Category: Political Commentary and Contemplation

Brodie asks why the presidential process is what it is?

Brodie leaks on the process to elect

Published on by Lucas Pam2 Comments

We are getting closer…moving in on Tuesday, November 8th..the big day…the colossal finale to this presidential race to the White House.  Can’t wait for that day…literally I could not wait…and I leaked all over the process.  It was an accident…I was not paid in golden coins.  There was no ill-gotten gain.  I have no allegiance to either the donkeys or the elephants. So…how am I different from the other leakers?  Well…the golden in me experienced self-evaluation and I’ll pay attention to not letting myself get into such a position again.  I received good training and understand the good.  I wasn’t chasing some promise of shiny dog toys or yummy snacks. My four legs also came forward and spilled it…told you what I did.  So…what have we learned…well…I’m going to curb it.

Brodie the golden retriever yelps about the continued "spin" on the outcomes of the first presidential debate

Brodie woofs about the “Spin”

Published on by Lucas Pam4 Comments

Round One of the presidential debates…ding, ding…over…who won…who knows…do you care?!?… Some demonstrate excessive patterns with this race to the White House…like pundits, the media, newspaper writers, pollsters…and a conglomerate of human beings that continue to “spin” the “after-debate” to favor their candidate…ad nausea…Hey how about that word!  But let’s get back to spin.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary…spin as a noun refers to a particular way of representing an event or situation to the public so that it will be understood in a way that you want it to be understood, i.e., “They put a positive spin on the story, but no one was fooled.” Now…spin as verb means to turn around and around, or to cause something or someone to turn.  That’s the spin my four-legged brain understands.

See…one of my canine friends suddenly became hooked on the spin…spinning and chasing his tail…he’d do this frantically when he was super stressed out…and once he got going there was no stopping him until he reached complete exhaustion.  His loving people took him to a dog behaviorist…and wow… He learned to run through tunnel agility courses in straight lines…he increased his daily exercise routine & mental stimulation… worked with activity toys, puzzles and problem solving games that helped relieve stress and re-focus his mind and Voila!…no more spin!  So…clearly we have a simple cure to reduce the spin…like…avoid stress…be sure to exercise, run straight lines and work challenging puzzles…got that?!?!

Next debate is between the vice presidential candidates schedules on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, 9 p.m. EST.  Paws up and run those tunnels…

Golden Brodie talks about favorite foods of the presidential candidates 2016

Brodie slurps up the “debate buffet”

Published on by Lucas Pam7 Comments

We’re getting all ready for the first presidential debate between The Lady and Mr. T. with Lester Holt as the designated driver. We’ll be in front of our large screen with surround sound…flicking back & forth between baseball, football & the political parley.  We’re planning a menu fitting this national face-off.

I requested red and blue balloons for ambiance… but… sadly that won’t be happening.  Then I asked for servings of hot dogs…just seems fitting…but once again I was denied my wish.  Then I suggested we have black-eyed peas and collard greens…you know…for good luck and lots of money?!?!…I was told that only happens on New Year’s Day…my bad.

Eggs are a favorite food of Hillary Clinton
A favorite food of The Lady
Fast food is a favorite of Mr. Trump
Fast food is a favorite of Mr. T

So, we’re having scrambled eggs…The Lady says she can’t cook…but she makes a mean mess of eggs and McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Combos and perhaps some Burger King cheeseburgers with fries…Mr. T chows on that stuff…even has it brought onto his private plane.  Both representative foods sound like a winner to my golden palate…but then I’ll swallow just about anything…including carelessly tossed chicken bones covered with ants found along the sidewalk.

Flaps up…Let the games begin.

 

Brodie waits in the car...stuck in traffic

Brodie ponders which dog gets into the White House

Published on by Lucas Pam2 Comments

I became curious about the lucky dogs that have lived in the The White House…lots of them..some more famous than others… for a host of different reasons that had nothing to do with the dog and everything to do with the folks who occupied the “People’s House.”  So…I began my research…My source was dog time.com that lists dogs owned by presidents that resided in the White House…beginning with John Adams all the way through Barack Obama…lots of furry friends… all flavors and sizes…an impressive list I must say.  We dogs have established quite a track record for residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue…racing up and down the formal staircase…laying under the desk in the Oval Office…lounging under the Portico of the West Wing…leaving steaming dumps on the lawn for Secret Service folks to manage…

So…which dog(s) will be next…well the Lady has two dogs…Tally, a toy-poodle mix and Maisie, a curly mix.  Mr. T has a Labrador retriever, Spinee, who underwent extensive surgery this past summer…yes…Spinee has shared his medical records.

Now… you could always add this variable to your voting criteria…Which dog do I want to see in The People’s House?!

Remember the write-in information I researched for you???… well…consider this..do you know how to spell golden retriever? (i before e except after c)… I’m just saying…

 

Brodie barks: Write in ballots for DUCK & gives the states that take write ins.

Brodie barks: Write in “DUCK” for President

Published on by Lucas Pam2 Comments

According to the latest on the Internet…43 states allow a Write in Ballot for the President of the USA.  Which 7 don’t?…Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota.

Per Bloomberg…most States require a candidate to register, however; Vermont, Wyoming, Oregon, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Iowa, Delaware, and Alabama do not require registration.

Thirty-five states require that a write-in candidate must submit some form of affidavit and, sometimes, a filing fee at least one month before the election. In North Carolina, these candidates must circulate a petition. Then their names are posted on a list at the polling place, though not on the official ballot. Other write-in votes become trash.

So, my best golden treats are going to “Duck for President”…and why not?!! Duck has a clean bill (ha) of health…he has no funny money anywhere…(He has no money.)…he has no body/company/bird/in his pocket…(He has no pockets or political feathers on his body.)…he’s a possible alternative to those who refuse to cast their vote for either the donkey or elephant candidate…I understand…and if Mr. J or Mrs. Green don’t work either…then practice writing “DUCK” in preparation for voting day.

First debate coming up this Monday, September 26…hold the pate & foie gras.

“A Fresh Bill on Capitol Hill…Duck for President” by  Doreen Cronin is a wonderful teaching tool for lower school students.  Ms. Cronin additionally wrote Click, Clack, Moo…Cows that Type.

Stylized photo of Brodie the Golden Retriever

Brodie hunts down political speak

Published on by Lucas Pam4 Comments

My golden self devotes time to expanding my vocabulary.  This requires my ears and hearing ready and open…and my dog brain engaged to learn.  So…I heard this the other day on a major network “scurrilous lies….”I had no idea what this “s-word” meant, so I went to Webster’s.  Scurrilous means “making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.”  What an epiphany I had…this handy adjective clearly describes political antics of today.  So…then I looked up the antonym for this “s-word” and found polite, clean and decent.  It’s never too late to change it up.

Let’s all, everybody… go for the paradigm shift in politics by changing our political conversations and behaviors…thereby rendering this “s-word” obsolete.

Ears up.

Golden Brodie sniffs about the "claw backs" in this presidential campaign

Brodie sniffs out “the claw back”

Published on by Lucas Pam9 Comments

I enjoy the political rhetoric as it heightens and tightens…accuses and abuses…pivots and swirls…yes this is quite an arena of huffers and puffers…who remain ready to blow this presidential campaign…this loaded march…a fast march carrying a heavy load… from here to where and back.

My golden ears keep hearing about both candidates having the need to “claw back” this and that…getting something back with great difficulty.  Ok…let me spin this another way…I feel qualified, as I have four clawed paws and I understand how they work.

There are typically 319-321 bones that make up the skeleton of a dog with seven bones in the front paws and six in the back.  My dog paws have 5 different components: Claws, Digital paws, Metacarpal pad, Dewclaw, and Carpal pad…all of which serve me well. Now we find the political candidates needing claws to take back something that’s not easily done.  The way this works for me is the following:  someone trims my claws on a monthly basis… so I don’t have sharp and long nails that I could use to dig up something, scratch something, somebody or a fellow dog/cat, harm the hardwood floors, etc.  So…I am cared for in such a way as to not make it possible to claw back anything…I am relieved of these unwanted situation.

My golden self suggests that both candidates frequently trim their nails and carefully choose their words.

 

 

 

Brodie fills up his bucket

Published on by Lucas Pam15 Comments

A few days ago there was a political conversation about a basket being filled up with “deplorables.”  I’d like to change-up that conversation…spin it positively for the Lady…after all we all make mistakes and we all say things that we wish we could take back…so here goes…

Golden Brodie encourages political donkeys & elephants to read a book about kindness.
Golden Brodie encourages political donkeys & elephants to read a book about kindness.

I have a bucket and I strive to fill it up everyday.  I fill up my bucket through being respectful to others, by being a responsible golden dog and by caring for others and their lives.  See…each day I strive to fill up my bucket (my heart, my beliefs) with kindness..I become a “Bucket filler” and I glow golden.  Folks that choose to bully and hurt others, be a name caller…those folks are “Bucket Dippers”…folks that engage in taking from others…taking and being hurtful.  Which one do you live up to???? ….a filler upper or a bad dipper?

So…all of you donkeys and elephants out there…consider reading this book to help you get started.  And don’t get turned off because it’s a kids book…there is great wisdom in these pages.

“Have You Filled a Bucket Today?  A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids” by Carol McCloud.

Golden Brodie yips political satire at 3rd party candidate for president 2016

Brodie’s Political Quiz: What is Aleppo?

Published on by Lucas Pam4 Comments

Answer this question if you can…background first …today a third-party candidate/Libertarian  candidate…running for the Office of the President of the United States…if you know his name…you get some points for that one…because the press has given little show time to this man/former governor…anyway…when asked…this candidate… on a major televised network…he got the question…there was a moment of silence and then an honest confession of not knowing.  All reporters, stations, the whole reporting world jumped all over this fellow.

So…let’s see if you know: What is Aleppo? Hint…It is not a variety of dog food (I thought that was the answer…OK..OK…my bad.) and it is not a thing, an object or a do-dad or a whatamacallit.  Ticktock, ticktock…  And the answer is: Aleppo is a major Syrian city.  Google it.  Perhaps we could all benefit from understanding Aleppo and its struggles and its global implications.  I’ve learned from this man today who did not know the answer…a man who told the truth…I’m thanking him now …he raised my golden curiosity and as a result I am more informed.

Golden Retriever Brodie yelps political satire on the presidential candidates 2016

Brodie turns up allergic again..this time to nuts!?

Published on by Lucas Pam14 Comments

Six days ago I had a reaction to political shenanigans that resulted in very irritating hives.  Done with that…But no…this morning my golden dog body had an allergic reaction to nuts…that’s right nuts…nuts baked into these political cakes we’ve been yelping about.

Totally my fault…totally…I went for the cake…just sitting there…snatched the political cake and who knew…there were nuts…so many different kinds and types of nut-cases in that cake that I needed a Benadryl.  Dogs are especially allergic to nuts and the only type of nut, according to Internet research that dogs can eat are Hazel Nuts. (But… avoid them as they can cause a dog to choke.) The nuts I consumed in that political cake had different proper names…no Hazel in there…but names familiar to you.

Be golden in your thoughts and don’t work the table and don’t “take the cake.”  Don’t expect disclaimers or warnings.