesterday listing everything, and I do mean everything, that I want to accomplish. Okay, as much as I could think of for a list.

I won’t share the list here. Let’s just say that I should never run out of things to do.

You probably have a similar list, or would if you’d be like me and waste the time to write it all down.

Actually, I don’t think it was a waste. It helps to put things in perspective in determining the difference between what absolutely must be done and what things I just want to accomplish…or think I do.

To help with your perspective, check out the links below.

THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

DeSantis: Ukraine Aid Not ‘Vital’ National Interest
NewsMax
“While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them,” DeSantis said in the statement.

Oscar For Best Actor Goes To Volodymyr Zelensky
The Babylon Bee
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the first person who identifies as a world leader to win an Oscar.

‘The Office’ Star Rainn Wilson Slams Hollywood for Its Blatant ‘Anti-Christian Bias’
RedState
“I do think there is an anti-Christian bias in Hollywood,” tweeted Wilson. “As soon as the David character in “The Last of Us” started reading from the Bible I knew that he was going to be a horrific villain. Could there be a Bible-reading preacher on a show who is actually loving and kind?”

Biden accidentally reveals Jimmy Carter asked him to deliver his eulogy
New York Post
Biden, 80, made the apparent gaffe during a Democratic Party fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., while speaking about the health of Carter, who entered hospice care on Feb. 19.

WHAT I’M READING


BORN ON THIS DAY

American musician and record producer, Sly Stone, was born on this day in 1943.