Steven E. Davis

Although it was several days until any of us knew, our friend and the founder of Pop Blog died a year ago today. The world has changed a great deal since then, changes that surely Steven would have had choice words to describe. Undoubtedly, our friend would have much to say about Donald Trump, the continuing Health Care debate and our new Representative in Congress, Mike Pompeo, among other topics.

One of the things I like best about Steven was his dry sense of humor, and his ability to display that sense of humor related to most any nonsense in the news of the world.

It doesn’t get any easier to accept Steven’s passing. He was gone far too soon. Each of us have a story or two to tell, a comment from Steven that we remember vividly or just a bit of his sense of humor that still makes us laugh.

I think of Steven often when I hear the music of Bob Dylan. Like me, Steven was a fan of Dylan and appreciated his lyrics and musicianship.

FOREVER YOUNG

“May your hands always be busy 
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation 
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful 
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young 
May you stay forever young.”

Bob Dylan – 1974

For so many of the people who’s lives were touched by him, Steven will remain for us, forever young.

WSC

Friday, 2/4/11, Public Square

Thursday, 2/3/11, Public Square

Wednesday, 2/2/11, Public Square

In the hit 1993 comedy Groundhog Day, weatherman Bill Murray’s worst nightmare is to keep waking up in the snowy Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney — home of an overweight, prognosticating rodent named Phil.  Murray’s disdain notwithstanding, Phil’s Feb. 2 forecasts have been drawing revelers to Punxsutawney for 125 years.

Today will be no exception, despite a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service.

But not to worry: “Groundhog Day is a lot like a rock concert, but the people are better behaved and there’s a groundhog involved,” Tom Chapin, the paper’s editor told National Geographic News last Groundhog Day eve. “There’s music and entertainment, spoofs of game shows, and people shooting t-shirts and Beanie Babies” into the crowd.

If Phil emerges from his temporary burrow — a simulated tree stump at the rural site of Gobbler’s Knob —  and sees his shadow, tradition has it that winter weather will continue for six more weeks.  But if Phil doesn’t see his shadow — highly likely, given the grim forecast — then spring temperatures are supposedly just around the corner.

Tuesday, 2/1/11, Public Square

Monday, 1/31/11, Public Square

Sunday, 1/30/11, Public Square

Saturday, 1/29/11, Public Square

Friday, 1/28/11, Public Square

Thursday, 1/27/11, Public Square

Those who listened to the State of the Union speeches (and those who didn’t) probably know that both sides promised that going forward would be different.  That’s correct!  The GOP remembers President Obama’s first two years in office, but he’s not going to do that anymore.  Everyone remembers bushco and the six full years the GOP controlled the presidency and both chambers of Congress, but they’re not going to do that anymore.  We all know discretionary spending freezes and / or cuts won’t be enough.  From there we are in the same boat — different ideas for what will fix the problems and how we tackle the challenges.

The biggest difference I see are those who say they’re Republican leaders.  The GOP I’m familiar with doesn’t put Palin, Bachmann, Beck, et al, in the role of spokespersons.  What are the differences you see?

Tuesday, 1/25/11, Public Square

Sunday, 1/2/11, Public Square

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” ~ Plato

Saturday, 1/1/11, Public Square

1/1/11 — a day that won’t repeat itself for another century.  The web is buzzing with potential meanings.  What do you think?

May each of us exhibit the same tolerance and concern for others we expect for ourselves.

Friday, 12/17/10, Public Square

Thursday, 12/16/10, Public Square

“The owners of this country know the truth: It’s called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.”

~ George Carlin