tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13315342220813658672012-02-17T12:52:53.169-08:00Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.comBlogger1151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-86668653213557175342012-02-17T12:51:00.001-08:002012-02-17T12:52:53.212-08:00

As I look out and survey the landscape of these United States of America, I am, more and more, overcome by a deep-seated sense of despair and hopelessness. Sure, we are getting overdosed on political rhetoric about how bad things are from one political party, and how things are beginning to look up by the other. Who in the hell are we to believe and where is the evidence? I just don’t see it.

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-40531892287138492742012-01-27T15:16:00.000-08:002012-01-27T15:19:02.846-08:00

Well, our resident “chameleon” in the White House did not fail to disappoint those of us who still hold out faint hope that a real leader lurks somewhere within that human form. Not to worry; just more of the same. Yes, we got a lofty and inspiring speech. Yes, we got the usual dose of double-speak that sent mixed messages in order to assuage the opposition. We did get a bit more bluster

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-72150109924010726102012-01-26T10:47:00.000-08:002012-01-26T11:03:00.905-08:00

For those of you who are concerned about what our government and the two major political parties have done and are doing to us, I strongly recommend you read both of the following articles. They say it ever so much better than I ever could, and they are short and to the point.'HOW LARRY SUMMERS' MEMO HOBBLED OBAMA'S STIMULUS PLAN" The Obama administration's economic blueprint was fatally flawed:

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-44066493457079508352011-12-23T10:22:00.000-08:002011-12-23T10:25:52.776-08:00

December 23, 2011I was going to try and write something profound and inspiring, but my barrel of profundities seems to be empty and the cask of inspiration is dry. So, let me sincerely say that each of you is special in your own way, and you have enriched my life immeasurably. I am enlightened when we disagree and reassured when we agree. I cannot recall a time in my life when our nation was

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-71197194498019030792011-11-13T13:07:00.000-08:002011-11-13T13:13:53.923-08:00

As I have witnessed our system of government in action and the way in which we select the talent for the various positions in that system, it occurred to me that we really haven’t changed all that much since the Founding Fathers signed the papers that set this circus in motion. By what process did they deem that elected officials would, somehow, become the fount of all wisdom and virtue as they

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-18533791438481958892011-10-28T17:31:00.000-07:002011-10-28T17:33:40.578-07:00

It can be said with some degree of certainty that I am on the downside of the mountain when it comes to the average life expectancy for Homo sapiens. However, with age comes a resignation to the fact that all of life’s lessons were not learned in the classroom. I have come to realize that a sizeable portion of that education came from the native wisdom garnered from the people who walked in and

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-33607254439096579882011-10-22T13:32:00.000-07:002011-10-22T13:33:55.369-07:00

I must confess that I have more than a cursory interest in national and international affairs. I follow both closely and from a variety of news sources. I probably spend a disproportionate amount of my time on those sources of news with a more liberal orientation, given my political philosophy. However, I don’t place much confidence in sources that tend to skew their reporting at the expense

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-51436794376182395142011-10-13T09:55:00.000-07:002011-10-13T10:07:45.583-07:00

In the Spring of 1983 I was contacted by a representative of AMI in Los Angeles and offered a job on the administrative staff of the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital in, of all places, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I never imagined that I would ever end up in a place like that. However, my circumstances being what they were, I was only too glad to accept the offer and entrust my fate to whatever was

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-56228603878577119572011-10-09T17:06:00.000-07:002011-10-09T18:03:53.687-07:00

I have to confess that I had reached the point where I was pretty well convinced there was such a pervasive state of apathy and the loss of any hope that things could, and would, get better that any discernable change was seen as exceedingly remote. Then, along came the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. To me, that was like a breath of fresh air in a smoke-filled room. I could almost hear the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-46138336729159408462011-10-01T06:12:00.000-07:002011-10-01T06:13:56.991-07:00

Given the fractured state of our social, political and economic structure in this country, I find it rather difficult to maintain a focused and coherent perspective on the total sum of the parts. I am beginning to doubt the mantra “One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” It seems more like a non-system in total disarray with every vested interest pursing its own agenda at the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-83764837235844401422011-09-21T11:05:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:43:28.710-07:00

Well, folks, he did it again. He gave another one of his famous speeches, and all of the liberals (real or imagined) of one stripe or another have been reduced to the orgasmic state because Our President has finally turned the corner and is going to be tough with the opposition. He has finally realized that he has a set of gonads! Now, I ask you, how many times is he going to have to go

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-79287673181308534052011-09-17T10:18:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:44:26.116-07:00

This is extremely well done. It is a good example of outstanding journalism. It is profound, thought-provoking and very sobering. The video takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, but it is something every conscientious American should take the time to watch. I, for one, take a critical, but serious, view of anything that might suggest collusion between government, big money, big corporations and

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-85225809956213688212011-09-14T11:28:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:45:07.337-07:00

My Grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family was a classic patriarch. He was, without question, the head of the family and he maintained that exalted position until he took leave of this earthly existence. He had his share of faults and had an eye for members of the opposite sex that was the cause of marital discord on more than one occasion. But, he redeemed himself in many respects through his

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-83228313375815342552011-09-12T10:30:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:45:39.183-07:00

As I reflect on the demise of our country and all that it once stood for, I am struck by what appears to be an epidemic that has evolved over a very long period of time. It is pervasive and invasive in every facet of our society and our lives. It is the “arrogance of power.” It is the arrogance of political, economic and social power. It is particularly virulent in the centers of power that

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-89676512541922370932011-08-08T07:55:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:46:17.865-07:00

After bearing witness to the endless charade in Washington these last few weeks, I do not hold out much hope that the situation is going to get any better. I look at the incestuous relationship between the various branches of government, compounded by a distinction of the political parties in name only, and the endless fawning of the main stream news media over those who don’t serve, but wield

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-29765604977116109522011-07-19T15:43:00.000-07:002011-07-19T15:51:26.208-07:00

Our Wonder Boy in the White House is preparing to stick it to the people of the United States of America yet again. But, what else is new? This guy is infamous for consistently making promises he has no intention of honoring. He seduces us with eloquent speeches and hollow words, then immediately sequesters himself with his professed adversaries and strikes a deal that pulls the rug out from

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-72880395233675017042011-06-24T09:18:00.000-07:002011-06-24T09:33:39.957-07:00

I believe the United States of America stands on the brink of the greatest economic and social catastrophes in its history. It is time to stop whistling past the graveyard, stop the circus that keeps swirling around our heads called “politics,” and demonstrate the courage to effect bold changes that will accrue to the benefit of the vast majority, and restore confidence and trust between us and

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-55619720179908470872011-06-18T14:01:00.000-07:002011-06-18T14:08:50.864-07:00

I was moved to write the following a few years ago. You might find it interesting.Cowboy BobJune 18, 2011November 16, 2004The weather here is as nice as it gets anywhere in the world. The daytime temperatures are in the 80’s and the nighttime temperatures are in the 60’s. A fitting reward for four months of searing heat. The Holy Month of Ramadan came to a close last Friday. We are now in

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-88703222487814562712011-05-04T23:58:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:00:23.523-07:00

I don’t wish to denigrate the assassination of Osama bin Laden on Barack Obama’s watch. It is a sterling achievement and one that is long overdue. But, to hail that as a great feat of leadership is a bit difficult for me to accept. That is to be the legacy of a man whose entire style of “leadership” is consensus decision-making and bi-partisanship? I ask you, where is the hallmark of a real

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-78687394345560442472011-04-22T20:20:00.000-07:002011-04-22T20:24:26.524-07:00

If there is one human attribute that trumps all others, in my opinion, it rests with those who have a healthy respect for and a personal commitment to truth. I regard David Michael Green as one of those rare individuals. A bit of Wyoming wisdom that was passed on to me more years ago than I care to remember is “Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear; tell me what you think I need to hear.”

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-9471619320701254402011-04-18T07:34:00.000-07:002011-04-18T07:37:55.424-07:00

I am a great believer in authenticity. Being real is very important to me, both personally and in my associations with others. I find being less than forthright cause for caution, and I have been right most of the time. Contemporary Americans, in particular, have mastered the art of socially acceptable bullshit. Everyone knows the game is being played, but no one really gives a damn. It is

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-62228582967723119472011-04-08T17:20:00.000-07:002011-04-08T17:21:39.607-07:00

I cannot recall a time, in my three score and ten plus years of treading the sod, when I have been witness to the utterly obscene and calloused posturing of Congress and the White House regarding the current budget crisis. Their blatant corruption and total disregard for the virtue of honesty and a modicum of compassion for those who are suffering at the hands of a system that has summarily

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-2208209904386974042011-03-21T09:52:00.000-07:002011-03-21T09:55:51.572-07:00

As President Obama began stacking his Cabinet with former members of the Clinton Administration, my anxiety level increased. It was obvious that the honeymoon was short-lived; it was over. As I watched him talk out of both sides of his mouth and summarily ignore almost every campaign promise he made, I knew those who believed in him had been seduced by one well schooled in the art of deception

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-76324886406467262972011-03-11T09:09:00.000-08:002011-03-11T09:13:50.938-08:00

My Fellow Americans.This is my second State of the Union Address to you, the people of this country. I have had two years in office to assess the lay of the land and to learn how the “system” works in this, Our Nation’s Capitol. I am both heartened and dismayed by what I have seen and the lessons I have learned. That experience will serve as the basis for my agenda that will take us into the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-38349699080090252682011-02-25T12:40:00.000-08:002011-02-25T12:43:29.200-08:00

I am a great believer in the value of social conventions, our adherence to which helps us maintain some semblance of a civilized society. Some are more definite than others, but that is inherent in the dynamics of the way we think and live. There is one of those conventions, which I hold to be inviolate. That is lying and all of its many manifestations. I simply don’t trust anyone who resorts

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-11023792277946153192011-02-22T16:34:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:39:55.340-08:00

This was sent to me today by a friend of many years. It seems to fit in particularly well with the temper of the times. I hope you enjoy it.Cowboy BobFebruary 22, 2011************************************************************************************One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-56388223175393609732011-02-22T16:10:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:20:15.228-08:00

Times are tough for a lot of folks these days, and seem to be getting worse for a great many more. As I was reflecting on this growing tragedy, I was taken back to a time in my own life when times were not so good. I instinctively thought of Uncle Bug and, although I posted this blog in April 2008, it somehow seems appropriate to today. Cowboy BobFebruary 22, 2011

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-56059556912640826462011-02-16T15:28:00.000-08:002011-02-16T16:04:58.991-08:00

The never-ending game of mental masturbation continues, unabated, within the hallowed halls of government in our nation’s capitol. The advice of the top economic brains in the country for a swift and decisive response to the “recession” were summarily ignored in favor of a “political” solution and a demonstration of bi-partisanship. Intelligence trumped by corruption. Where has it gotten us?

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-79955734590146502102011-02-13T09:49:00.000-08:002011-02-13T09:59:43.880-08:00

Now that the dust is settling on the valiant efforts and outcome of the peaceful protests in Egypt, one cannot help but marvel at the restraint and discipline exhibited by the millions of people in their quest for liberation from tyranny. They are an example for the world to emulate, and an inspiration to all who witnessed their determination to stand steadfast on peaceful protest as the means

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-4921837178214757482011-02-07T14:46:00.000-08:002011-02-13T12:47:54.731-08:00

I refer you to Common Dreams. There is an excellent article titled, "Recognizing the Language of Tyranny" written by Chris Hedges. He writes a regular column for truthdig.com. Hedges graduated from Harvard University Divinity School and was, for nearly two decades, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times.Well worth the time to read.Cowboy BobFebruary 7, 2011

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-73625374233427042732011-02-06T22:14:00.000-08:002011-02-10T12:12:33.134-08:00

That our entire system of politics and government is seriously broken is beyond dispute. All one has to do is expend the minimal amount of effort required to dig just below the surface and it becomes glaringly apparent that it isn’t working for the benefit of the people. It only serves the elite.Both major political parties dominate and control the national agenda of what gets through the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-15402717224792277282011-02-01T14:44:00.000-08:002011-02-03T22:59:48.632-08:00

I draw your attention to this particular blog post, "The Pseudo-State of the Pretend Union," by David Michael Green, Professor of Political Science at Hofstra University. He has one of the best political minds in the business. He has a great style of writing and gets right to the heart of the matter.Pull up this latest blog post. You will be glad you did.Cheers.Cowboy BobFebruary 1, 2011

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-83407524750922998932011-01-23T16:27:00.000-08:002011-01-23T16:36:21.927-08:00

“I believe that opening one’s self to another in trust requires greater courage than any act of purely physical valor, because we are risking what we judge to be most precious - our own ego. To make one’s self vulnerable is the highest form of compliment, for it is a statement of our greatest gift to another person - our trust in him.”------ George Leonard November 1985Posted by: Cowboy

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-75276603474337788142011-01-23T15:23:00.000-08:002011-01-23T16:32:51.365-08:00

Like many people, I am a person who, over the course of my adult life, has tucked away bits of wisdom for periodic refreshers in the future. Unfortunately, those intentions are quickly forgotten as are those bits of wisdom. As I re-discover some of those treasures, I will share them with you. Cowboy BobJanuary 22, 2011THE EVOLVING RELATIONSHIPbyJordan Paul, Ph.D and Margaret Paul, Ph.DWe are

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-3853350177039264432011-01-20T08:29:00.000-08:002011-01-20T08:40:26.669-08:00

For sometime I have been subscribed to an outstanding source of information regarding the politics and government of this country. The guy's intellect and ability to write makes mine pale in comparison. I highly recommend that you check out The Regressive Antidote (dmg@REGRESSIVEANTIDOTE.NET), written by David Michael Green, who is a Professor of Political Science at Hofstra University on Long

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-17111991635496255932011-01-13T15:50:00.000-08:002011-01-13T18:16:04.385-08:00

To say that I am more than mildly irritated would be an understatement, the reasons for which will become apparent within the context of this epistle.As most bloggers do, I have a monitoring service that tracks various interesting and relevant aspects of activity on my blog site. The information provided is innocuous but does provide valuable data relative to the distribution and interest in

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-24790726877181843182011-01-08T09:26:00.000-08:002011-01-08T09:41:54.897-08:00

I have to confess that I, among millions of others, was totally mesmerized by Barack Obama during his quest for and election to the Presidency in 2008. I have to; also, confess that it did not take long for the disparity between his words and his actions to become an issue of growing concern to me. At this juncture, like so many others, I am totally disillusioned with the man euphemistically

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-88485716807663801972010-12-10T13:37:00.000-08:002011-01-02T12:59:17.221-08:00

Don't you just love it?The maggots for the oligarchs, in the personages of Bush 1, Clinton, Bush 2 and Obama are coming out in droves to devour what remains of the national corpse, all the while trying to convince us that they are there to restore life to the dead!Is any rational person actually going to fall for this? They have long ago established themselves as consummate frauds, all belonging

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-11983437181591503912010-12-05T12:35:00.000-08:002011-01-02T22:18:35.166-08:00

I cannot think of an image that more typifies the state of the leadership of this country than that of Nero playing his violin while Rome burns. It really is that absurd. We are going from bad to worse at meteoric speed, and nothing serious is being done to avert the impending disaster. Let’s face it. We have no leadership. We have not seen leadership in this country for a very long time, but

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-53696118349033884092010-11-22T08:54:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:57:23.418-08:00

Now that the dust has settled on the mid-term elections, I have had time to reflect on the dynamics of that exercise in futility. In the light of day and with a little reflection, it really is more of an indictment of our democracy in action than it is an affirmation of all that it should be. We have just entrusted hundreds of people with the treasures of our country with, essentially, no

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-6129909600038017162010-11-15T22:25:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:00:56.834-08:00

We Americans are a strange lot in many respects. We are a collection of contrasts that often don’t jibe. The facet of our makeup that most fascinates me is the extent to which we go to tout our love of equality among men. That is, ideally, a big deal insofar as our national character is concerned. However, in reality, we readily create and support differences in status within our society,

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-77831011857336827422010-11-11T16:13:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:01:11.078-08:00

ObfuscationBetrayalAppeasementManipulationAcquiescenceBut he sure as hell is no leader.Kinda reminds me of an assessment made years ago of the Foreman, by one of the ranch hands, on a ranch south of Cody, Wyoming, when he said “He is like a bull with one nut and one horn. He can’t fuck nor fight. All he can do is ‘beller’ and shit!”Sez it all as far as I'm concerned.Cowboy BobNovember 11, 2010

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-72987972333360449292010-11-03T16:28:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:01:23.495-08:00

The dust is settling on last night’s political blood bath much as it does on a desert sunset. All seems somewhat quiet and serene as a prelude to our elected leadership limping to the end of their current terms of office. We have, once again, reminded the world of the unexplainable fact that, between the 49th Parallel and the Rio Grande there exists that mysterious phenomenon whereby there are,

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-11600744178201626182010-10-22T16:13:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:01:35.939-08:00

From the time I can remember I have always loved dogs. My Dad was not enamored of dogs, so I didn’t have many while I was growing up. Those that I did have were either put down or given away. I grieved silently as each one departed from my life. I decided early on that when I struck out on my own I would always have a dog. Except for a stint in the Navy and my years at college, that has pretty

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-80270075860335772462010-10-13T08:27:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:01:45.544-08:00

I don’t know about you, but as I look ahead to the midterm elections, I am overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. When I reflect on the political cesspool we call “government” in Washington, D.C., it is so apparent that any virtues associated with its collective endeavors have long since vanished. There is no honor, no decency and nothing within their power that could even remotely foster

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-41109002627022701612010-10-02T09:52:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:02:03.245-08:00

I have recently been engaged in a project that is long overdue. I don’t know if that is because of a homing instinct for the grave or because I have finally come to my senses to the fact that I simply cannot read and re-read all of those long-forgotten treasures I have kept hidden away. However, there are a few that I have re-read that have hit me right between the eyes.One of my favorite

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-53145884300584371072010-09-24T08:51:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:02:14.334-08:00

As I reflect on the ongoing brouhaha about the millions of “immigrants” who are in this country illegally, I cannot help but wonder how an issue that was originally regarded as a matter of law morph into one of a national guilt complex induced by a respect for the law? I have to hand it to the ability of those who oppose the law to reframe it into a moral, rather than a legal issue, at the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-70700248020428326142010-08-05T16:13:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:02:25.299-08:00

I keep a file of bits and pieces of writing that have moved me, and that have helped to keep this whole experience called "life" in some kind of perspective. This is one of them. All I know about Robert Peterson is his name.________________The Sandpiperby Robert PetersonShe was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-18342756769084026332010-08-01T07:30:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:02:43.132-08:00

I don’t know about anyone else, but I sure as hell have a difficult time making much sense out of anything we do in this country that involves politics and the functions of government. The latest controversy over illegal immigration is but just one more example.Jimmy Carter, in his best rendition of a Country Preacher hell-bent on saving the world, seemed to have some ingrained need to apologize

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-43752303421038451472010-07-16T15:47:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:02:57.555-08:00

PROLOGUEWhen I was growing up in Wyoming it was often said that the best among us were those who were closest to the land. In retrospect, there was more truth in those words than I realized. They, as the working class Americans of today, embodied the real character of this land more than the hoards of so-called sophisticates. They are the ones of today who suffer the most at the hands of the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-59702232350534809862010-06-25T12:19:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:03:12.045-08:00

I am beginning to conclude that the people of the United States of America are so numbed through years of seduction by all of those who effectively screw them into the ground that they are incapable of discerning right from wrong. They just go with the flow, hope for the best, and seem impervious at the extent to which they are a party to the selling of America to the most skilled crooks among

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-7300090354746301352010-06-02T19:12:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:03:29.929-08:00

As I bear witness to the continued unraveling of our national character, I ask myself in a thousand ways, what has brought this nation to the brink of total disintegration? There is a massive inertia and malaise that seems to have rendered us totally impotent to stop the juggernaut that has the propensity to totally derail the ship of state. In moments of anger and despair over all that we face

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-14322649194573716932010-05-18T15:43:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:03:45.950-08:00

Well, folks, here we go again facing another national crisis.Now, mind you, I don’t shirk my responsibility for attempting to face reality and dealing with it honestly. But, I see little inclination on the part of our political establishment for engaging in like behavior, nor do I see much interest on the part of the electorate for stepping back from all that numbs their minds in favor of

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-45700722062018589222010-05-05T20:32:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:04:06.527-08:00

I, like so many others, watch the same television network news and news programs. I hear how the economy is starting to turn around. There are reports of a drop in the number of claims for unemployment benefits, and an increase in the number of new orders for goods and services, and a slight increase in the number of new employees. I, too, want to believe that things are getting better. But

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-72821326662229602112010-04-25T16:17:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:04:18.723-08:00

My understanding of the foundation for the United States of America is a duly constituted republic built on a system of laws as codified in the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights. Citizenship is predicated on a respect for and compliance with that duly constituted body of laws, and all subsequent addenda thereto. Call it what you will but, in my humble opinion,

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-57840806786987230422010-04-04T13:25:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:04:31.781-08:00

Here we go again! The maelstrom surrounding the Catholic Church and sexual misconduct just will not go away. Nor should it, but instead of the persistent and rather obsessive need to belabor the issue repeatedly, and with no resolution of the problem in sight, it should be a wake-up call. Reality simply cannot be denied into perpetuity. Anyway you look at it; it all began with adoption of the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-2751896080326488372010-02-22T11:00:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:04:43.293-08:00

I don’t think it is a stretch to conclude that our system of government is, for all intents and purposes, incapable of functioning. The President has proven to be a man of sweeping promises and little action. He has championed an open and transparent government, only to have climbed into the bed of vested interests on Wall Street, the health care industry, the pharmaceutical industry, big energy

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-21985175590633152142010-01-16T15:26:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:04:54.425-08:00

As I begin writing yet another epistle, I am not entirely certain as to where this is taking me. However, as I always do, I will give it a shot and hope for the best. As I enter a new year, however, it seems like a good time to embark on a few personal reflections.When I started writing this blog just over two years ago, I did so because I had a lot of free time on my hands and a great many

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-78230820742594027132009-12-21T16:41:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:05:12.612-08:00

Let me begin by commending the millions of Americans who believed, and still believe, so deeply in the Presidency of Barack Obama, a belief I shared until the reality of his character became apparent. We all hoped in a common belief that he would clean up all that is so contrary to the national interest, and that he would restore a sense of dignity and honor to the White House that has been

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-79175742820294599742009-12-13T16:39:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:05:36.033-08:00

I am writing for the benefit of the righteous, the high and the mighty, the self-sanctimonious, the Bible thumpers and those who are so quick to disparage the working class and the poor by the hollow and empty words, “If they would go out and make something of themselves like the rest of us they wouldn’t be where they are.” Now, I ask you, how in the hell do you know that? Your hypocrisy

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-69965921056154315372009-12-05T12:55:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:05:56.880-08:00

I must confess that, after listening to President Obama‘s speech regarding the deployment of more troops to Afghanistan, I am confused.We haven’t won a land war since World War II, but we seem to have some sort of perverted need to keep beating our heads against the proverbial brick wall hoping that an overwhelmingly decisive victory is yet to be ours. How can that be? The Korean War resulted in

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-36079220059739956152009-12-01T08:40:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:06:12.595-08:00

A BRIEF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVEThe United States espouses a two-party political system, albeit there have been a few more from time to time throughout our history. However, the number has been limited to two viable parties, which have dominated our national political scene.We have a republic based on the Constitution, and a series of amendments to the Constitution adopted and ratified over the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-64248798405829702032009-11-25T21:17:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:06:34.438-08:00

November 20, 2009President Barack ObamaThe White House1600 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, D.C.Mr. President:When I first saw you making the Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, I was completely mesmerized. I was convinced you were the man to eventually occupy the White House, stop the insanity of the Bush Administration and reinstate standards of integrity and a commitment

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-12511441850820623292009-11-18T10:19:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:06:53.687-08:00

I spend a lot of time watching news on cable television and on the Internet from a whole host of sources. It is interesting, not only for the value of the information provided, but to watch the machinations of those with extreme points of view laboring to convince us (and probably themselves, as well) of the validity of their beliefs and the absurdity or threat by others that might challenge

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-23445641974944503102009-11-09T13:30:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:07:09.897-08:00

When you gave the Keynote Speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, you really captured my attention. I thought I was witness to an event that would surely change this country for the better. It came as no surprise to me that you captured the nomination for President and went on to win the election in 2008. I was convinced that, after all those dark years from Ronald Reagan up to and

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-36085420152649306902009-10-31T11:19:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:07:25.631-08:00

I find it utterly incredulous at the pervasive state of apathy in this country. The American public has fallen victim to the most unsavory bums among us; those who reap astronomical compensation for systematically dismantling our economy. Yet, they continue to collude with politicians while milking the Treasury of our precious tax dollars so they can enhance their balance sheets and resume the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-2724421853506703132009-10-19T09:42:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:07:38.311-08:00

I never thought I would reach the point in my life where my perspective was more “retro” than “pro,” nor would my memories be more about people than the interesting places I have visited and the major events in my life. Be that as it may, I am glad things turned out the way they have. I find that I have warmer and deeper feelings about people than anything else in my life. Those memories are

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-72445542561185147072009-10-10T16:36:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:07:51.374-08:00

I would have to confess that my political leanings are more towards the liberal agenda than they are with the conservative. I prefer to base my conclusions more on the merits of the issues than on any allegiance to a particular political party. Absolute party loyalty smarts of extremism and I find that intellectually repugnant. Many of the same threads of corruption and ignorance run through both

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-65902866942528029282009-09-13T22:29:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:08:04.579-08:00

　It has been quite a summer, what with “tea parties,” the contrived rallies made to look like individual citizens’ concerns over health care reform and the latest demonstrations on the mall in Washington, D.C. There is nothing quite as pathetic as having to bear witness to the full display of the empty minds among us who haven’t a clue as to what is really going on or what it all means. It would

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-27333696595115083432009-09-01T14:19:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:08:40.916-08:00

　The year was 1945 on a ranch, 60 miles south of Cody, Wyoming, on the South Fork of the Shoshone River.The ranch was owned by a wealthy heiress from a prominent Pennsylvania family, who was then married to her second husband, a rodeo cowboy of minor fame in calf roping on the regional rodeo circuit. A romance that was born, no doubt, amid the pungent aroma of manure and the glamour of a real

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-64188611508128151022009-08-22T09:42:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:00:00.516-08:00

I was impressed by the news of the day yesterday, particularly in regard to the current state of the economy.It was reported that the Dow Jones was going through the roof, the housing market had rebounded, and consumer spending had increased. Wow! What great news. Makes one as happy as a pig in shit.Then we were told the unemployment figures continued to go up, with California topping the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-34499865958112236302009-08-19T14:28:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:03:13.848-08:00

The United States espouses a two-party political system, albeit there have been a few more from time to time throughout our history. However, the number has been limited to two viable parties, which have dominated our national political scene.We have a system of democracy based on the Constitution, and a series of amendments to the Constitution adopted and ratified over the course of our nation’s

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-74890801964435261812009-07-30T09:40:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:04:16.104-08:00

Frankly, I am appalled by all the fuss being made about the incident in Cambridge, Mass. between Professor Gates and Sergeant Crowley. If that isn’t an example of much ado about nothing, I don’t know what is. I don’t believe race had anything to do with the issue, nor should it. It looks to me as if the rather inflated ego of a Harvard professor came up against the rather rigid routine of the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-90083662366629715942009-07-29T14:28:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:05:09.759-08:00

I would have to say that, in my lifetime, I regard the four best presidencies as those of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. We started to go down hill with the imperious delusions of Lyndon Johnson and the paranoia of Richard Nixon.Jimmy Carter was way off base when he opened the Social Security Fund to government largesse for immigrants. I can’t

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-43237041683444091282009-07-10T14:10:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:06:24.411-08:00

In the course of reflecting back on my lifetime, I vividly recall sitting in front of a Philco console radio with members of my family, listening to the haunting words of Franklin D. Roosevelt as he intoned the somber announcement of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan on December 7, 1941; “a day that will live in infamy.” That is my first clear memory of the horrors of a war

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-27840706161674866032009-06-09T16:33:00.000-07:002011-04-04T09:37:09.885-07:00

Despite my enthusiasm for Barack Obama during his campaign and up to the time of his inauguration, my confidence in him has steadily eroded since he took office. I see him much less as an inspirational leader and more of a ruthless, raw politician, in the game far more for himself and his rich and influential buddies than for the American people. However, that should come as no surprise against

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-87336674107692253362009-05-06T11:21:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:09:19.597-08:00

　I have a great respect for all this country represents to the world. For all its foibles throughout history, in the final analysis, we have done pretty well in terms of what we have accomplished. I have had the good fortune of living through over seventy years of that history. Like all reasonably rational people, I have had my moments and have not hesitated to voice them. But, like a good

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-24198522348315602502009-03-30T19:50:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:10:21.828-08:00

　“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.“ -- Lord Acton 1887I do not think there is a more powerful or insidious force in the arena of human relationships than power itself. It is a force that should never be minimized. By the same token, should it be regarded as something not to be feared. It can seduce us so we lose all sense of

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-61781085493388474332009-03-19T15:24:00.000-07:002011-01-02T13:10:00.836-08:00

The current controversy about the resignation of Charles Freeman, Chairman-Designate of the National Intelligence Council (NIC), has created quite a firestorm in the news media, and rightfully so. However, the issues surrounding his resignation are so convoluted that one needs to be very careful about drawing erroneous conclusions and a tendency towards stereotyping.Suffice to say Charles Freeman

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-84395540153399105552009-03-17T15:06:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:11:27.600-08:00

Following is an e-mail I recently received from a British national working in the Middle East.Cowboy BobMarch 17, 2009************************************************************************************"Today's Rant - Inspired by news of the troop increase in Afghanistan."So who's kidding who here? In this current age of excessive PC (political correctness) we all seem to have been consumed by

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-65097145185884398412009-03-05T20:16:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:10:14.660-08:00

I have to confess that Barack Obama is a real enigma to me. Try as I may I just can’t quite figure the guy out.My first exposure to the man was his appearance at the 2004 Democratic Party Convention when he mesmerized the party with his Keynote Speech. Regardless of your political persuasion, you have to admit that was one fine oratorical performance. I felt then that he was presidential material

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-69658150471464687842009-03-02T11:30:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:10:27.688-08:00

The following obituary is reputed to have been published in the recent past by the London Times. They deserve a few cudos for having done so. It is interesting and, sadly, is rather true.Cowboy Bob, March 2, 2009***********************************************************************************"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, whohas been with us for many years.

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-43975725481727127452009-02-27T12:29:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:10:42.349-08:00

“Education.” That is probably the most over-used and least understood word in the lexicon of the English language. It is the great promise and the big lie for the political establishment. When there are promises to be made that belie specifics, “education” is the fallback position of choice. Those who are vested with breathing life into that term are probably the most maligned professionals in

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-73230689064716087072009-02-13T13:43:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:13:50.024-08:00

........ Mr. President. Who are you, really, and what do you stand for? After having watched your meteoric rise throughout the campaign and having shed tears of joy when you were elected, I now find myself totally bewildered as to who and what the real Barack Obama is. What do you represent? Where on the political spectrum are you?I thought it was a bit imperious as I watched the series of your

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-1893688169712264532009-02-03T21:28:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:14:33.969-08:00

I have to admit that I was more than surprised that Washington cronyism did not do a better job of insulating Tom Daschle in his bid to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. I really expected him to sail through to confirmation without a glitch. Hmmm. Was it just a minor mistake that he failed to pay $128,000 in overdue taxes or was there something more behind it all?I am

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-76326244247470230072009-01-30T14:19:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:15:26.717-08:00

I am watching, with utter fascination, as events unfold in Washington, D.C. re: the stimulus program and the politics surrounding it. In the background lurk the denizens of the financial industries with their insatiable appetites for more and more of the largesse from the national treasury, being aided and abetted by those suffering from the common malady of greed.I wrote off the theory of

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-84571469374937270902009-01-15T12:49:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:16:08.018-08:00

I must confess that I was somewhat surprised by the passage of Proposition 8, amending the Constitution of the State of California to prohibit same sex marriages. I was even more surprised to note that the majority of support for passage of the proposition came from Latinos and Blacks, given their history of being marginalized within the context of the broader society.I, also, find it all rather

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-10828025905858848852009-01-10T13:21:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:16:38.943-08:00

What I am about to commit to paper is the product of my own thoughts about religion, the answers about which remain elusive as they have throughout my life. I neither credit nor blame anyone for what you are about to read. I am not trying to convert anyone to my system of beliefs nor am I attempting to denigrate anyone else’s. For me, this represents a whole host of unanswered questions and

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-68752890610455341552008-10-08T16:00:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:18:04.463-08:00

Let me preface this treatise by making it clear that I do not believe there is any scientific or empirical evidence that clearly establishes the existence of God. Further, I am not advocating adherence to any particular set of religious beliefs. That is a private matter and, in the final analysis, boils down to what one chooses to believe. I am no different.I came from a family that, for the most

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-15873671723687792332008-10-03T14:26:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:18:35.872-08:00

As the financial markets come falling down around our heads, the king makers in Washington and the barons of Wall Street have wasted no time in trying to corner complete control of the 700 billion dollar bailout that is now the big bone of contention in our Nation’s Capitol. As of this writing, it looks as if the power of the people may well have been louder than the corrupt influence of those

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-63266918597209223942008-09-19T10:57:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:19:50.171-08:00

There is both a science and an art to good leadership. Competence, no matter how one chooses to define it, is the essential quality of good leadership. It takes better than average intelligence. It is the ability to not only recognize one’s own strengths, but one’s limitations, as well. It takes courage, and the ability to recognize and admit mistakes. It takes sound judgment and a willingness to

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-66572027664583115192008-09-14T18:42:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:20:57.895-08:00

I should not be surprised by anything, but everyday seems to bring a new and more ominous revelation. However, in order to set the stage for the topic of this column, we need to go back to Kansas when Dorothy embarked on her journey to the Land of Oz.Bill Clinton swept into the White House as the great champion of the average American, hell-bent on improving his lot in life. However, it did not

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-44663790626391655392008-09-10T15:56:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:22:30.593-08:00

Just when you think it can’t get any worse, we have dawn to dusk coverage of a topic so vitally important to the country and, indeed, the world as “lipstick on a pig.” Is this what the campaign for the highest office in the land has degenerated to? Are we so ignorant that we dignify this kind of crap and, even worse, give it one scintilla of credence? This is what we get from corporate-owned news

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-35903130910977800322008-08-07T14:30:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:33:33.474-08:00

I am increasingly dismayed at the course our country seems to be taking. Since the bottom fell out of the housing market and the sub-prime mortgage crisis burst on the scene, plus the sudden and unexpected explosion in the price of gasoline and other petroleum products, I have to admit that my optimism about the future is on the wane. I find it utterly incredulous at what has happened and the

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-61388935184040166352008-07-11T08:53:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:34:38.552-08:00

If there is one inescapable fact of life it is that the life process begins at birth and ends at death. There isn’t much we can do about that. To be sure, we can shorten or lengthen that continuum based upon the extent to which we choose to live a healthy or not-so-healthy lifestyle. We do have some control over that, and sanity suggests that we pay some reasonable degree of attention to that

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-73535572316810057002008-07-02T14:19:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:35:06.814-08:00

In the time I have been around on this terra firma, I have witnessed successive generations of spoiled brats evolve into self-absorbed adults, begetting even greater spoiled brats who morph into even greater self-absorbed adults. We now live with what I perceive to be a population of totally selfish humanoids, totally obsessed with materialistic and hedonistic pursuits, and reveling in the bliss

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-4624422611884495772008-06-15T14:45:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:38:03.382-08:00

Today is Fathers’ Day and an important day for a lot of kids, both young and old, who remember the patriarch of the family with a great deal of love and respect. As for me, I have never coped with holidays very well. Most were tinged with sadness brought on by a variety of circumstances.I grew up poor and, for me, so many of the wonderful fantasies associated with Christmas, Easter, etc., that

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-17870161643039753822008-06-06T15:18:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:39:09.481-08:00

I am reasonably certain that the nation has given a collective sigh of relief that the circus of the Democratic National Primaries is finally coming to a close.When it all began, about one and one-half years ago, I was enthused and excited at the prospects of what might eventually come out of it all. I have been glued to the television set, cheering one moment and cursing the next. When all but

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-62322442874581674032008-06-04T07:05:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:39:35.011-08:00

Some years ago I wrote this short story about my encounter with one of nature's most endearing creatures, a small bunny. I recounted this incident to my friend, Carolyn Rose, who encouraged me to venture out into the world of writing. Her talent and guidance are largely responsible for this piece. My niece encouraged me to reprint it for distribution on this blog. I hope you enjoy it. It was one

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331534222081365867.post-91735023983594983892008-05-26T19:59:00.000-07:002009-11-24T12:41:03.249-08:00

Last night I watched the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C. on public television. As always, the pageantry and entertainment were dazzling. The scripted words were moving. I was touched by all it represented.What most galls me about these events is the extent to which the architects of war bask in the glory of those to whom they refer as having “paid the ultimate sacrifice.” As

Cowboy Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06081792240753254055noreply@blogger.com0