Says You 2013-W41

Friday morning I was sipping coffee while browsing the morning web-news, when something got stuck in my craw and I fired up the bloggenator to get typing.  Here comes the rant.

Two things that reliably annoy me are (1) when I read claims that something is the world's finest/best/most <something>/tastiest.  Yeah... says who?  My first thought, normally, is that I would enjoy seeing the proof of that.  As a minor exemplar of this theme, it drives me crazy when Jim Nance and CBS try to anoint some team as this year's "Cinderella" in the NCAA tournament first round.  Sorry dudes, you have to wait for America to decide that, not your producer.

Which brings us to (2)...  I couldn't think of a concise word or phrase to describe this in English.  (Though I'm sure German has one long word for it.)   This weekend heralds the annual summit of the so-called "values voters".  As though other voters who vote differently are bereft of values.  Hah.  What this group should more honestly call themselves is "libertarian/conservative social values voters".  And let me emphasize they have a right to their viewpoint, but not to passively assert that my contrary viewpoint must mean I lack values.  That is malarkey.  If English vocabulary worked like German, we would probably describe this with something like baselesswordusurping (or, surprisingly similar in fake German: grundloswortusurping.)

There are dozens of similar examples of groups and individuals who co-opt words in this presumptuous manner, particularly "patriots" or "patriotic".  Now, fortunately Sarah Palin and I could not be more different other than that we're both still fit and trim for our age.  And like her (probably), I still get a thrill on July 4th when I hear the opening notes of The Stars and Stripes Forever.  I think America is pretty great despite its flaws and my family has no shortage of war veterans.  So what makes Sarah Palin think her views epitomize patriotism while contrary views must demark some stripe of anti-American?   Nothing but hot air, that's what.

I am sure there are comparable examples from the left-leaning side of the political spectrum, but I will leave it to Rush Limbaugh to carp on those baselesswordusurpers as that's his job. 

On a lighter and happier note, today we started up season 4 of the Salon deWinchester.  Please click the Awesome Link for that blog and go check out the great art there. 

My work today is the first stab at Propuesta 8 from Acuarela Creativa.  More about that another time.  And, large format or small, enjoy!

The Artist, Pixellated