Fri(ed) Day

Thank The Beast It's Friday!

"Eat, drink, and be merry while you still can, foolish mortals!"

Debate Night

Last night's debate summarized in a single picture

So the Republican candidates for president, plus Donald Trump, got together last night for another debate in Houston. For reasons that are not entirely clear, Ben Carson and John Kasich were allowed on the stage, but they contributed nothing of interest to the proceedings.



The big news was that Ted Cruz and especially Marco Rubio finally decided to go after Trump, from the opening bell to the end. Trump did not respond well, and at one point even complained to the moderators that they were asking him too many questions.

CNN did its best to minimize the damage, giving Trump nearly 30 minutes of solo interview time immediately after the debate to try to spin his performance, but it didn't do much good. You can tell how effective Cruz and Rubio were in their attacks by the frantic concern-trolling from the progressive mainstream media (but I repeat myself) this morning about the "tone" of the discourse. Apparently it is fine for Trump to insult everyone in sight including the Pope, but for Trump to be forced to answer tough questions and be called out and mocked when he cannot is beyond the pale.

Now the question becomes: Will it make a difference? Time will tell, of course, but as of this morning it does appear that Rubio has no intention of backing off.

"Wow! Wicked harsh, man!"

Trump deserves every bit of this, and much more...

One Less Decision to Worry About

One more reason to be glad I'm Catholic!

What should I have for dinner tonight? That's simple: The Fish Fry Friday at Village Inn. Duh.

"That's the 'all you can eat' one, right?"

That would be correct, yes...

Worst-Case Scenario

From the pen of Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Ramirez, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

Until Next Time...

On February 26, 1932 Johnny "J.R." Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, but by the time of his death in 2003 at age 71 it is no exaggeration to say that he was "from" everywhere in this country. In a career spanning nearly half a century, his music and his persona were as much a part of the American landscape as the Everglades, the Great Lakes, the Badlands, the Rocky Mountains, or the Grand Canyon.

February 26, 1932 - September 12, 2003

Blessed with one of the most distinctive voices in the history of American popular music, Cash released more than 100 albums in his career, including dozens that made the Billboard 200 Albums chart, and two which reached No. 1. Nine of his albums hit No. 1 on the Country chart. His 1969 live album At San Quentin hit No. 1 on both charts, and earned triple-platinum certification from RIAA.

Cash also tried his hand at acting, appearing in numerous movies and TV shows. He also hosted a popular music variety show on the ABC Network. He even published Man in White, a novel about St. Paul.


After a creative and commercial lull in the late 1980s to early 1990s, Cash rejuvenated his career by teaming up with famed producer Rick Rubin.

The first fruit of their collaboration was American Recordings (1993), which earned a Grammy Award. They would go on to produce and release five more albums in Cash's American series, two of which were released posthumously. American IV: The Man Comes Around was completed and released just a few months before Cash's death. It is
a remarkable collection of cover songs featuring some of Cash's favorite songwriters, but for me the peak of the album is one of the last songs Cash himself ever wrote.

American IV: The Man Comes Around album cover

"The Man Comes Around" was one of only three original songs on the album, and the only one Cash wrote completely by himself. It had been written a couple of years before the American IV sessions began, following a dream Cash had about Queen Elizabeth comparing him to "a thorn tree in a whirlwind."

A significantly revised version of the song was the first track on the American IV album, and was its first single release.


While the song did not chart, it certainly got plenty of attention, especially following Cash's death just a few months after it was released. The song has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows.

Today's send-off is the updated album version of the song, which added some spoken-word narration. Happy birthday, Johnny...