Featured Blog: Cognitive Dissonance

I discovered this most excellent blog when I reconnected with a friend from many years ago. I had the pleasure of working with Mike Kubat when we were both stationed in Rota, Spain. Although his self-description below is of a grump, I remember him as a courteous, pleasant, intelligent, well-spoken naval officer, for whom I had the utmost respect.

The writing on his blog, Cognitive Dissonance, reinforces those impressions from so many years ago. I commend the entire blog as a source of "real help when things simply make no sense," but in particuluar, I consider his recent article concerning global warming/climate change/climate disruption to be one of the most articulate, clear, well reasoned, and adequately documented I have encountered.

His writing style is not only cogent but engaging and often entertaining. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

Cognitive Dissonance

real help when things simply make no sense...

About Michael J. Kubat

I'm a grumpy Czech-born clinical social worker who is vitally interested in the survival

of the United States as a viable democracy and a beacon of hope for the rest of the world.

Go to Michael's blog.

Featured Dictionary Site

As a word lover, I discovered the greatest dictionary site the other day. courtesy of my friend Dan. With one entry, you get dozens of results.

Dictionary Search

Here's an example of what the results of a search look like:

We found 31 dictionaries with English definitions that include the word balderdash: Click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where "balderdash" is defined. General (30 matching dictionaries)

1. balderdash: Compact Oxford English Dictionary [home, info]

2. balderdash: American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language [home, info]

3. balderdash: Macmillan Dictionary [home, info]

4. balderdash: Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, 11th Edition [home, info]
5. Balderdash, balderdash: Wordnik [home, info]

6. balderdash (noun, exclamation): Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary [home, info]
7. balderdash: Wiktionary [home, info]
8. balderdash: Collins Pocket English Dictionary [home, info]
9. balderdash: Encarta® World English Dictionary, North American Edition [home, info]
10. balderdash: Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th Ed. [home, info]
11. balderdash: The Wordsmyth English Dictionary-Thesaurus [home, info]
12. balderdash: Infoplease Dictionary [home, info]
13. Balderdash, balderdash: Dictionary.com [home, info]
14. balderdash: Online Etymology Dictionary [home, info]
15. balderdash: UltraLingua English Dictionary [home, info]
16. Balderdash (disambiguation), Balderdash (game), Balderdash (game show), Balderdash: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia [home, info]
17. Balderdash: Online Plain Text English Dictionary [home, info]
18. balderdash: Webster's Revised Unabridged, 1913 Edition [home, info]
19. balderdash: Rhymezone [home, info]
20. Balderdash: AllWords.com Multi-Lingual Dictionary [home, info]
21. balderdash: Webster's 1828 Dictionary [home, info]
22. BALDERDASH: Dictionary of Americanisms (1848) [home, info]
23. Balderdash: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) [home, info]
24. balderdash: Free Dictionary [home, info]
25. balderdash: Mnemonic Dictionary [home, info]
26. balderdash: WordNet 1.7 Vocabulary Helper [home, info]
27. balderdash: LookWAYup Translating Dictionary/Thesaurus [home, info]
28. Balderdash: The Word Detective [home, info]
29. balderdash: Dictionary/thesaurus [home, info]
30. Balderdash: World Wide Words [home, info] Slang (1 matching dictionary)
31. balderdash: Urban Dictionary [home, info]

Check it out here.

¡Viva los mineros!

¡Felicitaciones, Chile!

¡Viva los mineros!

After 69 Days, All 33 Chilean Miners Rescued

How Capitalism Saved the Miners

Happy 80th, Mom!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

For once, I'm on time with my birthday wishes (although not in the snail mail)!

So, I was looking around for the perfect birthday card, when I came across this one, and it brought tears to my eyes, so I figured it must be the one.

It is true that I see many unhappy people in the world. I realize that what I am today, what I've become, is in large part due to the faith you and Dad had in me. I am happy, and I believe in myself. You believed in me, and that gave me the confidence to believe in myself, and to do my best, to pursue my dreams and become...

Your love, time, and support...

You were always there when I needed you. Your time was always there for me. You always supported me.

I am so happy that you have reached this milestone, your 80th year, and I look forward to many, many more. Again, happy birthday to the best Mom in the world for this grateful son.

I obviously don't remember when this picture was taken, but I love it now.
One of the pictures we have hanging on our wall. The back says 1992, but it doesn't say where. We were stationed in Japan at the time, so this must have been when we were home on leave.

So, again, Mom, we wish you a very Happy Birthday, Happy 80th, a wonderful year to come, and many more after that.

Your son....

With Love

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

It was in Italy, many, many years ago (well, not that many—she’s not that old) on October 4th that her mom and I received the most excellent gift, unique and amazing. She grew into the most delightful child, with smiles and winks galore, and into a fun, well adjusted daughter, and a kind young woman, wise beyond her years. Now she’s become a wonderful wife, a marvelous mother, and a faithful friend to all who choose to get to know her.

That’s how I remember it, El. (That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it!) Happy birthday, Ellie Bella. Italian Bella means beautiful. Beautiful Ellie.

Tanti auguri per un buon Compleanno!

2009, 2008, 2007